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Speak Out
December 2013
Speech Pathology Australia
Feature
C
ommunication access occurs when people
are respectful and responsive to individuals with
communication difficulties, and when strategies and
resources are used to support successful communication
(Scope’s Communication Resource Centre, 2013).
People with communication difficulties define communication
access as “when everyone can get their message across”.
Background
In 2012 Scope received a community grant from Baw Baw
Shire Council to improve communication access for people
with communication difficulties in the Baw Baw community.
The project was launched in November 2012.
Project goals
•
To increase the community’s awareness of
communication disability.
•
For 20 local businesses to be supported to improve
services for customers who don’t use speech or have
speech that is difficult to understand.
•
To provide a unique employment opportunity for Baw
Baw residents with communication difficulties. A
portion of the grant funds would be used to employ
communication access assessors – all of whom have a
communication difficulty.
Project implementation
•
Fifty businesses and services selected by
community members with communication difficulties
were invited to participate in the project. 25 committed
to the project.
•
Four people with communication difficulties from
the Baw Baw Shire were recruited and employed as
communication access assessors. They completed
three days of training to prepare them for the job and
then commenced working with local businesses to
support them to become communication accessible.
•
During February and March 2013, each participating
business received a pre-assessment visit from a speech
pathologist and a communication access assessor. This
was an opportunity to identify areas for improvement.
•
During April and May 2013, two Scope speech
pathologists worked with the participating businesses
to assist them to implement change in their services
in order to improve
communication
access. This included
staff training and the
creation of site specific
communication aids.
•
Throughout
June 2013 the
communication access
assessors conducted
communication access assessments on the participating
businesses.
Project outcomes
•
Staff from the participating businesses have a greater
awareness of complex communication needs and are
better able to support customers with a communication
difficulty.
“I am now more aware and prepared when I come into
contact with people with communication difficulties” –
staff
member from participating business
•
20 Baw Baw Shire businesses and services
successfully met the minimum criteria for
communication access and were awarded the
Communication Access symbol.
•
Four individuals with a communication disability
commenced open employment.
Businesses awarded the Communication Access Symbol
Bellfield Speech Pathology,
Bendigo Bank (Warragul), West
Gippsland Arts Centre, Pacific
Smiles Dental (Warragul), YMCA
Warragul Leisure Centre, Warragul
Cinema, The Daisy Patch, G Mobility,
Fresh Juice & Sushi, Little Tea Cups
Café, Bowland Warragul, Nick’s
Bakehouse, Darnum General Store,
Gregory’s Fitness Centre, Mawarra (disability support
service), Neerim South Milk Bar and all four Baw Baw Shire
Council offices.
Where to from here?
•
Scope will evaluate the long-term outcomes for
the businesses and community in 2014 to look at
maintenance of communication access.
•
The importance of communication access will be further
promoted in Gippsland.
For further information about Communication Access, please
contact the Scope’s Communication Resource Centre on
03
9843 2000
or
crc@scopevic.org.auNick Hannah & Anna Eglitzky
Speech Pathologists, Scope
Communication Access making great advances in Gippsland
Back, from left:
Nick Hannah
(Scope speech
pathologist)
and four
communication
access assessors.
Front: Mel Smith
(co-trainer at
communication
assessor training).
Scope speech pathologist Anna Eglitzky
with the communication boards made
for Baw Baw Shire businesses.
The Communication Access
symbol.
Communication Access update