E Bulletin 23rd August 2010

AAACT NEWS AND EVENTS

Ø AAACT AGM

AAACT’s AGM will be held on Wednesday 1 September 2010 (7.30pm for 7.45pm) at SHOUT Offices, Building 1 (Main Meeting Room), Collett Place, Pearce.  Wine and cheese after the AGM and discussion about the year ahead – what do you want from your Association? Please consider joining the committee - we need as much help as we can get to establish services. nomination form attached. 

Ø AAACT Gala Dinner(come join in the fun)

We are now selling tickets for the AAACT 2010 Gala Dinner being held at the Hotel Realm on Saturday 11 September.  Please email Vicki on vicki@autismaspergeract.com.au to reserve your seat!  To download flyer click on link: http://autismaspergeract.com.au/sites/default/files/DL%20Flyer.pdf    Please note, if you would like an A3 poster to put in your workplace please email Vicki or Polly and we can send one out to you.

Ø Support Group for Parents of School Aged Children with Autism (day time meeting)

The next daytime support group for parents of school aged children with Autism will be Friday August 27 (10:15am-12:00pm). The meeting will host a brainstorming session about how best to communicate with schools, which follows on from last month’s meeting.  The meeting will be held at Autism Asperger ACT office (Chifley Health and Wellbeing Centre, corner Eggleston and Maclaurin Street, Chifley). Please RSVP Annette on 6176 0515. 

WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SECTOR

 Self Help and Support Groups National Awareness Fair

Self Help and Support Groups National Awareness Day fair is on 8 September 2010 (11am-3pm) at Weston Creek Community Centre Hall.  See below for flyer.

Ø Tony Attwood (Canberra)

World ASD expert Dr Tony Attwood is conducting a 1 day workshop in Canberra  on Thursday 16 September 2010.  For more information please visit Sue Larkey’s websitewww.suelarkey.com

• Effective treatments for allergies, ADHD, Autism and Neurobiological Disorders Seminar

MINDD Foundation has a seminar on Saturday 22 August 2010 titled ‘Effective treatments for allergies, ADHD, Autism and Neurobiological Disorders’.  The seminar will take place at Sts Peter and Paul Primary School in Garran. Last year AA ACT held a seminar with Julie Matthews, a nutritionist from the USA who came to Australia to speak at the Mindd International Forum on Children 2009. The Mindd Foundations is a not -for-profit health promotion trust and has accreditation from the Royal Australian College of General Practice to provide training to doctors.  Click link for further details: http://autismaspergeract.com.au/sites/default/files/Mindd_DL_Postcard_ART6.pdf

• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) Basic Training Workshop

The next PECS Basic Training Workshopis being held in Sydney in October, 2010. If you have access to FaHCSIA funding, you may use your funding for all Pyramid Educational Consultants of Australia’s workshops. 

Their online registration system is now active, you may register and pay for your place in a workshop through PayPal.  To register online please visit www.pecs.com and click on the training tab.  From there, choose the workshop you wish to attend and fill in your details.  You will then be directed to PayPal for payment.  You can also contact them at the office on 03 93916122. 

• Hartley Life Care-Legal Workshop and Information Morning for people with a Disability

Hartley Lifecare is running a free legal workshop and information morning for people with a disability and their families.  This workshop will cover wills, trusts and enduring power of attorney, property and assets.  The workshop is being held on Saturday 18 September 2010 (9.30am-12.30pm) at the National Disability Services office in Deakin.  Click link for further details: http://autismaspergeract.com.au/sites/default/files/Disability%20Legal%20Workshop%20Flyer.pdf

• 2^nd Symposium on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research and Clinical Practice  

The 2^ndsymposium on child and adolescent mental health research and clinical practice “Development and Emotion Regulation” is being held at Sydney Children’s Hospital on Friday 17 September 2010.  This is a conjoint seminar between UNSW and the Sydney Children's Hospital. Click link for further details:http://autismaspergeract.com.au/sites/default/files/2ND%20Symposium%20on%20C%20%20A%20Mental%20Health.pdf

 MY-CARD-Free workshops

CIT is conducting workshops on how to use MY CARD for people with disabilities who need to get the right information across.  MY-CARD summarises a person’s abilities, alerts, personal preference and social networks for unfamiliar support workers.  If you would like to know more about this tool or would like to attend a workshop see flyer below:

• Carer Payment (child) and Carer Allowance (child) Reforms

Ifyou are caring for a child under 16 with a severe disability or serve medical condition as of 1 July 2010 changes have been made to the assessment for qualification to Carer Allowance (child).  Click link for further details  http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/carers/payments/Pages/changes_carer_payment_allowance.aspxas well as the Magazine article attached.

 Autism Advisory and Support Service Workshop (Sydney and Brisbane)

AASS (Sydney) is conducting an exciting 3 day seminar that uses touch and smell to regenerate the brain naturally.
Day 1 is dedicated to presenting what neuroscience is now calling environmental enrichment to enhance brain plasticity and the power of the brain to repair itself. The brain responds to enrichment by re-balancing its chemistry, growing and migrating new cells and developing a resilience against assaults from viruses and toxins.
Day 2 is dedicated to training professionals to know when and how to prescribe effectively 10 different techniques to accelerate brain repair.
Day 3 is dedicated to training families to implement a 3-month programme to defeat Anxiety.
This seminar is recommended for therapists, teachers, carers and parents of anyone with Autism, Aspergers, Cerebral Palsy, Acquired Brain Injury, Depression, Alzheimers and other neurological disorders.
Places are limited.Click link for further information: http://www.aass.org.au/Australia2010flyer.pdf

• Asia Pacific Autism Conference (Perth)

The Asia Pacific Autism Conference will be held in Perth from 8-10 September 2010.  This conference will focus on current scientific findings and best-practice in working with children and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Click link for further information:  www.apac11.org

• Art Classes for Children

 Melissa Knowles teaches various children's art classes in Canberra, adopting a more social approach than a technical based one.  One of the art program's currently in the works is anArt Outreach Program that brings together members of the community in an inter-generational art project. Children engage in weekly art classes  and monthly visits to local nursing homes. Children bring their  artwork on each visit and encourage elderly residents to paint, an experience that solidifies the idea that art can be used as a medium to help others.  This empowers young artists to go out into the world  as facilitators of art activity.  No experience is necessary, just an interest in art. These classes are specifically designed to encourage positive social skills and would provide an outlet for children to become facilitators of art activity. And to use art as a tool for wellbeing.  For more information, please contact Melissa on 0432 381 738 or email mknowles7@gmail.com.

 Social Support Group for Parents of Teens  

 If you are interested in meeting other parents to chat about the ups and downs of parenting teens then call Lucy on 6278 8108 to find out more about a new Social Support Group for parents of teens.  This is a group run by a parent, for parents of teens who would like some support in a relaxed, social setting Thursdays 1pm to 3pm August 5th to September 9th  Kippax Health Centre (this is supported by Belconnen Community Service).  see flyer attached for more information

 Toyota Paralympic Talent Search

 Registrations are now being accepted for the Australian Paralympic Committee’s Toyota Paralympic Talent Search at the Australian Institute of Sport on Sunday 19^thSeptember.  

The program aims to identify those who display the athletic potential to one day make it to Paralympic level competitionand also to raise awareness of disability sport.  

Athletes with a physical, intellectual or vision impairment may be eligible for Paralympic sports. To find out further details of eligibility please visit their website http://www.paralympic.org.au/content/toyota-paralympic-talent-search-0

 New ABC Website

The ABC is building a website for people whose lives are touched by disability, a place for their issues and stories. It will be provocative, celebratory, challenging and supportive. Everyday will feature news and views from those who meet disability head-on in their lives, their work, their community and family. The ABC is asking your opinion of what the site should contain – Click link for further details: http://www.abc.net.au/disability/

• DHCS Practice Talking Conference

  The 5th Annual Practice Talking Conference 2010 is a place to share stories of your work with children, young people, adults and families in the ACT and region. This year’s theme is Seeds of Change – growing practice. Organisers are seeking abstracts for presentations from practitioners. If your work has led to positive change for clients and communities – please share the stories of your journeys. Click link for further details: http://www.dhcs.act.gov.au/practice_talking

 Home Help Service ACT

 Home Help Service ACT is pleased to make known the availability of their new online service referral form.  Clients, their carer’s and community organisations will be able to submit service referrals directly from their website.  www.homehelp.org.au<http://www.homehelp.org.au>.

DOCUMENTARIES OF INTEREST  

 Ø SBS  Dateline

 Dateline on SBS has just done a report on the work of Temple Grandin - an autistic American lady, who's won worldwide acclaim for her writing and research helping people with autism.  To view this report click link for further details: http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/about/id/600677/n/The-Cow-Whisperer.