1 / 28

Created Through Collaboration

Created Through Collaboration. Angelique Boerst, M.A. CCC-A Clinical Audiologist, University of Michigan Sound Support Program. Karen Wisinski Parent Consultant, Michigan EHDI Coordinator, Michigan Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side TM program. Diagnostic Facility + State EHDI Program

kyrene
Download Presentation

Created Through Collaboration

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Created Through Collaboration

  2. Angelique Boerst, M.A. CCC-A Clinical Audiologist, University of Michigan Sound Support Program Karen Wisinski Parent Consultant, Michigan EHDI Coordinator, Michigan Hands & Voices Guide By Your SideTM program

  3. Diagnostic Facility + State EHDI Program Successful Family Event!

  4. Why Consider Collaboration? • Previously UM Sound Support organized family programs with disappointing attendance. • EHDI conferences designed for professionals and parents – but limited number of parents attended. • Michigan Chapters of A.G. Bell and Hands & Voices have hosted successful events but without informational content. • No single organization had been able to provide event that provided informational content to parents with strong attendance.

  5. Primary Collaborators • University of Michigan Sound Support Multidisciplinary outreach program serving families of Michigan children who are deaf or hard of hearing • Michigan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

  6. With Important Input from… Michigan Hands & VoicesTM Michigan AG Bell

  7. First Meeting - Goals 1) Draw the greatest number of parents ever at a MI event • Not just for parents or children who are deaf or hard of hearing, but the entire family. 2) Empower parents with information to help their child succeed 3) Provide opportunity for parents and children to be with others like them.

  8. What we wanted it to look like Casual, fun atmosphere absolutely necessary + Local Michigan speakers + Parent topics: Advocacy, Strengthening Communication Skills, Literacy, + Activities for everyone - infants to adults + Promote Hands & Voices philosophy “What works for your Child is what makes the Choice Right” “Super Awesome Family Day”

  9. Specifics • Saturday • Easier for parents working outside the home to attend. Allows more fathers to come. • Activities for all children - including childcare for infants and toddlers • $50 registration fee covers the entire family • No one stays home because it costs too much. • Registration to help defray a portion of conference expense and increase commitment to attend. • Scholarships available

  10. Combining Resources • Grant funding allowed flexibility to cover all expenses. • Different connections to recruit volunteers, presenters and mentors. • Internal resources “filled in gaps” created without an event manager. • Different expertise regarding interpreters, CART, ALDs. • More access to families to promote workshop (face-to-face, social media).

  11. Initial Challenge • Finding the Right Facility • Technical ability to provide CART, quality audio, structurally appropriate for sign language, looped rooms a plus. • Combination of large and small rooms for general and concurrent sessions. • Extra space for childcare and child classrooms. • Food Service to accommodate wide age group • ADA accessible • Easy to reach location

  12. Registration Opens • And the waiting begins… • Week 1 • Week ? • 2 weeks before registration closes • 1 week before registration closes • 2 days after registrations is scheduled to close • New problem: Do we have enough space?

  13. The Big Day • 70 Families • 100 Parents / Adult Family Members • 115 children • 65 Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing • 50 Siblings with normal hearing • 11 Communication Access providers • 9 Exhibitors (limited due to space) • 23 Volunteers (registration, child classrooms) 3 Teacher Consultants for Deaf or Hard of Hearing 4 Deaf Education Students 4 Audiology Students 2 Work Study Students 8 Audiologists 2 Other

  14. Parent Agenda • Family Action Plan • Advocacy • Overview of Special Education • Age-Specific Special Education Considerations • Educational Advocacy for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: The Hands & Voices Guidebook • Communication and Literacy • Empowerment

  15. Child Agenda • 4 groups divided by age • Activities varied by age but included team building and career exploration • Hearing-Siblings-Only Session • Successful Young Adult Panel • Trivia • Photo Booth • Button Making! • Fillers – games, Legos, books

  16. Achieved Largest attendance of parents for a single event for any of the organizations involved Measuring Success Goal 1) Draw the greatest number of parents ever to a MI event

  17. Achieved 92% reported they set new goals for their family as a result of this workshop 86% of respondents said they learned what to do to reach their new goals Measuring Success Goal 2) Empower parents with information to help their child succeed

  18. Achieved 97% said they met other families of children who were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. “...my daughter commented how it was so great to be around other kids who 'get it'.” Measuring Success Goal 3) Provide opportunity for parents and children to be with others like them.

  19. Measuring Success Broad geographic pull illustrates value to families

  20. Communication Access

  21. Social Media Feedback: “… Spent time with all the kiddos who were signing, talking, wearing hearing aids, cochlear implants or nothing at all…my heart is ridiculously full & happy.” “… am missing the little utopia that was created Saturday, where deafness, hearing aids, sign language, and CIs are the norm!” “…I'm still so filled with joy from attending this workshop I'm literally counting down the days till next year!”

  22. Things We Think Are Cool: • Self-proclaimed “introvert” announced he felt comfortable to ask a question during a general session to get advice on how to help his child. • A week after the conference, Sound Support was contacted to discuss school accommodations for a 7th grader. Parents credited the workshop for understanding why accommodations are important. • In response to the question, “What did you learn from successful young adults panel?” Teenaged Hearing Sib answer “That it's tough.”

  23. Comments from Evaluations “It was really awesome we were able to bring our family.” “Loved the family format.” “It was one of my favorite conferences ever!”

  24. What We Learned • If you build it, they will (eventually) come. • Less can be more…all were tired. May try lecture/small group sharing in the future. • Recruit more teachers! A pediatric audiologist does not a teacher make…kids really lose interest in dropping blocks after a few hours. • Word of mouth most important marketing tool: 50% learned about workshop from one-to-one communication: Parent Guide, School/Medical Professional vs. 17% postcard, 18% Facebook • Plan large…

  25. The Benefits of Collaboration • Combination of grants allowed total funding within limitations of grants • Initial brainstorming session that included parents gave us the finished product • EHDI experience with interpreting and CART • UM resources: advertising, volunteers, supplies • Could invite a lot more families personally when combined forces: “I will meet you there.”

  26. ...Because Family Matters!

  27. Karen Wisinski wisinskik@michigan.gov Questions Angelique Boerst boerst@med.umich.edu

More Related