Public awareness
International Stammering Awareness Day: 22nd October
International Stammering Awareness Day (ISAD) happens on 22nd October every year. Stammering associations, individuals and groups around the world organise events to mark the day and to raise awareness of stuttering.
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Wear something sea green, or change your Facebook picture, to mark International Stammering Awareness Day. More below: Going green for ISAD.
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ISAD online conference: 'A voice and something to say'
The 2012 ISAD Online Conference 'A voice and something to say' is at www.mnsu.edu/comdis/isad16/isadcon16.html. The conference was live until 22nd October 2012, and is still available to read online. After 22nd October, no new discussion posts can be added.
 The International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) online conference is hosted by Judith Kuster, emeritus professor, Minnesota State University, Mankato. The conference represents a world-wide endeavour by persons who stammer, their friends and families, students, and professionals (educators, researchers, and clinicians) interested in stuttering.
The conference consists of a variety of papers written by professionals as well as people who stutter. Papers are written in a reader-friendly style with threaded discussions attached for interaction between the presenters and participants for three weeks. All papers (including discussion) remain available online after the conference concludes on October 22nd.
Past online conferences are also freely available on the conference archives (link to Stuttering Homepage).
Going green for ISAD
You can use sea green to mark International Stammering Awareness Day on 22nd October, or to raise awareness of stammering at any time:
 change your Facebook profile picture to the sea green ribbon (download as jpg);
wear a Stammering Awareness Wristband (available from BSA) or a sea green ribbon - you can used it as a conversation starter with someone who doesn't stammer;
wear sea green clothes.
Why sea green for stammering awareness? Michael Sugarman writes:
"The color 'blue' has traditionally been associated with calm while 'green' represents liberty, freedom and justice. The combination of these colors for People who Stutter shows the bond between 'peace' and 'liberation' when finding support and community with other people who understand and share their experiences. These are reflected in the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities of People who Stutter (link to ISA website).
"Remember to wear Sea Green clothes or ribbon on October 22nd to raise awareness about stuttering and the issues people who stutter face everyday."
What else has been happening for ISAD 2012?
Wales and the West Open Day, Cardiff
This BSA Open Day in Cardiff, 'Understanding stammering', was held on 20th October, 2012, with keynote speakers and a range of workshops.
London Underground fundraising
BSA volunteers were collecting for BSA at two London Underground stations - Holborn and Marble Arch - through the day of 22nd October 2012.
Stammering art exhibition, Doncaster
Exhibition in Doncaster, following our art-themed National Conference. Artists tidied up the work from the conference sessions (remix/tweak/photograph), and presented it for exhibition from 22nd October at The Point, Doncaster.
Bed of nails, Doncaster
Bob Adams - www.justgiving.com/bedofnails - lay on a bed of nails, in Doncaster town centre on Saturday 20th, and had concrete slabs smashed, one at a time, on his stomach with a sledgehammer. ("I have done this before, but, err... the most slabs I have done in a day has been 2!")
Dublin event
Held on Saturday 20th October, this was Ireland's 6th National Stammering Awareness Day event (www.stammeringireland.ie).
Some other ideas for ISAD
Tweet about ISAD, and update your Facebook status on the day. See above Going green for ISAD for some Facebook images you can use.
Talk about stammering to someone. Maybe introduce yourself as someone who stammers when making phone calls;
Create your own YouTube video of yourself talking about your stammer and upload it onto the BSA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/stammeringbsa);
Give a talk on stammering at a public speaking club, rotary club, etc. Join the BSA 'Speaking Out' team to learn more about how to do this;
Print-off information from our website to show friends, family, colleagues, etc, for example advice for people who don't stammer on talking to someone who does (In Conversation with a person who stammers);
Join the BSA telephone link scheme, or other internet lists;
Ask the BSA office for some helpline posters and put them in your local libraries, community centres or GPs surgeries. |
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