The stakeholders of the Project Sprouts clinical placement partnership met on Friday, 28th January at the Peak Hill Central School to put the final touches to the program. They are (L-R) Elsie de Klerck (Three Rivers Department of Rural Health, Charles Sturt University – Lecturer in Rural Health (Clinical Educator)), Rochelle Smith (Project Sprouts – Physi-otherapist), Cara van Wyk (Charles Sturt University/Monash University), Narelle Elias (Peak Hill Preschool – Director), Sherree Rosser (Project Sprouts – Chairperson), Tiarne McLeod (Peak Hill Central School – Rel Assistant Principal), Anne Norton (Project Sprouts – Co-ordinator) Barbara Newton (Project Sprouts – Working Party) and Catherine Doyle (Peak Hill Central School – Deputy Principal).
Peak Hill will benefit from a new clinical placement partnership with the first two physiotherapy students to start at the end of the month.
Project Sprouts, in association with the committed and collaborative staff at the Peak Hill Preschool and Central School and Parkes Neighbourhood Central, have partnered with Three Rivers Department of Rural Health (DRH) to develop a clinical placement partnership. The partnership is supported by local Aboriginal elders, who have graciously named the clinical placements ‘Raising Healthy Boori’. Project Sprouts have received funding from ALKCANE to support the funding of supervision.
As a result of the partnership, the schools will be welcoming physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy students from various universities during three separate clinical placements. The students will work with pre-school and kindergarten students in need of allied health intervention, and also facilitate capacity building for educators.
During their placement the students will develop and present resources to assist the schools in supporting students to meet developmental goals. Students will be supported by discipline specific supervisors, school staff and Three Rivers DRH clinical educators.
The first placement will commence on 28th February with two physiotherapy students. This first clinical placement will also be the focus of Monash Masters of Physiotherapy student, Cara van Wyk’s research project. Her dissertation focuses on how clinical placements contribute to educator capacity. It is hoped that her findings will contribute to evidence-based advocating for regular clinical placements in rural communities.
Project Sprouts, a Parkes community-led initiative, facilitates the screening of children for developmental health before they start school, to support parents and upskill local people to better identify children needing early intervention support.