Families in remote communities across the Pilbara are set to benefit from a new family transportation vehicle run by Telethon Speech & Hearing, thanks to a funding grant from Australia Post.
As part of the 2019 Australia Post Community Grants program, Telethon Speech & Hearing’s ‘Healthy Ears’ project will receive a $10,000 funding boost to help ensure distance is no longer a barrier for Aboriginal children needing audiological support and their families living in the Pilbara.
Funds will go towards purchasing a family vehicle to transport residents to and from medical appointments, helping them get the support they need to reduce their risk of hearing loss and/or speech delays and disorders. The grant will also assist in providing families with educational resources, to improve their knowledge and understanding of ear infections, hearing loss and how to get help.
The family vehicle is expected to help over 150 families in remote Pilbara communities per year, with a further 4,000 families in the greater Pilbara region benefitting from Telethon Speech & Hearing’s additional ear health educational workshops and printed resources.
Aboriginal children have ten times the prevalence of otitis media than non-Aboriginal children. If left unchecked, this often leads to hearing loss and a delay in speech development which can affect a child’s performance in class.
Telethon Speech & Hearing currently runs two programs in partnership with Chevron, WA Country Health Service and Rural Health West to address otitis media in regional WA.
The Australia Post Community Grants program awarded grants to 75 community organisations across Australia, supporting projects that bring people together around what matters most in their communities. More than half of the successful grants support projects in rural and remote communities.
For more information please contact Christina Ng at Telethon Speech & Hearing – 9387 9888.
