The Project

Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices
Action: Strategic Partnerships
Field: KA202 - Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Title: Vocational education and training for speech and language therapists and parents for rehabilitation of children with cochlear implant on how to speak
Project Acronym: VOICE
Ref. no.: 2020-1-RO01-KA202-080059
Project Start Date: 01.12.2020
Project End date: 30.11.2022

The VOICE project's main objective is to offer vocational education and training for speech and language therapists (SLP) and parents for teaching children with cochlear implants how to speak.

Therefore the project is addressed directly to speech and language therapists (SLPs) (in the first professional stages) and the students year 3/MA in psychology (future SLPs), who work directly with CI children and adults, as well as parents, who have to continue the therapy at home, and teachers and support teachers who have to work with the children in order to integrate them in the mainstream education.

The project also addresses, indirectly, to patients, doctors and family doctors, schools, speech and language therapists (SLPs) associations, medical  centers and College of Physicians, psychology - pedagogy Faculties, parents associations and educational NGOs. Support therapies are needed to be offered to pupils with hearing impairments because they enable them to communicate effectively in school and successfully participate in the educational activity.

- To raise expectations and outcomes for deaf children and increase awareness and expectations of what deaf children can achieve if they receive specialized therapy, through the cumulative actions of the VOICE project.
- To equip the speech and language therapists (SLP) with a package of supporting resources for their further improved work with CI children, through the research and data base of the 1st IO of the project.
- To develop the minimum standards for rehabilitation after pediatric cochlear implant needed at transnational level, through the 2nd IO of the project.
- To develop knowledge, competences and skills of SLP and the students year 3/MA in psychology (future SLP), through the IO3 Handbook and IO4 VET program, including theoretical study and a practical development of competences based on study of cases and share of experiences and practices on direct work with CI children.
- To support families accept an early intervention program and become aware about their role as the child’s best expert, through the IO5 platform’ resources which empowers parents/carer to develop their child’s listening, speaking and social skills.