Taking Connect & Share to the regions

After our first Connect & Share session in Hamilton in May, we took the programme further afield in August, visiting Hamilton, Rotorua and Pāpāmoa.

Over three days, 64 kiritaki/clients and whānau joined us to meet others, share experiences, ask questions and talk about life with a cochlear implant.

Demand was particularly strong in Hamilton. With more people wanting to attend than we could accommodate in our usual small-group format, we adapted the session and, for the first time, ran Connect & Share as a larger group presentation.

The sessions covered communication in group settings, getting the most from cochlear implant technology, and the different ways people communicate and manage their hearing in everyday life.

The different group sizes also gave us an opportunity to see what worked well. The larger sessions generated plenty of questions and discussion, while the smaller Rotorua group allowed more time for individual conversation and sharing.

What came through across all three locations was the importance of being able to connect with other people who have firsthand experience of living with a cochlear implant.

The feedback from kiritaki reflected this.

One attendee told us:

“Some of the subjects you brought up were revelations to me and also confirmations of what I felt/suspected all these years. It was, for me, a worthwhile meeting as I had always felt ‘left out’ in many ways.”

Another shared:

“It was interesting to see that all of the group were enthusiastic and pleased with the decision to have a cochlear implant also it appeared that everyone had their particular quirks and fancies. I would not be without mine.”

Thank you to Hazel, our Whānau Support Counsellor, and Nick, one of our adult audiologists and himself a cochlear implant user, who facilitated the sessions. Tara, our Clinical Administrator, and Betsy, our social work student, also supported the Hamilton session.

Most importantly, thank you to the kiritaki and whānau who came along and were willing to share their experiences, questions and perspectives with others.

The response to these sessions will help us as we plan future Connect & Share groups and look at how we can make opportunities like these available to more kiritaki and whānau across our region.