AUTISM VICTORIA

Insights into ASD

Teaching Social Play Skills

Workshop For Therapists, Parents and Professionals This widely held workshop has been regarded as “invaluable” to Primary School Integration Aides, Teachers, and therapists who are working with children diagnosed with Autism and other Social Developmental Delays. The workshop will assist participants in understanding children’s behaviour through the ABC model. Ways to informally assess children’s social skills will be explored. The workshop will be interactive, and give participants concrete methods of teaching practical social skills to children including; greetings, invitations to play, turn taking, social questions, transitioning with peers across activities, sharing, imitation, reciprocal commenting with peers and others. Themes such as the importance of rewards, repetition, and the possibility of children initially resisting participation will be addressed. Lovely Morning Tea and all handouts will be provided.

So You Drink? You Can Dance?

Our feel-good Friday night festival freebie from 2008 is coming back one last time with a touch more pizzaz and a live band - but this time you get to pay! Come down and cut-the-rug with the best (or most passionate) of them at So You Drink? You Can Dance!. Dress up, get a cocktail into you and hit the floor! Miss Anna (of Anna's Go-Go Academy), Mr Nick and our special guest judges want to see your moves and we're offering glamorous prizes for the best of the worst. One of three Trade Aid benefits in the 2009 Comedy@Trades program. Proceeds go to Autism Victoria.

Autism Angels Social Skills

Group sessions for children with Autism and Aspergers to help improve their Social Skills develop attention capacity and promote awareness.

Focuses on social use of language and develops understanding of the world around them.

Autism Awareness Month Seminars: Services and

Supports

Autism Victoria invites you to our Thursday Seminars during May

as part of our Autism Awareness Month activities.

This session focuses on the services and supports that are available for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Autism Angels Cooking Classes

For kids and teenagers 8- 16 years old.

The classes help to develop cooking skills, which in turn contributes to life skills.

After school and Saturday Classes available.

Cross Purposes Gathering

A happy gathering for children with special needs and their families. The program is varied but usually has suitable music, songs, games and the Bible Story developed with drama. The gathering ends with afternoon tea and the opportunity for parents to socialise.

Mother's Day Luncheon 2009

A luncheon to celebrate boththe exceptional work that Mothers of Autistic children do and the srength they display. They deserve two mother's days!

Disability and Grief Workshop

This workshop is for service providers, teachers, parents etc, designed to give a greater understanding of the complexities associated with raising a child with a disability. It is aimed at identifying the many issues that are experienced by families who have a child/or children with adisability, such as; the process of grief, sibling grief, gender differences, resiliency & building a healthy self esteem.

Autism Awareness Month Seminars: Raising a child

with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (part 1)

Autism Victoria invites you to our Thursday Seminars during May as part of our Autism Awareness Month activities.

This session is the first of a two part series that will explore the various issues that surround raising a child with an ASD. Part 1 focuses on children from 0-6.

Donna Williams - Autism As A Fruit Salad

A presentation that dissects the Autism Spectrum labels to explore the real underlying issues along with a variety of largely no cost or low cost treatments and strategeies.

Autism Awareness Month Seminars:

Raising a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (Part 2)

Autism Victoria invites you to our Thursday Seminars during May as part of our Autism Awareness Month activities.

This session is the first of a two part series that will explore the various issues that surround raising a child with an ASD. Part 2 focuses on the early school years.

Drawtism: The Big Game -play pictionary for Autism

Alpha is hosting its third Big Game of Pictionary. The night is lots of fun, very interactive....and very competitive.

Come along to show off your drawing and lateral thinking skills, whilst playing for great prizes and glory.

Parenting with Confidence

Would you like to better understand the behaviour of your child with ASD? Want to meet other parents who know what it’s like to face the same challenges? Tried parenting courses that didn't address the unique behaviours and challenges of a child with ASD? This 6-week course was specifically developed for parents of children with ASD. The course is facilitated by a psychologist with extensive experience working with families and children with ASD. The course covers the following topics: • Why does my child do that? Understanding challenging behaviours • Planning for positive behaviour • Responding to challenging behaviours • Developing a behaviour plan • Behaviour in public places school

How not to lose my cool - anxiety program for ages 9-12

This program is designed for children with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome and aged between 9—12 years. The program will be run by a Psychologist who has extensive experience in the autism field. The group will have a maximum of six participants. Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have great difficulty in understanding and expressing appropriate emotions and reactions to situations. Children with an ASD are often in the high risk category for developing an anxiety disorder. We can, however, teach children with an ASD why we have emotions, their use and misuse as well as teach them relaxation tools to help calm them we may be able to help prevent these children from suffering an anxiety related disorder and/or depression in later life. “How Not to Lose my Cool” has been designed to educate individuals with an ASD about their emotions and in particular how to control their anxiety. The program also includes a parent education session which helps parents to follow through with strategies their children will be learning throughout the six week program.

A Trivia Night

A first for the Echuca Region - An Autism Awareness and Fundraising Event, host by Supporting Parents Of Children with Autism & Asperger's Syndrome & Community Living & Respite Services Inc. SPOCAAS is a new volunteer group that is auspiced by CLRS Inc, a non government, not for profit agency. SPOCAAS has had an overwhelming response from families in the region and professionals. The proceeds from this event will be put towards the SPOCAAS Wish List. The Wish List has been developed by many parents from SPOCAAS.

PECS Basic Training Workshop

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a language-training package that is used to teach communication skills rapidly to those with limited functional speech. PECS promotes communication within a social context, without lengthy prerequisite training.

Training in PECS begins by teaching a spontaneous request and goes on to teach additional communicative functions such as responding to questions and commenting. An added attraction for preschool children with autism and related disabilities is the high proportion of children who acquire independent speech.

Participants will learn how to implement the six Phases of PECS, and attributes, through presenter demonstrations, video examples and role-play opportunities. Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of how to implement PECS with individuals with limited functional communication skills.

This workshop is appropriate for parents/carers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, teachers, paraprofessionals, home therapists, social workers, psychologists, and program administrators.

Carol Gray Workshop

Carol Gray is an educational consultant from the US who developed "Social Stories" and "Comic Strip Conversations". She will be presenting in Melbourne over two days - Sunday 24th May and Monday 25th May 2009. Sunday will be a general workshop teaching participants the basics of writing and using Social Stories. Monday's workshop will build upon the basics and introduce some of Carol's other social support techniques.

These workshops will be of value to anyone (parents, educators, support workers etc) supporting people with an ASD - child or adult.

Teaching Communication Skills for Independence

There are many skills that are typically taught in communication intervention programs. Individuals with complex communication needs, however, must master certain critical communication skills if they are to function independently in the home, community, school and/or vocational setting.

One set of critical skills deals with expressive communication - skills individuals need to convey important messages to others.

These skills are crucial because if a person cannot calmly and effectively communicate wants and needs, s/he may demonstrate a range of contextually inappropriate behaviours. To reduce such behaviours, we need to teach critical expressive communication skills. A second set of critical skills relates to receptive communication - a person\'s ability to understand important messages from others. Failure to understand such messages may be distressing and/or dangerous for the individual. In order to reduce contextually inappropriate behaviour that occur as the result of such distress, and to ensure that the individual is safe, we need to teach critical receptive communication skills.

This one-day workshop focuses on why these skills are the highest priority for teaching and how we teach them. The strategies covered are relevant for anyone with complex communication needs, regardless of their communication modality (e.g. Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), signing, speech).

This workshop is a must for anyone working and/or living with people with complex communication needs. It is an important adjunct to training in PECS, but also stand alone for those who have not completed PECS training. Parents, carers and professionals alike will benefit from this day.

Intervention Techniques and Services

Autism Victoria invites you to our Thursday Seminars during May as part of our Autism Awareness Month activities.

This session will focus on the various intervention techniques and services that have been developed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Tony Attwood Seminar

Tony is presenting two sessions:

1. Cognitive abilities - a different way of thinking.

2. Making friends - strategies to improve social understanding and friendship skills.

Sensory Issues with my AS Child

Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Rebecca Porter, will discuss the impact that sensory processing and integration can have on children with Asperger’s Syndrome. Rebecca will discuss the theory behind this, along with practical strategies of how to help your child deal with these issues.

Rebecca has been working as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist since 1996. She has completed a Master of Health Sciences through the University of Sydney, focusing on Sensory Integration and Learning Disabilities. Rebecca has worked both in Australia and overseas as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist in many settings, including early intervention services, special and mainstream schools, hospitals and community health services, and as a tutor at LaTrobe University in Paediatrics.

In her current role at Nillumbik Community Health Service, she works with a wide range of children with various needs, including those with Asperger’s Syndrome / children on the Autism Spectrum, and children with Sensory Integration difficulties.

All About You - maintaining good health and wellbeing

This is a forum for parents of school aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who live in the northern part of the North West metro region.

The focus of the day is on the needs of the parent as a carer. There will be talks from:

- Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre, CarerLinks North
- Association for Children with a Disability
- Northern Parent Support Program
- Autism Victoria
- Autism Family Support Association

There will also be a workshop going thorugh techniques for managing stress, including breathing techniques, meditation and creative visualisation.

ABA Parent Coffee Morning

ABIA runs parent information mornings for its members and bases them around topics that are common to parents of children with an ASD such as social skills, toilet training, siblings, etc. Our next information morning is about the funding and services parents of children with ASD can now access as part of the 'Helping Children with Autism' Initiative. Guest speaker is Autism Advisor Caille Golding of Autism Victoria.

All About You

ABIA runs parent information mornings for its members and bases them around topics that are common to parents of children with an ASD such as social skills, toilet training, siblings, etc. Our next information morning is about the funding and services parents of children with ASD can now access as part of the 'Helping Children with Autism' Initiative. Guest speaker is Autism Advisor Caille Golding of Autism Victoria.

ABA Parent Information Session

These sessions help parents and carers who are contemplating or already involved in an ABA program to find out more about ABA. Topics covered include: - What is ABA and how does it work? - What hours are required - The types of funding available for an ABA program - How to select a service provider - How to recruit and retain therapists to work with your child

Aspektism workshop

Kerryn Burgoyne is 41 and was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome at the age of 30. She set up KTalk (her own
business) to assist other parents/carers/support workers/the general public to gain an “outside in” look at
Aspergers Syndrome/Autism Spectrum Disorders, so they can gain a deeper, more meaningful understanding of
the disorder.

KTalk is running a new course that involves both Aspektism and Workism. Aspektism is the main topic and
Workism is the supplement working document that accompanies Aspektism.

These sessions help parents and carers who are contemplating or already involved in an ABA program to find out more about ABA. Topics covered include: - What is ABA and how does it work? - What hours are required - The types of funding available for an ABA program - How to select a service provider - How to recruit and retain therapists to work with your child

Autism - Managing challenging behaviours and building

social emotional skills

Box Hill Library presents a session for parents, carers and other interested adults to discuss effective strategies for assisting people of all ages with autism to manage their emotions and behaviours. Presented by Sofia Neves, Psychologist and Family Counsellor at Autism Victoria The session will cover strategies to help with:

• Anxiety

• Meltdowns

• Challenging behaviours

• Social-emotional skills

Buddy Club - Helping Children with ASD & related disorders

Meet, Make & Maintain Friendships

Buddy Club is designed for children 5 - 7 yrs (prep/year 1) with Autism or related disorders attending maintstream school who need social skills support.

The Buddies meet on Saturday mornings for 1.5 hrs during the school term in the Bayside area. The children participate in small groups of 4-6 engaging in a range of age appropriate activities to promote social communication and interaction skills.

Each group is facilitated by three experienced therapeutic specialists including an occupational therapist, speech pathologist and behaviour therapist

Professor Tony Attwood, ASD Seminar

Making friends - Strategies to improve social understanding and friendship skills, and strategies to reduce being bullied and teased.

Working With Challenging Behaviors

A Workshop for Parents, Therapists and Professionals Who Aim to Understand and Reduce Challenging Behaviors in Children •Understand the steps involved in the assessment of challenging behaviors.

•Develop an understanding of the broader physiological and ecological issues which contribute to the behavior

•Learn how to collect and analyse behavioral observation data through case study analyses.

•Learn how to manage and reduce challenging behaviors through pro-active strategies including ecological manipulations, skill development, positive programming, emotion recognition, token economies, coping and tolerance, desensitization, reinforcement and others.

•Learn how to manage and reduce challenging behaviors through reactive strategies including token economies with response cost, stimulus control, instructional control, time out, overcorrection, physical management, re-direction and other strategies. Lovely. Lunch, Morning/Afternoon Tea and Handouts all ……..provided

PECS Basic Training Workshop

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a language-training package that is used to teach communication skills rapidly to those with limited functional speech. PECS promotes communication within a social context, without lengthy prerequisite training.

Training in PECS begins by teaching a spontaneous request and goes on to teach additional communicative functions such as responding to questions and commenting. An added attraction for preschool children with autism and related disabilities is the high proportion of children who acquire independent speech.

Participants will learn how to implement the six Phases of PECS, and attributes, through presenter demonstrations, video examples and role-play opportunities. Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of how to implement PECS with individuals with limited functional communication skills.

This workshop is appropriate for parents/carers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, teachers, paraprofessionals, home therapists, social workers, psychologists, and program administrators.

KickStart Swimming Program

The KickStart Swimming Program offers swimming lessons for children with intellectual and sensory disabilities, including Autism.  Features of the program include:

Small class sizes (maximum 4 per class) ,

A swimming instructor who is responsive to the needs of the children,

Regular opportunities for discussion between instructor and parents,

Use of picture cues during lessons,

Individual parent interview to discuss your child's needs prior to commencing the program.

KickStart Swimming Instructor Training

The KickStart Swimming Program provides swimming lessons for children with specific learning needs, including autism and developmental delay.

Features of the program include the use of visual aids during swimming lessons, ongoing communication between parents and swimming instructors, sensory environmental modification and use of appropriate teaching strategies.

The Swimming Instructor Training session provides swimming instructors with the information and resources required to run the KickStart Program at local community swimming centers

Learn to Swim for Special Needs

Private Classes are run by Austswim qualified teachers.  They are half an hour in duration and are guided by the swimmers specific needs and the level criteria in the Swim 4 All program.  Each lesson is followed by a half hour practice/play session supervised by the swimmers parent or carer.

A Swim 4 All we believe free time for swimmers to practice the elements of their lesson that they enjoyed is a crucial part of their learning as well as an opportunity to socialise