October2013_SpeakOut

Victorian SPWeek activities

Longford Primary, Tasmania: Morning tea, activities and displays

Staff and students at La Trobe University get into the spirit of SPWeek.

S taff at La Trobe and the student-run SALT (The Speech Pathology Association of La Trobe University) group joined forces for SPWeek to increase awareness of the 1.1 million Australians with a communication problem and their ability to benefit from speech pathology intervention. A number of events were organised over the week, including a stall in the Agora, a sausage sizzle run by final-year students and a “Twitter tute” encouraging students to get involved in our professional online community in Twitter. Students from La Trobe and SALT were also involved in a live chat ( #SLP2Bchat ) in Twitter on Monday 26 August with other students from Australian and overseas universities. The concept of the inaugural #SLP2Bchat was developed the week before SPWeek, by a student Danielle ( @dmkennedy92 ), who approached Dr Bronwyn Hemsley ( @bronwynhemsley ) at the University of Newcastle to support Danielle’s first moderated Twitter chat. Following the success of the 26 August, with half a million impressions of this hashtag in Twitter, Dr Hemsley and Rachel Davenport ( @rachyroo1972 ) are co-mentoring two students from The University of Newcastle and La Trobe University in a monthly co-moderated Twitter chat ( @dmkennedy92 ; @Speech_LaTrobe ), using the hashtag #SLP2Bchat . The first chat was hugely successful with 65 participants on the night and 120 participants over the duration of SPWeek, and will hopefully be the start of many more #SLP2Bchat involving cross-institutional student collaboration. Thanks to everyone who participated in SPWeek, particularly SALT president Phoebe Wainer and treasurer Lilli Krikheli. It was hugely enjoyable and many great conversations were started! Rachel Davenport & Emma McLaughlin Speech Pathology Week events at LTU and on Twitter!

Hobart: Salamanca Market Stall

Independent Living Centre Tasmania: Display

Norwood Primary, Launceston: Library and staffroom displays

Pub Night, Launceston:

SLP get together

Stephanie Gibb Speech and language pathologist

Speak Out October 2013

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au