SP 2030 Report

Project Stages

Stage 1 Understanding the landscape – a stimulus paper The Understanding the landscape paper provided the starting point for the project. The paper presented information about changes in the environment in which speech pathology works and discussed specific issues about the make-up and work of the Australian speech pathology workforce. Understanding the landscape – a stimulus paper is available at www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SP2030 Stage 2 Perspectives from beyond the profession Twenty six past and present clients of speech pathology services, and their families, contributed their experiences and ideas through an interview or email communication. The clients were from a wide spread of ages and included males and females; people from metropolitan, regional and rural areas; people from Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds; people with varying communication needs; and those who accessed speech pathology through public, private and not-for- profit services. A further 22 interviews were conducted with “thought leaders”. Their experience and expertise was varied and included: client engagement; evidence-based practice; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health; advocacy for culturally and linguistically diverse people; early life vulnerability; language and literacy; education; disability; ageing and aged care; higher education; allied health workforce policy; and journalism. Stage 3 Conversations about the future Speech pathologists from across Australia volunteered to host Conversations about the future . Over 90 Conversations were held. The Conversations focused on exploring the past, the present and the future of the profession, including: the key purpose of the profession’s work; the events and turning points across the profession’s history; the current trends and drivers of change; and a vision for the future of the speech pathology profession in Australia.

Over 800 participants contributed to the Conversations — including speech pathologists, and other interested clients and professionals, from every state and territory who live and work in remote, rural, regional and metropolitan areas and who are involved in a wide range of speech pathology roles and areas of practice. The findings from Stages 2 and 3 are documented in the report Perspectives from beyond and within the speech pathology profession – a summary paper . This paper is available at www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SP2030 Stage 4 Imagining possible futures A series of workshops and teleconferences were held. These sessions focused on exploring the impacts of a range of drivers of change on the future of the speech pathology profession. This information was then used to craft a set of plausible scenarios for the future of the profession. The workshops also focused on refining the profession’s ideas for a preferred future vision. Workshops and teleconferences were held in every state and territory and a workshop was held with staff from SPA National Office and the Board of Directors. Stage 5 A vision to aspire to At the 2016 Speech Pathology Australia National Conference held in Perth, over 100 delegates contributed to a workshop focused on eliciting feedback to refine the vision for the profession presented in this report. The vision is presented as the heart of this report and sets the scene for the future contribution speech pathology will make to the Australian community as well as being a vision for speech pathologists themselves.

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SP2030