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Marymead Autism Centre is pleased to present this month’s newsletter to share updates on current events and activities for families of and individuals on the Autism Spectrum.
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Check our Events Calendar for Marymead Autism Centre and other community events.
Regular events coming up this month are:
Support Groups
Social Groups
Workshops
Access Days
Check the Community Activities page for other regular events such as:
- Boundless Buddies (every Monday, including school holidays)
- Board Games Sessions (Saturday 19 September, 3rd Saturday of the month)
- Early Intervention Playgroups (various locations, days and times).
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Circle of Friends
PEER SUPPORT GROUP
First Tuesday of the Month, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
A Circle of Support is a group of family and friends that gather around a person with a disability to help them achieve their good life goals. This is a group to assist people to establish a circle of support around their family member. Register now on Eventbrite.
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Job Club at LEAD
JOB SEEKING SUPPORT
Thursdays 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Looking for a job? Thinking about your career choices? LEAD Job Club is the place for you. It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s a great way to learn some new skills to help you find and keep a job. At Job Club we learn about how to look for work, we practice work skills like self-confidence and effective communication, we hold mock job interviews and we brainstorm the kind of work you might want to do. We meet every Thursday morning at the LEAD office in the city and anyone is welcome to attend. You can access this through funding under Finding and Keeping a Job on a National Disability Insurance Scheme plan. Sessions at LEAD - level 3, 54 Marcus Clarke St Civic. For more information about LEAD Job Club contact Liz McNeill on 6257 7088.
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Engage Sports
SPORT
Wednesday 29 August to 14 November
Engage sports is a sports inclusion program offered at Marist College Pearce. For further information please see flyer.To register complete the attached form and forward to JenniferCroker@mcc.act.edu.au.
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Fully Fenced Playgrounds
PETITION
Open until Saturday 15 September
If you would like there to be more fully fenced playgrounds in the ACT, sign the petition to the ACT Legislative Assembly.Fully fenced play spaces are a simple and relatively inexpensive way of increasing the accessibility and inclusivity of play spaces. The petition requests the Assembly to within 6 months, finalise a 3 year plan for at least 30 fully fenced play spaces (one per 13,000 residents). This plan must have guaranteed recurrent annual funding, and provided an app or website for locating fully fenced play spaces.
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ASD Board Games
SOCIAL GROUP
Saturday 15 September (third Saturday of the month)
Like playing games, meeting friends and having fun? An awesome social activity for the family.The ASD games night is a fantastic evening of fun and games for people on the autism spectrum (13+) and their friends and families. The games night welcomes girls, boys, ladies and gentlemen.
The ASD Games Night is held at the Downer Community Centre, Downer Shops from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm (our enthusiasm usually sees us playing well past 8.30 :-)
Contact Bronwyn on 0434 565 159 or Deon on 0417 422 537. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Preparing for Periods
COURSE
Commencing 24 September
Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT) are proud to announce dates for the next ‘Preparing for Periods’ course. Preparing for Periods is a program tailored specifically for girls (aged 8 to 13) living with intellectual disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder, to help them understand their bodies and growing up. This program teaches practical skills using visual and conceptual tools to help prepare for and manage the physical, social and emotional changes that occur during puberty.
The program focuses on:
- Understanding the concept of consent
- How bodies grow and change throughout puberty
- Identifying public and private body parts, places and behaviours
- Different methods to manage periods
- Healthy and hygienic habits
- Private help and private helpers
- Protective behaviours to prevent abuse and stay healthy.
Parents and carers will be introduced to the course content in a 2 hour session during the week prior to the course to facilitate a better understanding of some of the complexities that the girls may encounter. A 4 week course will follow for the girls who will be joined by their parent and/or carer who can help with their individual learning needs.
Sessions: Parent/Carer session: Monday 24 September, 5:00pm – 7:00pm PLUS
Girls sessions: Monday 1, Tuesday 2, Monday 8 & Tuesday 9 October 2018, 10:00am – 12:00pm.
Venue: SHFPACT, Level 1, 28 University Avenue, Canberra
NDIS Categories Applicable: Increased Social and Community Participation and Improved Relationships
Cost: NDIS $1422.48; NON-NDIS $1560 (GST included); Limited scholarships available
Booking and Enquiries: training@shfpact.org.au or 02 6247 3077.
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Embracing Ministries (Christian)
SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Monday 1 to Friday 5 October 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Spring Christian Holiday Program for youth with intellectual or physical disabilities at the Woden School (127 Denison Street, Deakin). For further information, contact Andrea on 0404 256 714 or horciu@btinternet.com or dowlonad flyer.
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LEGO® Coding Group
WORKSHOPS
Every Wednesday from 17 October - 21 November 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Experience the cutting edge of Technology with the introduction of LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 Robotics. Students will be captivated as they incorporate the newest generation of motors, sensors and software by programming their commands directly into the intelligent brick. Our endless list of advance builds is sure to provide complete fundamental components of robotics at its best!
For ages 9 and up, students will work in pairs for these workshops. Cost $150 for 6 weeks. Located at Woden Library (Corinna Street and Furzer Street).
See attached flyer for details, to register your interest contact us.
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Positive Partnerships: Parents and Carers
WORKSHOP
Tuesday 23 October, 9:15 am to 3:00 pm
Join us for a day of learning with other parents and carers of school aged children on the autism spectrum, designed to help you foster productive school, family and community relationships to provide the best kind of support for your child. Our workshops are for parents, carers and grandparents wanting to understand more about autism and learn practical strategies using evidence based resources to help maximise their young person’s learning. Registrations open on 11 September and close one business day prior to the workshop. Download flyer.
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SoSAFE! Goes to Work
PROGRAM
Commencing Friday 26 October
SoSAFE! Goes to Work comprises education, individual counselling and a free workplace seminar. The program articulates social norms, socially appropriate behaviours and expectations within a workplace. The participants will practice categorization of relationships, identify permissible behaviours with people in each category, and develop social and sexual safety skills.
The counselling component facilitates self-knowledge and supports participants to achieve their work related personal goals. It also integrates the knowledge and skills into the individuals’ life, and improves problem solving abilities.
A complimentary workplace seminar helps employers and co-workers to develop a productive and supportive environment by giving them an understanding of the conceptual framework and language of the program.
Sessions: Seven weekly group sessions from Friday 26 October 2018, from 11 am till 1 pm.
Plus three individual counselling sessions by appointment.
Venue: SHFPACT, Level 1, 28 University Avenue, Canberra (TBC)
NDIS Categories Applicable: Increased Social and Community Participation, and Improved Daily Living Skills
Cost: NDIS $1680.05; NON-NDIS $1850 (GST included); Limited scholarships available
Booking and Enquiries: training@shfpact.org.au or Phone: 02 6247 3077.
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Aspie Girls Social Group
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
A family of a 14 year old girl on the autism spectrum is looking to connect with other girls on the spectrum in a social setting. Do you think this is something your daughter would be interested in? This group would be for girls 12 years through to 18. The plan is to hold a treasure hunt in Weston Park in Yarralumla. A workshop would be held to plan the treasure hunt and act as a meet and greet, followed by the treasure hunt a week later. This would be the beginning of an ongoing social get together of the girls on the autism spectrum.
If you are interested, we are gathering names of the girls and their parents contact details so that we can create an email group to make contacting and catching up easier. If you would like to register your interest in this group please contact us.
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Girls who are Awesome, Smart, Delightful (ASD)
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
A program for girls aged 12 - 16 years who are on the Autism Spectrum. This program will cover many aspects of a young persons life, such as identity, body image, self awareness and other topics relevant to a developing young person who is on the Autism Spectrum. This program will be a fee for service or NDIS funded program. To register your interest, please contact us with your daughter's name and age and your contact details. This program will be available if there is enough interest.
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ASDetect Evaluation
STUDY
Are you a parent of a child aged 11-30 months? Monitor your child’s early social-communication milestones using ASDetect, a FREE award-winning app developed at La Trobe University. Register to be a part of the ASDetect evaluation study by visiting asdetect.org/app or SMS 'app' to 0409 758 602.
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Positive Partnerships: Introduction to Autism
ONLINE LEARNING MODULE
This module is freely available to everyone and is designed to strengthen awareness and understanding of autism, its history and characteristics and the support strategies and resources available. For information please see the flyer.
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Financial Literacy with Beyond Bank
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Beyond Bank and they are offering free financial literacy sessions for people on the autism spectrum. This includes 2 x 45 minute sessions with topics such as the difference between a “need” and a “want”, different spending and saving habits, how a bank can help develop saving habits, interest payments on savings accounts and different types of savings accounts. Content can be tailored depending on your needs. If you are interested in participating, please contact us.
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Skipper Care: Living and Learning with Purpose
PROGRAM
Skipper Care runs the Living and Learning with Purpose Program in Latham. The Living and Learning with Purpose Program is specifically aimed and young people with a disability who are transitioning from school and need some additional support. The purpose of the program is to increase the independence of our participants by teaching them living skills such as healthy meal preparation, shopping, functional reading, writing and maths. The work experience component will be targeted within the industry of choice, and will be designed for our participants to be work ready by the end of the program, and gain employment either with the business that offered the work experience, or a similar workplace. Contact support@skippercare.com.au or phone 0418 636 424.
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Want to advertise in next month's newsletter?
ADVERTISEMENTS
If you'd like us to place your service or event in next month's newsletter, please email the details to autism@marymead.org.au by Monday 25 September.
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Donations
If you would like to donate to Marymead Autism Centre, please fill out the
Marymead Online Donation Form and type "Autism Centre" in the comments field.
All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Thank you :)
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If you are interested in opening an online savings account, please consider Beyond Bank. On your behalf and at no cost to you, every year Beyond Bank will donate a percentage of account holders’ annual average balances to the Marymead Autism Centre. Just nominate us as your chosen registered charity or community organisation when you open your account.
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