Parent Mentor
Parents who have a child with special needs often feel helpless and alone. Talking with someone who can give them specific guidance can bring a sense of security to parents who wonder what to do when their child does not fit the pattern for the usual growth and development.
Programs
Programs at Waterloo Region Family Network include a variety of workshops and seminars, ongoing support groups and personal guidance to ensure families are aware of and appropriately connected to all available community resources. Our programs also include social and skill development groups.
Resources
Our resources page includes information and links on many topics: Advocacy, Support, Respite, Education, Financial Assistance, Camps, Employment needs, Health, Transportation and much more.
Vulnerable Persons Registry: In the event of an emergency, The Registry provides police access to helpful information such as: emergency contacts, detailed description, ways to communicate.
Community News on ConnectABILITY.ca has expanded to include news and events in Waterloo Region.
Autism in High School is a new web-based guide to help students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families as they navigate the transitions and common challenges of high school.
Upcoming Events
Christian Horizons West District offers Equip – Learning My Way! courses for adults with developmental disabilities. These courses have been uniquely designed to enhance community participation supports and career development for people supported by Christian Horizons and those in the community.
Equip! Learning My Way is a great way for people to learn about things that are interesting to them in an environment that caters to the person’s learning style.
2017 Fall Workshop Schedule
First Aid (Kitchener)
This is a five week course that will teach you Red Cross Emergency First Aid/CPR. This course has been adapted to include: additional opportunities for practice and review, modifications to meet individual abilities and goals and homework to reinforce learning between classes.
Waterloo Community Participation Program
5 sessions- September 11, 18, Oct 2, 16, 23)
Cost: $60
Fire Safety Training (Kitchener)
This workshop is all about how to be fire safe. It covers how to prepare and respond to all different types of fire and will be delivered in 3 sessions. Topics covered include awareness of risks, fire prevention/safe practices and what to do in an actual fire. Participants need to attend all 3 sessions in order to receive their certificate.
Waterloo Community Participation Program
3 sessions – November 6, 13, 20 from 12:30 – 2:00
Cost: $20.00
For more information contact west_training@christian-horizons.org.
Autism Ontario is inviting families that have children with ASD to come out and enjoy Playfit Kids Club in Cambridge!
This will be a private facility party with full use including play structure, pizza, snacks & drinks.
Date: Sunday, October 1st
Time: 5-8pm
Location: 366 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge
Registration opens August 25th
Learn more here.
Camp Ki-Wa-Y is offering an outdoor recreation home schooling program. This program will offer an inclusive environment for all children in an outdoor environment, offering a variety of outdoor activities appropriate to the season and weather conditions.
Fall Activities will include Canoeing, Low Ropes, High Ropes, and Games: Field Games -Capture the Flag, Nose Paint Game, Stones; Cooperative Game; Initiative Games, Nature Games –Camouflage, Sardines, Nature Games, and Camp Craft Skills: Fire Building, Shelter Building.
Winter Activities will include Snowshoeing, Quinzhee Building, Tobogganing, Ice Skating, Outdoor Games, Nature Hikes, and Animal Tracking.
Adopt4Life – Ontario’s Adoptive Parent Association, is a community of people with lived experience of adoption, that strengthens and empowers parents to achieve permanency for children so that they reach their full potential.
From The Blog
Job Opportunity
Project READ Literacy Network is seeking an energetic, compassionate and creative individual to facilitate its Get Set Learn Family Literacy Program. This contract position is for 11 weeks. See the job posting for details
CADDAC News
CADDAC is a national, not-for-profit, organization providing leadership and support in awareness, education and advocacy for ADHD organizations and individuals across Canada.
Upcoming events and information:
ADHD Parent Readiness Education Program – September 16th & 17th, Toronto, ON
ADHD PREP is a comprehensive 12 hour program geared to parents of newly diagnosed children and adolescents with ADHD, and parents wishing to upgrade their knowledge on the more complex aspects of ADHD including ADHD and learning, executive functioning and self and mood regulation. Treatment options, parenting strategies and school advocacy will also be covered. For more information click here.
CADDAC’S 9TH ANNUAL ADHD CONFERENCE – October 14th & 15th Calgary Alberta
Learn about ADHD from world renowned experts! The CADDAC Annual ADHD Conference is geared to parents, adults with ADHD, educators, and medical professionals. Featuring; Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D., Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. For more information click here.
Past ADHD Webinars
Topics include: ADHD and Learning, ODD, Behaviour Strategies, Executive Functioning and many more click here.
CADDAC ADVOCACY – ADHD IN EDUCATION ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
CADDAC continues to receive calls on a consistent basis from parents across the country expressing concern about their child’s education. To learn more about the ADHD in education and advocacy campaign click here.
TURNING THE PAGE ON ADHD
ADHD undermines executive function (EF), the skills required to anticipate, prioritize, manage time, and manage any new plan. Because of that, having ADHD itself gets in the way of planning around ADHD. That typically means parents, not kids, modify and implement new plans as kids grow up, right up until they figure out how to do it themselves. Read More
I’m Not Irresponsible I Just Lose Things
I lost my purse at the age of 13. In the years since, I’ve lost more bills, laptops, and wallets than I can count. But though I still feel the weight of my misplaced possessions, my tendency to lose things doesn’t make me a “loser” — it’s just a symptom of my ADHD. Read More
The Family Centre Connection – August 2017
The Family Centre has shared their August 2017 newsletter. Find out what’s happening at The Family Centre and with all the great community partners here!