SpeakOut_Feb2015_FINAL_web

13 / 33

Speak Out February 2015 13
Call for mentees
and mentors
We have had a great response to our
previous calls for mentors and currently have a
good number registered under the Find a Mentor
search.
So, consider the mentoring program if you are:
• new to an area of clinical practice
• new to a geographical area
• a sole therapist
• returning to the profession after a break
• wanting support to work towards some
particular career goals.
Or, if you simply recognise how much you could benefit
from having someone to reflect upon your practice
with, go to the
and follow the steps to entering into a mentoring
partnership.
Go to this page if you are interested in signing up as a
mentor. It is quick and easy to register, and your name
will then appear in a Find a Mentor search for mentees
who are looking for a mentor who may be suitable to
support them to meet their learning goals.
Remember that mentoring is not a substitute for
supervision and all speech pathologists can benefit
from both.
For any questions regarding mentoring or supervision
contact .
Meredith Prain
Professional Support Advisor
him to making play-dough and encouraging independence.
And to see change and growth in these children, as well as
the work of the teachers and parents, was so gratifying.
And the lifestyle? I always felt prepared as the program was
well supported from Australia and within the Philippines. There
was also an excellent network of volunteers in Albay and the
Philippines. I was lucky enough to climb volcanoes, island-
hop, trek rice terraces and try some delicious foods. Filipino
people were so friendly and would always say good morning
or good afternoon – not just my colleagues but people in the
neighbourhood like the owner of the Sari-Sari store (corner shop)
I would pass every day.
It's amazing how much you can quickly establish a routine in
a new place. I had a regular supermarket, favourite restaurants
and market stalls. I caught jeepneys to work which were an
iconic part of my time in the Philippines. Jeepneys are vibrantly
painted, shiny commuter vehicles found around the Philippines.
No windows, no doors, no seat belts, no suspension but a
whole lot of fun! They really have a community feel; I'd often find
myself having a chat or a sing-along (to whatever love ballad
was playing on the radio) with fellow passengers. I'd sit on my
jeepney on the way to work with my 3 cent pandesal (bread rolls)
squeezing my tube of Vegemite onto them.
I learnt many lessons in my time in the Philippines. Like that
I don't need electricity to be able to function, giving things a
go nearly always results in a new and pleasant experience,
I can cope without fresh cheese and that corn can go really
well in dessert!
A powerful lesson for me was realising what affordable and
accessible healthcare means for us in Australia. Most children
I met did not have this luxury. Many children had cleft lip and
palate that had still not been repaired at 8 years old. As well as
very unintelligible speech, these children lacked confidence, as
a result had poor engagement with education and often had
related health issues. I saw several children with autism whose
toe walking had not been managed and now had permanently
arched feet, falling over often and requiring unaffordable surgery.
Despite these challenges, the children show the true Filipino
spirit and resilience – when they fall down, they pick themselves
up again and keep smiling. Their positive attitude is inspiring,
and it certainly helps me to put my ‘problems’ into perspective.
After a typhoon hit my region, several colleagues had their
houses badly damaged and many possessions destroyed. They
were back at work the next week, and still smiling. Their attitude
is "we'll just have to get on with it" and "it happens, but it could
have been worse" (and believe me, it has been much worse).
So what now? I returned in November and in a few weeks
I start a new job in Perth. But the long term plan is to be able
to return for visits to the Philippines, and work to support
children post cleft repair. While my colleagues and the
community indicated they got a lot out of my time there,
I think at the end of the day I was the one who learnt the most.
Larissa Ashton
Speech Pathologist
spotlight on
professional support
2015 Online Resource Guide
now available!
Speech Pathology Australia’s
2015 Online Resource Guide
provides members and
the public with a reference
manual of products and
services which may be of
use. The Online Resource
Guide is an interactive
resource, complete with links
to websites and email addresses, and enabled to
be conveniently viewed on portable devices such
as mobile phones and tablets. To view the 2015
Online Resource Guide, click on the
menu on our website.