Friday 3 September 2021: Hear For You has been officially incorporated into The Shepherd Centre, with both organisations’ boards formally agreeing to the merger. This will combine their services to children and adolescents with hearing loss, forming a comprehensive package comprising listening and spoken language therapy, family counselling services and mentoring and life skills training for teenagers.
One in every 300 Australian children will be diagnosed with hearing loss by school age1 and, with the right specialist support, the vast majority will develop learning skills on par with their typically hearing peers. However, social inclusion remains a persistent challenge throughout childhood and adolescence, with significant repercussions to the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents with hearing loss.
The combined expertise of both organisations will comprehensively address this social and mental health need throughout all early life stages.
David Brady, outgoing Chief Executive Officer of Hear For You said that he was proud to be leaving his role with the organisation in a position of strength.
“It has been a privilege and honour to be the Chief Executive Officer of Hear For You since 2013, and before that on the Board since its foundation in 2007.”
“To watch a charity grow from a local into a national charity and now in a strong position to be integrated into The Shepherd Centre is an incredible and unforgettable journey.”
Chief Executive Officer of The Shepherd Centre, Jim Hungerford, added that he was excited to be reaching more young people with the organisation’s life changing services.
“I am so excited about Hear For You joining with The Shepherd Centre to create a new organisation that will be able to provide even better services to more participants.
And we will also be supporting participants who use spoken language for their communication as well as participants who use Auslan for their communication because we want to make sure that all of them have access to the best services that can make sure that their future life will be as bright as possible. I am also very pleased that David Brady will be continuing with us as our Director of Engagement and Advocacy.”
The Shepherd Centre’s world leading program gives parents the skills and confidence to help their children enter mainstream schools with speech and listening abilities on par with – and sometimes above – their hearing peers.
It costs almost $14,000 per year per child to provide these essential services. The Shepherd Centre relies on government support and fundraising to help the more than 700 families who turn to them each year and to close the gap in access to these critical services. For more information, visit www.shepherdcentre.org.au or call 1800 020 030.
For more information, interviews or for media enquiries regarding contact:
Maya Ivanovic Sarah Rumsey
Palin Communications Palin Communications
0403 354 305 0488 060 047
maya@palin.com.au sarah@palin.com.au
About The Shepherd Centre:
The Shepherd Centre is a not-for-profit organisation specialising in early intervention to help children who are deaf and hearing-impaired develop spoken language skills. Since its foundation, The Shepherd Centre has opened up a world of sound for thousands of children who are deaf or hearing impaired. The organisation is recognised as a world leader in the field of Listening and Spoken Language early intervention, providing families with assistance to develop their child’s speech, so they can reach their full potential.
The Shepherd Centre relies heavily upon fundraising and donations to support the more than 700 Australian families who turn to them for help each year. The services cost nearly $14,000 per year per child and the funds donated help give deaf and hearing impaired children access to critical services.
More information: www.shepherdcentre.org.au.
References:
- Hearing Australia Aided Child Demographics 2020. Available here: https://www.hearing.com.au/About-Hearing-Australia/Corporate-Publications-(1)/Aided-Child-Demographics-2020
