Young Alumnus of the Year

Young Alumnus of the Year, Nikita Austin

Graduating with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology in 2019, Nikita has worked as a mobile speech therapist, medical speech therapist at her local hospital, and is now Speech Pathologist and Clinic Director at her newly opened business Eat. Speak. Repeat in Port Stephens, NSW.  

“Most people who live in Port Stephens travel at least 45 minutes to access health services that are either not offered or at capacity in our area. I knew this was not sustainable and wanted to make a difference. That is why I started my own allied health practice,” Nikita explained. 

Nikita is the clinic’s speech pathologist, feeding therapist and director. Her goal is to improve access to allied health services in her region, starting with bringing on board an occupational therapist to meet the needs of her patients, and eventually purchasing land to build a comprehensive allied health centre.  

“I would love to purchase land locally and build the biggest most comprehensive allied health centre in this area. I want to make sure that I can provide access to high quality health services for my community and I would hope that in ten years that that building is up and running and that I'm able to serve my community in more ways than one,” she said. 

Nikita always knew that she wanted to work with children, a discussion with her career advisor and work experience in a local practice during year 10 cemented her goal of becoming a speech pathologist. With her sights set on the Bachelor of Speech Pathology, Nikita applied to study at Southern Cross University through the STAR Early Entry Scheme and was accepted based on her high school grades and principal’s recommendation. She hasn’t looked back since.  

“Southern Cross did help. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without the placements, the students and the lecturers,” Nikita said.   

With a strong passion for working with rural, regional and Indigenous communities, Nikita also spends one day a week at the Ungooroo health clinic in Singleton, where she provides culturally safe speech pathology.  

“My mob is in the Singleton and Upper Hunter Valley area, they don’t have a lot of allied health services available to them. I really enjoy being out there with those families and doing my bit to close the healthcare gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities,” Nikita said. 

Working between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, Nikita noticed that there was a gap in access to inclusive, culturally-safe materials, such as communication boards which are used by speech pathologist to assist patients in communicating more effectively. This gave Nikita the idea of creating a communication board which represented Indigenous people, symbols and culture. Consulting with Indigenous communities to ensure the board displayed respectful and accurate representation, Nikita created and dispersed the communication boards to as many people as she could, free of charge.  

The boards were dispatched to over 200 Indigenous people in the Port Stephens area inside packs provided by the NSW Health District, made freely available at local hospitals, and shared through Nikita’s social media network via her Instagram page @theorganisedSLP.  

“I received an overwhelmingly amazing response to this, and it is something I am looking to continuing.  Honestly, it’s been a highlight of my career to have been able to pioneer something like that,” she said.  

As a dancer of fourteen-years, Nikita is also looking forward to transforming another one of her passions into something which serves her community by teaching dance and movement classes for children with special needs.  

“We already have a couple of little ones interested in the class. I cannot wait to get back into the dance studio and serve my community in yet another avenue.”