News
Scouts Canada - Northern Lights Council: 88th Polaris Scout Group
Are you seeking ways for your kid to connect with other kids?
Are you looking for a fun, activity based social group?
The 88th Polaris Scout group is geared towards youth with neurological or mental health conditions including sensory processing disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, OCD, nonverbal learning disability, Autism Spectrum Disorders including Asperger's, anxiety, Tourette's, ODD, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc.
We are very excited about introducing the benefits of the Scouting program to youth who may not have had positive experiences in community organizations in the past. Our goal is to follow the Scouting program but structuring and supporting it in a way that ensures that our youth members experience growth, success and fun.
Scouts Canada is a volunteer-driven, youth focused, non-profit organization. Our mission is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. A mission which becomes even more important for youth with special needs.
The exact composition and activities of this group will be based on the needs and interests of the participating youth following the guidelines of Scouts Canada. Parent or caregiver participation is required to ensure a successful experience for all.
The group meets Saturday mornings from 10:00 to 11:30 in the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital gym. Feel free to stop by to check out our program. Call first to ensure that we are on site that week. Our first meeting of the year is Saturday, September 18. We run most Saturdays until June. The cost for the year is $215/youth. We are running a cub section (ages 8-10) and a scout section (ages 11-16). We will only be offering a beaver section (ages 5-7) if someone steps forward to lead this section.
For more information, please contact either Carmen at Scouts Canada (780-454-8561, email: cspence@scouts.ca) or the parent liaison/Cub leader Sabrina (780-461-2178, email: park_w@telus.net)
Make memories you'll keep forever and share the adventure of a lifetime.
SwimAbilities: Community Swimming Program
This community-based, leveled swimming program (click here for the official site) is geared for children ages 4 to 16, with special needs who need additional support to achieve their beginning swimmer goals and to increase their safety, independence, and enjoyment in and around the water.
There are four SwimAbilities levels:
Who Would Benefit?
Candidates for this program would benefit from a slower-paced, basic learn-to-swim program. Parents or aides who are in the water with the child, will also learn techniques to help support the child in learning and performing the swimming skills.
Locations Offered
The program is run through the City of Edmonton by certified Water Safety Instructors, with additional training to support children with special needs.
Questions?
Other swimming options are also available for students whose needs are not met by the SwimAbilities program. Please contact Laura, SwimAbilties Coordinator for further information on SwimAbilities or other swimming options for children with special needs.
1000 Friends: Give the Gift of Safety
If you've ever had to keep track of a person who wanders, you know the anxiety faced by families of children, adults and seniors with special needs who can easily wander and become disoriented. Keeping loved ones safe is one of the biggest worries of family members. Today, tracking devices like the EYEZ-ON EZ 100 can make it easy for families to keep track of their loved ones on their home computer, laptop or smart phone. Sadly, though, not every family can afford a tracking device.
That's why EYEZ-ON is calling for 1000 Friends to collectively donate one thousand EZ 100 tracking devices to be made available to families who need these devices to keep their loved ones safe.
Become a Friend. Give the gift of safety. To donate a tracking device for one year, click here.
To see the official 1000 Friends site, click here.
Mike Lake's Pancake Breakfast A Huge Success
A big thank-you goes out to Mike Lake (MP for Edmonton - Mill Woods - Beaumont) and his constituency staff for a terrific pancake breakfast on August 21. Despite the clouds, the crowds came out to meet Mike, learn more about autism, and raise $18,822.11 for ASEA's programs and services! Thank you to everyone who made it a success!
Volunteers Needed for "Examining the Transition" Study
The University of Calgary's, Faculty of Social Work in Edmonton is currently looking for individuals to take part in a study called Examining the Transition from Child to Adult Services for Persons with Autism. They study team is hoping to identify experiences and needs related to the transition from adolescent to adult services and resources for individuals (16-25 years of age) with autism and their families.
Participation in this study involves an interview with the parent(s) and the individual with autism, if possible (can be either together or separate). The interview will take place at a time and place convenient for you. The interview will allow you to share your experiences and ideas about what is beneficial and what changes should be made to improve care for families affected by autism.
Feel free to call or email the study team for more information, or if you're interested in participating in the study. Contact information is included below. The study team is happy to answer any questions you might have about the study. You do not have to participate if you contact us for more information.
Contact Information:
Mathew Milen
(780) 492-0899; 1-877-492-7219
mtmilen@ucalgary.ca
Dr. David Nicholas
Autism Now Summer 2010 Now Online
ASEA members can now download the latest issue of Autism Now, ASEA's quarterly magazine, in full colour, from the Autism Now page! Plus, non-members will now be able to read the previous (Spring 2010) issue, which was previously available only to members.
ASEA's 2010 Annual General Meeting
Help ASEA build the future and review the past year's successes by attending the 2010 ASEA Annual General Meeting! The Autism Society is holding its 39th AGM on September 14th at 7:00 PM in the AACL Meeting Room, 11724 Kingsway Ave, Edmonton.
The AGM is a chance ...
- To stay updated on ASEA's past and future activities
- Get to know people who run the Society
- Members will also get to have THEIR say in ASEA's future by helping ELECT a NEW Board of Directors.
Deadline to send in your nominations to ASEA is September 1st.
ASEA is a VOLUNTEER-run organization. Contributions from people LIKE YOU -- our members and community -- are WHAT make ASEA effective. Please join us in making our AGM and our Society a success!
If you are interested in serving on the board or in nominating someone else, please contact ASEA at autism@autismedmonton.org by September 1, 2010.
ALL nominations are welcomed, but our board could especially benefit from members with these skills ...
- Fundraising
- Accounting
- Event planning
- Marketing
When nominating, please confirm that the nominee has been contacted and has allowed HIS or HER name to stand. INTERESTED individuals will be contacted by the nominations committee, who can provide FURTHER info.
ASEA's board consists of FOUR executive positions which are ...
- President
- Vice-President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
It also consists of EIGHT board members-at-large!
Social Communications Group
This group meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays and runs at the AACL boardroom (next door to the ASEA building, located on the main floor).
Time: 4:00-5:30pm
Phone: (780) 453-3971, if requiring more information.
Youth Volunteer Opportunity!
Do you know a youth, 15-24, looking to volunteer?
The ALIS Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is a unique, online volunteer opportunity for youth across Alberta to have their say on the content, features and publications posted on the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, alis.alberta.ca. ALIS is Alberta’s online gateway to career planning, education and jobs in Alberta.
Committee Purpose:
What youth think is important to us. The committee will provide a forum for youth to share suggestions and feedback directly with the ALIS team. This will help to ensure the career planning, education and job information found on ALIS meets the needs of youth across Alberta.
What do youth do in the committee?
- Join the committee Facebook group
- Participate in online discussions and questionnaires
- Complete an activity each month. Each activity provides a link to ALIS content, features or a publication to review. Review the material and complete an online feedback form.
-
Attend committee meetings through web conferencing (approximately 4 in total).
How much time is involved?
The committee runs from September 2010 to June 2011. Committee activities should take about three hours per month (maximum of 30 hours for the full volunteer term).
Benefits:
- It’s all online.
- The committee runs through Facebook. Stay connected and volunteer at the same time.
- Just a few hours each month.
- Volunteering certificate of recognition from the Government of Alberta.
- Unique volunteer experience to add to a resumé.
-
An opportunity to have a say and make a difference.
Requirements:
- Age: 15 – 24
- Living in Alberta, Canada
- Registered on Facebook
- Computer/laptop, Internet access, speakers and microphone.
Volunteers Needed: 25
More Info: alis.alberta.ca/yac
Apply Online: alis.alberta.ca/yacapplication
Deadline: August 15, 2010
Contact: info@alis.gov.ab.ca
In Edmonton: 780-422-1794 or Toll Free: 310-0000
Connecting the Dots: Negotiating Care for Young Persons with Autism in Alberta
We want to learn about families' experiences with supports and services in Alberta!
- What have your experiences with the health, education and social service systems been like?
- What have you experiences with informal supports, for example, your family, friends and community, been like?
- How do you manage supports and services over time?
- What supports, services or resources are most and least helpful?
- How can your family experiences be improved?
We will talk with parents and young persons with autism (from diagnosis to age 30) for about 1 hour, at a time and place convenient for you. You do not have to be receiving formalized supports to participate.
We hope you will consider participating in this important study. It is crucial to have input from families to improve care and service delivery.
Please contact us to participate or for more information.
Department of Pediatrics,
University of Alberta &
Department of Social Work,
University of Calgary
Autism Research Centre,
Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
& Department of Pediatrics,
University of Alberta
Department of Social Work,
University of Calgary
Contact information:
sandra.hodgetts@ualberta.ca
780-492-7219
1-877-492-7219 (toll-free)
