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2
Stage 1
Understanding the landscape – a stimulus paper
The Understanding the landscape paper provided the starting
point for the project. The paper presented information about
changes in the environment in which speech pathology works
and discussed specific issues about the make-up and work of
the Australian speech pathology workforce.
Understanding the landscape – a stimulus paper is available at
Stage 2
Perspectives from beyond the profession
Twenty six past and present clients of speech pathology
services, and their families, contributed their experiences and
ideas through an interview or email communication. The clients
were from a wide spread of ages and included males and
females; people from metropolitan, regional and rural areas;
people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds;
people with varying communication needs; and those who
accessed speech pathology through public, private and not-for-
profit services.
A further 22 interviews were conducted with “thought leaders”.
Their experience and expertise was varied and included: client
engagement; evidence-based practice; Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander health; advocacy for culturally and linguistically
diverse people; early life vulnerability; language and literacy;
education; disability; ageing and aged care; higher education;
allied health workforce policy; and journalism.
Stage 3
Conversations about the future
Speech pathologists from across Australia volunteered to host
Conversations about the future. Over 90 Conversations were
held. The Conversations focused on exploring the past, the
present and the future of the profession, including: the key
purpose of the profession’s work; the events and turning points
across the profession’s history; the current trends and drivers
of change; and a vision for the future of the speech pathology
profession in Australia.
Over 800 participants contributed to the Conversations—
including speech pathologists, and other interested clients and
professionals, from every state and territory who live and work
in remote, rural, regional and metropolitan areas and who are
involved in a wide range of speech pathology roles and areas of
practice.
The findings from Stages 2 and 3 are documented in the report
Perspectives from beyond and within the speech pathology
profession – a summary paper. This paper is available at
Stage 4
Imagining possible futures
A series of workshops and teleconferences were held. These
sessions focused on exploring the impacts of a range of drivers
of change on the future of the speech pathology profession.
This information was then used to craft a set of plausible
scenarios for the future of the profession. The workshops also
focused on refining the profession’s ideas for a preferred future
vision. Workshops and teleconferences were held in every state
and territory and a workshop was held with staff from SPA
National Office and the Board of Directors.
Stage 5
A vision to aspire to
At the 2016 Speech Pathology Australia National Conference
held in Perth, over 100 delegates contributed to a workshop
focused on eliciting feedback to refine the vision for the
profession presented in this report.
The vision is presented as the heart of this report and sets the
scene for the future contribution speech pathology will make to
the Australian community as well as being a vision for speech
pathologists themselves.
Project Stages