Soundfair

NextSense are hosting an upcoming Patients Meet Up. Please find all details below:

Hello cochlear family I am so proud to announce that we have another special guest at our next meeting.

Lisa Singer is an audiologist for Cochlear based in Victoria. She has been working in the cochlear implant field for the last 10 years in Australia and the UK and is passionate about building awareness around cochlear implants and referral. Lisa’s works closely with the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in her current role to expand cochlear implant services throughout Victoria.

She will be an informative and interesting guest for anyone with a cochlear Implant or considering getting a cochlear..

🤩Today we were thrilled to welcome Laura, the brilliant creator of The Ambient Menu, to Soundfair Australia for a ! Her innovative approach to finding acoustically friendly eateries resonates with our mission to enhance auditory experiences. If you’re passionate about making a difference, we encourage you to dive into !We look forward to taking a more spirited view when dining from here on out, and sharing our experiences with the wider community.

Read about how NAL is leveraging AI, big data, and smart device technologies to develop personalised hearing solutions and integrate wearable technologies and AR/VR into our innovative approaches.

Read more in our Annual Impact Report 2023: https://www.nal.gov.au/nal-annual-impact-report-2023/

👋 Our friends at MindEar are running a FREE masterclass for audiologists! Jump on the link below to register:

https://calendly.com/mindear/mindear-academy-tinnitus-masterclass-clinicians?month=2024-08

MindEar are excited to invite you to our upcoming FREE masterclass designed specifically for audiologists, featuring Prof. Laure Jacquemin, Head of Tinnitus-Hyperacusis Therapy & Science Communication at MindEar.
In this online masterclass, Prof. Jacquemin will explore a diverse range of treatment options, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and sound therapy.

Additionally, you will discover the benefits of the MindEar app for cognitive-behavioral therapy and learn how to seamlessly integrate these tools into your clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand tinnitus and explain it clearly to patients.
2. Learn evidence-based tinnitus treatments and patient guidance.
3. Combine hearing care with tinnitus care using MindEar.
"Enhance your clinical practice with
innovative tinnitus tools"

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟
We are thrilled to welcome three outstanding individuals to the Soundfair Board of Directors! Please join us in welcoming:
🔹 Christa Bayer – A seasoned professional with extensive experience in philanthropy, fundraising, and governance. Christa’s deep knowledge in funds development will be instrumental in driving our strategic initiatives forward.
🔹 Gemma Cooper – With a rich background in leadership within and outside the hearing sector, community engagement, and social impact, Gemma’s insights and lived experience will be invaluable to our mission.
🔹 Mark Flynn – Mark’s experience in strategic development, innovation, stakeholder engagement, and in-depth knowledge of the hearing care sector will be a tremendous asset as we continue to drive positive change.
Board directors play a crucial role in guiding the strategic direction of our charity, ensuring effective governance, and helping us achieve our mission. We are confident that their diverse skills and perspectives will further enhance our efforts to support people living with hearing loss and tinnitus. Together, we look forward to achieving even greater impact and making a difference in our community.
Welcome to the team, Christa, Gemma, and Mark! 🎉

🎧 Calling audiologists, audiometrists, researchers and leaders in hearing care!
In your opinion, what is the most significant unmet need of people living with hearing loss or tinnitus in Australia?
 
And what would you like to see consumer nonprofits (like Soundfair) do to address this?
We’d love to hear your thoughts to these questions...
Respond via DM, email or a short video 📹 (

💡Hearing loss is all around us - we just don't see it!
Hearing loss has been identified as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia and changes in brain health. We are so pleased that the clever researchers are trying to understand what this link is - just like in this article by Piers Dawes and Christiane Volter "Do hearing loss interventions prevent dementia?":
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00391-023-02178-z
Ultimately, researchers highlight that while we don't know the exact relationship, we DO know that communication, and maintaining social connection are critical to ageing well and therefore, addressing your hearing as part of a healthy lifestyle is key.

The next cochlear implant meet up is next week, hosted by NextSense , please see details below:

Dr Caitlin Barr - Chief Executive Officer of Soundfair - will be joining us at our next cochlear implant support meeting to talk to us about Soundfair and how it helps hard of hearing people.

Some of the issues they cover are as follows:
* Independent, objective, whole-person focused advice on all hearing conditions.
* Hearing tests – adults, school-aged children, diagnostic, pre-employment, second opinion.
* Hearing aids and other hearing assistive device fittings – private, government-funded and Hearing bank recycled device program.
* Communication skills training courses for individuals and families
* Social and psychological support relating to hearing conditions
* Hearing in the workplace support and Workplace Education and assessments
* Tinnitus counselling and management support

👋Getting involved - DEAFNESS FORUM Australia are seeking assistance for a new advisory group. See below for all the details!

Deafness Forum Australia is currently seeking individuals to join a new citizen advisory group to support our advocacy across the NDIS reforms.
We are specifically interested in NDIS participants that are 18 years or older, who are deaf, have hearing loss, or have ear or balance disorders. We are also looking to recruit parents or guardians of children with hearing loss who are NDIS participants for this initiative.
This is a one-year role. Group members would need to be able to attend bi-monthly Zoom meetings and will receive financial compensation ($50 an hour) for their time and expertise. Meetings will be held out-of-work hours.
Interested in being involved?
To learn more about this fantastic opportunity, please reach out to our National Director, Policy and Advocacy, Hayley Stone, at [email protected] before 20 July.

NAIDOC Week (7 to 14 July) is a perfect time to celebrate the rich history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples.

This year's theme is "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud."

The theme underscores the vibrant and enduring spirit of First Nations cultures.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children suffer some of the highest rates of middle ear infections in the world.

The disease is going undetected among 26 per cent of First Nations children, while one-in five live with undiagnosed hearing loss, according to clinical data from Hearing Australia.

"Ear infections are really common in children but for First Nations children they are typically more regular and actually start very early in life and last a lot longer as well," Hearing Australia's Kirralee Cross said.

"When you have middle ear disease it's really difficult to detect, so there can actually be no symptoms. You don't necessarily have to have an earache or fever.

"Lots of kids are suffering in silence."

Since 2019, Hearing Australia has assessed about 36,000 First Nations children, from newborns to age six, through its hearing assessment program called early ears.

After analysing about 19,000 of these assessments, Hearing Australia found children under two have more ear trouble than older ages.

It also found children who live in remote areas have more problems with ear health than those in the regions or cities.

Ms Cross, a Yorta Yorta woman said middle ear disease and hearing loss can have a huge impact on children's development and their learning.

She said it was also culturally important for children to be able to hear well, so they could learn songs and stories being passed down by elders.

"We see a lot of children come through who may be behind in school or may have speech delays or may not understand instructions, which makes it really difficult in a classroom," Ms Cross said.

"When kids have middle ear disease it affects their ability to listen, to learn but also to yarn and connect with others. It can be quite isolating."

Ms Cross said at follow-up appointments about 60 per cent of children have better hearing health than when they were first assessed. To tackle ear disease among First Nations children, more needed to be done to improve community awareness of ear health and health care providers must assess hearing early.

"Never disregard any concerns you may have."

By Keira Jenkins writing or YahooNews.

Sharing from our friends at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital during this week when we stand in solidarity and amplify the voices for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities we are grateful to be able to support. We acknowledge the Traditional owners of the land on which we work here at Soundfair, the Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

This week, the Eye and Ear is celebrating NAIDOC Week, a time to come together and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. The theme for this year is “Keep the Fire Burning, Blak, Loud and Proud”, celebrating the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.

The Eye and Ear is proud to announce a new sign in our Welcome Space, located on the corner of Victoria Parade and Gisborne Street. Our Welcome Space is a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, families, carers and all patients and staff at the Eye and Ear, and is equipped for ceremonial events.

The sign reads ‘Womindjeka’ which means Welcome in the Woi-wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people and also has an engraving of Bunjil, the totem of many Aboriginal clans in Victoria. The sign was created by Uncle Mick Harding and is a delightful addition to our Welcome Space.

You can learn more about our Welcome Space and our Aboriginal Health Unit, Mirring Ba Wirring, here: https://bit.ly/3DgTFKR

🎭Sharing this wonderful initiative from Creative Australia! Information below directly from their website:

Creative Australia is offering ten grants of $30,000.

If you are a d/Deaf artist or arts worker, or an artist or arts worker with disability, these grants can provide support for significant projects to extend your arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition.

Your project should be ambitious, bold, and innovative. It should enhance your career and work, and strengthen your networks. It must include a clear plan with the steps you will take to achieve your goals. It must also outline the structure and support you will put in place for your development to take your career or practice to the next level.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

This initiative has been developed in response to Creative Australia research involving artists and arts workers with disability, our Towards Equity: A research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector report and a review of the Council’s arts and disability initiatives 2019-2021.

Arts and Disability Initiative These grants provide support for significant projects to extend arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition.

🥰One of the many wonderful things about facilitating our Hearing Bank is the relationships that are formed through the connection of client and audiologist. Often, we have clients pop in to update us on their progress, and one such recent update was from our friend James.

You may recall us sharing James’ story a couple of years ago, when he was referred to us for hearing services. (You can read his story HERE https://soundfair.org.au/james-story/ ). James came in for a chat last week and updated us on his progress since having his cochlear implant and the impact it has had on his life and wellbeing. Here’s a snapshot of how life is going now:

Since having the cochlear implant, James says it has changed his life. He can now participate more with family and friends, instead of feeling like an outsider. He feels heard. The impact it has had on his wellbeing is great. When reflecting to the time before getting the cochlear and how difficult he was finding things, in his words – It’s saved my life.

📣This year, Soundfair have provided hearing support and hearing aids to more than 75 people, whose hearing needs would have otherwise been unaddressed. This unfunded program gives back in a big way – our only limit is financial support! There are thousands of people who need this service. Next year, we want to support 100 people. Please help us reach this goal of helping 100 people hear the world again.
🫶$50 donation refurbishes a donated hearing aid.
🫶$100 donation provides a hearing health evaluation for one person.
🫶$500 donation provides hearing evaluation and professional fitting of one hearing aid.
🫶$1,000 donation provides a year’s support and hearing aid fittings for a person.

Donate today: https://soundfair.org.au/donate/

🌟 Be Heard with Soundfair! 🌟

Did you know Soundfair was started over 90 years ago by a group of hard of hearing adults who wanted to improve their lives and connect with others who ‘got it’? Over the years, we've proudly evolved to meet the changing needs of our community.

We invite you to BE HEARD and complete our 10-15 minute survey. Your insights on hearing loss, deafness, being hard of hearing, or tinnitus will help guide our future support, programs, events, and more.

💡 Your input matters! Plus, complete the survey and enter for a chance to win a pair of Audera Headphones valued at $399! 🎧

👉 Click here to participate: https://forms.office.com/r/FBtRyn7jce

Thank you for your time and valuable input!

🌍Help someone hear the world again!

👂 Our hearing bank provides free hearing aids to those who can't afford them. Your tax-deductible donation can change lives!

📣This year, Soundfair have provided hearing support and hearing aids to more than 75 people, whose hearing needs would have otherwise been unaddressed. This unfunded program gives back in a big way – our only limit is financial support! There are thousands of people who need this service. Next year, we want to support 100 people. Please help us reach this goal of helping 100 people hear the world again.

🫶$50 donation refurbishes a donated hearing aid.
🫶$100 donation provides a hearing health evaluation for one person.
🫶$500 donation provides hearing evaluation and professional fitting of one hearing aid.
🫶$1,000 donation provides a year’s support and hearing aid fittings for a person.

Donate today: https://soundfair.org.au/donate/

🎉We would like to congratulate Dr Laurence ‘Laurie’ John Upfold who yesterday received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) “for service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing”.
Dr Upfold was instrumental in highlighting the importance of supporting the person living with hearing loss or deafness, in addition to well-fitting a device. We remain strong believers in this notion, and thank Laurie Upfold for his contribution to the lives of people living with hearing loss and deafness.
You can read more here: https://hearingpractitionernews.com.au/kings-birthday-honour-for-australian-audiology-pioneer-laurie-upfold/

Dear network - we are stoked to share this opportunity to join us as a !

Imagine feeling isolated and excluded from your everyday conversations with those around you. Imagine feeling invisible to your family and friends because they don’t see your struggle to catch the punchline, or feeling disempowered at work because your meetings move fast and people talk over each other while covering their mouths. Imagine what this does for your confidence, mental health and self worth. This is the everyday for 1 in 6 people across Australia.

At Soundfair, we want to make hearing seen and people heard so that no one who is hard of hearing or deaf is left out or left behind. We imagine a world where all people with hearing conditions live well. Our work aims to connect all people living with hearing conditions to their own voice, each other and to the supports they need. In doing so, we tackle stigma and improve wellbeing. We are all about people – not just ears – and have been for 90 years.

As a charitable consumer driven organisation, we are powered by a Board of Directors whose experience and expertise sets a strategic direction and culture that enables us to deliver on our goals.

Please see our previous posts for the full description!

If you'd like to know more, take a read of the PD attached, and get in touch with our Company Secretary and CEO, Dr Caitlin Barr ([email protected]) or apply directly to Caitlin with a cover letter/email and CV. Applications close on the 31st of May.

Colleagues and friends, Soundfair is very fortunate to be governed by an outstanding board: Mayada Dib (Chairperson), Soeren Iversen, Dianne Semmens (Dep Chair), Jason LaBresh and Samantha Bartlett.

The board are seeking two new directors to join the team, to replace a director who is retiring, and to add to their skill diversity.

Applications are closing at the end of this week (31/05/2024). If you're keen to learn more or put your hat in the ring, please get in touch!

Board Director Soundfair is seeking two new Board Directors at an exciting time for the charity. If your cause-related passion or lived experience means you're motivated to enable Soundfair's impact - we want to HEAR from you!

NextSense has their upcoming school aged social program to bring together children with hearing loss who may be the only child with hearing loss at their school or in their year level.

The aim is to connect children in a fun environment to provide an opportunity for them to connect with others who have lived experience and see wonderful role models in person.

Any and all children Grades 3 – 6 are welcome! All details in the attached flyer and QR code for registration.

🎉This National Volunteer Week's theme is "Something for Everyone".

We would LOVE to shout out to the amazing work being done by our wonderful volunteers! We count ourselves very lucky to have a steady stream of Audiology students who give up their time to come in and sort through the generous donations of hearing aids and devices to be utilised in our Hearing Bank. Sorting, cleaning and refurbishing means we can assist so many who turn to us for hearing help!

We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our Board! This diverse group of women and men keep the Soundfair wheels turning and ensure our organisation is sustainable and will be here for many more years to come!

We feel we are able to offer something for everyone - and would encourage you to think about how you could volunteer in your community and make an impact. If you're an audiology student and would like to help us continue with our Hearing Bank, please touch base with us.

The next Cochlear Implant patients meet up is being hosted by NextSense on Saturday the 1st of June. If you are a recipient of, or thinking about getting a cochlear implant - feel free to join the group to have a chat!

🫵Help required for one of our friends at Deaking Univerisity:

Hello everyone! My name is Ramas McRae and I am a PhD candidate at Deakin University.
This survey is about deaf people and mental health in relation to language use and childhood experiences.
I’m looking for people to participate in this survey who were born or became deaf or hard of hearing under the age of five. If this describes you, and you are also over eighteen years old and living in Australia, I would really appreciate you filling out the survey.
This survey will take roughly thirty minutes to complete, and you can take your time. Your responses will guide my research and support finding out what deaf and hard of hearing people’s experiences and issues are when it comes to mental health. Your responses will contribute to our understanding of mental health, and provide evidence linked to concerns raised in the community.

For more info, you can contact Ramas here: [email protected]

https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_b9jmOhktZrwYRkq

Dear network - we are stoked to share this opportunity to join us as a !

Imagine feeling isolated and excluded from your everyday conversations with those around you. Imagine feeling invisible to your family and friends because they don’t see your struggle to catch the punchline, or feeling disempowered at work because your meetings move fast and people talk over each other while covering their mouths. Imagine what this does for your confidence, mental health and self worth. This is the everyday for 1 in 6 people across Australia.

At Soundfair, we want to make hearing seen and people heard so that no one who is hard of hearing or deaf is left out or left behind. We imagine a world where all people with hearing conditions live well. Our work aims to connect all people living with hearing conditions to their own voice, each other and to the supports they need. In doing so, we tackle stigma and improve wellbeing. We are all about people – not just ears – and have been for 90 years.

As a charitable consumer driven organisation, we are powered by a Board of Directors whose experience and expertise sets a strategic direction and culture that enables us to deliver on our goals.

We have two Director positions available and we seek people who are energetic and collaborative, but whose thoughtful leadership makes them comfortable with conversations that drive the organisation forward are a good fit for these positions. Specifically, we want to strengthen our skills-based board in the following areas (you don't have to tick all three!):
*Funds development (either philanthropy, fundraising, corporate engagement or social impact funding) and a comms and marketing lens.
*Sector leadership and influence in either lived experience/consumer voice or hearing loss/hard of hearing sector. This might look like community engagement, advocacy, policy, peer support/mentoring.
*Digital health, AI and innovation.

Having lived experience or an evidenced deep passion for the cause is highly valued.

If you'd like to know more, take a read of the PD attached, and get in touch with our Company Secretary and CEO, Dr Caitlin Barr ([email protected]) or apply directly to Caitlin with a cover letter/email and CV. Applications close on the 31st of May.

NextSense are hosting a Cochlear Implant patients meet up on Saturday the 1st of June, for recipients or those thinking about getting a cochlear implant in the future.

RSVP: [email protected] OR 0421026521

BYO lunch!

・・・
🍿 Grab your popcorn because we have Episode 4 of Humans of the Australian Deaf Community released on SBS!

Brothers Chris and Peter Busch attended different schools due to their deafness, and have both embraced unique lifestyles. One focuses on organic farming, while the other pursues an off-grid lifestyle and volunteers with the local Country Fire Authority (CFA). Their story reflects their profound love for the countryside.

Watch the video on our website via link in bio.

Visual description: Image features a video still of Chris and Peter Busch, who are two white middle aged men wearing glasses and baseball hats. They are sitting outside a green grass yard with flowers and plants, with tilled soil further in the background. The SBS and Deaf Australia logos are in the upper right hand corner. Their names are graphic white text on an orange background, with the title of the series “Humans of the Australian Deaf Community” in black on a white background. The image is surrounded by an orange border.

Deaf Victoria Inc. run a series of informative sessions including this one on the topic of carers benefits. Head to their page/website to get the full calendar of sessions and see how they be of assistance to you and your loved ones.

INFORMATION SESSION - MAY 8TH 💡

Join our second online session of the Deaf Care Series with Tamara from Carers Victoria, focusing on Carers Benefits. You'll discover what benefits you may be eligible for as a carer and learn more about Carers Victoria.

This session is open to everyone, not just current carers, and will be especially beneficial for those who may become carers in the future.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89250916350

👋 This session will be delivered in Auslan. An Auslan interpreter is available.

Lest We Forget ❤️

Today we remember and honour all who served, and those who were injured or died as a result of their service. The bravery of those who served and sacrificed during times of war and peacekeeping will be remembered.

We thank them for their service, and we will remember them.

On this day, the Eye and Ear remembers their staff who have served. Before Sir Ernest Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop began as an ear, nose and throat specialist at the Eye and Ear in 1949, he was a Medical Officer in the Australian Army Medical Corps.

When World War II broke out, his bravery, selflessness and leadership during capture, and at the Burma Railway as a Prisoner of War, saved the lives of many. Read his story here: https://bit.ly/4aS8gum

The team and Board of Soundfair were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kaushalya (Kaush) Troy earlier this month.

We were so lucky to have had Kaush as one of our earliest audiologists in 2017/2018, when we were known as Better Hearing Australia Victoria.

Kaush was well loved by the public when she gave community education presentations, and by clients of all walks of life who she supported through our Hearing Bank and counselling consultations. Kaush was a radiant and warm person whose beaming smile made everyone feel important and welcome; her strong sense of justice and equity meant that she was generous in her time and knowledge. She was an excellent clinician, colleague and human. You are missed and remembered, Kaush. ❣️