Speak Out June 2019

Association news

Board meeting report May 2019

The second Board meeting for 2019 was held in Melbourne on Friday 17 May 2019. It was a highly productive meeting including new Director induction, strategic presentations and the 2020- 2023 Strategic Planning workshop. Some of the meeting highlights included: Speech Pathology 2030 Gretchen Young of Young Futures joined the meeting to discuss the outcomes of the Speech Pathology 2030: Making Futures Happen report and how the Association can further embrace the aspirations of this key project in decision making. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Initiatives The Board approved the wording of a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, which will be issued on 26 May 2019 to coincide with National Sorry Day, as well as presented to members at the 2019 National Conference, ahead of the launch of the Association’s first Reconciliation Action Plan. In 2019 Speech Pathology Australia will provide two scholarships to support Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander students in attending the IAHA Conference. In addition, a Director’s attendance will be supported. International Collaborations Speech Pathology Australia, in collaboration with the International Communication Project, has been accepted to host a side event, dedicated to Communication Disability, at the 12th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Representatives of Speech Pathology Australia, including Chief Executive Officer, Gail Mulcair, National President, G Dixon and Vice President Communications, B Hill and Assoc Prof S McLeod will represent the Association at the Conference. (Further details can be seen in the June issue of Speak Out). The Trinh Foundation Australia provided a final report on their Majority World Countries and Developing Communities Grant project, ‘TFA Beyond Borders Mentoring Program’. The project saw the co-ordination and delivery of an integrated e-mentoring program, including a framework, structure and set of tools for volunteer mentoring clinicians who engaged in formal mentoring relationships with less experienced speech therapists in Vietnam. Opportunity to network with other Australian advocacy organisations The Australian Government, through the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Social Services, extended considerable support to advocacy and NGO groups attending the United Nations’ Conference of State Parties meetings, and hosted information meetings prior and during the Conference. Attending these meetings was a great opportunity to not only learn the inner workings of the UN COSP-CRPD Conference, but also to meet and share experiences with other Australian organisations who attended. The Association’s Chief Executive Officer, Gail Mulcair, and Professor Sharynne McLeod joined other NGOs at the first meeting held at the Human Rights Commission. Organisations present included people with Disability Australia (on behalf of DPO Australia), First Peoples

Evidence-based practice Support was given to a proposed Clinician-Researcher

Partnership Grant, up to a maximum value of $30,000. The grant will fund a project which involves a team consisting of clinician(s) and researcher(s) working in partnership to address an area which will add to the evidence-base for communication and swallowing disorders and is embedded in the clinical context. Professional education Manager, Professional Education, M Brown, discussed a recent review of the Professional Education program offered by the Association and her plans to expand and make professional education more accessible to the membership across multiple formats. Strategic collaborations with other organisations to further enhance the professional development offerings, are also being considered. Professional Standards Manager, Professional Standards, S Baldac, and the Professional Standards team, presented the outcomes of Phase one of the Competency Based Occupational Standards (CBOS) review, with the Board providing their support for the recommendations put forward at this time. Phase two and three of the project will test and refine the phase one recommendations. Ethics The 2019 Annual General Meeting will see changes to the Ethics Board, with long standing Ethics Board Chair, Assoc Prof Suze Leitão, stepping down from the Board. S Leitão’s significant and ongoing contribution to the Ethics Board will be will be acknowledged during the meeting. Communications and Marketing Manager, Communications and Marketing, Michael Kerrisk presented on the outcomes of a recent Speech Pathology Week review, along with some recommendations to reinvigorate the initiative, including the use of broad and consistent themes. Work is underway on the development of a campaign to celebrate the Association’s 70th Anniversary this year. The Board will next meet on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 August 2019.

Disability Network, Women with Disabilities Australia, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, Queensland Advocacy Incorporated, Rights and Inclusion Australian (RIA), Vision Australia, and Down Syndrome Australia.

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June 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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