Partnership will help open up Australian market for Stirling based social enterprise

A social enterprise based in Stirling, has joined with a communication company from Down Under.

Talking Mats is an award-winning visual communication framework that was originally developed through research at the University of Stirling in 1998.

They have partnered Zyteq, a communication firm based in Melbourne. Both companies are led by speech and language therapists.

The partnership will enable the Talking Mats resource and training to be sold throughout Australia. Having worked closely over the past year the contract was formally signed in February and Talking Mats will visit Australia in May to work with Zyteq to promote wider use of their proiduct.

Talking Mats helps people with communication disability express their views on things that matter to them. It can support decision making and capacity, involvement in care planning, help transitions and has a key role in safeguarding. Australia is facing key changes in the way support is allocated and have recently brought in the National Disability Insurance scheme (NDIS) as a new way of providing support to people with disabilities and their families. Talking Mats provides a communication framework that will support involvement of people with communication difficulty.

Zyteq managing directorTracey Bode said:“People with disabilities and communication difficulties are finally being consulted so they can have‘choice and control’over their supports and funding under the NDIS system. Talking Mats is an evidence-based framework providing the ideal focus for these important conversations. We are looking forward to helping Australians benefit from the extensive experience and support from Talking Mats through this partnership.”

Talking Mats co-director Lois Cameron said:“There are so many stories about how Talking Mats has helped people express their views. As a social enterprise having a partnership with Zyteq is amazing as it means our framework developed , trialed and applied in Scotland, will soon benefit people with communication difficulties in Australia.”