TalkLink Trust

Communication is something you can’t live without. Which is why the Mazda Foundation has supported TalkLink Trust – to help enhance communication for New Zealanders who struggle with spoken and written language.

A $12,810 grant will increase the range of assessment and trial equipment available to TalkLink clients nationwide and to reduce waiting times for equipment.

TalkLink provides a free specialist assessment service to people with a disability, but an obstacle for TalkLink is obtaining equipment funding.

“The equipment helps improve quality of life for many people and their ability to communicate,” says TalkLink Trust Manager, Ann Smaill.

“The funding from Mazda has enabled us to get additional equipment to make sure people with communicative disabilities are using the right options.

“We determine if the technology will assist them in communication. We trial it first on a loan period so we have to make sure that we have the equipment available,” she says.

TalkLink provides assistive communicative technology to assist people of all ages, from all walks of life who suffer from communicative disabilities.

Assistive technology is an item, piece of equipment or product system used to increase or improve functional capabilities of people with disabilities.

While many disorders derive from birth, others are triggered by conditions like motor neurone diseases, head injuries and stroke.

TalkLink Trust has centres in Auckland and Wellington and has a therapist in Whangarei and relies on grants, donations and sponsorship for operational costs.

During the past two years TalkLink has expanded its services to the whole North Island, which has meant an increase in referrals and increased pressure on the assessment equipment available.