Conversations Partner Programme is an engaged learning module in Speech and Language Therapy run in collaboration with the local community Speech and Language Therapy service and people living with chronic communication disability in the community. Aphasia is a language disorder caused by stroke (see video below created by a graduate with the support of the EDI office).
“ One of the most disabling consequences of aphasia is the way that it excludes the person from normal everyday conversations. Established in 2004 the CPP is an engaged learning module that provides stroke survivors with aphasia the opportunity to practice and develop conversation skills over time with trained student conversation partners in their own homes and local community. It increases feelings of social connectedness and participation. The students learn about the lived experience of aphasia from people living with aphasia and their families... ,” Dr Ruth Mc Menamin
Goals of the Conversation Partner Programme
Increase participation in everyday conversations for people with Aphasias (PWA) and their families.
Reduce communication barriers, by training Speech and Language Therapy students how to use a range of communication strategies to support conversation with a person with aphasia.
Develop a skilled future workforce, by giving students experiences of working with and learning from stroke survivors with aphasia, fostering empathy, communication competence and lifelong learning skills.
Promoting collaboration and empowerment, by involving people with aphasia as trainers and co-researchers, recognising their lived experience and expertise, sharing the balance of power in education, assessment and research.
Community voices in aphasia research
"There is lots of evidence that people with aphasia post stroke are at higher risk of depression and low mood compared to stroke survivors without aphasia."
“People living with aphasia are one of the most marginalised groups in our society. Our goal is to work with people living with stroke and aphasia to promote inclusion through the CPP and increase public awareness of aphasia. We want to make Galway an “accessible and aphasia friendly city”.
Dr Ruth Mc Menamin & Michael Griffin
Outcomes & Impacts
The stroke survivors with Aphasia who participate in the CPP report transformative experiences in terms of confidence, communication skills and sense of belonging in community.
The students who participate in this engaged learning module develop their communication skills & empathy. The CPP gives students repeated opportunities to have conversations (7-10 visits) in with people living with aphasia in natural settings. They learn about the lived experiences of aphasia from the person with aphasia and their family.
The CPP promotes community participation and aims to reduce feelings of social isolation and marginalisation for the person living with aphasia. Regular opportunities to have normal everyday conversations with unfamiliar partners (i.e. students) may reduce the some of the psychosocial impacts of Aphasia. The positive university-community collaboration through the CPP encourages sustained participation of people with acquired communication disability in other education and research activities over time.
Sustainable Development Goals
Target 3.9 - Reduce death and illness from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
Target 4.7 - Ensure learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
10.2 - Promote universal social, economic and political inclusion.
About the CPP and Community Partners
Dr Mc Menamin applied for seed funding from CKI in 2003 and was successful with the application. The Conversation Partner Programme (CPP) was established in 2004/2005 and embedded in the undergraduate Speech and Language Therapy Curriculum. This engaged learning module is co-delivered with stroke survivor's with aphasia in collaboration with the community HSE Speech and Speech and Language Therapy department and 3rd sector community organisations.
The aim of CPP is to provide an opportunity for normal conversations between students studying Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Galway and people with aphasia living the local community. For third year students, a one-day training course and participation in this engaged learning module is a mandatory requirement and aims to enhance students learning about the lived experiences of aphasia.
This engaged learning module is structured to provide the person with aphasia with: (1) the opportunity to practice and/or develop conversation skills with student conversation partners in their own home and (2) increase feelings of social connectedness and get involved in research if they wish. The people with aphasia teach the students about the lived experience of aphasia from their unique perspective.
This opportunity is an important contribution to the students learning about aphasia and allows them to connect theory to practice. The HSE (Galway Speech & language Therapy dept., Croí and the Irish Heart Foundation refer people with aphasia who want to participate into the CPP annually. People with aphasia who participate in the CPP have opportunities to contribute to further education and research activities at the University of Galway (see video below).
Our Partners
Seed funding for the Conversation Partner Programme was provided by Community Knowledge Initiative in 2003. The CPP is a University-Community collaboration and it has been running successfully for over 20 years.
Community Partners include:
For more information contact Dr Ruth McMenamin, Discipline of Speech & Language Therapy ruth.mcmenamin@universityofgalway.ie
Contact the Community Engagement Office at the University of Galway
Email: community@universityofgalway.ie
Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS)
University of Galway
Upper Newcastle Road
Galway, Ireland
H91 C7DK