Burns, Pippa R. Dr

<p>At its core, this project has developed the SERVICE principles (<a href="https://www.autismfriendlycommunities.com/principles.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.autismfriendlycommunities.com/principles.html</a>):</p><ul><li><strong>S</strong>ensory: The right kind and level of sensory stimulation is important. Volume should be audible but no overwhelming. Aim for low odour products and perfume free environments.</li><li><strong>E</strong>quipment: Use furnishings and fittings that absorb sound, are accessible or clearly and purposely limit access, and assist in arranging clear spaces.</li><li><strong>R</strong>espectful: Greet with a smile, offer support and wait, patience for processing is key.</li><li><strong>V</strong>isual: Clutter free, clearly signed using pictures or place markers wherever possible and natural or solid colours with matte finishes are best.</li><li><strong>I</strong>ntentional: Ensure that whatever you have in the space and the things you say are necessary and serve a purpose. Is the language used clear and concise? Is it necessary to put many items around the counter or have posters near important signage?</li><li><strong>C</strong>reate Zones: Create spaces that are easy to navigate, provide cues to the function, and use furniture or colour to indicate movement through the space. Have lower stimulation options using dividers, seat placement, mirrorless/non-reflective views, or low volume/no echo spaces.</li><li><strong>E</strong>nvironment: The overall environment should be neutral. Natural ventilation, low decibel fans, natural or incandescent light wherever possible.</li></ul><br /><p>The SERVICE principles are applicable across settings and can be implemented in any service or business thus championing improved social inclusion. The project has created a lasting impact at a local level by enabling business owners to make simple, low-cost or no-cost adjustments to their environments, thereby creating an autism friendly community. This is a giant leap in creating inclusive, autism friendly communities both for Australia and other countries.  </p><p>The project is sustainable as the SERVICE principles are available 24-7 through the Autism Friendly Communities – Corrimal website. This encourages both accessibility and self-initiated action from service providers, business owners (small or large), and community organisations. Additionally, this availability further raises knowledge and awareness about the autism spectrum. The SERVICE principles also have the potential to make positive social change at a local, state, national and international level.</p><p>To date 38 agencies, including Corrimal Library, have been awarded project badges that recognise the changes their services or business have made to the environment in order to become more autism friendly. The impact of the SERVICE principles has been far reaching. We are aware that they have been used by some agencies in the Corrimal area to educate outside service providers.</p><p>In November 2019, this project was recognised by the Corrimal Chamber of Commerce, receiving the Paul Boltwood Award for Community Service.</p><p>The role of Corrimal Chamber of Commerce in auspicing this project has led to it in becoming the first Chamber to win the title of best Business Chamber in NSW two years in a row (2018 and 2019) at the NSW Business Chamber Awards. Corrimal Chamber of Commerce has also been voted by its peers as the best Business Chamber in the Illawarra (2018 and 2019).</p><p>The project team share a commitment to bettering the future of people on the spectrum and fostering community cohesion through inclusive practice. This has been apparent through the use of a co-design process involving both the community partners (Corrimal Chamber of Commerce) and local businesses in collaboration with people on the autism spectrum. Such an approach was used to ensure that the needs of both business owners and people on the autism spectrum were met. Further, it fostered community cohesion and improves outcomes for people with disabilities. </p><p>Local people with autism were employed to undertake the initial needs assessment in line with the “nothing about us without us” philosophy. These young people were paid and supported to be active research assistants. This experience provided opportunities for them to develop skills needed to be successful in mainstream environments. Publications and presentations arising from this work are being undertaken in collaboration with these research assistants. The use of research assistants on the autism spectrum adds the voice of the local autistic population to the work.</p><p>The project team ensured that the initiative has had high visibility through strategic use of both the media and social media. As a result of this strategy a number of television segments (Nine news ad WIN News) and radio interviews have been broadcast (ABC NSW and ABC Illawarra). Publicity from this project has also led to further potential partnerships at both a local and national level. Members of the research team are currently consulting with both Dapto Community and Hobart Chamber of Commerce.</p><p>Corrimal Chamber of Commerce will continue to work with the team to broaden the reach of the project to stretch from Fairy Meadow through to Thirroul. A lived experience video is also being developed. This will highlight the impact of SERVICE principles from the perspectives of people living with autism, their carers, educators and local business owners.</p>

<p>The project utilised a mixed-methods approach to gain an understanding of children’s knowledge and perceptions of dementia. Prior to exposure to the intervention, children’s knowledge of dementia was measured using a previously developed tool from the Kids4Dementia Project (Baker, Goodenough, & Low, 2015). The children then completed an art work representing a personal memory with the help of local artists. Photography was used to capture the artwork at this stage.</p><p> </p><p>A week later, a short education intervention occurred, which explained dementia, the signs and symptoms, the reasons people get dementia, what people with dementia might do, and how we can help people with dementia in our communities. A week after the educational intervention the children were given a colour photocopy and a black and white photocopy of their initial artwork and an art board. The children then asked to add to their initial artwork based on what they had learnt about memory and dementia. At the completion of the project, the children were asked to complete the knowledge survey for a second time. <br /><br /> The people involved in the research included an interdisciplinary group of academics from UOW, a teacher fromthe local public school and a local artist. The group grew to include the local public school community, including the administrative and teaching staff of the school, parents, community members, and other local artists</p><p>The teachers at the school commented on the benefit of this project (see video) and suggested this could be delivered to other schools. We have also been contacted by other international institutions and hope to work together to deliver similar projects in their regions. </p><p>There is much research that looks at the best way that we can teach our children in schools and a recent trend is "short, cyclical programming" where students are taught in short spurts of time with outcomes that relate to other subject matter. Project DARE successfully utilised this pedagogy in the one hour, six part lesson on dementia. As educators discuss and struggle to meet the outcomes of the "crowded curriculum" it is often the fine arts that begin to suffer in our school systems. This project harnessed the exquisite skills of experts in the community to share their passion of visual arts with the children and helped them to explore their creative talents without added stress, work, time, or clean up for the teachers themselves. In this way, each expert, whether researcher, artist or teacher, was able to impact the children.</p><p>Project DARE opens the doors to future university/school/community partnerships where all three groups work together. We believe that a global Project DARE is on the horizon where we share the vision, expand the purpose, include more health related issues and create a global impact of working together to strengthen our communities.<br /><br />Both Dr Eady and Dr Burns were recognised as an Impact Maker for their involvement in this and other projects involving Community Engagement at the 2018 Impact Makers Awards.</p>

This survey was live for six weeks and promoted through social media and is open to crocheters world wide, in 2018.

<p>The project team worked with local Aboriginal services and key contacts to develop a resource that can be used by UOW students and staff to develop and support culturally competent communication. The resource also provides information about the Yuin nation, the traditional lands on which the main campus of UOW stand. It is expected that this will raise awareness of Yuin ways of being and doing, and at the same time improve cultural safety. The final resource is illustrated with artwork created by UOW staff member Josie Atkinson.</p><p>The booklet includes information on:</p><ul><li>How to communicate positively</li><li>What words to avoid</li><li>Some information specific to the Yuin nation</li><li>Contact details for local Aboriginal organisations</li></ul><p><br />The idea for this booklet was to provide a resource primarily for UOW students that guides them in the use of words and language that are appropriate to use (and those that are inappropriate or worse offensive) when talking with and about Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The need for such a resource was felt to be especially apparent amongst the international student population. However, the internal stakeholders know from their joint experiences that there is a need for a resource to support students and staff to be more culturally competent. Feedback from the SMAH Trails Project evaluation showed that many staff are aware of gaps in their knowledge and understanding around the local Aboriginal community but do not know where or how to fill these gaps and are worried about causing offence.</p><p>Culturally safe interaction should be a skill that Australians develop and hone during their lifetime. The broad term ‘cultural safety’ encompasses an awareness of, and sensitivity toward many different cultures, however this project focusses on the pressing need to increase cultural safety in our medical students and staff toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p><p>It is also hoped that the local Aboriginal community will benefit from this project, as the booklet developed will provide students and staff with knowledge of the local area and information on how to communicate respectfully with Aboriginal people. On UOW’s part, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is likely to increase, as the resource will promote the local Aboriginal culture, fostering a sense of belonging in Aboriginal students.</p><p>The developed resource to support the current UOW wide Jindaola: Embedding Local Indigenous Knowledges in the Curriculum project. It is likely that many of the people consulted with for this project from local Aboriginal community controlled organisations will also have a role in sharing their knowledges through Jindaola.</p><p>The project is innovative in that there are few resources available that provide guidance on which terms are and are not appropriate to use when talking about Aboriginal people. The resources that do exist are old and not specific to the Yuin Nation.</p><p>The reception to the resources has been greater than anticipated. The booklet has been welcomed by the greater student body and faculty. Anecdotally, many staff report providing links from their subject sites to the pdf. The booklet has also been shared organically amongst local groups and organisation including Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), Wollongong Council, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Department of Education and Training</p><p>The impact of the “You Can’t Say That!” booklet can be seen to extend beyond UOW and beyond the original idea. This is illustrated by this feedback from the Disability Trust: “<em>You Can’t Say That” has been the major turning point for our organisation in raising the profile of our need for a Reconciliation Action Plan as not just a strategy, but a priority of the highest importance requiring high level resourcing and executive sponsorship.  For that, and the extension of my education and understanding I am truly grateful for the chance conversation that brought us together</em>" Pam Stiff, Executive Manager.  </p>

<p>The “Let’s Share a Story” project aimed to encourage and enhance reading and yarning for children from birth to 12 years of age and involved collaboration between the Illawarra South Coast Branch CBCA (ISCCBCA) and the UOW in consultation with local Aboriginal elders, services, organisations and children.  The ‘Let’s Share a Story’ booklet is packed with facts and easy-to-follow tips to help children with their reading. Ideas cover children from babies to upper primary age. The benefits of yarning with children, and reading with parents, siblings, grandparents, Aunties and Uncles are also discussed. Let’s Share a Story continues to be a valuable resource in the community and, more generally.<br /><br />The booklet features elements from a commissioned painting “<em><strong>Captured Images of Culture</strong></em>” by well-known local Aboriginal artists Aunty Lorraine Brown and Aunty Narelle Thomas. In the words of the artists, “<em>The Painting tells of images of the past and present A culture so old The past and present come together Our culture will always remain</em>”.  <br /><br />Following publication of the booklet, the painting was donated by the ISCCBCA to the UOW Art Collection, and is displayed prominently at Early Start, to inspire the students who are our future early childhood professionals.<br /><br />This resource was distributed as part of a literacy package to community health centres and pre-schools throughout the Illawarra, including:</p><ul><li>Woonona Early Childhood Health Centre/Family Care Cottage Woonona</li><li>Miinya Biynag Boori, Midwifery & Family Health Centre, Shellharbour Hospital</li><li>Nowra Early Childhood Health Centre</li><li>Binji Boori, Shoalhaven AMICHS, Nowra</li><li>Noogaleek Children’s Centre, Berkeley</li><li>Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service Medical Centre, Dapto and Wollongong</li><li>Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation Community Centre</li><li>Mount Warrigal Supported Playgroup</li><li>Koonawarra Supported Playgroup</li></ul><br />Delivery of packages to Noogaleek and the supported playgroups involved “share and read” sessions, were conducted by CBCA members, in collaboration with UOW education students with connections to the local Aboriginal community. These students were guided in visiting the centres, outlining key messages from the booklet and reading stories.<br /><br />Bookmarks providing links to resource material were produced for easy dissemination at local community events. Copies of the resource have been catalogued by UOW library, and the NSW State Library has archived the booklet to ensure access is preserved into the future.<br /><p>Let’s Share a Story continues to be a valuable resource in the community and, more generally, the booklet and bookmarks can be used as a ‘talking point’ to promote awareness about the benefits of reading to children. Let’s Share a Story also inspired and encouraged adults in the community to not only read to their children but also for their own enjoyment.</p><p>Wollongong City Library was provided with a digital version of the resource, and funded the printing of an additional 1000 booklets, which will be distributed to local libraries into the future, ensuring the sustainability of this project. Since project completion, other community groups, including Careways Community, have requested, and been provided with, copies of the booklet.<br /><br />The project continues to be managed by our community partner, the ISCCBCA.  Resource material and book packages have now been distributed between Helensburgh and Nowra, with plans in place to continue distribution further south. Aspects of the project are largely self-sustaining as the resource is freely available online.<br /><br /></p><p></p>

<p><strong>Giving voice to the unheard<br /></strong>By using a community based participatory research approach, the SMILE team created space for the voice of parents, carers and people with disabilities to shape the development of this community-based resource. Often these end-users are marginalised, however by using this approach throughout the three phases of the research study, the research team was able to include new perspectives on knowledge and understanding of multi-sensory environments. <br /><br /><strong>Public Access and Leisure Use</strong><br />The room is available from 7 am – 11 pm, seven days a week. It can be reserved through an online booking system, with the cost per session set at a minimal rate to cover running costs. Multiple people can use the room at once. The room is also registered with the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which can fund the use of the MSE for people living with recognised disabilities. <br />The room is designed to be used independently of therapy. This impacts on the self-determination of individuals and groups such as playgroups, aged-care and disability support groups to create meaningful personal engagement with the MSE as it allows the individual to choose the equipment that they interact within the room.<br /><br /><strong>Co-Design and Expanding Influence</strong></p><p>The initial SMILE team has completed it's funding. An extended team was successful in securing 2019/20 Global Challenges funding to explore the impact of MSEs for cross-sector user groups. Now known as Sense Spaces, the project is strengthening its co-design theoretical background to be able to build replicable models for leisure-based MSEs in different domains. Alongside this, the inclusion of Public Relations expertise allows the scope of research to examine theories to inform strategic communication plans in community organisations. <br />Over the past two years, the MSE project has supported three Information Technology/Human-Computer Interaction Masters projects, and two Information Technology/Computer Science undergraduate projects. The MSE has provided a platform for these students to understand that their technical expertise can have significant benefits to the wider community in a non-traditional career area.</p>

<p>At its core, this project has developed the SERVICE principles (<a href="https://www.autismfriendlycommunities.com/principles.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.autismfriendlycommunities.com/principles.html</a>):</p><ul><li><strong>S</strong>ensory: The right kind and level of sensory stimulation is important. Volume should be audible but no overwhelming. Aim for low odour products and perfume free environments.</li><li><strong>E</strong>quipment: Use furnishings and fittings that absorb sound, are accessible or clearly and purposely limit access, and assist in arranging clear spaces.</li><li><strong>R</strong>espectful: Greet with a smile, offer support and wait, patience for processing is key.</li><li><strong>V</strong>isual: Clutter free, clearly signed using pictures or place markers wherever possible and natural or solid colours with matte finishes are best.</li><li><strong>I</strong>ntentional: Ensure that whatever you have in the space and the things you say are necessary and serve a purpose. Is the language used clear and concise? Is it necessary to put many items around the counter or have posters near important signage?</li><li><strong>C</strong>reate Zones: Create spaces that are easy to navigate, provide cues to the function, and use furniture or colour to indicate movement through the space. Have lower stimulation options using dividers, seat placement, mirrorless/non-reflective views, or low volume/no echo spaces.</li><li><strong>E</strong>nvironment: The overall environment should be neutral. Natural ventilation, low decibel fans, natural or incandescent light wherever possible.</li></ul><br /><p>The SERVICE principles are applicable across settings and can be implemented in any service or business thus championing improved social inclusion. The project has created a lasting impact at a local level by enabling business owners to make simple, low-cost or no-cost adjustments to their environments, thereby creating an autism friendly community. This is a giant leap in creating inclusive, autism friendly communities both for Australia and other countries.  </p><p>The project is sustainable as the SERVICE principles are available 24-7 through the Autism Friendly Communities – Corrimal website. This encourages both accessibility and self-initiated action from service providers, business owners (small or large), and community organisations. Additionally, this availability further raises knowledge and awareness about the autism spectrum. The SERVICE principles also have the potential to make positive social change at a local, state, national and international level.</p><p>To date 38 agencies, including Corrimal Library, have been awarded project badges that recognise the changes their services or business have made to the environment in order to become more autism friendly. The impact of the SERVICE principles has been far reaching. We are aware that they have been used by some agencies in the Corrimal area to educate outside service providers.</p><p>In November 2019, this project was recognised by the Corrimal Chamber of Commerce, receiving the Paul Boltwood Award for Community Service.</p><p>The role of Corrimal Chamber of Commerce in auspicing this project has led to it in becoming the first Chamber to win the title of best Business Chamber in NSW two years in a row (2018 and 2019) at the NSW Business Chamber Awards. Corrimal Chamber of Commerce has also been voted by its peers as the best Business Chamber in the Illawarra (2018 and 2019).</p><p>The project team share a commitment to bettering the future of people on the spectrum and fostering community cohesion through inclusive practice. This has been apparent through the use of a co-design process involving both the community partners (Corrimal Chamber of Commerce) and local businesses in collaboration with people on the autism spectrum. Such an approach was used to ensure that the needs of both business owners and people on the autism spectrum were met. Further, it fostered community cohesion and improves outcomes for people with disabilities. </p><p>Local people with autism were employed to undertake the initial needs assessment in line with the “nothing about us without us” philosophy. These young people were paid and supported to be active research assistants. This experience provided opportunities for them to develop skills needed to be successful in mainstream environments. Publications and presentations arising from this work are being undertaken in collaboration with these research assistants. The use of research assistants on the autism spectrum adds the voice of the local autistic population to the work.</p><p>The project team ensured that the initiative has had high visibility through strategic use of both the media and social media. As a result of this strategy a number of television segments (Nine news ad WIN News) and radio interviews have been broadcast (ABC NSW and ABC Illawarra). Publicity from this project has also led to further potential partnerships at both a local and national level. Members of the research team are currently consulting with both Dapto Community and Hobart Chamber of Commerce.</p><p>Corrimal Chamber of Commerce will continue to work with the team to broaden the reach of the project to stretch from Fairy Meadow through to Thirroul. A lived experience video is also being developed. This will highlight the impact of SERVICE principles from the perspectives of people living with autism, their carers, educators and local business owners.</p>

<p>The project utilised a mixed-methods approach to gain an understanding of children’s knowledge and perceptions of dementia. Prior to exposure to the intervention, children’s knowledge of dementia was measured using a previously developed tool from the Kids4Dementia Project (Baker, Goodenough, & Low, 2015). The children then completed an art work representing a personal memory with the help of local artists. Photography was used to capture the artwork at this stage.</p><p> </p><p>A week later, a short education intervention occurred, which explained dementia, the signs and symptoms, the reasons people get dementia, what people with dementia might do, and how we can help people with dementia in our communities. A week after the educational intervention the children were given a colour photocopy and a black and white photocopy of their initial artwork and an art board. The children then asked to add to their initial artwork based on what they had learnt about memory and dementia. At the completion of the project, the children were asked to complete the knowledge survey for a second time. <br /><br /> The people involved in the research included an interdisciplinary group of academics from UOW, a teacher fromthe local public school and a local artist. The group grew to include the local public school community, including the administrative and teaching staff of the school, parents, community members, and other local artists</p><p>The teachers at the school commented on the benefit of this project (see video) and suggested this could be delivered to other schools. We have also been contacted by other international institutions and hope to work together to deliver similar projects in their regions. </p><p>There is much research that looks at the best way that we can teach our children in schools and a recent trend is "short, cyclical programming" where students are taught in short spurts of time with outcomes that relate to other subject matter. Project DARE successfully utilised this pedagogy in the one hour, six part lesson on dementia. As educators discuss and struggle to meet the outcomes of the "crowded curriculum" it is often the fine arts that begin to suffer in our school systems. This project harnessed the exquisite skills of experts in the community to share their passion of visual arts with the children and helped them to explore their creative talents without added stress, work, time, or clean up for the teachers themselves. In this way, each expert, whether researcher, artist or teacher, was able to impact the children.</p><p>Project DARE opens the doors to future university/school/community partnerships where all three groups work together. We believe that a global Project DARE is on the horizon where we share the vision, expand the purpose, include more health related issues and create a global impact of working together to strengthen our communities.<br /><br />Both Dr Eady and Dr Burns were recognised as an Impact Maker for their involvement in this and other projects involving Community Engagement at the 2018 Impact Makers Awards.</p>

This survey was live for six weeks and promoted through social media and is open to crocheters world wide, in 2018.

<p>The project team worked with local Aboriginal services and key contacts to develop a resource that can be used by UOW students and staff to develop and support culturally competent communication. The resource also provides information about the Yuin nation, the traditional lands on which the main campus of UOW stand. It is expected that this will raise awareness of Yuin ways of being and doing, and at the same time improve cultural safety. The final resource is illustrated with artwork created by UOW staff member Josie Atkinson.</p><p>The booklet includes information on:</p><ul><li>How to communicate positively</li><li>What words to avoid</li><li>Some information specific to the Yuin nation</li><li>Contact details for local Aboriginal organisations</li></ul><p><br />The idea for this booklet was to provide a resource primarily for UOW students that guides them in the use of words and language that are appropriate to use (and those that are inappropriate or worse offensive) when talking with and about Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The need for such a resource was felt to be especially apparent amongst the international student population. However, the internal stakeholders know from their joint experiences that there is a need for a resource to support students and staff to be more culturally competent. Feedback from the SMAH Trails Project evaluation showed that many staff are aware of gaps in their knowledge and understanding around the local Aboriginal community but do not know where or how to fill these gaps and are worried about causing offence.</p><p>Culturally safe interaction should be a skill that Australians develop and hone during their lifetime. The broad term ‘cultural safety’ encompasses an awareness of, and sensitivity toward many different cultures, however this project focusses on the pressing need to increase cultural safety in our medical students and staff toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</p><p>It is also hoped that the local Aboriginal community will benefit from this project, as the booklet developed will provide students and staff with knowledge of the local area and information on how to communicate respectfully with Aboriginal people. On UOW’s part, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students is likely to increase, as the resource will promote the local Aboriginal culture, fostering a sense of belonging in Aboriginal students.</p><p>The developed resource to support the current UOW wide Jindaola: Embedding Local Indigenous Knowledges in the Curriculum project. It is likely that many of the people consulted with for this project from local Aboriginal community controlled organisations will also have a role in sharing their knowledges through Jindaola.</p><p>The project is innovative in that there are few resources available that provide guidance on which terms are and are not appropriate to use when talking about Aboriginal people. The resources that do exist are old and not specific to the Yuin Nation.</p><p>The reception to the resources has been greater than anticipated. The booklet has been welcomed by the greater student body and faculty. Anecdotally, many staff report providing links from their subject sites to the pdf. The booklet has also been shared organically amongst local groups and organisation including Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), Wollongong Council, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Department of Education and Training</p><p>The impact of the “You Can’t Say That!” booklet can be seen to extend beyond UOW and beyond the original idea. This is illustrated by this feedback from the Disability Trust: “<em>You Can’t Say That” has been the major turning point for our organisation in raising the profile of our need for a Reconciliation Action Plan as not just a strategy, but a priority of the highest importance requiring high level resourcing and executive sponsorship.  For that, and the extension of my education and understanding I am truly grateful for the chance conversation that brought us together</em>" Pam Stiff, Executive Manager.  </p>

<p>The “Let’s Share a Story” project aimed to encourage and enhance reading and yarning for children from birth to 12 years of age and involved collaboration between the Illawarra South Coast Branch CBCA (ISCCBCA) and the UOW in consultation with local Aboriginal elders, services, organisations and children.  The ‘Let’s Share a Story’ booklet is packed with facts and easy-to-follow tips to help children with their reading. Ideas cover children from babies to upper primary age. The benefits of yarning with children, and reading with parents, siblings, grandparents, Aunties and Uncles are also discussed. Let’s Share a Story continues to be a valuable resource in the community and, more generally.<br /><br />The booklet features elements from a commissioned painting “<em><strong>Captured Images of Culture</strong></em>” by well-known local Aboriginal artists Aunty Lorraine Brown and Aunty Narelle Thomas. In the words of the artists, “<em>The Painting tells of images of the past and present A culture so old The past and present come together Our culture will always remain</em>”.  <br /><br />Following publication of the booklet, the painting was donated by the ISCCBCA to the UOW Art Collection, and is displayed prominently at Early Start, to inspire the students who are our future early childhood professionals.<br /><br />This resource was distributed as part of a literacy package to community health centres and pre-schools throughout the Illawarra, including:</p><ul><li>Woonona Early Childhood Health Centre/Family Care Cottage Woonona</li><li>Miinya Biynag Boori, Midwifery & Family Health Centre, Shellharbour Hospital</li><li>Nowra Early Childhood Health Centre</li><li>Binji Boori, Shoalhaven AMICHS, Nowra</li><li>Noogaleek Children’s Centre, Berkeley</li><li>Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service Medical Centre, Dapto and Wollongong</li><li>Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation Community Centre</li><li>Mount Warrigal Supported Playgroup</li><li>Koonawarra Supported Playgroup</li></ul><br />Delivery of packages to Noogaleek and the supported playgroups involved “share and read” sessions, were conducted by CBCA members, in collaboration with UOW education students with connections to the local Aboriginal community. These students were guided in visiting the centres, outlining key messages from the booklet and reading stories.<br /><br />Bookmarks providing links to resource material were produced for easy dissemination at local community events. Copies of the resource have been catalogued by UOW library, and the NSW State Library has archived the booklet to ensure access is preserved into the future.<br /><p>Let’s Share a Story continues to be a valuable resource in the community and, more generally, the booklet and bookmarks can be used as a ‘talking point’ to promote awareness about the benefits of reading to children. Let’s Share a Story also inspired and encouraged adults in the community to not only read to their children but also for their own enjoyment.</p><p>Wollongong City Library was provided with a digital version of the resource, and funded the printing of an additional 1000 booklets, which will be distributed to local libraries into the future, ensuring the sustainability of this project. Since project completion, other community groups, including Careways Community, have requested, and been provided with, copies of the booklet.<br /><br />The project continues to be managed by our community partner, the ISCCBCA.  Resource material and book packages have now been distributed between Helensburgh and Nowra, with plans in place to continue distribution further south. Aspects of the project are largely self-sustaining as the resource is freely available online.<br /><br /></p><p></p>

<p><strong>Giving voice to the unheard<br /></strong>By using a community based participatory research approach, the SMILE team created space for the voice of parents, carers and people with disabilities to shape the development of this community-based resource. Often these end-users are marginalised, however by using this approach throughout the three phases of the research study, the research team was able to include new perspectives on knowledge and understanding of multi-sensory environments. <br /><br /><strong>Public Access and Leisure Use</strong><br />The room is available from 7 am – 11 pm, seven days a week. It can be reserved through an online booking system, with the cost per session set at a minimal rate to cover running costs. Multiple people can use the room at once. The room is also registered with the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which can fund the use of the MSE for people living with recognised disabilities. <br />The room is designed to be used independently of therapy. This impacts on the self-determination of individuals and groups such as playgroups, aged-care and disability support groups to create meaningful personal engagement with the MSE as it allows the individual to choose the equipment that they interact within the room.<br /><br /><strong>Co-Design and Expanding Influence</strong></p><p>The initial SMILE team has completed it's funding. An extended team was successful in securing 2019/20 Global Challenges funding to explore the impact of MSEs for cross-sector user groups. Now known as Sense Spaces, the project is strengthening its co-design theoretical background to be able to build replicable models for leisure-based MSEs in different domains. Alongside this, the inclusion of Public Relations expertise allows the scope of research to examine theories to inform strategic communication plans in community organisations. <br />Over the past two years, the MSE project has supported three Information Technology/Human-Computer Interaction Masters projects, and two Information Technology/Computer Science undergraduate projects. The MSE has provided a platform for these students to understand that their technical expertise can have significant benefits to the wider community in a non-traditional career area.</p>