The confidence and wherewithal to take transit. The skills to prepare lunch. Insight into personal strengths and interests at work, and a chance to apply them. The ability to understand and be understood. A reason to look to the future with hope.

It’s what growing up is about – aspirations shared by people with ASD and their families.

To help them get there, Sinneave Family Foundation is funding a treatment and education program tailored to the diverse needs of individuals with ASD 13 years of age and older, housed in the purpose-built Sinneave Centre on the third floor of Calgary’s Child Development Centre.

The Foundation has collaborated with Society for Treatment of Autism, a Calgary-based agency with over 40 years of ASD service expertise, to create the new program. It is founded on best practices, with family and person–centred planning in mind, and is driven by a pressing need to assist adolescents and adults with ASD to develop appropriate work behaviours, specialized vocational, life and social skills in a structured, caring environment.

The adult and adolescent program offers participants the opportunity to master a series of work-related tasks appropriate to their skills and abilities – from business skills like office administration, data entry and computer technology, to service skills such as commercial food preparation, or retail experience in stocking and inventory – at their own speed and with the supervision and guidance of professionally-trained staff.

For some, the focus may be to increase personal and independent living skills - skills taught in the self-contained apartment at the Centre. Here, participants learn general housekeeping tasks such as: operating household appliances; sorting and doing the laundry; changing the bed; cleaning; and learning to shop, cook and prepare snacks and meals. This is also a perfect environment to work on personal hygiene - learning to dress, shave and shower.

There is also an off-site community work experience component, where participants have an opportunity to learn skills and "give-back" by volunteering to help maintain the gardens at Bethany Care Centre, bake cookies for families at Ronald McDonald House, or build "Wish" packages for Children's Wish Foundation.

Over time, camaraderie develops among participants, facilitated by the kind of common goals, group work and hands-on tasks that encourage peer-to-peer socialization. This is essential, as social interactions can be a challenge for people with ASD

The adult and adolescent program is offered afternoons and evenings, Tuesdays through Saturdays. This provides adolescents and young adults the opportunity to attend whether or not they are still in school, are part of another program or are gainfully employed. The adult and adolescent program runs for 11 weeks, with three hours of programming per week (33 hours total for each participant) and will be offered three times per year (January-March; April-June; September-November). During the summer, the program is modified to accommodate summer holiday schedules and participants receive 3 hours of programming each day Monday-Thursday for two weeks (24 hours of programming).

This program highlights the value of a tremendous untapped human resource in Alberta and beyond, positioning the province to be on the leading edge of developing “blueprints for success” for individuals with ASD. The result is an evident gain for the community, employers, families and individuals with ASD eager to contribute and lead rewarding adult lives.

This new program is an integral element of Sinneave Family Foundation’s ASD-focused initiatives, which include:

• Sinneave Resource Centre (403) 210-5000 x2037
• Dedicated experts to work directly with families, SFF’s Navigators are committed to providing insight to families regarding the various services, challenges, therapies and jargon they face following an ASD diagnosis at any age;
• An electronic newsletter for the newly diagnosed;
• A fully searchable Alberta resource database (www.sinneavefoundation.org)
• Numerous ongoing educational workshops and research projects dedicated to advancing the ASD knowledge and advocacy in Alberta and across Canada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, OR TO ARRANGE A TOUR OF THE SINNEAVE CENTRE, PLEASE CONTACT:

The Sinneave Centre
3rd Floor, 3820 24th Avenue NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Tel: (403) 210-5000
Toll Free 1-888-733-7976
www.sinneavefoundation.org email: info@sinneavefoundation.org