Task

Status / Update

Staff

We have hired Antonella Paolicelli as personal network facilitator to assist clients in setting up their personal networks.

Judith Snow will be hosting two half-day workshops on setting up personal networks or circles of support in the Fall.

Vocabulary resources

From May – August 2002 we have field-tested the new graphics developed by Mayer Johnson for Boardmaker with 11 people who use AAC. 

Feedback has been given to Mayer Johnson and we look forward to seeing the revisions by mid Sept. 

At that time Speak Up will redo the 40 communication page sets.  Mayer Johnson will make these new graphics available in their next addendum for Boardmaker.

Communication display pages which we have developed include:

• People
• Family
• General
• Occupations
• Description
• Relationships / Identity
• Relationships / Descriptions
• Body parts
• External body parts
• Internal body parts
• Female genitals
• Male genitals
• Health
• Medical examination
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Symptoms
• HIV testing
• Reproduction
• Birth Control
• Feelings
• Words about sex
• Assistance with sex
• Assault / Victimization
• Time
• Talking about abuse
• Legal vocabulary
• Reporting to police
• Crimes
• People and places
• Court procedures
• Outcomes
• Quick responses
• Communication feedback / regulators

Once updated with the new graphics these pages will be available on the Speak Up website.

Dynavox has received our request to develop new graphics in Dynasyms.  We have not yet received these. 

PCS graphics were transferred to Dynavox for use with Dynavox products that have PCS.  Unfortunately there has been a technical issue and Dynanox is investigating.

Identification of sexual education and safeguarding materials for AAC users

Please see resources section.

Adaptation of sexual education and safeguarding materials for AAC users

See attached list. 

Please note that few clients have borrowed these adapted resources for independent review.  The issue appears to be one of privacy at home. They have preferred to request an individual consultation with Speak Up staff and to review the materials with staff – outside of their home environments. 

We feel that the resources will be of particular benefit to other agencies when supporting people who use AAC. 

The materials have been compiled into 2 loan kits.  We plan on making these available to individuals and agencies next year.

Client focus information sessions

Sex Education:

11 clients were involved in sex education sessions May – July 2002.  These included group sessions and individual consultations. 

Recurring issues:

·         Need for general sex education

·         Information about sexual health issues (e.g., how CP impacts on sexual function, spastic bladder, etc.)

·         Medical appointments (e.g., visiting the doctor without a parent present, communicating with doctors and nurses, finding someone to accompany person for HIV testing etc.)

·         Myths and attitudes about sex and people with disabilities.

·         Need to understand policies and procedures of attendant services relative to sexual activities (e.g., masturbation, setting up for sex with person with and without a disability, individual attendant discretion or part of job description etc.)

·         The right to sexual expression

We are informally surveying a number of attendant service agencies to find out about current practices relating to assisting people with sexual activities.

Client focus information sessions

Safeguarding:

Starting Sept 9, 2002 we plan 10 half-day sessions on safeguarding for people who use AAC.  We have had input from AAC users on the content for these sessions.  We plan to use real life (anonymous) abuse incidents for discussions.  These sessions will be given by the Speak Up team (2 sex educators, a social worker, AAC consultant and 2 AAC consumer facilitators).

Topics will include:

Abuse – what is it?  Different types of abuse.  Human rights.

Feelings that comes from abuse.

Safety – what is it?  What does it feel like? Instinct.

Relationships

Issues and safeguarding strategies for people who use AAC in:

• Community agencies
• Street
• Residence

Responses to abuse / options.

Format will include short presentation, small discussion groups.

Individual consultation will be provided as needed.

Personal Support Networks

In our original proposal we had planned to establish personal networks for clients who requested this support.  Due to the time we needed to spend on sex education we have therefore had to reduce the amount of support we can give in this area.  The Trillium Foundation has been informed and supports this.

At this time we are beginning to:

·         Identify a network facilitator with each client

·         Bring clients and facilitators together for a workshop on “how to find circle members” – Sept 30.

·         Provide support to client and facilitator in recruiting circle members

·         Provide a workshop for clients and circle members on how to conduct a circle meeting and how to sustain the process.

Workshop for Sex Educators

Planned for Nov. 21, 2002

We will focus on communication and sharing our resources.

Information for Medical Professionals

Our clients are telling us that they want their medical professionals to know how to communicate more effectively with them. 

We recognize that we will get very few medics to come to a workshop on AAC. 

We are therefore suggesting the following:

• A personal passport developed with and by each AAC user and containing the information they want to convey about themselves and how they want others to communicate with them.
• A short article about AAC written for medics in an appropriate newsletter or journal.
• In 2004 – a task force to define best practices for medics when working with people who use AAC.

Community Workshops

We are planning to defer workshops for police, legal professionals, attendant service coordinators and service providers until 2004.  This is due to the fact that we needed to spend time on sex education with the clients.  These workshops will take place after the task force committee meetings on best practices for these agencies. 

Communications

We have sent brochures to local agencies in Toronto.  We have also published a short description of Speak up in the ISAAC bulletin, Ontario Speech and Hearing Assoc. newsletter.