Now available online is the First Voice 2019 Year in Review, offering great insights into what is happening in our sector – both in the Asia-Pacific zone and globally.
This edition contains a snapshot of 2019 activities and achievements along with short reports on our Graduate Outcomes (2018), thought leadership and research, the Power of Speech Awards at Parliament House in Australia and more – All in four pages!
Telethon Speech & Hearing is proud to be a founding member in this global alliance, and have our CEO Mark Fitzpatrick, lead the group as the Chair of First Voice since August of this year.
At First Voice we are seeing a growing groundswell of professionals and organisations looking to create positive listening and speech outcomes for children with hearing loss, including in countries where some of the government support and infrastructure is not yet developed. Working with other organisations around the world, including the Alexander Graham Bell Institute and Academy, First Voice looks to support these organisations because we see the outcomes our member centres are able to achieve with children and their families.
Globally, 34 million children have disabling hearing loss and only a tiny fraction of these have access to publicly funded listening, speech and language services. Yet the evidence shows that where a systematic, evidence-based approach is taken to optimising hearing, listening and language development, it is possible for deaf children to develop age-appropriate speech, language and comprehension before they start school. By doing so we enable them to be mainstream-school educated leading to lifelong social and economic independence. Studies in Australia/New Zealand and the UK show that the benefit-to-cost ratio of our listening and spoken language approach is significant for the community.
If you are interested in knowing more about First Voice and the important work we do, please click here.
