12 Speak Out
December 2014
Speech Pathology Australia
ICP2014
With the year
rapidly coming to a close it is an appropriate
time to thank everyone who has been involved or associated
with an International Communication Project 2014 (ICP2014)
event.
The range of events organised and conducted by members
during the year highlighted just how involved members were,
and how keen they were to promote the aim and objectives of
the International Communication Project.
It is important as this year ends to remember that the aim
of the ICP2014 was to highlight the importance of human
communication – and how communication disabilities
significantly impact every aspect of an individual’s life.
The events organised by members (and their state Branches)
gave voice to the huge number of people whose lives are
impacted by a communication or swallowing disorder.
ICP2014 has the triple objectives of raising the profile and
status of communication disabilities with international health
bodies and policy makers; increasing public awareness of
communication disabilities and the significant impact they
have on people’s lives; and encouraging people around the
world to join together and make a difference in the lives of
people living with a communication disability.
This was always going to be a big ask and a huge agenda
for one year alone. That’s why, the International
Communication Project and its aims and goals continue.
In 2015 we need to find new ways to remind people that
communication is the most fundamental of human capacities
and that everybody has the potential to communicate.
In closing, while it is dangerous to pick out individual events
or activities that have progressed or highlighted the ICP2014’s
objectives, I would like to draw attention to one or two.
The first, is the Western Australian Branch’s video
(
Communication Matters
) that promotes the key message
that with time, creativity and support, communication can be
improved for everyone (in this case, residents in aged care).
Everyone should watch it! You can view Communication
Matters via
Speech Pathology Australia’s YouTube page
.
The second, were the key strategic events held by the
Queensland and Tasmanian Branches that successfully
engaged key external stakeholders (politicians, senior public
servants, journalists, other health practitioners and the like)
in a dialogue about communication matters. Such events
are crucial in raising the profile and status of communication
disorders with policy makers and those who influence the daily
public discourse on such matters.
Thirdly, there were literally dozens and dozens of small events
that raised the profile of human communication. In Portland
in Victoria, Caroline Shepherd, Fiona Coulson and Suzanne
Guerin conducted a drawing/writing competition with three
primary school classes, encouraging the younger pupils to
draw what communication meant to them, while asking the
older ones to write about it. Their efforts were topped off when
they secured a photograph of the Victorian Premier holding
the
Nation for Communication
bubble!
Finally, to everyone who took the time or made the effort to get
involved with the International Communications Project 2014…
thank you!
Michael Kerrisk
Communications and Marketing Manager
ICP2014 – thank you for your efforts!
