MEDIA KIT
CANUCKS AUTISM NETWORK Office: 203 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K7 T: 604‐685‐4049 F: 604‐685‐4018 E: info@canucksau sm.ca W: www.canucksau sm.ca Photos provided by Jonathan Taggart Photography j2taggart@gmail.com
THIS MEDIA KIT CONTAINS Our Story Our Leaders Our Culture Our Core Values Our Programs World Au sm Awareness Day Provincial Resource Centre CAN Family Membership Quick Facts What is Au sm?
OUR STORY
A
In 1996 Paolo and Clara Aquilini listened in shock and disbelief as medical professionals diagnosed their son with au sm. In the following years Paolo and Clara experienced the trials and triumphs that come with raising a child with au sm. They also began to live with the frustra on of watching their beloved child struggle to par cipate in “normal” ac vi es and at mes be told that he was simply unable to do so. Au sm deeply affects not only the individual who is diagnosed, but also their families. As the rate of occurrence of au sm con nues to climb and exis ng programs become increasingly overwhelmed, Paolo and Clara’s hearts and prayers con nually go out to other families facing the same turmoil and challenges. Compelled by the growing need in the community and driven by their own personal experience, Paolo and Clara constantly searched for ways to support families living with au sm. It is their profound desire to enhance the quality of life for families living with au sm in BC. This vision is the founding inspira on for the Canucks Au sm Network and will guide us in our mission to provide high quality recrea onal, sports, social and voca onal development programs for individuals and families living with au sm and to build capacity through community networks across Bri sh Columbia.
UTISM RECEIVES LESS THAN
5%
OF THE RESEARCH FUNDING OF
MANY LESS PREVALENT CHILDHOOD DISORDERS
B.C. now serves close to
7500
children and youth diagnosed with ASD and their families, compared to only a few hundred before the year 2000.
OUR CULTURE
Our Intent -
OUR INTENT We know that while au sm strikes an individual, its impact reaches every family member, every teacher, every peer and every community. And while we understand that each person’s journey is as different as their au sm experience, we are all bound by the desire to do and provide the very best for our children and families.
OUR MISSION To provide year round, innova ve, high quality sports, recrea onal, social and voca onal programs for individuals and families living with au sm, and to build awareness and capacity through community networks across Bri sh Columbia.
OUR VISION To be a leader in enhancing the quality of life for families living with au sm in Bri sh Columbia.
1
IN EVERY 93 CHILDREN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.
A
UTISM IS THE MOST DIAGNOSED CHILDHOOD DISORDER IN THE WORLD.
GREATER THAN PEDIATRIC AIDS, DIABETES AND CANCER COMBINED.
OUR CORE VALUES FAMILY we value experiences that are designed for the en re family enabling them to spend quality me as a unit PROGRAM QUALITY we value high quality programs that are safe, suppor ve, supervised, inclusive, accep ng and embracing CONTINUOUS LEARNING we value con nuous learning and are commi ed to using ongoing research to con nually deliver innova ve, effec ve and quality programming COLLABORATION we value building networks with organiza ons that share the same values and goals COMMUNITY we value ac ve par cipa on in the community and supports local community ini a ves in order to build capacity ACCESSIBILITY we value the provision of programs for all families living with au sm elimina ng financial barriers BUILDING CONFIDENCE we value the provision of programs which build self confidence, self esteem, self care and sense of purpose in work, play and life
OUR PROGRAMS‐ Camp Series, Family Adventures Series, We CAN Be Friends
I CAN Go To Camp I CAN Go To Camp is a weekend opportunity for children with ASD and their siblings to get away and enjoy a weekend in the great outdoors filled with swimming, soccer, field games and arts and cra s. We CAN Go To Camp The We CAN Go To Camp program is a weekend opportunity for the whole family to enjoy an outdoor experience in an organized group se ng. This program is designed encourage interac ons between family members and provide opportuni es for networking between families. Families will get to enjoy a range of outdoor/indoor ac vi es, as well as have some free me to enjoy the beau ful camp se ngs. Jump into Spring & Summer in the City Teenage par cipants take part in a different adventure each day, including visits to the Vancouver Aquarium and Grouse Mountain. Jump into Spring and Summer in the City have been designed to encourage social interac on and coopera on among par cipants, and teach important life skills, including preparing meals and naviga ng the transit system. CAN Family Adventure Series The CAN Family Adventure Series has been designed to help minimize barriers and offer access to ac vi es that are fun for the whole family. CAN offers various Family Adventures throughout the year, including the Ghost Train at Stanley Park, the VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Fes val of Lights, and the Rogers Arena Family Skate. We CAN Be Friends We CAN Be Friends The We CAN Be Friends program (WCBF) is an elementary aged, curriculum‐based program which teaches all students about difference and understanding. The We CAN Be Friends program seeks to encourage friendship, empathy and inclusion among children with au sm throughout Bri sh Columbia.
OUR PROGRAMS– I CAN Play Sports Series The Canucks Au sm Network offers a variety of athle c programs that encourage both physical and social development amongst individuals with au sm. The I CAN Play Sports series provides a safe ,non‐compe ve environment modified to meet the varying abili es of each par cipant. I CAN Play Soccer (Ages: 5‐11 and 10‐15) The I CAN Play Soccer program has been specifically designed to promote the physical and social development of children with au sm by providing an environment and pace of instruc on that is modified to meet their needs. Siblings are also welcome to par cipate and share in the posi ve experience. I CAN Skate (Ages: 7‐15) The I CAN Skate program is a modified ska ng program designed to teach basic ska ng skills. The goal of the program is to improve the par cipant’s ability to skate, while increasing their opportuni es to engage in ska ng in their community. The pace of the class is adjusted for the various skill levels, with a maximum of five par cipants to ensure op mal support. I CAN Swim (Ages: 7‐15) The goal of the I CAN Swim program is to teach basic swimming skills and to introduce water safety. Each week the same basic skills are covered, however levels are modified to meet the varying abili es of the par cipants. The instructor and volunteers support par cipants to ensure that each child is challenged appropriately based on their ability. I CAN Get Fit (Ages 15‐24) The I CAN Get Fit program has been specifically designed to promote physical ac vity and confidence in youth and young adults with ASD. The program focuses on specific training components: warm‐up/aerobic, core stability, strength training, agility/coordina on/balance, stretching, warming up and cooling down. The focus of these ac vi es is on cul va ng independence, confidence, social skills and fitness e que e.
I CAN Bike (Ages 7‐15) The overall goal of I CAN Bike is to provide the opportunity to learn basic biking skills in a safe environment. The program focuses on safety skills, pedaling, steering, turning, stopping, gliding and balancing. The focus of these ac vi es is on developing listening skills, coopera ve play, confidence, building friendships, handling noise, following direc ons and taking turns.
OUR PROGRAMS– Social and Voca onal
The Sociables The Sociables is a once‐a‐month social group for teens aged 13‐17 where friendship building skills are incorporated into ac vi es such as bowling, social cooking classes, movie nights, etc. While adult staff and volunteers oversee the program, peer mentors interact with the par cipants and model posi ve friendship and social behaviours. Understanding Minds With a focus on au sm, this program provides an educa onal opportunity for all learners at the secondary level to understand, accept and appreciate the differences within their high school’s popula on and to extend that understanding into their social lives.
I CAN Go to Work I CAN Go to Work consists of a series of job readiness workshops and visits to work sites to help equip young adults living with Au sm Spectrum Disorder with the skills necessary to enter into the workforce. CAN will team up with local businesses, paid site coordinators, support staff and volunteers to achieve these goals. Soup from the Soul is subset of I CAN Go to Work and teaches young adults living with Au sm Spectrum Disorder, aged 16‐24, basic culinary skills and standard workplace expecta ons. Using recipes given in kind, par cipants learn various soup ‐making methods and donate the soup made to a local charity.
WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY Each year the Canucks Au sm Network celebrates World Au sm Awareness Day with a walk and rally to help raise awareness and show support for those affected by au sm throughout the province. This year the celebra on took place on April 1st , 2011 at the CBC Plaza, downtown Vancouver. The event involved a rally, hosted by CBC’s Shane Foxman, as well as a walk through downtown Vancouver. Notable speakers included Senator Larry Campbell, Vancouver’s Deputy Mayor Geoff Meggs who presented the World Au sm Awareness Day Proclama‐ on and newly appointed Minister of Children and Family Development, the Honourable Mary McNeil, who presented the proclama on on behalf of the Province of Bri sh Columbia. A endees were also entertained by the musical talents of Barney Bentall and warmed up with complimentary beverages provided by JJ Bean.
CAN PROVINCIAL RESOURCE CENTRE The CAN Provincial Resource Centre includes an expanding collec on of au sm‐related books, DVDs, and games including material wri en for children, parents, teachers and caregivers. The resources are available to CAN members, including CAN families, service providers, and We CAN Be Friends schools. Funding for these resources has been generously donated by the North Growth Founda on, the Steve Nash Founda on, the Fishing for Kids Tournament at the West Coast Fishing Lodge, and the Canucks for Kids Fund.
CAN FAMILY MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM By becoming members of the Canucks Au sm Network, families are able to register and access CAN programs, events and ac vi es offered in their community, as well as resources from the CAN Provincial Resource Centre. In order for families to become members, they need to submit proof of diagnosis for members of family with au sm as well as a $25 payment which covers the en re family for the dura on of the year. Once registra on is complete, families are able to register for all of CAN’s programs and enjoy free shipping on loans of au sm‐related books , games and DVDs from the CAN Provincial Resource Centre.
QUICK FACTS WHAT IS CAN? The Canucks Au sm Network is a non‐profit society dedicated to the delivery of programs and services for children and families living with Au sm Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout Bri sh Columbia. WHEN WAS CAN FOUNDED? CAN was founded in 2008. WHO FOUNDED IT? CAN was founded by Paolo and Clara Aquilini whose vision was to enhance the quality of life for families living with au sm in Bri sh Columbia. WHERE DOES CAN OPERATE? CAN is headquartered in Vancouver, Bri sh Columbia and provides programs and services to communi es across the province. WHY DOES CAN NEED SUPPORT? Generous support from contributors who donate both small and large gi s, helps CAN extend its programs to new communi es and families across the province. HOW CAN DONORS CONTRIBUTE? Make an online dona on today and help enrich the lives of families and children affected by au sm. HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE WE CAN BE FRIENDS PROGRAM? The curriculum‐based program is gi ed to elementary schools and will be integrated into 100 schools across the province as of September 2011.
HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM? There are currently 450 families registered with the CAN membership program. WHO ARE CAN’S PRIMARY SUPPORTERS? CAN has many generous supporters however the core funding originates from the Canucks for Kids Fund. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE ORGANIZATION? CAN employs nine full‐ me employees, four part‐ me employees and over twenty part‐ me/project‐ based employees , such as coaches and one‐to‐one workers. HOW MUCH IS THE CAN MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM? The membership fee is a $25 charge that covers the en re family for the dura on of the year.
IN WHICH COMMUNITIES DOES CAN CURRENTLY OFFER PROGRAMS? CAN currently offers programs across the lower mainland, as well as in Victoria, Kamloops, Nelson, Kelowna and Squamish. WHO GOVERNS THE CANUCKS AUTISM NETWORK? The Canucks Au sm Network is governed by a democra cally elected Board of Directors.
WHAT IS AUTISM? Au sm is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically Au sm is a complex neurological disorder that lasts throughout a person's life me. It is part of a group of disorders known as au sm spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 93 individuals are diagnosed with au sm, making it more common than paediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four mes more likely to strike boys than girls. Au sm impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with unusual behaviours and restricted ac vi es, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific rou nes. The symptoms of au sm can range from very mild to severe. Founded in 2008, the Canucks Au sm Network (CAN) delivers programs and services to children and families living with au sm spectrum disorder in Bri sh Columbia. Our programs are inclusive, accessible and welcoming to people of all abili es. a person's life me.
A
N ESTIMATED 190,000 CANADIAN CHILDREN HAVE AUTISM.