Every Voice. Every Connection. Every Opportunity.
At Voice First Co., we believe communication opens the door to friendship, confidence and belonging. We create experiences where people can build the confidence to communicate, connect with peers, discover their strengths and develop meaningful relationships in a supportive and inclusive environment. Our hope is that every participant leaves with greater confidence, lasting friendships and a stronger sense of purpose.
Our programs combine the fun and connection of a social group with the structure of an intentional communication program. Every participant has personalised communication and social goals, with each session carefully planned to build confidence and skills through engaging, real-life experiences. Families receive weekly updates outlining the focus of each session, their participant's progress and practical ideas to continue supporting communication at home.
Whether someone uses speech, PODD, Proloquo2go, LAMP, eye gaze, key word sign, gestures (KWS) or another communication mode, every participant is welcomed exactly as they are. Our Communication Coaches actively model language throughout every session using their own AAC systems where appropriate, creating an environment where all forms of communication are respected, celebrated and understood.
About Voice First Co.
The Person Behind
Voice First Co.
Voice First Co. was founded by Steph, a special education teacher who has spent more than a decade working alongside children, teenagers and adults with diverse communication needs, in close partnership with speech pathologists, families and school teams.
Throughout her career, Steph noticed the same gap appearing again and again.
Families would often ask, "What happens after school?" Young people who used AAC had very few opportunities to build friendships with others who communicated like they did. Some had never met another AAC user. Others lost access to communication supports after leaving school or found themselves in environments where AAC wasn't consistently modelled or encouraged.
Working with NDIS participants outside of school reinforced this even further. Steph saw firsthand that many participants had very limited opportunities to join social programs that truly understood and embraced the way they communicate. She also recognised that while many support workers are incredibly caring and committed, they often haven't received the training or confidence to model AAC effectively or support communication throughout everyday interactions.
Voice First Co. was created to fill that gap.
It is more than a social group and more than a communication program. It is a communication-first community where every participant has personalised communication goals, every session builds on the last, Communication Coaches intentionally model AAC and other communication strategies, and every activity is designed to create authentic opportunities for communication, confidence and connection.
Her vision is simple: to create a place where every person feels heard, every family feels supported, and every participant has the opportunity to build confidence, strengthen their communication and develop friendships that continue beyond our programs.
Our Approach
Everything we do is guided by one simple question:
"How can we create more opportunities for genuine communication?"
That's why every program follows a carefully planned communication framework rather than a collection of standalone activities. Skills are intentionally introduced, practised and revisited throughout the term, allowing participants to build confidence at their own pace while enjoying experiences they genuinely look forward to each week.
Our Communication Coaches create an AAC-rich environment where communication is naturally modelled and encouraged. We celebrate every way of communicating and ensure participants are supported to communicate in the way that works best for them.
With intentionally small group sizes, every participant is known, supported and encouraged to take meaningful steps towards their individual goals while developing friendships with peers who share similar experiences.