May and Summer Birthdays

I would like to wish everyone who has a birthday in the summer, a very Happy Birthday!

In May, Carolyn celebrates her birthday.

In June, Fran, Aaron, and Elaine W celebrate their birthday. In July, Elaine D and Gabriel celebrate their birthday and in August Samantha celebrates her birthday. Please send emails during the summer to wish them a Happy Birthday.

Carolyn May 28

Fran  June 5

Aaron  June 15

Elaine W   June 15

Elaine D  July 6

Gabriel July 18

Samantha August 14

by Samantha Millar

Breaking the Ice Virtual Town Halls: January 29 and April 23, 2022

AAC and Identity was the topic for two Breaking the Ice Virtual Town Hall sessions.  The discussion leader was Beth Moulam.  She is a Social Policy graduate, Paralympic boccia athlete and blogger. She draws on lived experience of cerebral palsy, speech and hearing impairments to raise awareness of those who use AAC, the value of an active lifestyle and making your dreams come true. Beth is passionate to empower others to fulfill their own communication and life potential; she leads her own support team living independently. Beth has been an International speaker since 2006 including Co-leading and mentoring on the ISAAC 2018 ‘Dare to Lead’ programme and in 2020 an invited ISAAC Pathways to Leadership speaker. Beth delivers workshops, facilitates training collaboratively and mentors AAC groups/individuals.

Beth’s main point to AAC users was that “How others see you is not important.  How you see yourself means everything.”  

The first Town Hall looked at identity by asking participants to answer three identity questions:

  1. How would you describe yourself in five words?  
  2. What three words describe what you think you are good at?  
  3. Which three positive words would you like others to use to describe you? 

The second Town Hall addressed the questions:

1.    Think of an ANIMAL you identify with. What 3 words or 1 short sentence describe why you identify with this animal?   

2.    Think of a COLOUR you identify with. What 3 words or 1 short sentence describe why you identify with that colour?  

3.    Think of a PICTURE that you identify with. What 3 words or 1 short sentence describe why you identify with that picture? It could be a picture of you, nature, a place or anything else you connect with.

by Carolyn Henry and Glynis Henry