I encountered AAC when I became the first employee of Merseyside Communication Aid Lending Library (CALL), a local charity established by people who use communication aids, their families, and professionals who championed the need for improvement, and investment, in vital services to support those with the most complex communication and physical difficulties.
At CALL, my role, as a non-clinician, was to alleviate the growing workload of the charity by promoting its work, formalising its policies and procedures, and seeking funding to realise its aims – ideally from statutory sources.
In this process, I naturally encountered Ace Centre North – a leading force in the drive for AAC service enhancement – and, when Merseyside CALL achieved its local goal, and closed, I was delighted to be invited to work at the Ace Centre.
My role at Ace Centre has been a fluid one, changing in accordance with the business needs of a charitable organisation that plays a key role in campaigning for, and facilitating, sustainable improvement in AAC services.
I have been jointly responsible for fundraising, administration and management of specific project activities, and am now engaged in the review and development of policies and procedures to further enhance Ace Centre’s increasing service delivery.