We are delighted to announce the creation of a new team: the MASS Allied Health Team. This new team will focus on improving the capacity of all at MASS to understand and support Allied Health therapies with our clients and within MASS.
Here are some of the things this team will work on:
- We will be looking at ways to continue to develop internal training using MASS Learn, the newly launched online learning site for all staff.
- We will scope and trial a new program to build independent living skills for young people with autism.
- We will be continuing to provide all staff with ongoing professional development around speech, language & communication within the context of autism.
- We will be considering how to best introduce Allied Health Assistants to the team.
The Allied Health Team will be made up of:
- Sophie Walker, Team Leader. Sophie will take on the role as Team Leader of the Allied Health Team. Sophie has worked at MASS for eight years, first as a MAP and the as a Team Leader of both the Adult Services and Local Programs Teams. She will step down from Adult Services team but continue as Team Leader of Local Programs.
- Fiona Pelusi, Speech and Language Therapy. Fiona is a Speech Pathologist and Early Childhood Educator with a broad range of knowledge and experience. She has returned to MASS to be part of a team aiming to build all staff’s knowledge and skills around speech & language development but particularly, augmented and alternative communication practices.
- Brooke Ibbott, Occupational Therapy. Brooke has been a MAP at MASS for over 5 years. She has worked with families and also mentored new MAPs who are starting their journey with MASS. She is a qualified Occupational Therapist and is looking forward to moving back into a dedicated OT role, where she will collaborate with staff across all MASS services to increase clients’ occupational performance and independence in all areas of their lives.
- Sam Charlotte, Training. Sam has worked at MASS in various roles over the past 5 years. She has worked in the school as a classroom teacher and Lead Teacher. Most recently she has created MASS Learn, an online learning system for all staff.