Category Archives: Education and Training

Summer Camps Update, Social Thinking for Young Learners – April 11 & 12, New ACT Fundraiser – Buy Your Ticket Today: Songs on the Water: A Musical Showcase in Support of ACT, Two New Videos on Challenging Behaviors – Free!

Autism Videos @ ACT

Practical Ways to Decrease Challenging Behaviors in School, Home and Community Settings

Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, respected internationally for her research and clinical practice, discusses various intervention procedures for decreasing challenging behaviors.

Dr. Kern Koegel also provides many example of how challenging behaviors can be avoided in the first place. This presentation will appeal to both professionals and families for its reliance on important research as well as respect for individuals with autism and challenging behaviors.

Watch now


WTF – What’s the Function?

Problem behaviors are one of the greatest barriers to student learning and is a significant problem for school staff and parents alike. Understanding why they occur is critical to developing preventative and educative solutions in-order-to benefit students and those who support them.

Dr. Richard Stock will dispel myths about why students engage in problem behaviors and teach participants about the four functions of behavior.

Watch now

blank Thanks to funding from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration (CIRCA) at the University of British Columbia, ACT is able to provide an edited version of the 2018 Setting the Stage for Success: Positive Behavior Support in School, Home and Community conference.

Visit the Positive Behavior Support video release page


New ACT Fundraiser

Songs on the Water:
A Musical Showcase in Support of ACT

June 4, 2019

Vancouver Rowing Club, Stanley Park

Welcome summer 2019 at the Vancouver Rowing Club, with a very special evening of music and friendship to benefit ACT – Autism Community Training. Featured artists include: Melanie Dekker, Yvonne McSkimming, and Mark James Fortin.
Vancouver Rowing Club - Songs on the Water

June 4th is an opportunity for the autism community and its friends to join with us for a fabulous evening in support of ACT’s free online resources. Organize a table or attend on your own. Either way you will meet old friends and make new ones.

Tickets for the evening are $50 – a $30 tax receipt will be provided. Demonstrate your support for ACT’s free online resources – sponsor a table – contact ACT for details.

ACT thanks the Synergy Collective Society, a community-based organization that blends art with social responsibility to support and create cooperative community programming.

Event Details & Tickets


 

 

Upcoming events

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Two Social Thinking® Days for Young Children

April 11 & 12, 2019

Vancouver & Web streamed

Kari Zweber Palmer from the Social Thinking Speakers’ Collaborative is back in Vancouver with two days of training focused on younger learners. This is the fourth time ACT has presented this training and it always sells out! Save money and register by April 4th!

Live stream: Watch and participate live from anywhere by registering for web streaming.

Day 1 – Teaching Social Thinking through Stories and Play

Day 2 – What Does Play Have to Do with Classroom Learning? Exploring Social Executive Functioning and Social Emotional Learning for Early Learners
Event Details & Registration

Register by April 4th to save $50!

Please note that this training is geared for children with ASD who have age-appropriate language but struggle with social/emotional engagement. It is also effective for children with ADHD.

You may email ACT before registering if you have questions: [email protected]

Special group rates of $150 per person for 3 or more people watching via web-streaming on the same screen – a great team-building opportunity for schools and clinics to train staff. Contact us to learn more.


 

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Summer Camps are a hot topic! 

It is time to plan for summer camps! Parents are welcome to search ACT’s BC Community Listing for camps. We have 100 listed but you can narrow down the results by adding the name of the community where you live.

Are you a camp provider? You can submit your camp here!

If any listing is out of date please let us know or send us an update using the handy alert function on each record.

Two Free Videos & Double Your Donation – $10,000 raised!

Over $10,000 raised on Giving Tuesday

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, including a $50,000 matching fund provided by the Ross-Dwyer family, our fundraising campaign for 2019 is off to a strong start – we raised over $10,000 over the past week. Blair Dwyer, a lawyer based in Victoria explains why his family is prepared to double the contribution of individual donors – right up to December 25th.

“The reason for the gift is really quite simple. We feel a tremendous debt of gratitude for all the help that ACT gave to us in raising our two children. They are both doing better than we could have thought possible after we learned of their diagnosis. ACT is a big part of that.” Blair’s gratitude to ACT was echoed by our donors:

“Thank you infinitely for all that you have provided to the Autism Community. I have been using your website and going to your events since 2015. It helped me in managing the challenges of having a child with autism.”

“Everyone at Constructive Pathways and I have appreciated everything that ACT has provided to the community over the years. Here’s a small contribution for the future. Here’s to many more!”

“Thank you for your excellent evidence-based resources and events! Keep up the great work – quality, up-to-date, freely accessible educational resources are vital for families of individuals with ASD, support personnel and professionals alike! “

“Amazing resource to families – keep up the great work!”

“We need your services…Thank you!!!”

“This is such a fabulous resource for both families and practitioners. Thank you.”

“In recognition of our grandson Adam who has brought us such great joy.”

“It will be a very sad if you are unable to continue the good work you do in the way you currently do it!”

“Keep up the great work! Especially the live/streamed workshops.”

“Thank you for everything you do and all the support that you provide to our families!”

“I am very happy to donate to ACT! ACT was central to my learning about ASD and so much more.”

“ACT is an amazing resource for our province and a precious gem for our country. We must keep ACT doing what it does best. . . training, advocating, sharing and providing the facts.”

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Download the Autism Videos & Resources Guide 2019 shown above.

Every donation is appreciated; Donation matching continues until December 25th, please consider donating now to double your donation.

Give more, save more taxes!

Use the CRA’s Charitable donation tax credit calculator to estimate your tax savings. Super-donors can receive additional tax credits on donations up to $1,000.

Donate to ACT


Two new free videos –
ACT’s Online Mental Health & Autism Project

blankThe Relationship between Anxiety and Social Competence – Grace Iarocci, PhD, RPsych

The relationship between the symptoms of anxiety, depression and social functioning among children, with and without ASD, are poorly understood. In this 25 minute presentation, Dr. Grace Iarocci presents a study into whether generalized anxiety and depression symptoms, were associated with social competence. gender. Dr. Iarocci discusses the importance of assessing both internalizing symptoms and social difficulties in children with ASD and the implications for treatment.

Watch now

blankImplementing Modified CBT in a Group Format to Treat Anxiety in Children with ASD: Insights for Parents, Clinicians, and Researchers

In this 20 minute presentation, Dr. Johnson highlights the growing evidence that group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatments to address mental health issues, such as anxiety, are promising alternatives to standard individual CBT treatments for children with ASD. The presentation includes information to support parents in recognizing anxiety and seeking appropriate services as well as information for professionals interested in learning more about clinical and research efforts related to increasing community accessibility of group treatments targeting mental health concerns.

Watch now


Herring Sale 2019, 20 pounds for $20Volunteers needed: Herring Fundraiser
January 12, 2019

We’re looking for volunteers to help out at the 2019 Herring Sale! Meet sea lions and help raise money for autism training at this one-day fundraiser in Steveston, Richmond. Email [email protected] for details or visit Volunteering for ACT.

September 2018 events and news

Upcoming Events

 

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Managing the Anxious Symptoms of Children and Adolescents with ASD: Practical Strategies
Thursday & Friday, September 27 & 28
Vancouver 

Judy Reaven, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado

This two-day training is aimed at professionals who have an intermediate/advanced knowledge of CBT and are looking for an evidence-based, manualized program on adapted CBT for children and adolescents with ASD to address the high levels of anxiety in this population. Research has shown that children and teens with ASD and anxiety demonstrate significant reductions in anxiety following participation in modified Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) interventions, allowing many to function better at home, school and in the community.

Facing Your Fears (FYF) is a group CBT intervention for managing anxiety in youth with ASD. Throughout the training, participants will learn about FYF, identify core components of the clinic based FYF program, learn how to modify FYF for teens with ASD and intellectual disabilities, as well as strategies for delivering FYF in school settings. Video examples and interactive small group activities will be provided throughout this training, provided by Dr. Judy Reaven, one of the developers of the FYF approach. Dr. Reaven is an experienced clinician and researcher and is a dynamic presenter.

View Details & Registration


Setting the Stage for Success: Positive Behaviour Support in School, Home and Community Friday & Saturday, October 19 & 20 Vancouver

View Details & Registration


ACT’s Education Resources

Back-to-School Resources

Along with the resources on ACT’s School-Age Children with Autism page, you can find hundreds of resources on our B.C. Community Resources search and the Autism Information Database.

B.C. Community Resources – Education resources

Enter your city or postal code to narrow down service providers, recreational activities, employment and training opportunities, and community organizations near you.

Autism Information Database – Education resources

Find articles, guides, videos, and research on executive functioning skills, anxiety, bullying, and much more.


Diverse Needs Community Events

To see what is happening around the province, and to submit your organization’s events, visit Diverse Needs Community Events

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September Events:

Social Sprouts 2 (Social Thinking)
September 10, Surrey

Executive Functioning for Preteens
September 11, Surrey

Connect with PEERS(r) for Young Adults (19-30)
September 11, Burnaby

AutismBC Family Support Group
September 12, Prince George Social Sprouts (Social Thinking)
September 15, Surrey

Art and Social for Girls
September 15, Surrey

Incredible Years – Autism Spectrum and Language Delays Parenting Program
September 20 – December 14, North Vancouver

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: Relaxed Performance
September 30, Vancouver

Youth & Young Adult Program: Games & Activities
October 2, Nanaimo – Registration deadline: September 21


Ticket Giveaway!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Relaxed Performance – September 30 at 7 PM

Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, Vancouver

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Enter now for a chance to win 1 set of 2 tickets to see a relaxed performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a Tony Award-winning play adapted from the novel by Mark Hadden, about a teenager with high-functioning autism seeking to solve the murder of a neighbour’s dog.

Visit the Arts Club website for more information on this play.

This relaxed performance is an inclusive, modified theatre experience designed to welcome people who may find it difficult to follow the usual conventions of traditional theatre.

How to win tickets: Email [email protected] with the subject “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Give-Away” before Friday, September 14 at 9:00am.
ACT will randomly select the winning entry to receive a free set of 2 tickets to see the play and will email ticket winners with instructions for pick-up at the theatre box-office.

Click the button below to send your email and be entered into the ticket giveaway.

Enter the giveaway


Autism in the News

Get the latest on ACT’s Facebook page

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has released a new simplified Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) application package. Find out more:
New form at Service Canada | Disability Alliance BC CPP-D Guides

TRACKING EXCLUSION: BCEdAccess’ Exclusion* Incident Report Form – BCEdAccess

Resources for autistic students and students on the spectrum transitioning from high school to college – Stairway to Stem

How the Ontario Disability Support Program makes falling in love a challenging proposition – TVO

Treatment to remove metals from children with autism unproven and risky, but no clear regulations – CBC News

‘I’ll break the barriers’: New ad campaign tries to end stigma plaguing youth with disabilities – CBC News

Autism Ups Risk for Depression in Early Adulthood – MedPage Today

For people with developmental disabilities, a job is more than a paycheque – it says ‘I’m valuable’ – The Globe and Mail

The extra layer of back-to-school anxiety when your child has diverse needs – The Washington Post

‘Atypical’ Team on Bringing ‘More Voices From the Autism Community’ in Season 2 – Variety

Gavin Rose was diagnosed with autism three years ago. Now, he’s competing for a world bull riding title – The Star

Changemaker: Bellevue man living with autism wants to help others understand it – Q13 FOX News

The relief, and heartbreak, of watching my autistic son becoming more socially aware – The Washington Post

ACT Events, Participate in Research, Community Events, PACE project, and Autism in the News

Upcoming ACT Events

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Social Stories with Carol Gray

July 19 & 20, 2018
Nanaimo, BC

Carol Gray, Founder and Innovator, Social Stories Satellite Schools and Services, and Carol’s Club


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Introduction to ASD – Practical Applications – POPARD

Kenneth Cole, PhD, RPsych
July 30 – August 3, 2018 – Surrey
October 29 – November 2, 2018 – Vancouver

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Social Thinking Conference

August 16 & 17, 2018 – Vancouver

Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC-SLP
Pamela Crooke, PhD, CCC-SLP

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Non-Aversive Strategies to Assist Individuals with Autism and Challenging Behaviours

Friday, August 24
Vancouver, BC, & Web Streaming!
Andrew McDonnell, PhD, Clinical Psychologist

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Managing the Anxious Symptoms of Children and Adolescents with ASD: Practical Strategies

Thursday & Friday, September 27 & 28
Vancouver, BC
Judy Reaven, PhD

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Setting the Stage for Success: Positive Behaviour Support in School, Home and Community

Friday & Saturday, October 19 & 20, 2018
Vancouver, BC, & Web Streaming
Lynn Kern Koegel, CCC-SLP
Ilene Schwartz, Ph.D., BCBA-D

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INVESTing in Girls and Women with ASD

Friday, November 2nd
Vancouver, BC & Web Streaming!
Dori Zener, MSW, RSW

Register for any two events and save $50.

Register for any two ACT Events and receive $50 off. Use coupon code 50off2 to at checkout when you register for any two different events at checkout or contact ACT to register by phone.

Cannot be combined with other discounts or bursaries.

Bursaries

Bursaries for those most in need, including para-professionals, parents who have children with diverse needs, adults with ASD, and professionals who need to travel outside of their home regions are also available, to the best of our financial ability. Bursaries are also available for webstreaming – internationally and Canada!

For information on how to apply for an ACT bursary, please visit the Bursaries FAQ page


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Diverse Needs Community Events – July & August

Pacific Autism Family Network Summer Camp (ages 6-10)

Monday, July 16 – Friday, July 27, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Richmond

FREE SFU Social Science Camp for children ages 7-12

Saturday, July 21, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Burnaby

Identifying Mental Health and Obesity Related Risk Factors in ASD – FREE Parent Workshop

Saturday, July 21, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Burnaby

Pacific Autism Family Network Summer Camp (ages 6-10)

Monday, July 30 – Friday, August 10, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Richmond

What? Me Worry?

Monday, August 13 – Friday, August 17, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Surrey

Temple Grandin: Developing Individuals with Different Minds

Friday, August 17, 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm
Vancouver


Participate in Autism Research: Volunteers Needed
Parent Training through Telepractice

Are you a Japanese parent(s) of a child with Autism living within two hours’ drive from Vancouver whose child exhibit problem behaviour at home? Researchers at the University of British Columbia are looking for a Japanese- speaking parent(s) of a 3- to 6-year-old child with autism who is willing to receive parent training via telepractice to improve the child’s behaviour in a home routine.

Telepractice involves the use of telecommunication technology to link a professional with a client who lives at a far distance. The video camera on the computer monitor is employed by users to communicate by sight and sound in real time. The study will last up to nine months. You will receive weekly training from a UBC graduate student researcher to implement a behaviour support plan collaboratively created with you. The effectiveness of procedure in terms of improvement in child behaviour and parent implementation of the plan, as well as acceptability and feasibility of the plan will be examined.

If you are interested in the study, please contact Serina Ando ([email protected]) for more information.


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Parent and Child Early (PACE) Coaching Project

PACE is poised to start the implementation phase of this important project in a number of communities across B.C. Researchers will evaluate an evidence-based parent coaching intervention for children aged 15 to 30 months who are at risk of, or diagnosed with ASD. ACT has been involved in the project since 2015 when it accepted the responsibility from the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development to administer funding for this important research initiative.

Visit the Parent and Child Early Coaching Project page to find out more, including a video overview of the project, the latest quarterly PACE newsletter, and contact information.


Autism in the News

The most read stories from the past month.
Get the latest on ACT’s Facebook page

Tackling bullying could help reduce depression in autistic teens – Science Daily

Canada’s first national accessibility law tabled in Ottawa – CBC News

Mom’s Facebook post to man who publicly shamed her son with autism goes viral – CBC News
Parents of kids with autism threaten human rights complaint if their children aren’t assigned the same support workers next school year – The Star

Father of autistic child takes to Facebook to criticise people who judge him in public – NewsHub

This special ed teacher promised to one day donate $1M to her students. She wasn’t kidding – North Jersey

Growth spurt in head, skeleton mark autism in boys – Spectrum News

20 years after the MMR scandal the rise in measles shows the consequences of misunderstanding autism – Metro

Can you raise an autistic child to be bilingual – and should you try? – The Conversation

Construction starts on Courtenay’s new Autism Centre of Excellence – Comox Valley Record

Sesame Place is world’s first theme park designated as a Certified Autism Center (video) – NBC News

The CRA makes life more difficult for people with disabilities – The Globe and Mail

Five-year-old boy with autism dies after being found in Calgary pond – CTV News

Important new work on autism could change interventions – UC Santa Cruz

Autistic son faced discrimination at after-school program, mom says – Herald News

Students with diverse needs asked to stay home from school more often: Report – CTV News

Where Autistic Workers Thrive – Fortune

What happened next to the man with autism whose aide was shot by police – The Washington Post

Holiday News Round-Up

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Volunteer Adam Elsharkawi putting together ‘New Diagnosis Parent Packages’ for diagnostic centres around B.C.

Thanking our Donors & Volunteers for Providing New Families with Key Information

ACT provides parents of newly diagnosed children in B.C. with information on ACT’s resources – ACT is Canada’s leading source of comprehensive, evidence-informed, online resources.

As ACT is no longer funded by MCFD to provide our ‘New Diagnosis Parent Packages’, we depend on volunteer support and donations from the autism community.

The generosity of the autism community in supporting our Holiday Fundraising Campaign is appreciated. See ACT’s website for key projects, how to donate and recognition of our generous donors.


Diverse Needs Community Events – January 2018

To see what is happening around the province, and to post your organization’s events, visit Diverse Needs Community Events

Parent Training for Disruptive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Clinician Workshop
January 19, Vancouver

Parent Training to Address Problem Behaviours of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities
January 20, Richmond

Introduction to ASD – Practical Applications – POPARD (Vancouver)
January 22 – 26, 2018 – Vancouver, BC

Early Years Conference 2018
January 25 – 27, Vancouver

PEERS for Teens – ABA Learning Centre
January 25 – May 3, Burnaby


ACT’s 2018 Eventsblank

ACT’s 2018 schedule is set! Many outstanding presenters, including Carol Gray, Judy Reaven, Michelle Garcia Winner, Brenda Fossett and Sarah Ward, are set to provide ACT’s audiences with insights to inspire and inform. To see this year’s line-up, visit upcoming events.

Introduction to ASD – Practical Applications – POPARD (Vancouver)
January 22 – 26, 2018 – Vancouver , BC

“I’m going to be a video game designer!”- Helping Teens Prepare for the REAL Adult World
February 23rd, 2018 – Sidney, BC

Faster than a Speeding Bullet: iPads in Autism Intervention
March 10th, 2018 – Vancouver, BC

Visit upcoming events and web streaming events for more details and registration.

Parents can register for $25 a day, please email [email protected].
Details on our event bursaries page.


Update on ACT’s Special Projects

Parent Coaching Project

2017 saw the inception of the PACE Coaching Project by researchers at UBC, following a competition overseen by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

The goal of PACE Coaching is to develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based parent coaching intervention for children aged 15 to 30 months who are at risk of, or diagnosed with ASD. ACT was given responsibility by B.C.’s Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) to administer this $3 million, three year project, in March 2016.

Visit the PACE Coaching Project page for updates and new developments on this important initiative.

Translated into 8 Languages – A Parent’s Handbook: Your Guide to Autism Program

ACT thanks all those volunteers from the autism community who have ensured the sensitive and accurate translations of MCFD’s A Parent’s Handbook: Your Guide to Autism Programs (2015) into eight languages: Punjabi, Korean, French, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Arabic! The handbook is nearly 50 pages long – each language required many hours of painstaking work.

These translations can be found at Autism Information Services B.C. As MCFD took over many of the services that ACT formerly provided under contract, in the middle of this project, these handbooks will need to be updated by MCFD to match the 2017 English version. As soon as these are available, ACT will let you know!

Community professionals will find the translation of key terms used in B.C.’s autism program, as well as general concepts about autism to be very useful to helping new parents. ACT thanks MCFD for the opportunity to provide this key information to B.C.’s immigrant communities.


Autism in the News

ACT’s Facebook page just reached 3,000 likes!
To keep in touch with Diverse Needs issues provincially, nationally and internationally –
Visit ACT on Facebook.

Immigration Canada reverses decision, grants residency for family denied over child’s disability – Global News

Little boy’s touching video explaining his autism to his classmates goes viral
– Global News

Why intelligence scores do not predict success for autistic adults – Spectrum News

Banned from regular school life, boy with autism asks: ‘When am I going to see kids?’ – CBC News

Call for better autism diagnosis data for girls – Radio NZ

Children with autism tour Kelowna International Airport – Global News

‘They consider that education, I guess’: Father of autistic boy speaks out – CBC News

Family’s heart-rending case prompts call for autism strategy – CBC News

5 things not to say to parents of autistic children – BBC Radio

Autistic Canadians struggling for access to tax credit, says activist – iPolitics

Study shows diverse needs hard to meet in B.C. public schools – The Free Press

How Does Autism in Children Affect Parenting Stress?
– Medical News Bulletin

Room for Improvement: Toward better education outcomes for children in care – Representative for Children and Youth BC

It’s time for Canada to measure up on kids with disabilities – The Star