New on the Site:
Read an excerpt from Just Give Him the Whale
Calendar at a Glance
March 2: South Central ASD support group
March 10: ASM/MB Telehealth session
March 29: Autism Portage Support Meeting
April 6: South Central ASD support group
April 22-23: ASM conference: Carol Gray
April 26: Autism Portage support meeting
Download the January Newsletter (PDF 217 KB)
Next newsletter February 2010
Autism Portage Support Group
The Autism Portage Support Group will be held on Monday, March 29th, 7pm, at the Tupper Street Family Resouce Centre, 20 Tupper Street N.
This session will feature a presentation by Bonnie Gadway, Speech-Language Pathologist with the Portage la Prairie School Division. Everyone is welcome to attend!
There will also be a brief presentation by Bev Temple, a researcher with the St. Amant Centre and the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Manitoba. She will be sharing information about transfer of knowledge in autism research. Is the research that's being conducted on autism meeting the needs of families? She will give an update on the research and activities.
Autism Society Manitoba/MB Telehealth Session
Autism Society Manitoba is pleased to present a panel of Experts in the Field of ASD/AS at their next Telehealth session, on March 10th, 6:30 - 8:30pm.
The panel includes adolescents and young adults diagnosed with autism, PDD-NOS and Aspergers, who will answer questions on living with ASD, covering topics such as school, social, sensory and communication issues.
"This is a must-attend for all parents, teachers, clinicians,
educational and community support staff.
The session is sure to be one of the valuable that you have ever attended."
For more information about this session, contact ASM or visit their website. Download a poster advertising this session to post at your school. ASM/MB Telehealth sessions are held at Portage District General Hospital, Boundary Trails Health Centre and other Telehealth sites.
TOLL FREE MANITOBA PHONE NUMBER AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 11, 2010
ASM is pleased to announce that they have a toll free number for you to contact them in Rural and Northern Manitoba. This number is for your use to reach us by phone for any issue you may need assistance with. Referrals to community groups, programs, information or support is now a quick phone call away.
Call 1-888-444-9563
Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba offers workshops for parents of children with AD/HD. These 7-week courses (held in Winnipeg) increase parent knowledge and understanding of ADD and AD/HD, and how the disorder interacts with the child's environment.
These workshops also make parents aware of management practices, problem solving, conflict resolution, behaviour management, and dealing with schools, siblings and peers.
Two workshops are starting in the coming months:
- Parenting the CHILD with AD/HD starts March 2nd
- Parening the TEEN with AD/HD starts May 3rd
For more information about these workshops, to register or get on their waiting list, visit the LDA Manitoba website.
Asperger Manitoba Support Groups
Asperger Manitoba is holding support group meetings in Winnipeg. There is one support group for teens/adults with Asperger syndrome. For information on this Asperger Peer support group, contact jstrub42@hotmail.com
There is another support group for caregivers (parents) of children/adults with Asperger syndrome. For information about this support group, contact pcasupport@asperger-manitoba.ca
Registered Disability Savings Plan: What is the best option for my child?
This presentation by Jill Chambers, consultant with Investors Group, will cover a variety of topics related to the RDSP:
- Key features of the RDSP
- Canada Disability Savings Grants and/or Canada Disability Savings Bonds
- Disability Assistance Payments (DAPs)
- Impact on Federal Benefits and Provincial Social Assistance Difference between a Henson Trust and a RDSP
- Financial institutions that currently administer RDSPs
- Where can I get more details about RDSPs?
DATE: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
PLACE: ROOM 203, 825 SHERBROOK STREET Free parking available in lot behind building
RSVP by March 17/10 by email: mdss@mts.net or call 992-2731
Sponsored by Autism Society Manitoba, Manitoba Down Syndrome Society and Investors Group
Autism Society Manitoba....looking for volunteers!
A great way to become involved with ASM is to volunteer some time at one of their events. They are always looking for parents, grandparents, friends etc. to share your area of expertise ( library tech, artist, photographer, writer, graphic artist, parent of an adult living with ASD) etc. A few hours every year helping with registration at their conferences and workshops, giving them a hand in awareness campaigns, walkathons, movie mornings, parent meetings etc. would be greatly appreciated. Dropping off brochures and posters in your area, school, neighbourhood takes a little time but makes a world of difference in spreading the word about Autism Awareness. You will also have the opportunity to meet other parents and do a little bit of networking, always a good thing.
Another way to show support is to assist them in gathering prizes that are needed for draws, auctions etc. at the various events they hold each year. It gives you the opportunity to help out and once again, raising awareness in the community. Nothing is too small, every little bit helps. They will supply the request letters and you can help with your contacts or neighbourhood businesses.
If you would like to help out or need more information, please free to contact them, noting VOLUNTEER in the subject line of your email.
Autism Society Manitoba conference: Carol Gray
ASM's annual conference features Carol Gray, who developed Social Stories, a strategy used worldwide with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She has published several articles, chapters, and books on topics related to the education and welfare of people with ASD, addressing challenging issues ranging from how to teach social understanding and social skills; bullying; death and dying; loss and learning; and categorization and generalization.
This is a two-day workshop, held April 22-23 at the Viscount Gort Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
DAY ONE SOCIAL STORIES TM 10.1
This hands-on workshop uses lecture, demonstration, discussion, activities and practice of new skills to teach the elements of the social understanding interventions developed by Carol Gray. Most notably, participants will be trained in Social StoriesTM 10.1, the first major revision of (the previous) Social StoriesTM 10.0. The Social Stories 10.1 training has many new features, including a more detailed rationale, discussion of Social Story research and evidence-based practice, the introduction of Story templates, the positive past tense, Sentences that Coach, and an expanded emphasis on gathering information for a Social Story, Story format, and emotional and social safety. By the close of this exciting, fun, and fast paced workshop, participants will leave with an updated and more detailed understanding of Social Stories Concepts and skills will be applicable for those working with individuals ages 2-adult.
DAY TWO: Taming the Social Context Jungle, Teaching Individuals with ASD to Effectively “Read” and Respond to Social Context
Workshop Description: It is well documented by research and practice that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulty “reading” and responding to the dynamic array of social interactions that surround them each day. To others, the responses of an individual with ASD may seem “out of context” or “inappropriate”. The ability to gain meaning from social context is highly complex, yet taken for granted by typical peers, parents, and professionals. They are able to quickly and accurately derive meaning from a simultaneous consideration of the multitude of social cues that lie within spoken words, pragmatics, and context. This presentation breaks new instructional ground, providing a working definition of social context that supports effective intervention, and leads to practical, inexpensive, instructional strategies. This is a lively, activity based workshop, with time for participants to discuss ideas and apply them to the specific challenges of the individuals in their care.
Please contact Autism Society Manitoba or call 204-783-9563/1-888-444-9563 for more information, or download the conference registration.
