Scope - Therapy, Training, Consultancy - Communication Resource Centre

Big Mouth Camp 2005

You are about to enter outer space….where Saturn does the "Time Warp" and Venus landed on the moon - so fasten your seatbelts for a most unforgettable ride! The 2005 Big Mouth Camp! Any ideas about this year's theme??? Just ask Darth Vader who made regular guest appearances throughout the day and he'll be sure to tell you….

Spaceships landed two hours north east of Melbourne at Rawson Village on the 23rd of September for five days of learning, laser beams and non-stop laughter!!! Twelve families attended the camp this year including 18 parents, 12 children with disabilities and 18 siblings. Approximately 35 staff including speech pathologists, students and teachers came along to provide their expertise to the children and their families.

The Big Mouth Camp has been running since 2003. It is a residential camp for school aged children using electronic communication devices and their families and carers. The primary aim of the camp is for the children using the devices to increase their device use, and become more competent communicators in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.

During the morning sessions, children with electronic communication devices would break up into smaller working groups for some intensive therapy blocks provided by speech pathologists and students. Activities here ranged from designing planets and building a space landscape to "Space Battleships", "Guess Who?" and other old favourites! The parents would participate in information and training sessions about new equipment and programming presented by therapists from Novitatech, Spectronics, and ComTEC. Siblings were once again involved in their own recreational program which of course included the beloved ropes course!!!

After re-fuelling with the midday rations all astronauts, including parents, children and therapists came together and were involved in a number of group activities which this year included making space biscuits and slime, painting moon rocks and who could forget the somewhat unsuccessful launching of our rockets into outer space or at least my eye!!!! I know I won't! Then there was the Pod Racing (an indoor obstacle course) - to decide which of the little astronauts would be crowned a Jedi!

Our missions did not stop after our evening meals - oh no - the nights proved to be just as fun filled with games, movies, a disco, and of course, the famous camp concert which is proving to be quite a competition. This year's acts put in a huge effort with colourful costumes, music and even lighting!

The Big Mouth Camp is auspiced by DEAL Communication Centre and supported by the Communication Resource Centre (Scope), Novitatech and Spectronics. This year it was funded by the Bennelong Foundation, Enjo and the Australian Communication Exchange. The Independent Living Centre, ComTEC and Stonnington Council also lent us equipment without which we couldn't have run the camp.

To say that this year's camp was a success would be an understatement! Each year the camp improves and this would not be possible without the tireless commitment and dedication from Jane Farrall - the camp coordinator. Her vision and organisation make the camp what it is and I'm sure all families will agree on the benefits of the camp to not only their children who use devices but to the entire family. The support shown by therapists from the Communication Resource Centre, Scope, Cerebral Palsy Education Centre, the Department of Human Services, Spectronics, Novitatech and even two therapists from their own private practice ensured that the children received quality intervention specific to their individual needs and goals. Mel Smith was once again fantastic as the camp's "role model". She spoke to children and parents about her personal journey using augmentative and alternative communication and made a huge impact on everyone attending camp.

The Big Mouth Camp just keeps getting better and is truly an unforgettable experience which I encourage you to be a part of! Whatever your level of experience, I'm sure you will learn so much and will definitely enjoy every minute of it! Congratulations to everyone who helped make the 2005 Big Mouth Camp such a memorable event!

Katie Lyon
Speech Pathologist
(03) 9843 2007
Email