Courtney Dennis

I have worked with children and young people with complex needs for 8 years within a specialist setting. My journey in supporting children and young people with their communication began when I became a Learning Support Assistant in a Specialist Primary School.

My role as communication champion enabled me to undergo training with the NHS (SaLT) team to create and support personalised communication systems for the children I was supporting. I supported a young man who used a Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA). This experience sparked my passion for communication, as I developed an understanding of how the device functioned and implemented strategies to support him to express himself and advocate for his needs. Witnessing the impact accessible communication had on the children I was supporting, creating confidence and independence was incredibly motivating. It also deepened my understanding of Alternative and Augmentative communication (AAC).

In 2020, following the pandemic, I returned to education and began a remote degree in education studies through The Open University. As I entered my final year of my degree, I was offered an opportunity to work as AAC technician in the school I worked at. Within a short period of beginning the job, my passion for communication continued to grow and I became committed to pursuing a career in becoming a Speech and Language therapist.

For the last 2 years, I have worked within a communication service supporting children and young people to access a means of communication and ultimately, a voice. This role has enabled me to gain valuable experience using VOCAs alongside receiving a range of training from software providers. As well as this, I have had the opportunity to attend the communication Matters conference which has strengthened my understanding of current research and emerging technologies.

I began working for Powerful Voice in April 2026, I was drawn to their ethos and commitment to empowering communication, I am extremely excited to begin my journey towards training to be a Speech and Language therapist.