April 16 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Do you know communication can vastly differ between neurodivergent and neurotypical people? Without some understanding of these different communication styles, some interactions can be confusing and misunderstandings can occur. But, a little knowledge can go a long way.
In this social communication workshop, participants will gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Describe how communication can differ between neurodivergent and neurotypical people
- Recognize how communication across neurotypes is a form of cross-cultural communication
- Identify their own authentic communication preferences and needs
- Evaluate the benefits and challenges of using authentic communication in different settings
- Practice expressing or requesting their communication preferences and needs
Tuesday, April 16
6:00 – 7:30 pm
In-person @ The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Ave NW)
There is no cost to attend
Our Social Communication workshops are designed to provide Autistic and neurodivergent individuals opportunities to learn and practice a variety of social communication skills in a safe and welcoming setting. Participants will be provided with information, tips, and strategies that they can choose to apply in common day-to-day social situations.
Advance registration is not required, however, if you want to sign up, our team can contact you in the event of any last minute changes or cancellations. Click the button that says “Sinneave Connects” to enroll in the course.
If you have not created a free Sinneave Connects account yet, you will need to do that. Just follow the prompts on the sign-in page.
About the Presenter:
Yonatan Tesfagiorgis is a Life Skills Coach at The Sinneave Family Foundation and has been working with neurodivergent and Autistic individuals for over 8 years. He strives to offer skill building strategies using a neuro affirming framework and provides an inclusive space for all individuals.
If you have questions, reach out to info@sinneavefoundation.org or call 403 210-5000. We’re here to help.
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March 26 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Much of our everyday communication involves the use of non-spoken cues and unwritten social rules. Non-spoken cues can include things like facial expressions, posture, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice.
These are often used to emphasize a particular point that the communicator is trying to make. They may also be used to change the meaning of the words being spoken. For example, using sarcasm.
Not everyone uses or understand these cues or rules, yet it is often assumed that everyone knows what they are and what they mean. Thankfully, they can be explored, practiced, and adapted in ways that support everyone’s understanding.
In this session, you will have the opportunity to:
- Develop greater understanding of non-spoken cues and how they impact shared communication.
- Discuss strategies for noticing, interpreting, and responding to non-spoken cues.
- Receive tips to support effective non-spoken communication across different social situations.
Thursday, March 26
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Online via Sinneave Connects
There is no cost to attend
Our Social Communication workshops are designed to provide Autistic and neurodivergent individuals opportunities to learn and practice a variety of social communication skills in a safe and welcoming setting. Participants will be provided with information, tips, and strategies that they can choose to apply in common day-to-day social situations.
Advance registration is not required, however, if you want to sign up, our team can contact you in the event of any last minute changes or cancellations. Click the button that says “Sinneave Connects” to enroll in the course.
If you have not created a free Sinneave Connects account yet, you will need to do that. Just follow the prompts on the sign-in page.
About the Presenter:
Kristen Coglon is a Life Skills Coach at The Sinneave Family Foundation. She has been working with Sinneave for more than 4 years and has had a career in the Human Services field for over 10 years. Her experiences have been working with individuals across the lifespan, and she has gained valuable skills and knowledge that contribute to her daily work. Kristen is a passionate and empathetic person who is happy to be a listening ear, supportive coach and an advocate for Autistic and neurodivergent adults.
If you have questions, reach out to info@sinneavefoundation.org or call 403 210-5000. We’re here to help.
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September 11, 2025 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Idioms or confusing phrases are commonly used expressions that have a non-literal meaning, which can often only be understood by using contextual information. People use idioms all the time in everyday conversation, but the literal meaning of the words is almost never the intended meaning. For Autistic individuals who find good communication challenging at the best of times, these phrases can leave you feeling very confused.
The good news is we can help! In this fun and engaging workshop, participants will learn how to identify and understand some common idiomatic expressions, giving them tools to be better able to predict the meanings of these confusing phrases.
Even if it’s raining cats and dogs, plan to attend. It will be a piece of cake and you’ll laugh your head off!
Thursday, September 11, 2025
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
In-person at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Avenue NW)
There is no cost for this workshop and advance registration is not required. We encourage you to bring a friend and just show up. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@sinneavefoundation.org or call us at 403 210-5000.
About the Presenter:
Sherry Taylor has more than 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit industry. She is the EmploymentWorks Program Coordinator at The Sinneave Family Foundation and is passionate about developing engaging content and curriculum that educates and makes learning fun for Autistic youth and adults.
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June 5, 2025 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Idioms–or confusing phrases–are commonly used expressions that have a non-literal meaning, which can often only be understood by using contextual information.
People use idioms all the time in everyday conversation, but the literal meaning of the words is almost never the intended meaning. For Autistic individuals who find good communication challenging at the best of times, these phrases can leave you feeling very confused.
The good news is we can help! In this fun and engaging workshop, participants will learn how to identify and understand some common idiomatic expressions, giving them tools to be better able to predict the meanings of these confusing phrases.
Even if it’s raining cats and dogs, plan to attend. It will be a piece of cake and you’ll laugh your head off!
Thursday, June 5
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
In-person at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Avenue NW)
There is no cost for this workshop and advance registration is not required. We encourage you to bring a friend and just show up. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@sinneavefoundation.org or call us at 403 210-5000.
About the presenter:
Sherry Taylor has more than 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit industry. She is the EmploymentWorks Program Coordinator at Sinneave and is passionate about developing engaging content and curriculum that educates and makes learning fun for Autistic youth and adults.
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September 12, 2024 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
If you wanted to do something outside, but now it’s “raining cats and dogs” and your friend said they’d go out in the rain “when pigs fly” we would understand if you were confused.
Phrases of Confusion (also known as idioms) are multi-word expressions that have non-literal meanings, which can often only be figured out by using contextual information.
Idioms can be heard everywhere: in the workplace, at school, at the local bar, and even at home. Each language has its own set of unique idioms, but they don’t often translate well. And, if you aren’t familiar with them, they can leave a person feeling very confused.
Unfortunately, the literal meaning is never the correct meaning of what the speaker is trying to get across.
Good communication is already difficult enough for some Autistic individuals, so finding a solution for learning idioms is important.
In this fun and interactive session, participants will learn about and discuss some common idiomatic expressions and be able to understand and identify idioms, learning tips, and strategies to predict the meanings of many of them.
Thursday, September 12, 2024
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24th Avenue NW)
or Online via Sinneave Connects
If you already have a Sinneave Connects account, just log in as usual. If you haven’t yet opened a FREE account, it’s easy! Click on the words that say, “Sinneave Connects” below to be directed to the portal.
- Pick a user name
- Pick a password
- Register
- Select the “Phrased & Confused – September 12” event to access the online link
About the Presenter:
Sherry Taylor is a Program Coordinator with the EmploymentWorks program at Sinneave and is passionate about developing fun and engaging curriculum and content for Autistic youth & adults. With more than 15 years experience in the not-for-profit sector, she loves empowering people to reach their full potential by giving them practical tools for navigating daily life.
If you have questions about this event or need technical support navigating Sinneave Connects, please email us at info@sinneavefoundation.org or call 403 210-5000.
Related Events
Do you find it difficult to communicate when someone disagrees with you?
Join us Tuesday, March 5, 2024 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. to talk about conflict and share tips to help you keep your cool when you’re in the middle of a disagreement, as well as provide strategies to help you work through it.
This session is one of a series of six drop-in workshops designed to provide autistic and neurodivergent individuals opportunities to learn and practice essential social communication skills. Each 90-minute workshop covers a different aspect of social communication, providing information, tips and strategies to help autistic and neurodivergent individuals to connect and thrive in social situations.
All workshops are in-person at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Avenue NW).
There is no cost to attend these sessions.
Advance registration is not required – you can attend them all (we recommend this!) or just the ones that seem interesting to you.
All sessions begin promptly at 4:00 p.m.
If attending in-person presents a barrier for you, you can also choose to attend virtually via Sinneave Connects, our online learning portal. Sinneave Connects is FREE, but you must register for an account to use it.
If you already have a Connects account, just log in as usual. If you have not registered yet, it’s easy! Click the button below that says “Sinneave Connects” to access the portal and follow these steps:
- Create a user name
- Create a password (don’t forget to save it someplace handy)
- Select “Register”
- Choose the Drop-in Workshop: Handling Disagreements course to access the virtual link.
Drop-in Workshop 6 – Handling Disagreements in communication: Tips for keeping your cool
Other Social Communication Workshop topics include:
Non-verbal Communication: Learning how to tell if others want to talk with you
Do you find it challenging to know if people are interested and willing to talk with you? In this session, we’ll talk about non-verbal communication and learn some of the visual cues and strategies you can use to find out.
Strategies for Entering Conversations: Easy ways to start or join social conversations
We know that starting a conversation or joining in a conversation that is already underway can be difficult. In this session, we’ll learn and practice a few strategies to help you enter into conversations more confidently.
Strategies for Exiting Conversations: Easy ways to end or leave a conversation
How do you end or leave a conversation when it’s time to go? In this session, we’ll talk about strategies you can learn and practice to help you leave a conversation or end a conversation in tactful ways.
Electronic Communication: Strategies for managing electronic communication and maintaining good mental health
Technology is rapidly changing and advancing. While we embrace the good things it has to offer, it has also introduced many new challenges. In this session, we’ll talk about the implications of online safety and discuss strategies for navigating electronic communication and maintaining good mental health in the process.
Establishing Social Connections: 5 Pro-tips for developing social relationships in your community
Meeting new people and making friends isn’t always easy. In this session, we’ll share 5 tips you can practice and use when it comes to making friends and maintaining social relationships.
Handling Disagreements in communication: Tips for keeping your cool
Do you find it difficult to communicate when someone disagrees with you? In this session, we’ll talk about conflict and share tips to help you keep your cool when you’re in the middle of a disagreement, as well as provide strategies to help you work through it.
If you have any questions about these workshops or if you need help navigating the Sinneave Connects online learning portal, please reach out by email at info@sinneavefoundation.org OR call us at 403 210-5000. We’re here for you!
We know that starting a conversation or joining in a conversation that is already underway can be difficult.
Join us Tuesday, February 6, 2024 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. to learn and practice a few strategies to help you enter into conversations more confidently.
This session is one of a series of six drop-in workshops designed to provide Autistic and neurodivergent individuals opportunities to learn and practice essential social communication skills. Each 90-minute workshop covers a different aspect of social communication, providing information, tips and strategies to help Autistic and neurodivergent individuals to connect and thrive in social situations.
All workshops are in-person at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Avenue NW).
There is no cost to attend these sessions.
Advance registration is not required – you can attend them all (we recommend this!) or just the ones that seem interesting to you.
All sessions begin promptly at 4:00 p.m.
If attending in-person presents a barrier for you, you can also choose to attend virtually via Sinneave Connects, our online learning portal. Sinneave Connects is FREE, but you must create an account to use it.
If you already have a Connects account, just log in as usual. If you have not registered yet, it’s easy! Click the button below that says “Sinneave Connects” to access the portal and follow these steps:
- Create a user name
- Create a password (don’t forget to save it someplace handy)
- Select “Register”
- Choose the Drop-in Workshop 2 – Strategies for Entering Conversations course to access the virtual link.
Other Social Communication Workshop topics include:
Non-verbal Communication: Learning how to tell if others want to talk with you
Do you find it challenging to know if people are interested and willing to talk with you? In this session, we’ll talk about non-verbal communication and learn some of the visual cues and strategies you can use to find out.
Strategies for Entering Conversations: Easy ways to start or join social conversations
We know that starting a conversation or joining in a conversation that is already underway can be difficult. In this session, we’ll learn and practice a few strategies to help you enter into conversations more confidently.
Strategies for Exiting Conversations: Easy ways to end or leave a conversation
How do you end or leave a conversation when it’s time to go? In this session, we’ll talk about strategies you can learn and practice to help you leave a conversation or end a conversation in tactful ways.
Electronic Communication: Strategies for managing electronic communication and and maintaining good mental health
Technology is rapidly changing and advancing. While we embrace the good things it has to offer, it has also introduced many new challenges. In this session, we’ll talk about the implications of online safety and discuss strategies for navigating electronic communication and maintaining good mental health in the process.
Establishing Social Connections: 5 Pro-tips for developing social relationships in your community
Meeting new people and making friends isn’t always easy. In this session, we’ll share 5 tips you can practice and use when it comes to making friends and maintaining social relationships.
Handling Disagreements in communication: Tips for keeping your cool
Do you find it difficult to communicate when someone disagrees with you? In this session, we’ll talk about conflict and share tips to help you keep your cool when you’re in the middle of a disagreement, as well as provide strategies to help you work through it.
If you have any questions about these workshops or if you need help navigating the Sinneave Connects online learning portal, please reach out by email at info@sinneavefoundation.org OR call us at 403 210-5000. We’re here for you!