Technology is rapidly changing and advancing. While we embrace the good things it has to offer, it has also introduced many new challenges.
Join us Tuesday, February 20, 2024 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. to discuss the implications of online safety and strategies for navigating electronic communication and maintaining good mental health in the process.

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:

  1. Create a user name
  2. Create a password (don’t forget to save it someplace handy)
  3. Select “Register”
  4. Choose the Drop-in Workshop: Electronic Communication Strategies course to access the virtual link.

Drop-in Workshop – Electronic Communication: Strategies for managing electronic communication and maintaining good mental health

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!

Hosted in partnership with Healthy Campus Alberta, we are pleased to present Six Principles to Inform Action: Creating Inclusive Campuses for Autistic & Neurodivergent Students. Our presenters will share six key principles–developed in collaboration with a team of autistic self-advocates–to support greater understanding, acceptance and valuing of autism and neurodivergence. While the presentation is geared toward post-secondary professionals and students, these principles are broadly applicable in all areas of daily life.

Covering each of the six principles–Communication, Structure, Flexibility, Environment, Emotion and Connection–our team will provide practical information and easy-to-implement strategies so Healthy Campus Alberta community members will walk away empowered to undertake ally-based actions that create and foster environments where everyone can thrive at:

  • Building relationships
  • Enhancing communication through collaboration
  • Identifying and implementing pro-active actions for inclusion

There is something here for everyone.

About the Presenters: 

Jay Haukenfrers (she/her)

Learning and Connection Coordinator for the Sinneave Family Foundation

Jay Haukenfrers (she/her) is the Learning and Connection Coordinator for the Sinneave Family Foundation.  She oversees Sinneave’s Information and Navigation Service, which provides resources to self-advocates, parents and professionals.  Jay also supports with learning & connection activities, including community engagement, presentations, workshops and digital content.  Jay has a Bachelors of Arts, with a focus in music and psychology.  She has had the honour to offer support to diverse vulnerable populations for more than 10 years including: families and children in crisis, young people with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education, adults with disabilities and co-occurring health challenges, and currently, supporting autistic and neurodivergent youth and adults in the transition to adulthood.  She is excited to share more about how to make more places and spaces welcoming for autistic and neurodivergent people!  

Mason Jaffray

Program Associate at the Sinneave Family Foundation

Mason Jaffray is an autistic self-advocate and a program associate at the Sinneave Family Foundation. Mason is passionate about sharing his knowledge of the autism spectrum to encourage growth and understanding of the autistic and neurodiverse communities. Mason brings curiosity and a willingness to learn to every conversation. He believes that the best ideas and solutions that influence positive outcomes, come from collaborative action and engagement with members of the community.

Registration is required for this presentation. When you click on the button below that says, “Register Today – Six Principles to Inform Action” you’ll be directed to the Healthy Campus Alberta website to register. Once there, you will need to create a free HCA account or use the guest log-in feature.

Register Today – Six Principles to Inform Action 

 

Did you Know? These six principles are broadly applicable to all areas of daily life and our team is available to visit your school, business or workplace to show you easy-to-implement actionable strategies that benefit everyone. Contact us at info@sinneavefoundation.org or call 403 210-5000 to learn more and book your complimentary visit today.

Technology is rapidly changing and advancing. While we embrace the good things it has to offer, it has also introduced many new challenges.
Join us Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. to discuss the implications of online safety and strategies for navigating electronic communication and maintaining good mental health in the process.

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:

  1. Create a user name
  2. Create a password (don’t forget to save it someplace handy)
  3. Select “Register”
  4. Choose the Drop-in Workshop: Electronic Communication Strategies course to access the virtual link.

Sinneave Connects

 

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!

In each Women’s Group, we provide timely information on topics that are important to autistic women. In this particular session, we’ll discuss friendships and relationships, including maintaining safety in relationships, how to recognize good and bad intentions of others, and strategies to increase understanding in relationships.

In a safe and welcoming small group setting, we’ll share information, and enjoy valuable peer connection. First timers are always welcome as each session’s topic and discussion is unique.

Join us Thursday, July 20, 2023

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

at The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24th Avenue NW Calgary, AB)

If  you would like to attend this session, but getting to The Ability Hub in person is a barrier for you, you can also attend online via Sinneave Connects, our online learning platform.

If you already have a Sinneave Connects account, just log in as usual. (The access button is on the upper right corner of our Homepage) If you haven’t yet opened a FREE account, it’s easy! Click the button below to be directed to the portal.

  1. Pick a user name
  2. Pick a password (Don’t forget to record it somewhere safe for next time!)
  3. Choose the “July 20 – Women & Autism Women’s Group” event to be directed to the livestream.

July 20 – Women & Autism Women’s Group

*Please note: All are welcome no matter how you identify, however, please be aware that information and resources provided are based on female assigned at birth. All gender expressions are welcome.

If you have any questions about this session, or need help navigating Sinneave Connects, please contact us by emailing info@sinneavefoundation.org or calling 403 210-5000.

Please note: While advance registration is not necessary for most of our Exploration Sessions (you are welcome to just drop-in), IF you do pre-register it helps us in our planning AND allows us to notify you in the event of a last-minute change or cancellation. Either way, we’d love to see you!

Autistic people often experience chronic anxiety from the compounding life stressors they face. The amount of effort required to mask, to meet other’s unrealistic expectations without adequate support, and even to simply get through the day in a neurotypical world can lead to autistic burnout.

While many people experience burnout, autistic burnout is debilitating and is more than sheer exhaustion. Autistic burnout typically lasts for several months and can impair the individual’s ability to cope and to function independently in any part of their lives.

Unfortunately, many individuals do not get the proper support they need nor relief from the unrelenting stress they experience. It is essential for autistic people and those who support them to understand autistic burnout.

Through this presentation, participants will learn:

  • what autistic burnout is,
  • what contributes to it,
  • what can be done to prevent it from happening, and
  • how to improve outcomes.

Participants will also learn how to maximize the summer to reset their brain battery and set themselves up for success in the Fall.

Join us Thursday, June 15 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

In-person @The Ability Hub (300, 3820 24 Avenue NW Calgary, AB)

or Online via Sinneave Connects, our online learning portal.

If you already have a FREE Sinneave Connects account, just log in as usual. If you have not yet created yours, you will need to register. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

  1. Pick a user name
  2. Pick a password (Don’t forget to record it somewhere safe for next time!)
  3. Choose the event, “Recovering from Autistic Burnout” and enroll.

To access the event and virtual link via Sinneave Connects, click the button below that says, “Recovering from Autistic Burnout”

“Recovering from Autistic Burnout”

 

About the Presenter, Dr. Caroline Buzanko (In her own words)

I am made up of many things. Psychologist. Mother. Actress. Public Speaker. Yoda of anxiety. Master of resilience. ADHD Superhero (which is why I can’t describe myself in one word). Changer of Lives. I work with children, teens, and their families to help them build better lives by maximizing confidence and forging their resilience. I also work with professionals and educators looking for training and approaches to work effectively with their clients and students. With over 25 years of experience helping children and teens with ADHD and anxiety, I know that maximizing confidence and resilience starts with fostering strong family connections, developing skills, and implementing effective, practical strategies to capitalize on strengths. My focus is on developing these skills for long-term success and positive well-being. My mission is to inspire and empower mental health professionals, educators, and families in promoting children and teens’ resilience and long-term success.

You can find out more about Dr. Buzanko on her website. You can also find her on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

This presentation

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