Society for Treatment of Autism (STA) is an Alberta-based registered charitable organization providing comprehensive treatment and educational services for people with autism and related disorders. STA offers quality support, consultation and educational services for families and communities in Alberta.

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Sinneave Family Foundation Launches a Program for Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

The confidence and wherewithal to take transit. The skills to prepare lunch. Insight into personal strengths and interests at work, and a chance to apply them. The ability to understand and be understood. A reason to look to the future with hope.

It's what growing up is about - aspirations shared by people with ASD and their families.

To help them get there, Sinneave Family Foundation is funding a treatment and education program tailored to the diverse needs of individuals with ASD between the ages of 13 and older, housed in the purpose-built Sinneave Centre on the third floor of Calgary's Child Development Centre.

The Foundation has collaborated with Society for Treatment of Autism, a Calgary-based agency with over 40 years of ASD service expertise, to create the new program. It is founded on best practices, with family and person-centred planning in mind, and is driven by a pressing need to assist adolescents and adults with ASD to develop appropriate work behaviours, specialized vocational, life and social skills in a structured, caring environment.

The adult and adolescent program offers participants the opportunity to master a series of work-related tasks appropriate to their skills and abilities - from business skills like office administration, data entry and computer technology, to service skills such as commercial food preparation, or retail experience in stocking and inventory - at their own speed and with the supervision and guidance of professionally-trained staff.

For some, the focus may be to increase personal and independent living skills - skills taught in the self-contained apartment at the Centre. Here, participants learn general housekeeping tasks such as: operating household appliances; sorting and doing the laundry; changing the bed; cleaning; and learning to shop, cook and prepare snacks and meals. This is also a perfect environment to work on personal hygiene - learning to dress, shave and shower.

There is also an off-site community work experience component, where participants have an opportunity to learn skills and "give-back" by volunteering to help maintain the gardens at Bethany Care Centre, bake cookies for families at Ronald McDonald House, or build "Wish" packages for Children's Wish Foundation.

Pursuits Program Now Accepting Spring 2012 Applicants

What: Pursuits helps adolescents and adults with ASD develop appropriate work behaviours, and fine-tune vocational, life and social skills in a structured, caring environment. Pursuits programs offered in the Spring 2012 session are as follows:

• Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES)® - A work and performance based curriculum that allows clients to explore and complete processes and products that are simulations of real-world job tasks.
• Skills for Life Workshop Series - A series of workshops with weekly topics such as nutrition, fitness and budgeting discussed in a group learning environment, then individualized life skills being addressed in the last hour of each class. Skills for Life - Individualized life skills, such as hygiene, housekeeping, and snack preparation, are targeted with personalized teaching.
• Skills for Life - Individualized life skills, such as hygiene, housekeeping, and snack preparation, are targeted with personalized teaching.
• Autism Community Works® -A community based vocational training program where clients with ASD volunteer alongside typical peers at local not-for-profits.
• Work Experience - in partnership with London Drugs, Royal Oak location, participants receive supported, real, on-site employment experience and training for 33 hours.

Who: Individuals who meet the following criteria:

• Are aged 13 years and older as of the program start date
• Have an ASD diagnosis and have been informed of such
• Are able to commit to attend scheduled treatment session
• Parent/guardian approval

Selection Process: Demand is expected to be greater than available treatment spaces. Priority will be given to those families who have not yet accessed Pursuits programs. Any individual who is unable to access the program due to the high volume of interest will be added to the next session's intake list.

When: The Winter 2012 session is currently full, but applications are being accepted for the Spring session which runs from April 3 to June 16, 2012. The deadline for acceptance into the Spring session is February 17, 2012.

Where: The treatment program is funded by Sinneave Family Foundation, and services are provided by Society for Treatment of Autism. Pursuits is offered at The Ability Hub located on the third floor of the Child Development Centre.

For further information, or to arrange a tour of The Ability Hub, please call 403.210.5000 or toll free 1.888.733.7976.

To apply, or for more information, please call 1-888-733-7976 or (403) 210-5000, or email lana.yee-brown@sinneavefoundation.org.

Thank you to Government of Alberta's Community Spirit Grant Program

We are very grateful to the Government of Alberta's Community Spirit Grant Program donation grant of $12,788.00. This grant was put towards the payment of our newly renovated residential facility!