Communication Program Success

Communication Program Success

by Belinda James, Manager Interchange Outer East
18th February 2010

It is always good to share success.

Interchange Outer East recently received funding to develop and create communication aids for participants who are subject to restrictive interventions and who use our recreational programs.

A resource library of photos of staff, volunteers, campsites and camp activities was put together, for use in creating communication aids to support participation in camps, recreation programs and community involvement. Photos relating to local activities, personal care, schools and resources for numeracy and literacy were also included in the library.

Individual social stories were created, using the photos and compic. These were used at home to familiarize the young person with the coming camp or activity, thereby reducing anxiety associated with attending programs. They were also used on camp and activities to improve communication and to assist participants to make choices.

The library resources were used over the January School Holiday Program and produced some notable successes:

A social story was developed for a high energy camp in January which has always had incidents of assault by several of the participants who were to attend. The story outlined who was going on camp, places they would go and things they would do. There were no reported incidents on camp and the feedback from the staff and volunteers was that the participants were the most relaxed they had seen them.

A social story was sent to a young lady prior to her attending a January camp. She had always had extreme anxiety while on camp, would refuse to eat and would continually display inappropriate behaviour. This year, she was less anxious, there were few incidents of inappropriate behaviour and she was eating within a day of being away. Her parents were extremely happy and commented that they have never seen her look so relaxed after a camp.

We are continuing to add items to the library and look forward to more successful outcomes from the continued use of the resources compiled for the project.