Speak Out August 2016

From the President Through our work with communication and eating and drinking, we support people to

The launch of the final document is only the start of our journey of creating the future imagined in the vision document. The next time you sit down with a cuppa to read the October Speak Out , we will be busy developing the Association’s next strategic plan - to guide us another three years towards 2030. As part of this work, we will seek members’ input to determining the key priorities in order to progress towards the profession’s aspirations. But in the intervening two months, I encourage you to read and reflect on the 2030 document and consider how you in your work can contribute to ensuring this vision is a reality in 2030. As we reflect on how our work can change lives and create new futures for people with speech language communication needs and/or difficulties with eating and drinking, it becomes clear that it is very important for the community to know and understand what we do. Through community awareness and understanding, those people that could benefit from our services are more likely to become aware of and advocate for them. I encourage you to consider how your activities in Speech Pathology Week have contributed to community awareness. For now, sit back and enjoy catching up on the successes and activities of your colleagues and reading about the work your Association is doing to support you in your vital future- changing work.

connect and belong, exercise their right to self-determination, participate in and contribute to their community, learn to their full potential and expand their life choices. We create futures. This edition of Speak Out , focuses on how members around the country “create futures”, through their award winning contributions to the profession and Association, through their activities with and through branches, and through Association activities that support your efforts in creating futures. The launch of the Speech Pathology 2030 report will be a highlight of Speech Pathology Week, and will be the culmination of the reflection, and considerations of more than 1000 speech pathologists from across Australia, working in a range of sectors, contexts and with a range of experiences. Thank you to all of you who took part from filling out initial surveys to develop the Understanding the Landscape paper, through to participating in conversations and workshops. With the dedicated project leadership of Chris Lyons (Senior Advisor, Private Practice), the support of the steering committee; Gail Mulcair (CEO), Michael Kerrisk (Communications Manager), Trish Johnson (Senior Advisor, Ethics and Professional Issues), Chyrisse Heine (Director) and Robyn Stephen (Director); the Young Futures team of Gretchen Young, Katy Callaghan and Jane Haswell have created a vision of the future. My congratulations to all of those involved in the development of this formative piece of work.

Gaenor Dixon

Gaenor Dixon National President

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August 2016 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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