Stutterers plan group

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 4

Stutterers plan group

Plans are under way to set up a national organisation qf stutterers and former! stutterers.

Five (New Zealand delegates to the recent Australian Speak Easy Association convention held an informal meeting with the inaugural Australian president, Mr Peter Bartley. | "The meeting looked at what the Australians did in the 1 earlv 1980 s to set

up their association," said the; president of the Christchurch Speak Easy Group,; Mr Warren Brown, after! ;his return from Mansfield, Victoria. "The first step would appear; to be setting up a national newsletter for stutterers and former stutterers.” Longer-term goals could include holding national conferences, so stutterers could meet and exchange ideas, and publicising the

problems of stutterers, so people |Were more aware of the disability, he said. Speak easy groups exist in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Duhedin. j j A feature of the Australian convention was the world premiere of the video documentary, “The Young Stutterer.” The 45minute ! video shows the advances which have been made in detecting and treating stuttering in

Australian children. “It’s a breakthrough,” said Mr Brown. "Australian research shows that if you treat stuttering as soon as it first appears you can eradicate it for life. Within three generations, there : may be no such thing as adult stutterers! in Australia.” I ;-1 i Mr Brown brought back a VHS copy i of the video to i show to interested groups.!