Events
Fluency Trust Courses 2008
The Fluency Trust provides residential fluency courses in activity centres. It believes that the combination of challenging outdoor activities and intensive therapy are complimentary in developing greater confidence and self-esteem, which are vital factors in dealing with the emotional and physical challenges of stammering.
 Blockbusters (9-13 yrs)
Teens challenge (14-17 yrs)
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The Swindon Fluency Packs used in running these courses won the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Sternberg award for clinical innovation in 2004.
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Blockbusters
(9-13 year olds)
Includes:
 Assessment day in Swindon
Four day Residential Course based at Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre, Bruton, Somerset
Follow-Up Day in Swindon
Report to referring therapists and other relevant professionals
Dates for Blockbusters:
Assessment day: either Sat 1st March or Sun 2nd March 2008
Course: Fri 4th to Mon 7th April 2008
Follow-up day: Sat 7th June 2008
Cost per place:
£175 (may be payable by an NHS Trust)
Therapy focusses on increasing confidence in communicating and developing ways of coping with stammering. Activities at the Centre include climbing, kayaking, assault course and team games. Children can improve their speech whilst having fun.
Teens Challenge
(14-17 year olds)
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"The activities such as canoeing, high ropes and abseiling helped us relax and get to know each other, and developed our self-confidence.
Three times a day we had sessions where we talked about how our speech affects us and we also practised various strategies to see what suited us best.
This experience helped me a lot and I have become more confident about my speech. It was really good to meet other teenagers like me."
Ruth, 16
 More comments by Teens Challenge participants...
Outdoor Adventure and Stammering - on Blockbusters.
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Includes:
Assessment day in Swindon
Five day residential course based in an outward bound activity centre in Appledore, North Devon
Follow-Up Day in Swindon
Report for referring therapists and other relevant professionals
Dates for Teens Challenge:
Assessment Day: either Sat 21st or Sun 22nd June 2008
Course: Mon 28th July - Fri 1st August 2008
Follow-up Day: Sat 13th September 2008.
Cost per place:
£245 (may be payable by an NHS Trust) - if you find your NHS Trust unable to fund the course, please contact the course organisers for a discussion about alternative funding)
Therapy focusses on increasing confidence in communication, developing a positive attitude to speaking, and decreasing sensitivity to stammering.
For both courses, parents are welcome to make enquiries (see contacts below), but referrals must be made by a speech and language therapist.
The Fluency Trust is a registered charity founded to provide residential intensive stammering therapy courses for children and adolescents. It works in conjunction with Swindon Primary Care NHS Trust to provide the courses. The courses are run by registered Speech and Language therapists who specialise in working with young people who stammer.
For further information:
Contact Claire McNeil, Sarah Taylor, Alex Stewart or Beth Loveday.
at
West Swindon Health Centre,
Link Avenue,
Swindon SN5 7DL
tel: 01793 877233
or
Eldene Health Centre,
Eldene,
Swindon,
Wilts SN3 3RZ
tel: 01793439960
fax: 01793 439964
See also:
Article on the Fluency Trust (1999)
Thoughts of the 'Teens Challenge' course by group participants (2005)
Outdoor Adventure and Stammering - a parent's and child's perspective on the Blockbuster course (2007). |
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