Free AGOSCI member webinar

Co-presented by Rebecca Keeley and Jess Preston

Webinar overview 

Across regional, rural and remote communities, families often face long waitlists, limited specialist services, and significant barriers to accessing support. So how do we build sustainable communication supports that last?

Join Rebecca and Jess for a practical discussion on building local capacity and creating meaningful change beyond individual therapy sessions.

Rebecca will explore the realities faced by sole practitioners and small services, sharing practical strategies for navigating long waitlists, limited resources, and workforce challenges. She will discuss the importance of connecting with local stakeholders, community organisations, schools, and support networks early to create stronger, more coordinated systems of support.

Jess will focus on the power of upskilling the people already around the individual. Rather than relying on external "experts" who visit briefly and then disappear, Jess will share approaches to coaching therapists, support workers, educators, and families to build confidence, competence, and sustainable communication supports within everyday environments.

Together, this session will explore how investing in local people, local relationships, and local knowledge can create lasting impact for individuals with communication support needs and the communities around them.

Target audience

This is a member-only webinar.

Any AAC professionals working in a regional or rural area are invited to attend. If you are an AGOSCI member wanting to learn more about regional, rural and remote services you are also welcome to attend. 

Webinar details 

• This is a LIVE webinar, delivered via zoom
• This webinar will run for 60 minutes, including time for discussion and Q & A 
• Participants are encouraged to keep their cameras on and participate in discussions
• The presentation component of this session will be recorded, the discussion component will NOT be recorded.

Webinar date 

Thursday 2 July 2026 

Webinar start time

VIC / NSW / ACT / TAS/  QLD: 12pm

SA / NT: 11:30 am

WA: 10am 

Co-presenters

Rebecca Keeley is a speech pathologist with a track record of leadership and expertise in healthcare management and rural & remote allied health service delivery across Australia. With a Master of Business Administration (Distinction) from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Speech Pathology from Flinders University, she believes in the importance of blending innovation with on the ground practical experience to improve equitable access to healthcare for those living in geographically isolated parts of Australia. Rebecca's dedication to this cause led her to found Yarn, an innovative digital health platform with a mission to tackle the obstacles of geographical isolation, increasingly challenging service delivery options, and growing waitlists for speech pathology services across the country. Rebecca believes Yarn can be a part of the conversation about how we can use innovative technology as a key driver for revitalised and equitable future systems in healthcare across rural and remote Australia.

Jess Preston is a speech pathologist with over 16 years of experience supporting children and adults with complex communication needs. She has a particular interest in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), communication partner training, and building the capacity of families, support workers, educators, and therapists to support communication in everyday environments. Jess works across clinical, community, and training settings and is passionate about creating sustainable support models that empower local teams and reduce reliance on external specialists.  

Disclosure

AGOSCI is grateful to Rebecca and Jess for presenting this webinar to the AGOSCI community. 

AGOSCI acknowledges that differing views and opinions may be discussed throughout this webinar and may not always align with AGOSCI philosophies.

AGOSCI is an independent body and does not endorse individual expertise, products or brands over others.

AGOSCI acknowledges the presence and contributions of all suppliers and expertise in the Australian and International communities of AAC and diverse communication.