Speak Out August 2018

Dedication in decades

ON 26 AUGUST 2018, SHARON CRANE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF SERVICE AS A STAFF MEMBER AT SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA.

A position here at Speech Pathology Australia, originally meant to be for just 12 months, has continued for two decades as Sharon Crane, SPA's Senior Advisor, Professional Education and Certification, completes her 20th year of working for the Association. Sharon’s commitment to help grow the credibility of the profession and to assist individual speech pathologists to reach their career potential has not waned. Sharon’s association with SPA began as a student member in the 1980s, and later she became actively involved in the initial development of the Association’s Professional Development Program (PD) as a SPA

Sharon’s first role was as Victorian CPD coordinator running the administration side for CPD Victorian events, and was the first speech pathologist to work at SPA National Office. “So they (SPA staff) would save up enquiries from members for me when I’d come in because at that time there wasn’t any professional practice advice.” By 2004, professional development had grown and Sharon’s role evolved into four days a week as she began work to help build the self-regulation program. “There had been a task group

who had worked towards the self-regulation program. They wanted a system in place for acknowledging speech pathologists who were continuing to extend their professional practice, and to keep up their professional practice development. The task group had worked out the principles and I was the one who had to operationalise it, produce it and get it out to members.” Another of her roles was to work with the branches to nationalise CPD events to achieve national cohesion. “Previously the CPD events had been run by volunteers. Volunteers who took on enormous tasks to run their own events and manage the funds. That 12 month position is still going”, said Sharon with a laugh. “Once it started there was a lot to do and it became an ongoing priority.” While SPA's professional

employee. The PD program has since blossomed under Sharon’s guidance and is a significant resource for members. “Professional development today looks more professional, more evaluated with more national input to planning which is critical,” said Sharon. “There is more sharing of information and a real commitment to the brand of SPA CPD. If you attend a CPD event you know you will be attending CPD run for speech pathologists by speech pathologists. There’s more acknowledgement of the talent within the Australian profession. And the methods of delivery have really boomed.” When Sharon started work with SPA one day a week, she maintained her clinical practice in the adult field in rehabilitation at hospitals and in rehab centres in Melbourne.

development program has grown, the challenges remain for the SPA team to create programs and events that meet the needs of members. “The challenges are remaining responsive to what is happening within the speech pathology profession and the broader environment. For example the NDIS, we have had to respond to that, and also ensure that what we offer also fits in with the strategic plan of the Association.” “We want to continue to be responsive and relevant, provide high quality and timely events. I’ve never found it boring. There is always something new – the job changes underneath you.”

“I really enjoyed working at SPA and also loved the clinical work. But here (at SPA) there were new opportunities all the time that interested me. I love the profession and really enjoyed what I was doing (in clinical work) but could also see that through cohesive, collaborative efforts, you could achieve things that wouldn’t be possible on your own. I felt the activities of the Association were quite critical to the profession.” Sharon’s life approach of collaboration and communication flows through into her everyday work. “Communication is so core to everything in life, and this profession maximises the ability for people to communicate and participate in life.”

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August 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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