Speak Out April 2020 DIGITAL VERSION. pdf

From the President

Thanks for picking up this issue of Speak Out , with what I assume are pristinely clean hands. This introduction might be a challenging one to write. Let’s face it, after I’ve written this, I could go make myself a hot chocolate and get on with the next activity (jigsaw puzzle anyone?). However, I’m thinking by the time the milk is warm, anything written about today’s world will likely be out of date. The way in which we live, work, and interact has been reshaped abruptly, and continues to alter with phenomenal speed. So instead let’s just focus on what we know about Speech Pathology Australia that is constant, no matter what. As an entire profession, we’ve been looking towards the future for quite some time. Yes, we didn’t necessarily predict COVID-19. But, if you want a spine-tingling moment, turn to page 39 of the SP2030 report. Re-read the scenario titled ‘Recovery through Collaboration’. You’ll find quite a few phrases there relating to early 2020 that will suddenly have new meanings in this world. After huge shake-up, so much changes in terms of our engagement with technology, the scope of practice for speech pathology, and how we might work in a rapidly depleted economy. Spooky, huh? And this is the reason why the association moved so quickly with regards to TeleHealth and offering support for small businesses: we’ve been talking and planning around a range of potential futures for years. It’s therefore not a surprise that the pages you’re about to read through detail the myriad of ways that the Association moved agilely in order to continue services. Immediately after the March Board Meeting, Gail Mulcair relocated all National Office staff offsite with very little notice, setting them up with the technology and resources to be able to perform their roles from home seamlessly. As a result, despite the unprecedented impact of this pandemic, there has been no break in services offered to members. The team are all still connected and communicating. Updates are regularly being posted online, and while the team can’t alleviate the uncertainty, they continue to inspire with their professionalism and responsiveness. The Speecha Pathology Australia Conference is one of my year’s highlights, and I’m excited that all the efforts and planning made by Pamela Richards, Bea Staley, and the CPC haven’t been cancelled, simply postponed. In the meanwhile, there’s no need to worry about the impact on Professional Education. The last time I was in National Office, I laughed when I saw Maree Brown’s wall absolutely covered in post-it notes, with intricate plans for revolutionising the way in which we access learning. And of course, the joke’s on me now, because this strategy means we keep developing in our professional learning, right through until the time comes when we are back together in Darwin. Now that’s going to be a Conference Dinner to remember. As I read through this issue of SpeakOut, I’m resolute in my belief that while it’s a time of uncertainty for all of us, we’ve got this. On the 14 March, as the Board Meeting finished, I looked up at my colleagues’ faces and couldn’t help but smile. It was a hefty agenda, but we’d worked together through a range of responses. I want to thank them for their increased diligence at this time, while also recognising the contributions of past Board and Council members, whose combined wisdom and advice set our association up to be strong and responsive. For a profession all about bringing people together, the notion of “social distance” is tricky. So, we’ll do what we do best: rewrite the narrative. Continue to bring people together in communication and mealtimes, while keeping them safe. Stay vigilant, stay well, and stay amazing. See you at the AGM!

Tim Kittel

Tim Kittel National President

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April 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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