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support provided to the volunteers and the communication strategy and co-ordination that underpinned the group. SLP expertise is therefore seen as crucial to a sustainable model for communication groups in the community. This outcome is not unexpected; however, access to SLP services by such groups does remain contentious. While the SLP in this study predominantly worked in a voluntary capacity, training provision by a volunteer SLP is not a sustainable option in the long-term. Strategic planning at a local level is clearly needed to ensure regular and ongoing input, albeit potentially not needing to be provided in the intensity that we might usually consider for our services. Strategies might include collaborative partnerships with universities or referring health services, allowing volunteer training to be delivered as part of final-year clinical placements or outpatient service delivery. The potential rotation or sharing of training across services (e.g., “releasing” staff to deliver training) could offer inexpensive but critical input that would ensure that outpatient services have somewhere to refer their clients after therapy ceases while addressing those long-term needs of people who have communication impairment. This study has sought to explore the experiences of a particular community-based communication group in a particular locality. As such, it is confined to a small number of participants, influenced by the local conditions of the group involved. Future research should build on the current findings. Conclusion This study sought to identify which factors were perceived by group participants and carers to contribute to the success of a long-running volunteer-led communication group and explore the interaction between these factors. The provision of communication opportunities in a supported and rich communication environment with well-trained volunteers and robust organisation were viewed as critical to the day-to-day success of the group. The ongoing development of volunteer skills, the managed communication environment and the professional support with recruitment and strategic direction provided by the SLP in a regular but low-intensity model were found to underpin this success. This contributed to a proposed model of sustainability factors that should be explored further to assess its utility in informing the development of further community communication groups. Future studies should also explore the perspectives of SLPs and other relevant health professionals to establish the validity and The authors wish to acknowledge the group and carer participants who took part in this study and Tess Beattie, Curtin University, who conducted the interviews as part of a School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University Summer Scholarship. The study was funded through a small grant from the School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University. References Braun, V., & Clarke V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3 (2), 77–101. Brown, K., Worrall, L., Davidson, B., & Howe, T. (2010). Snapshots of success: An insider perspective on living successfully with aphasia. Aphasiology , 24 (10), 1267–1295. utility of this preliminary model. Acknowledgements

Byng, S., Pound, C., & Parr, S. (2000). Living with aphasia: A framework for interventions. In I. Papathanasiou (Ed.), Acquired neurogenic communication disorders: A clinical perspective (pp. 49–75). London: Whurr Publishers. Code, C., & Petheram, B. (2011). Delivering for aphasia. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology , 13 (1), 3–10. Cruice, M., Worrall, L., &, Hickson, L. (2006). Quantifying aphasic people’s social lives in the context of non aphasic peers. Aphasiology , 20 (12), 1210–1225. Davidson, B., & Worrall, L. (2013). Living with aphasia: A client-centred approach. In I. Papathanasiou, P. Coppens & C. Potagas (Eds.), Aphasia and related neurogenic communication disorders (pp. 255–271). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Davis, G., & Wilcox, M. (1985). Adult aphasia rehabilitation: Applied pragmatics . San Diego, CA: College Hill Press. Elman, R. J., & Bernstein-Ellis, E. (1999). The efficacy of group communication treatment in adults with chronic aphasia. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research , 42 (2), 411–419. Hersh, D. (1998). Beyond the “plateau”: discharge dilemmas in chronic aphasia. Aphasiology , 12 , 207–218. Hersh, D. (2006). “From the ground up”: The Talkback Group Program in South Australia. In R. J. Elman (Ed.), Group treatment of neurogenic communication disorders: The expert clinician’s approach (2nd ed.), pp. 255–268. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing Inc. Hersh, D. (2008). How do people with aphasia view their discharge from therapy? Aphasiology , 23 (3), 331–350. Hoen, B., Thelander, M., & Worsley, J. (1997). Improvement in psychological well-being of people with aphasia and their families: Evaluation of a community based group. Aphasiology , 11 (7), 681–691. Kagan, A. (1998). Supported conversation for adults with aphasia: Methods and resources for training conversation partners. Aphasiology , 12 (9), 816–830. Kauhanen, M. L., Korpelainen, J. T., Hiltunen, P., Määttä, R., Mononen, H., Brusin, E., ... & Myllylä, V. V. (2000). Aphasia, depression, and non-verbal cognitive impairment in ischaemic stroke. Cerebrovascular Diseases , 10 (6), 455–461. Kearns, K., & Elman, R. (2001). Group therapy for aphasia: Theoretical and practical considerations. In R. Chapey (Ed.), Language intervention strategies in aphasia and related neurogenic communication disorders (4th ed.; pp. 316–337). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Lanyon, L. E., Rose, M. L., & Worrall, L. (2013). The efficacy of outpatient and community based aphasia group interventions: A systematic review. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology , 15 (4), 359–374. Lawson, R., & Fawcus, M. (1999). Increasing effective communication using a total communication approach. In S. Byng, K. Swinburn, &C. Pound (Eds.), The aphasia therapy file (pp. 61-74). Hove, UK: Psychology Press. Legg, L., Stott, D., Ellis, G., & Sellars, C. (2007). Volunteer stroke service (VSS) groups for patients with communication difficulties after stroke: A qualitative analysis of the value of groups to their users. Clinical Rehabilitation , 21 (9), 794–804. Luck, A., & Rose, M. (2007). Interviewing people with aphasia: Insights into methods adjustments from a pilot study. Aphasiology , 21 (2), 208–224. Lyon, J. (1996). Optimising communication and participation on life for aphasic adults and their prime

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JCPSLP Volume 17, Number 2 2015

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