Speak Out August 2017

From the President

support and understanding from the broader community about the limitations of illiteracy and how to overcome the barriers. Importantly she talks about how to step out of your comfort zone to achieve your goals. I look forward to hearing about what you are doing to promote communication accessibility – whether it is looking at your own workplace and its communication accessibility, holding a display promoting strategies and awareness, or another imaginative activity. As we look to the future and develop innovative ways to meet our clients’ and community needs, it is also timely to remind ourselves of how to ensure that we are still working within our professional knowledge base. Caroline Bowen and Trish Johnson have written a thought-provoking article on how to address the ethical issues that arise when “fad” interventions, with a limited evidence-base, are marketed as being the option. In this issue we celebrate the achievements of many speech pathologists particularly those who are award winners. My congratulations to you all, and thank you for your contribution to the Association and to the broader speech pathology community. We also remember speech pathologist, Annabel Crouch. Since the writing of the content of the magazine, we also sadly note the death of Joyce Bruce (nee Alley) OAM and acknowledge her contributions to the speech pathology community in Australia. I hope that you find this edition an informative and thought-provoking read.

BEING ABLE TO communicate successfully is critical for our dignity, our happiness and our development. It is a prerequisite for achievement of basic human rights of participation, expression, access to public services, education and employment. Communication Access – Everyone gets the message! is the theme for this month’s Speech Pathology Week. This theme is based on the first aspiration in the Speech Pathology 2030 document. This aspiration reflects the need to grow the role that we play in working more broadly with potential communication partners so that everyone can communicate successfully as consumers, clients, friends, employers, employees, audiences and advocates. By building knowledge, skills and resources, we ensure that everyone is able to exercise their right to communication. To realise this aspiration requires a cultural change in our community – and Speech Pathology Week is one mechanism to build community awareness of communication disability, and simple steps they can take Pathology Week, we will be holding a communication access forum, with a range of advocacy groups to discuss the development of an Australian collaboration for future advocacy efforts. We are also working with the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC), and AGOSCI to work to develop some communication accessible environments in time for the conference on the Gold Coast next year. National Office will also be undergoing a communication accessibility audit to ensure that our communications are accessible. In this issue we can see the stories of how others are developing communication accessibility; Rosie Martin, Tasmanian of the Year, talks about her journey to ensure that those in prison have access to the messages of the written word. Rosie talks about how she has garnered to have successful interactions. At a national level, during Speech

Gaenor Dixon

Gaenor Dixon National President

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August 2017 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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