The Team: Who They Are, What They Do, and How to Join

	About the presenter: Willie Botterill, MscPsychological Counselling, Reg MRCSLT, Reg UKCP (PCT). Consultant speech and language therapist and clinical manager of the Michael Palin Centre for children, a nationally and interntionally recognised centre of excellence in the assessment and treatment of stammering childen. Involved in research, conferences and post graduate teaching programmes both nationally and internationally. Author and co author of a number of books and peer reviewed journals.
	About the presenter: Edwin J Farr MBE is a Chartered Environmental Civil Engineer, born in Manchester, UK, and graduated from Birmingham University. Running parallel with his professional career, his work in stuttering self help and advocacy started in the early 1980's. He has been a member the British Stammering Association for 25 years and Board member for 12 years. He co-founded the European League of Stuttering Associations (ELSA) in 1990 after three years of preparation working with the national stuttering associations of Europe. Since 1990 Edwin has helped organise, with funding from various European bodies, 17 stuttering awareness meetings, conferences and youth meetings and participated in many more. In 2002 Edwin was awarded "Member of the British Empire" (MBE) in the Queen's Jubilee Birthday Honours, for his services to the Stuttering Community.
	About the presenter: Mark Irwin, is the managing partner of a large cosmetic dental practice in Adelaide, South Australia. Dr. Irwin has served on the Board since '98 and from 2001 has been Board Chair. His previous experience in stuttering self-help groups included the roles of National President of the Australian Speak Easy Association ('95 -'96), and president of his state branch ('94).

The Team: Who They Are, What They Do, and How To Join

by Willie Botterill, Mark Irwin, and Edwin Farr
from England and Australia

There are many individuals, local, and national organizations around the world that have found important and creative ways to support people who stutter and the concept of International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) since it began in 1998. Those interested can read some of the ways individuals and organizations have supported this concept by checking through the announcement pages from previous conferences.

1998 Announcements	1999 Announcements
2000 Announcements	2001 Announcements
2002 Announcements	2003 Announcements
2004 Announcements	2005 Announcements

Similar announcements for ISAD 2006 can be posted on this year's threaded discussion at 2006 Announcements

But there are three organizations that were instrumental in originally designating October 22nd as International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) - International Fluency Association (IFA), the International Stuttering Association (ISA) and the European League of Stuttering Associations (ELSA). The following short descriptions of these organizations provides information about their purpose and how to join them. The threaded discussion attached to this paper is intended to gather ideas and suggestions on how these organizations can reach out more effectively to encourage constituents to join. Please share your ideas!

International Fluency Association (IFA)

What is the IFA?

The International Fluency Association was founded in 1991 and has members members from all over of the world. The aim of the IFA is to bring together people from all around the world who are interested in understanding stuttering and fluency; and to work towards improving the quality of life of people with fluency problems; and to recognize the mutual contribution and the expertise, of those who study fluency from a wide range of perspectives and of those who stutter.

Why become a member?

The IFA aims to bring together clinicians, researchers, people who stutter and others who are interested in disorders of fluency. It provides a variety of forums through which members can share theoretical, empirical, clinical and cultural approaches to stuttering. The association has sponsored fluency workshops in North America and Europe providing opportunities for clinicians to update their knowledge of current theoretical and treatment approaches.

Members also receive the Journal of Fluency Disorders four times a year. This is the official journal of the International Fluency Association and the only publication devoted specifically to fluency. It provides comprehensive coverage of clinical, experimental, and theoretical aspects of stuttering, as well as the latest remediation techniques. The Journal features full length research and clinical reports ; methodological theoretical and phiosophical articles; reviews ; and short communications. The gradual rise in the JFD's stature over the years has been the result of the careful stewardship of the publishers, Elsevier, and the scholarly direction of the editors, currently Ed Conture, and his dedicated group of editorial staff and consultants.

The IFA organises a World Congress every three years at different locations around the world and publishes the proceedings for the participants. Congresses have been held in Munich (Germany; 1994), San Francisco (U.S.A, 1997), Nyborg (Denmark; 2000). The 4th World Congress will be held in Montreal (Canada; 2003), and Dublin this year.

The IFA has a website (http://www.theifa.org) that includes a newsletter and noticeboard. This has the potential to provide members with regularly updated news and views from around the world.

Who is it for?

It is open to all those from around the world who are interested in prevention, assessment and management of fluency disorders, stuttering/stammering and cluttering. The IFA is committed to encouraging individuals from countries where the costs of membership may be prohibitive by providing a sponsorship scheme. For further information regarding sponsorship, please contact: Steen Fibiger, P.O. Box 149, DK-5100 Odense C, Denmark, 5-63146232 E-mail: fibiger@thi.fyns-amt.dk

How do I become a member ?

There is a fee for regular membership, and a reduced fee for students and couples. For updated information about the IFA membership applications and fees, check the Website at: http://www.theifa.org

Help us expand and plan for the future? The IFA need your input to help us plan for the future. We need to know :

What would encourage those of you who are not members to join
What other useful information or services you think we could provide

We also need some help with the newsletter which relies on news items from around the world. In order to make this work effectively we need more members who are willing to contribute small items of news about research, therapy, conferences or training programmes that are of intererst to the membership.

We hope you will use this wonderful opportunity to get in touch with us during the online conference.

International Stuttering Association (ISA)

What is the International Stuttering Association

The ISA is the international umbrella association for other international and national associations for people who stutter throughout the world. It has over 40 member associations and through its Outreach program seeks to expand this number. Its vision statement is "A world that understands stuttering". It sees itself as representing the needs of people who stutter and to that end seeks to work closely with speech pathologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and researchers involved in the International Fluency Association.

Achievements/Activities of the ISA

Produces and distributes the One Voice newsletter. This newsletter seeks to provide member associations with news of other association's activities and relevant political and therapeutic information.
Developed and distributes a CD Rom containing relevant information for children, parents and teachers. An Internet edition is online at http://www.stutterisa.org/CDRomProject/.
In cooperation with national organizations holds a triennial World Congress for People Who Stutter. (next in Dubrovnik Croatia May 6th -10th 2007)
Provides travel scholarship for people from disadvantaged countries to attend the World Congress.
In association with the World Congress the ISA will be conducting an Essay Competition for pws.
Has arranged for translation to other languages of key information on its website, http://www.stutterISA.org/.
In October 2005 the ISA sponsored the first African Conference for People Who Stutter. It hopes to sponsor future events in the developing world.
In October 2005 it launched International Speech project --Stuttering. The aim is to provide an opportunity for IFA affiliated specialist speech pathologists to work with stuttering self-help groups in developing countries to provide therapy and general information about stuttering.
Provides resource information on how to set up, develop, and conduct self-help group meetings.

Who Can Join

Any national association or local group intending on expanding to a national organization. Membership application is available through the website www.stutterISA.org
Any individual who seeks to make contact with other individuals from his/her country with the thought of developing a self-help group. This category of membership is known as "Special Friends". For further information please contact ISA Outreach Chair Stefan Hoffman at sthoff160@gmx.net No membership fee applies.
Any speech pathologist who is a member of the IFA and would like to engage in philanthropic activities in the developing world. The project is known as "International Speech project--Stuttering" and is loosely modeled on "Medicins Sans Frontieres". Please contact ISP-S Committee Chair Mark Irwin at mirwin@cobweb.com.au for further information. No membership fee applies.

European League of Stuttering Associations (ELSA)

Formed in 1990, ELSA is a registered umbrella charity and European non-governemental organisation representing the National Stuttering Associations (NSAs) of Europe. ELSA consists of an Executive Board and Committees comprising stutterers from all walks of life, some of whom work in the field of stuttering therapy and stuttering advocacy.

ELSA's main role is to:

link and further the co-operation of Europe's national stuttering organisations, including capacity building within the enlarged European Union
provide a forum for exchange of concepts and experiences in stuttering therapy and self-help, and to broaden the knowledge and experience of stuttering
help represent the interests of stutterers to European & international bodies and pertinent alliances
lobby for stuttering's inclusion on the European agenda to ensure that the needs and challenges faced by people who stutter are considered in a European context.
increase the personal development of young people who stutter
raise awareness of stuttering to ensure a true recognition of this neglected problem
promote research and exchange of ideas, ensuring that models of good therapy practice can be successfully repeated while failed initiatives and bad practices are not
support the training of professionals and volunteers

Publications

European League of Stuttering Associations leaflet (http://www.stuttering.ws/publications/elsa_leaflet_1.htm)
International and European Disability Policy brochure (http://www.stuttering.ws/publications/ELSAstuttering&disabilitybrochure.pdf)
Voice of ELSA Newsletters and One Voice Newsletters (http://www.stuttering.ws/voe/voice.htm)
Newsnotes sent to members (http://www.stuttering.ws/newsnotes_archive.htm)
Stuttering and Employment statement (http://www.stuttering.ws/publications/publications.htm)

Conferences / Seminars With significant funding from the Council of Europe ELSA has also organised 5 European Youth Meetings for young people who stutter to a) develop and encourage them to participate in the workings of their national stuttering association, b) to educate and train them in methods of advocacy c) to empower them to go back to their countries and apply the new advocay knowledge within their peer group and national associations by networking and making new contacts d) to show the young people that being an active member of their national stuttering association can be fun and satisfying and enhance their personal development for the benefit of themselves and people across Europe who stutter.

A funding application has been lodged for the 6th Youth Meeting in July 2007 focusing on the subject of human rights.

ELSA Board Members have participated in numerous significant NGO & professional conferences worldwide. Additionally, ELSA Board members and volunteers have given many speeches and presentations across the world on stuttering self help and stuttering in general.

European Disability Forum (EDF)

ELSA is a founding member of the European Disability Forum (EDF) now 10 years old. The EDF is a European umbrella organisation representing more than 50 million disabled people in Europe. Its mission is to ensure disabled citizens' full access to fundamental and human rights through their active involvement in policy development and implementation in the European Union. ELSA is firmly committed to stuttering as a disability and is a voting member on the Board of the EDF.

ELSA also has representation on the Youth Committee Board of the EDF.

The European Year of People with Disabilities 2003

ELSA was one of only five European Non Governmental Organisations (ENGO's) chosen for the "European Year of People with Disabilities 2003" awareness campaign sponsored by the European Union. Project funding was allocated to ELSA to raise awareness of stuttering in the year 2003.

ELSA produced it's flagship publication International and European Disability Policy during this year.

Website

Please visit our website: http://www.elsa.info

If you want to work with the Board of ELSA to raise awareness of stuttering and make Europe a better place for people who stutter then please contact: elsa.europe@totalise.co.uk

Edwin J Farr MBE October 2006

September 30, 2006