As an organisation, we know that it takes more than just hearing aids and technology to solve hearing conditions.

We have a conventional audiological advisory service and a hearing aid bank program, which provides refurbished hearing aids to seekers of asylum and individuals who experience low-income.

We hold the needs of consumers at the centre of our work and exist to meet the needs of the under-served who may fall through the cracks of eligibility criteria of existing programs. Soundfair is perfectly placed to engage with consumers to design new ways to meet their needs, trial and implement sustainable new service models without the same (level) of commercial pressures. We have the right team and expertise to do it differently. So, we are! Sounds fair to us.

Through the engagement of those we already serve, and collaboration with the hearing sector, community organisations, government, and our community of supporters, we will continue to create and build an innovative social model experience.

Progress to date

During 2019, we conducted ethnographic work and explored the current clinical and social model options available, identifying problems and gaps. We developed a literature review, investigated problem identification/validation, and constructed ‘personas’, which supported us to understand the experiences of the people that we serve. This further supported us to test ideas and assumptions and excitingly, form our own ideas on a new social model experience.

Early 2020, we engaged PwC’s The Impact Assembly to facilitate a human-centred design workshop to ‘reimagine whole-person, person-centred services for those impacted by hearing conditions’. The ideas and models have since been consolidated into The Connection Model, which represents a long-term service vision (for example, our Navigator Connection Coach, Soundfair Connection Coach, Tinnitus Australia Coach). An implementation plan has been developed and work has begun to design the offering and test assumptions in the model using human-centred and LEAN start-up methodologies.

To learn more about our social model experience, please contact Jessica, Business (Model) Design and Experience Lead, [email protected] or or 1300 242 842.