Speak Out December 2018

Then and Now Reflecting on 30 years with Speech Pathology Australia

Congratulations to Tricia Chardon who this month celebrates her thirty year anniversary of starting employment with Speech Pathology Australia as Queensland Continuing Professional Development Coordinator.

TRICIA CHARDON’S NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH QUEENSLAND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. TRICIA HAS PROVIDED DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PROFESSION AND THE ASSOCIATION FOR THIRTY YEARS AND WE ASKED TRICIA TO REFLECT ON HER THREE DECADES OF EMPLOYMENT – A RECORD THAT WILL LIKELY REMAIN UNMATCHED.

O nce upon a time, 30 years ago to be exact, the Qld Branch Executive of Australian Association of Speech and Hearing (AASH) appointed me locum Continuing Education Coordinator, while Janet Sheehy went on maternity leave. Some five months later, just as Janet was to resume her position, her husband was transferred out of Brisbane, so I stayed on…and on…and on! Then, the role was for four hours a week. I was based at UQ in the Speech and Hearing Department at Rocks Street. I had a desk in a share room with two PhD students, several archive boxes of papers, the departmental secretary did my typing and came and called me if I received a telephone call. The role grew in scope and paperwork and hours and two years later I moved to Milton State School Teachers’ Aide rooms. I acquired office furniture; the Branch moved all their records, current and archival, to this space and between us we hired secretarial support. Now I was working up to 10 hours a week as I took on much of the organisation the PD Committee had been doing on a volunteer basis. For the next 14 years, thanks to the support of senior SPs in Education Queensland, the Branch and PD were housed, at peppercorn rent, at LISC in Cornwell Street, the Valley State School and Glenleighden Special School. In 2004, two weeks before we were to become homeless, my family circumstances made a relocation to my home a temporary solution and again, here I stayed! Then, my children were small and I relished the stimulation of professional colleagues and opportunity to be completely in control organisationally of a block of time each week. Now, no-one knows if I am at my desk in my PJs and slippers on a cold July morning! The enormous growth and change that has occurred over 30 years can be summarised under three headings: 1. The now totally national focus of the SPA professional development programme; 2. The commitment of Qld PD to be constantly trying to extend accessibility and affordability of the PD Programme to the approximately 1/3 of our members who work outside the Brisbane metropolitan area; and 3. Advances in technology! National focus: in 1992 A.A.S.H introduced a portfolio structure. Over the next 20 years the Research and Continuing Professional Development portfolio (R&CPD) facilitated communication among the States. This allowed ideas and new initiatives to be shared, reduced duplication of resources; gradually breaking down a

long established state-centered focus to establish a national identity. This allowed the states and territories with a smaller member base to be supported in their PD programmes. Then, the paid coordinators and R&CPD Leaders teleconferenced every few months and scheduled a meeting of PD reps at National Conference; now the coordinators from NSW, Qld, SA, Vic and WA meet at National Office each year for a two-day planning meeting, we teleconference every six to eight weeks and four times a year include the PD Leaders as well. As registration for upcoming events in all states opens online, this information is accessible for members nationally to view and the monthly PD eNews provides a link to registration page for every event in every state. The number of members attending an interstate PD event is increasing every year.

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December 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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