Hello friends,
Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society (the “Society”) of which I am a director is in a competition to raise up to $150,000 by a grant from an organization called, Aviva Community, for a new Play Centre project for autistic children, proposed to be located in East Vancouver. You can support this worthwhile cause by voting at Aviva’s website each day, over the next 2 weeks. Vote once or as much as you like (up to once per day). The top ten projects with the most public support will be awarded their grants.The link is:
http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf11235
The Society is a British Columbia based, non-government funded, not-for-profit charitable organization, established in 2002. The Society has the mandate to foster mutual friendships between individuals on the autism spectrum and their peers by providing sustainable community programs and services that promote understanding, acceptance and empathy of autism, and to support all children to develop to the best of their abilities through the play and socialization that friendships offer. To meet this mandate the Society designs, develops and delivers programs to children ages 3 through 18 in schools and other community settings throughout BC. The Society’s philosophy, programs and services embrace diversity and equality using inclusive, sensitive, age-appropriate, fun and research based best practices in its educational programs.
As you may know, autism is a lifelong neurological disability with hallmarks which include difficulties in a person’s capacity to interact socially with others, communicate basic needs, feelings and ideas, understand and use language effectively, develop play and imagination, and form peer relationships. Autism and its traits vary widely among individuals, and for this reason, an individual is often described as having an “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD) or being on the “autism spectrum”. The inability of social play and social interaction is one of the primary aspects of autism.
The first new programs proposed to be offered by the Society at the Play Centre will be as follows:
· Early Childhood Play Groups Program – This program will be provided onsite and is designed for pre-school children with autism (and related disorders) and their parents/caregivers. The program will bring together children of various abilities to support their social interaction and communication in peer play-based activities, while providing model training to their caregivers. The goals of this program are to: (1) promote the social interaction communication, and peer play skills of the children who participate; (2) increase the capacity of the caregivers who participate in dealing with individuals with autistic disorders; and (3) bring individuals with autism and their caregivers together to share experiences and reduce feelings of isolation.
· Out of School Play Group Programs – These programs will be provided onsite offering children ages 6-16 with highly specialized out of school programs through our After School Play Groups, Weekend Play Groups, Summer Play Groups and Specialized Play Groups programs. The goals of these programs are designed to: (1) promote the social interaction, communication, and peer play skills of the children who participate; (2) provide inclusive, highly specialized social skills training to the children who participate; (3) provide a safe haven for children with special needs to form peer group identities, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness; (4) provide access to inclusive peer play programs to isolated children (children who are struggling in the school environment or may be out of school for various reasons); and (5) provide consistent programs during non-school hours, which is very important to the social development of children with autism.
The proposed Play Centre would provide the Society with the ability to offer parents and professionals ongoing support and training in the form of weekend and evening workshops, as well as, annual seminars and summer institute training sessions. These training opportunities would not only build capacity in parents and professionals in implementing best practices for supporting children with autism, but would also provide a means for parent support groups to meet, reducing the isolation that parents often experience in raising children on the autism spectrum.
Please also feel free to pass this along to anyone you know, who you think would support this very worthy cause.
Heather McCracken
Founder/Executive Director
Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society
