Each year, Variety WA empowers thousands of children in Western Australia living with disability, illness or experiencing disadvantage, made possible with grants, scholarships, and programs such as its annual Motor Mouth Camp.
Now in its 12th year, the Motor Mouth Camp helps WA kids with speech challenges and complex communication needs who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools to communicate, interact and express themselves.
The camp is made possible through the support of corporate partners including P&N Bank, an Australian-owned bank managed and headquartered in Western Australia, which has supported the camp since 2016.
“We are proud to work with our generous corporate partners, both big and small, who are passionately committed to giving children who are sick, disadvantaged or living with disability, life-changing help when they need it most,” Variety WA CEO Chris Chatterton said.
Over its seven-year partnership with Variety WA’s Motor Mouth Camp, which first took place in WA in 2011, P&N Bank’s staff have had the opportunity to get in involved in activities that support the children and their families through volunteering.
“Our staff, who have been fortunate to volunteer at Motor Mouth Camp, have seen firsthand the joy on the faces of the children and their families as they develop their communication skills at the camp,” P&N Bank General Manager Angela Newland said.
During the camp, children are encouraged to fully embrace AAC to help them communicate while their families are given a chance to learn to model non-verbal communication using tools such as screens with symbols, images and icons.
P&N Group Chief People Officer Christine MacKenzie was one of the volunteers at Variety’s Motor Mouth Camp last year, alongside a volunteer committee of speech pathologists, teacher assistants and occupational therapists who run the camp alongside the Variety team.
“I’d heard from attendees and previous volunteers alike what a fantastic weekend it was, and they were absolutely right! Meeting inspirational kids and their families, and watching kids, siblings, and parents build their understanding of AAC aids through fun and play was a joy to watch,” Ms MacKenzie said.
This year's camp will run on 6–8 October 2023 at Point Walter Campsite in Bicton during the term three school holidays.
Variety WA is on the lookout for more corporate partners to join its upcoming programs just like Motor Mouth Camp. Organisations wanting to find out more about supporting Variety WA are encouraged to contact Variety WA’s Executive Manager Kate O’Donnell at katie.odonnell@varietywa.org.au.
By Hearts and Minds
