London or Bust! Giving Voice Campaign - October 2011

Congratulations to Jennie Marshall, who biked 144 miles from Stroud to Westminster, to promote speech and language therapy as part of the Giving Voice campaign on 18th October.

During the trip Jennie used a Lightwriter SL40 to communicate with. This experience gave an invaluable insight into the challenges of everyday communication using an AAC device.

Here is part of her story...

“...Helen Noble's team were lovely!  All there to greet meet me and take photos.  Here we are with speech bubbles.
 
They put on a slap up lunch which was much needed by that point.  I used the Lightwriter for the whole hour and a half I was there.  Interesting experience.  One Speech Therapist remarked that she realised that she and the others were suddenly speaking more slowly and in more simple sentence constructions to me than to each other.  I had noticed this, too and it feels very odd.  It's a reminder to be aware of whether the person with the communication aid actually requires this or not.

The speed of interaction is slowed down and I often only got round to answering a question once their conversation had moved on.  As SLTs, we all know this happens, but to experience it is quite different.  I actually found that I didn't have to respond to everything with words and that a shrug, a smile or a laugh did just fine.  I also did some writing which was fine except, of course, then it had to be handed round to everyone.

They also provided me with a low tech aid - a piece of paper in a poly pocket, with "please give me time to get my communication aid out" - the obvious ideas are the best!!...”

To read the rest of Jennie's blog from the full trip, click here.

More info about the Giving Voice Campaign, click here.

More info about the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy, click here.