Susan Slowikowski has experience across a wide range of strategic communications including public relations, marketing communications, PESO framework, and community engagement. She has lectured at a number of Universities and teaching institutions over the last 15 years, both through face-to-face and remote learning. Susan's PhD research interests lie in disaster recovery and resilience - especially for bushfire events. How individuals make sense of their experiences and curate memories is of particular interest. Susan has also designed and produced four series of educational television programs and accompanying workbooks, of which one series won the Award for excellence in Educational Publishing.
SENSE Spaces: learnings from the CareWays Community Multi-Sensory Room
<p>Drawing on international research this project has designed and developed a community-based multi-sensory environment (MSE) at the Horsley Community Centre in the Illawarra. An MSE provides a safe, non-threatening environment for children and adults with cognitive, behavioural and physical impairments to engage in a range of sensory experiences. The experiences provided by an MSE can either calm or stimulate the primary senses using sensory-based materials such as fibre optics sprays, bubble tubes, music, colour, lighting and aroma. We know that multisensory environments provide the ability to control sensory experiences and stimulation of the primary senses to encourage relaxation and enjoyment which can be helpful for multiple groups such as senior citizens/aged care, people with physical disabilities and those with conditions such as dementia, autism spectrum disorders and also people with anxiety and challenging behaviours.<br /><br />The project forged a unique partnership between CareWays Illawarra and the University of Wollongong (UOW). Methodologically, this project used participatory action research to foster the involvement of people with disabilities, their carers, families and disability services to assist in the design and development of the space to best meet the needs of the whole community. <br /><br />Initially known as the SMILE team, the project is now called Sense (Sensory Environments for Supporting Experiences) Spaces. It has expanded to explore the impact of MSEs for cross-sector user groups. The project has grown from establishing an MSE to examining the immediate and lasting impact of using an MSE, and whether personalisation of the MSE can increase use or provide a more meaningful experience. Utilising different design-thinking approaches with coordinated communication plans will be significant as we engage, define, ideate, prototype and test across sectors to provide effective ways of delivering MSEs. </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>
Beneficiary
Quantification
Description
Evidence
Description
Background
Education And Training
Bachelor of Business
in Marketing,
Master of Business
in Marketing Management (with Distinction),
SENSE Spaces: learnings from the CareWays Community Multi-Sensory Room
<p>Drawing on international research this project has designed and developed a community-based multi-sensory environment (MSE) at the Horsley Community Centre in the Illawarra. An MSE provides a safe, non-threatening environment for children and adults with cognitive, behavioural and physical impairments to engage in a range of sensory experiences. The experiences provided by an MSE can either calm or stimulate the primary senses using sensory-based materials such as fibre optics sprays, bubble tubes, music, colour, lighting and aroma. We know that multisensory environments provide the ability to control sensory experiences and stimulation of the primary senses to encourage relaxation and enjoyment which can be helpful for multiple groups such as senior citizens/aged care, people with physical disabilities and those with conditions such as dementia, autism spectrum disorders and also people with anxiety and challenging behaviours.<br /><br />The project forged a unique partnership between CareWays Illawarra and the University of Wollongong (UOW). Methodologically, this project used participatory action research to foster the involvement of people with disabilities, their carers, families and disability services to assist in the design and development of the space to best meet the needs of the whole community. <br /><br />Initially known as the SMILE team, the project is now called Sense (Sensory Environments for Supporting Experiences) Spaces. It has expanded to explore the impact of MSEs for cross-sector user groups. The project has grown from establishing an MSE to examining the immediate and lasting impact of using an MSE, and whether personalisation of the MSE can increase use or provide a more meaningful experience. Utilising different design-thinking approaches with coordinated communication plans will be significant as we engage, define, ideate, prototype and test across sectors to provide effective ways of delivering MSEs. </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>
Beneficiary
Quantification
Description
Evidence
Description
Background
Education And Training
Bachelor of Business
in Marketing,
Master of Business
in Marketing Management (with Distinction),