Back by popular demand, we are pleased to offer a 3-part, virtual Autism Learning Series for Educators, in partnership with Calgary Regional Consortium. There is no cost for this series which will provide teachers, educational assistants, guidance counsellors and anyone who works with autistic students the opportunity to:

gain a better understanding of autism and neurodiversity,
learn about and discuss realistic and attainable strategies to support these students in the classroom, and
shine a spotlight on the potential these students bring to learning environments that highlight ability over deficit.

Monday, January 16, 2023
Session One: Autism in the Classroom

“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism” – Dr. Stephen Shore.

Session attendees will gain a better understanding of autism and neurodiversity through a progressive, strengths-based lens. We will tackle some common myths about autism and discuss how autism and neurodiversity can show up in an educational environments like the classroom. This information will then guide us into discussing some key realistic and attainable strategies that can be used to best support these students. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Monday, January 23, 2023
Session Two: The Iceberg of Autism and Neurodiversity

Did you know that autistic individuals have a higher prevalence of co-occurring medical conditions than their neurotypical peers? Session attendees will strengthen their existing knowledge of autistic and neurodiverse populations by learning about conditions that can accompany autism and their effect in the classroom environment. This information will then guide us into a discussion about the line between teaching and treatment. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Recommended (not mandatory) pre-requisite: Session One: Autism in the Classroom

Monday, January 30, 2023
Session Three: Autism: Spotlight on Potential

In the final session of the autism learning series for educators, we put the spotlight on the incredible potential of autistic and neurodiverse students when they are in learning environments that support their engagement and readiness for learning. By fostering an educational setting that highlights ability over deficit, autistic and neurodiverse students can thrive and go on to realize their full potential as they transition to adulthood. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to participate in rich discussion and Q&A.

Recommended (not mandatory) pre-requisite: Session One: Autism in the Classroom & Session Two: The Iceberg of Autism and Neurodiversity

Registration for this event is offered through Calgary Regional Consortium. When you click the button below, you will be redirected to their website to register.

Learning Series for Educators

About the Presenter(s)

Dr. Shane Lynch is a Registered Psychologist and Director of Innovation and Evaluation for The Sinneave Family Foundation. He is responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of the programs and services offered to the community. Prior to coming to Sinneave, Shane was in clinical practice for over 20 years serving individuals, families, schools, and agencies as they supported individuals on the autism spectrum.

Amy Tatterton is the Director of Learning and Connection for The Sinneave Family Foundation. She is responsible for providing leadership and direction to Sinneave’s learning and knowledge exchange activities. Amy holds a Master of Education in Educational Research with a specialization in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Jodi Taylor is a Designer of Professional Learning with the Calgary Regional Consortium with a focus on inclusive education and literacy. She has been a teacher for 20 years at the middle and high school levels with a primary focus on Humanities courses. Jodi has extensive training in gifted education, Visible Thinking, differentiation, supporting affective student needs, integrated curriculum and literacy assessment and intervention strategies.

Questions? Contact Us!

Do you have goals in employment, post-secondary education, or independent living? We want to help you create a plan to achieve them!

The Launch into Life! QuickStart Planning Tool is a resource designed to assist Autistic individuals in creating a personalized plan for success as they transition to adulthood.

You are invited to join this free, virtual workshop series where we will walk through the Launch into Life! QuickStart Planning Tool in a small group format.

Together, we’ll:

break the information down into manageable steps,
facilitate connection and rich discussions with peers in similar life phases, and
help you take the first steps toward reaching your goals!

This 2-part virtual workshop series is open to Autistic Albertans ages 15+ and those in their support network. The sessions are designed to build on each other, therefore we ask participants to commit to attending both sessions.

We ask that participants take a look at the tool beforehand. You can access the document on our website HERE or in our *NEW* Sinneave Connects learning portal.

Registration and the workshop itself will all take place on Sinneave Connects. If you haven’t tried logging in yet, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Create an account and register with the portal. (If you are a return user, simply log in with the user name and password you previously created.)

2. Once logged in, you will be directed to the Event page.

3. Select the session (event) you want and click, Enroll into this session

You will receive a confirmation email sent to the address used at registration

Clicking the button below will direct you to the Sinneave Connects learning portal to register for this event.

If you have difficulty creating an account or registering for the event, please email info@sinneavefoundation.org for technical support.

Questions? Contact Us!

Celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with us Friday, December 2 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Atrium at City Hall (800 Macleod Trail SE Calgary, AB).

This year’s theme is “It’s more than just a roof over our heads. Shelter is a basic human need; accessible housing should be a basic human right.”

This free event features:

Speaker, Ron Wickman, an architect specializing in barrier-free design,
Musical performance by Calgary’s own Taylor Nile,
Community vendors, artists, and networking opportunities, and
Multiple giveaways!

We will have a booth at the event and look forward to greeting you in person!

More about International Day of Persons with Disabilities

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was introduced by the United Nations in 1992 to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements that people with disabilities contribute to our community.

Each year on December we celebrate IDPD to:

Promote an understanding of disability issues
Mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of people with disabilities
Increase awareness of the value of integrating people with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life

There is an estimated one billion people living with disabilities worldwide, and many face barriers to inclusion in key aspects of society like transportation, employment, education and social and political participation. The right to participate in public life is essential to create stable democracies, active citizenship and reduce inequalities in society.

Raising awareness, promoting empowerment, and helping to create real opportunities for people with disabilities enhances their own capacities and supports them in setting their own priorities. Empowerment involves investing in jobs, health, nutrition, education, and social protection. When people are empowered they are better prepared to take advantage of opportunities, they become agents of change and can more readily embrace their civic responsibilities.

Questions? Contact Us!

#ExperienceAutism is an innovative, free of charge service that offers a facilitated conversation for employers, post-secondary educators, and landlords interested in learning more about supporting positive interactions with people on the autism spectrum.

Focusing on Six Key Principles for Success, this work is instrumental in helping individuals and organizations develop ally-based actions that create and foster environments where everyone can thrive at:

Building relationships
Enhancing communication through collaboration
Identifying and implementing proactive strategies for inclusion.

These six principles are broadly applicable and beneficial to anyone who wants to create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces in their places of work.

#ExperienceAutism In-person Session at The Sinneave Family Foundation

Wednesday, November 23^rd from 1-2:30 p.m. MST at The Sinneave Family Foundation.
We are located in the Child Development Centre at the University of Calgary – 300, 3820-24^th Ave NW
Please note: the closest parking is a paid parking lot, however, free parking passes are available by emailing info@sinneavefoundation.org.

A virtual drop-in session is also being offered on Wednesday, November 30^th from 2-3:30 p.m. MST on Zoom. Click here if you prefer to register for the virtual session.

If you would like to sign your organization up for your own #ExperienceAutism session please email info@sinneavefoundation.org.

Questions? Contact Us!

Building relationships
Enhancing communication through collaboration
Identifying and implementing proactive strategies for inclusion.

These six principles are broadly applicable and beneficial to anyone who wants to create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces in their places of work.

Virtual #ExperienceAutism Session at The Sinneave Family Foundation

When: Wednesday, November 30^th from 2-3:30 p.m. MST

Where: Zoom (the Zoom link will be sent to you in your confirmation email after registering).

If you would like to sign your organization up for your own #ExperienceAutism session please email info@sinneavefoundation.org.

Questions? Contact Us!

Do you have goals in employment, post-secondary education, or independent living? We want to help you create a plan to achieve them!

The Launch into Life! QuickStart Planning Tool is a resource designed to assist Autistic individuals in creating a personalized plan for success as they transition to adulthood.

You are invited to join this free, virtual workshop series where we will walk through the Launch into Life! QuickStart Planning Tool in a small group format.

Together, we’ll:

break the information down into manageable steps,
facilitate connection and rich discussions with peers in similar life phases, and
help you take the first steps toward reaching your goals!