Support for young people and opportunities for the older stutterers

Support for young people and opportunities for the older stutterers Hi everyone! I (18f) recently came across the organisation SAY:AU, the Stuttering Association for the Young Australia based off SAY:US. If anyone is looking to connect with people irl with a stutter, this community is so very special and amazing. They hold all different events and camps for young people who stutter and older people (18+) who stutter or not, can volunteer and help out. As a stutter from the age of 3, I have never met anyone else with a stutter, I thought I was completely alone for a very long time which led to mental health issues that I am now working through. If I knew about this community when I was younger I would have felt so much better and confident in myself and I want others to be able to have the opportunity I didn’t get. I recently went to a hang session in Australia where we did a bunch of activities and escape rooms, it was such a great day. Whilst there wasn’t anyone there my age, I was able to talk to lots of parents of the other children and give them some advice and talk to the volunteers (two speech paths, a 29m who stutters and the leader of the group here in aus who stutters too). The whole day was talking in a space where it was ok to stutter and was so special, I cried for hours when I got home. Being able to talk to adults with relationships, amazing jobs and who aren’t afraid to speak to is truly a blessing and give me so much hope for my future, I can’t imagine the impact it would have on the younger kids who attended. If anyone is feeling alone like I was and/or is need of that support and loving community please check them out, they are doing Gods work!!! And remember it is completely and totally ok to stutter <3