Please join us for the presentation 6:00-6:40pm AEST and AGM 6:40-7pm

Presentation: Hearing Australia’s First Nations Unit

Abstract: Hearing Australia established the First Nations Unit in 2021. This unit is comprised of three main programs: Hearing Assessment Program Early Ears (HAPEE), Listen to Learn, and specialist (re)habilitation services (Community Service Obligations). HAPEE is a national program and provides diagnostic hearing assessment and recommendations for follow-up treatment for children who are not enrolled in full time school. Listen to Learn supports early childhood education and care and primary schools through professional development and service delivery (including onsite screening, diagnostic assessments, and recommendations for follow-up treatment). This presentation will highlight findings from the first two and a half years of HAPEE and the pilot of Listen to Learn in 4 primary schools and 2 early childhood centres with a focus on ear health and hearing status.

Presenters: Sherilee McManus and Joe Stewart

Sherilee McManus is a Wiradjuri Woman and the acting National Stakeholder Manager in the First Nations Unit at Hearing Australia. In 2008 she began with Hearing Australia working in a number of different roles including Clinical Assistant and Community Hearing Advisor. In 2019 she transferred into the new Hearing Assessment Program Early Ears (HAPEE), initially as a Community Engagement Officer and then as a Cultural Lead before moving into her current role in 2022. Sherilee is passionate about improving the hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. She loves the way our work helps people of all ages throughout the communities we work in to hear better and enjoy life more. Sherilee works collaboratively to achieve shared outcomes with local communities through leading, empowering and upskilling other people to apply their skills.

Joe Stewart has been working with the First Nations Unit at Hearing Australia for 18 months in QLD AND NSW which includes with the communities coordinating HAPEE clinics and facilitating training for the Listen 2 Learn program. Some of Joe’s previous work includes working in Film and television, at QLD Parliament as the Indigenous Liaison Officer and also with the NSW Government at the Office of the Children’s Guardian before landing at Hearing Australia.