Aphasia: A New Life
Skills Development for Community Partners
(Compact Disc)

Overall objectives

The modules on this CD provide a basic understanding of aphasia and related communication disorders - what they are, the daily realities, and how they affect speaking and understanding. The modules also provide practical methods and strategies for volunteers to assist communication and ways to apply these strategies in one-on-one and group settings.

The modules are designed to provide volunteers with instruction as well as opportunities to share and discuss relevant experiences. They are intended to support volunteers in conjunction with hands on experience. It is recommended that after Module 1, volunteers gain experience in your program before participating in modules 2 - 9.

Description of Training Modules

Module 1: Volunteer Orientation
Provides an overview of the York-Durham Aphasia Centre (YDAC): who we are, our principles and values, our communication and support programs, and the volunteer opportunities we have. In this module you will also learn who our clients are and what expectations they bring to the program. This module can be customized for you organization.

Module 2: Communication Disorders: Described and Applied
Provides a basic understanding of what it might feel like to have aphasia and related communication disorders. It also explains the different types of communication change that result from neurological damage, and how these changes impact situations in everyday life.

Module 3: Understanding Disability and Loss
Centres on the vulnerability of people who have experienced a loss, and outlines ways in which volunteers can offer support in a meaningful way.

Module 4: Group Work Process
Focuses on increasing your understanding of the mechanics of group work and its role in a group communication program, such as how to encourage equal participation by group members.

Module 5: Communication Strategies: Described and Applied
Reviews the purpose and use of communication strategies for clients. You will have an opportunity to explore the use of strategies in discussion groups.

Module 6: Making it Happen: Facilitating Group Discussions
Provides an overview, through sharing and discussion, of how to make a discussion group happen. You are shown how to create an environment that encourages communication, equal participation of group members, and how to create materials to engage clients in communication activities.

Module 7: Facilitating Creative Communication Activities
Demonstrates the effectiveness of creative communication through such activities as art, music, drama, cooking, games, and crafts. Also shows how to design creative communication activities that can be used in a group communication program.

Module 8: Facilitating Storytelling, Reading and Writing Activities
Provides a framework to create storytelling, reading and writing activities. You will learn how these activities can be applied to group communication programs to assist clients as they tell, write, and read their own life stories.

Module 9: Life History Communication Book Process
Describes how to create and use Life History Communication Books (LHCB). These books "bring to life" a client's life, assisting them in capturing their life story. The books serve as a powerful communication tool for clients, which they can use to connect with other people.