UDRH SW Hosts First On-Campus Children’s University Workshop: “Speech Squad”

Wayne Goodrem and Abigail Lewis of the UDRH SW with Students from Children’s University

On Monday, 14th April, The University Department of Rural Health South West (UDRH SW) proudly hosted its very first on-campus workshop at Edith Cowan University in Bunbury for the Children’s University.

The “Speech Squad” workshop was delivered by Abigail Lewis, Senior Lecturer and Speech Pathologist and Wayne Goodrem Discipline Advisor and Paramedic, with content also developed by Emily Jackson, Discipline Advisor and Speech Pathologist. The session focused on exploring communication, voice, and swallowing in a fun and engaging way that captured the interest of both kids and adults alike.

Families who attended were treated to a hands-on learning experience. One of the highlights was watching a video that compared normal and abnormal swallowing — an eye-opening moment that sparked curiosity and plenty of questions. Participants even got to take their own voice measures and compare them to standard norms, offering a real-world application of the concepts being discussed.

To top it all off, attendees constructed their very own working model of lungs, complete with a diaphragm that could be pulled down to demonstrate how lungs inflate. It was a fun, memorable activity that brought the science of speech and breathing to life.

The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with families expressing both appreciation and enthusiasm. As one guardian put it:“The workshop was fun and the activities were great, thank you.”

Here are a couple more standout testimonials:

• “I enjoyed connection and communication with my children.” – CU Guardian
• “(I liked) Learning how you swallow.” – CU Child

A big thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success. Keep an eye out for any upcoming workshops here.