Our Screening Manager, Karen Barker has been awarded a Kiwibank Local Hero Award 2019 for the Rotorua region.
As manager and initiator of Empowered Learning Trust, Karen sources funding of up to $100,000 a year to support the identification of children with leanring and processing difficulties, to provide glasses for Irlen Syndrome and support programmes for Auditory Processing Disorder.
Since 2012, more than 2,100 students have undergone basic screening, and around 800 referrals have been made for further optometric and Irlen testing. More than 450 sets of corrective lenses and Irlen tints have been fitted and over 780 students have been screened for Auditory Processing Disorder in schools. Around 190 students have been referred o to an audiologist for further assessment, and 290 students have participated in APD support programmes to improve their hearing ability.
