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2nd Play Centre Opens in New Westminster

2nd Play Centre Site Opens in New Westminster BC for Children with Autism and Their Peers

Vancouver, B.C. – Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society turning away up to 10 children a week due to the staggering demand for their unique and innovative Play Centre programs.

“Of course we knew when we launched our Play Centre - East Vancouver in 2012 that the programs were very badly needed, but we had no idea we would reach capacity within a year after opening,” says Heather McCracken, the founder and executive director of Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society. “Since January we have turned away more than 80 families. As a parent of a child with autism, I know all too well the heartbreak and worry of the ‘wait-list’. Needless to say, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our second Play Centre for Children with Autism at 336 Columbia Street, New Westminster BC.”

The unique Play Centre programs include; early childhood, after school, weekends, spring and summer camp Integrated Play Groups®, as well as free parent training, support groups and training for professionals. The Friend 2 Friend Play Centre’s are the first of a kind to combine the award-winning Integrated Play Groups®, SCERTS® and Friend 2 Friend Autism Demystification® models into comprehensive, inclusive programs for children with autism and their peers and siblings. These evidence-based models help all children (those with and without special needs) improve social, communication, emotional regulation, and peer social play, which are the cornerstones to healthy development and lifelong learning and relationships.

“Any family with our without a child with special needs can access our programs, regardless of their child’s needs or abilities. These programs are essential for any child suffering from peer isolation, rejection or bullying within their school or community setting. For children with autism, I am sorry to say the need is great,” states McCracken.

Friend 2 Friend is now seeking funding and support from the community for the launch of their second Play Centre site in September 2015. The Play Centre - New Westminister will assist in meeting the staggering demand for their programs by allowing the Society to more than double the number of children currently being served, as well as add in new teen programs. “Now that we have our new home in New Westminister the work really begins, we need to renovate, decorate, purchase equipment and materials and of course raise funds to support the programs,” says McCracken. “More than ever we need the community’s support.”

Friend 2 Friend is a non-government funded, non-profit charity that has been designing and delivering their unique and innovative Autism Demystification®and Integrated Play Groups® to children and families in B.C., Canada, the US and abroad for more than 14 years. Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society was founded in 2002 by Heather McCracken, a Vancouver parent of three, including a son who has autism.

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Thank you Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc

Friend 2 Friend is very proud to one of only two receiptants in Canada to receive a 2014 grant from the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. Thank you for supporting our  Friend 2 Friend Play Centre Integrated Play Groups programs http://www.flutiefoundation.org/

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Thank you Steven Nash Foundation

Friend 2 Friend wishing to thank the Steve Nash Foundation for their generous support of the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre Integrated Play Groups programs www.stevenash.org

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Thank You Unity for Autism

Thank you to Unity for Autism for support our Play Centre Integrated Play Groups programs for children with autism. www.unityforautism.ca/

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Thank you Face The World Foundation

We would like to thank Face the World Foundation for their generous donation to the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre in East Vancouver.

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http://www.friend2friendsociety.org/adult-programs/seminars/integrated-play-groups-conference-2015/

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Including Children with Autism in Meaningful Play Experiences with Typical Peers: Lessons from the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre

It’s the “drive-thru restaurant” play theme at the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Brian, a nine-year-old boy on the autism spectrum (novice player), his sister, as well as one other experienced player, make up this Saturday morning Friend 2 Friend - Integrated Play Groups® program.

The Integrated Play Groups (IPG) session begins with the three players joining the two play guides (adult facilitators) on the carpet for the opening ritual. In this special area of the Play Centre, with its beautiful coloured carpet, move-and-sit cushions, and a hand-painted wall with a visual schedule is where the groups meet to start (opening ritual) and end (closing ritual). Each IPG provides a clear beginning and ending to each session for the players. This group’s opening ritual is to sing a hello song to one another and take turns strumming the guitar.  After the hellos are finished, the play guides ask the children what they would like to play, reminding them of choices made in the previous session. They review the “How to Play Drive-Thru Restaurant” Social Story™ (Gray, 2005) that has been emailed home ahead of time to help prepare the players. The Social Story™ is just one of the transactional supports used to prepare players for the play activity to come. 

Once the Social Story™ has been reviewed, the play guides show the players the “drive-thru restaurant” role bags. Role bags are large plastic bags containing props pertaining to each role for the selected play theme. The bags have a PCS (picture communication symbol) to identify the role and a list of activities on the front of the bag to define the roles for the players, offering transactional support to help them organize their play. The drive-thru play theme has been designed simply by using a large cardboard box on two scooters as the car, a cardboard display board with a drive-thru window sign, a cardboard cut out as the order speaker, a cash register, and pretend food.  This play theme has different three roles that include: the customer, a server and a cook. Play materials such as wallets, plastic food, hats, cell phones, pretend money are provided in each of the role bags to reinforce the role within the play experience. The play materials gathered provide tangible supports to encourage functional and pretend play (with the toys) as well as common focus and common goal play (with the players) for both the children with autism and their peers.  

Based on assessments of Brian’s social play, he usually is isolate, occasionally engaging in parallel-proximity play with peers when the materials are highly engaging like making balloon animals. Brian’s affinity is for making balloon animals. He will create the most intricate animals with balloons in a matter of seconds. However, this session is different because the play theme is familiar to Brian and the other players.

As is common with many children on the autism spectrum, Brian chooses to first watch the play from another area of the Centre rather then joining in immediately.  From this orientation-onlooker position, he is able to watch what each player is doing, gain an understanding of the play, as well as self regulate in an effort to lower his anxiety, and become well regulated (available and ready for engagement and learning) before entering into the play. Today he watches as his sister performs the role of the server. She sits behind the take-out window at the cash register adjusting the pretend money, readying herself to take the order of the next customer. The play guides model the role of customer, one getting into the car, the other pushing the pretend car. Once the modeled turn is complete, they invite Brian to join in by asking him if he would like to get into the car using verbal language, sign language and PCS.

Brian climbs into the pretend car, takes a wallet from the role bag and with a huge smile on his face, he looks in the direction of the play guide and says and signs “go” requesting the play guide to push the car towards the take-out window. With another player joining him as a customer in the car and a play guide as the motor, the players drive to the speaker to place their order.

Even though Brian is non-verbal, using primarily symbolic methods to communicate such as sign language and gestures, he engages in the play by pushing the pretend bottom on the speaker placing his order by pointing to the PCS of hamburger on the pretend menu. After placing his order he signs and says “go” requesting the play guide to push the car towards the take-out window. At the take-out window, Brian hands the cashier the pretend money from his wallet, takes the plastic food and then pretends to eat it (symbolic-pretend play).  He then hands the food back to the cashier, turns to look at the play guide and says and signs “more”.  This is the first time Brian has engaged in functional play with realistic props, which shows an emerging capacity for pretend. This is also the first time he established common focus in the play activity with his peers and requested the play to continue. Not only Brian, but all the players were jointly engaged in play, having fun and making friends at the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre.

Even if you cannot access the programs offered at the Friend 2 Friend Play Centres you can still promote peer play and friendships between children with autism and their peers by following a few effective strategies and tools designed by the Friend 2 Friend team at the Play Centre, they are:

Watch children play (novice and expert players) to gain an understanding of each child’s unique social styles, developmental capacities and needs before designing play groups and materials. Ask yourself these questions:

 What type of social play do the players display? Isolate (play away from peers) , orientation-onlooker (watching peers from a safe location), parallel-proximity (playing next to peers with the same materials), common focus (play in a reciprocal way with peers), or common goal (coordinating actions and negotiating with peers)? Assessing the children’s social play styles will help in matching players when designing an meaning peer play experiences.

How are the players communicating in play? Are they primarily using symbolic means to communicate with peers such as taking and giving of objects? Or language such as “my turn”.  Assessing the children’s communication styles will both help you match compatible players and prepare the appropriate supports necessary for fostering peer-to-peer communication.

What are the children’s’ regulatory needs?  What type of strategies (self and mutual/verbal and behavioural) do they use to regulate themselves during play? Do they require movement, music, dance, jumping or swinging, hugs etc.

How are the children playing with the materials? Are they engaged or not engaged with the materials? Are they using the materials in functional ways?

What are the children choosing to play (play preferences and affinities)? Children’s affinities (spontaneous or natural liking of something that may used in unique ways) often make the best play materials, activities and themes for engaging both novice and expert players.

Most children are naturally drawn to play themes that are intrinsically motivating and familiar to them. Start by offering and designing play themes that are based on real-life situations that may turned into play (e.g. grocery store, drive-thru restaurant, doctor, camping, birthday party).

Use visuals supports (e.g. PCS, Social Stories™) to support players to organize their play and increase their understanding of the roles or activities before they start playing. Many children with autism are better regulated and more engaged with they are prepared for the activities to follow ahead of time. This “front loading” technique provides them with a means to understand the process and social situations, thus reducing anxiety.

Create role bags associated with the play theme by including motivating materials to engage the players and increase their understanding of the roles that may be played as part of the activity and that encourage turn taking and sharing.

Provide adult guided participation that includes scaffolding (at times “being the player” to model the roles and activities within a play theme, stepping back and coaching from the sidelines, stepping out to allow the children to mediate their own play experiences)

Next week’s play group at the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre is “Balloon Store”.

Authors Notes:

The Friend 2 Friend Play Centre offers state-of-the-art individualized peer play programs, the first of their kind to focus on the core needs of children with autism (and related needs) by combining the award-winning research-based Integrated Play Groups® (Wolfberg, 2009), SCERTS® (Prizant et al., 2006) and Friend 2 Friend (McCracken, 2006; 2009; 2010) models.  Unlike most programs for children with autism that focus on adult directed remediation of social skill deficits, these models are child-centered with a focus on fostering relationships and development in natural social cultural contexts. Moreover, while in most adult directed social skills programs peers are either not a part or relegated to a similar role as an adult, the focus of the Friend 2 Friend - Integrated Play Groups program is on guiding both the children with autism and typical peers in mutually engaging social play experiences. The Play Centre programs, like all Friend 2 Friend programs, are inclusive, designed to bring together novice players (children with autism or related needs) and expert players (children with competent social, communication and play skills) in meaningful play experiences.

For more information on the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre and all the Friend 2 Friend Programs and services visit the website at www.friend2friendsociety.org  

Bios:

Heather McCracken is founder and executive director of the Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society and F2F Play Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Heather is a parent of three with one of her sons on the autism spectrum. As creator of the F2F Autism Demystification program and collaborator on the combined F2F-IPG model she leads training and outreach efforts to establish inclusive peer play and friendships programs worldwide.

She has numerous journal and book publications and related video productions including: 

That’s What’s Different About Me, Demystifying Autism: the Friend 2 Friend Simulation Game Program; Can I Play Too? and The Friend 2 Friend Puppet Program. She is also co-author of a chapter in the award-winning Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators. For more information, visit www.friend2friendsociety.org

Pamela Wolfberg is a professor, serving as faculty advisor for the Autism Spectrum Graduate Certificate and Related Studies at San Francisco State University and the Joint Doctoral Program in special education with the University of California, Berkeley. As originator of the Integrated Play Groups® (IPG) model and founder of the Autism Institute on Peer Socialization and Play she leads research, training and development efforts to establish inclusive peer socialization programs worldwide. She is further engaged in global outreach as a human rights advocate for the child’s right to social inclusion in play, recreation and cultural experiences. She is widely published in peer reviewed journals and books and the recipient of several eminent awards for her scholarship, research, and service to the community. For more visit www.AutismInstitute.com

References:

Gray, C. (2005). Teaching children with autism to read social situations. In K.A. Quill (Ed.), Teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance communication and socialization (pp.219-241). New York: Delmar Publishers Inc.

McCracken, H. (2010). Can I Play Too? Autism Demystification Program The Friend 2 Friend Model. Vancouver BC: Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society Publisher.

McCracken, H (2009). Demystifying autism: the friend 2 friend simulation game program manual. Vancouver BC, Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society Publisher.

McCracken, H. (2006). That’s what’s different about me puppet program manual. Shawnee, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Prizant, B. M., Wetherby, A.. M., Rubin, E., Laurent, A, C., and Rydell, P. J. (2006). THE SCERTS Model: Volume I Assessment; Volume II Program planning and intervention. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing. 

Wolfberg, P.J. (2009) Play and imagination in children with autism (2nd Edition.). New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

Wolfberg, P., McCracken, H. & Tuchel, T. (2008). Fostering peer play and friendship: Creating a culture of inclusion. In K. Dunn Buron & P.J. Wolfberg (Eds.), Learners on the autism spectrum: preparing highly qualified educators. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

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Expert players attend play groups FREE

Expert players (typically developing children ages 3-11) learn better communication, self help, regulation, play and friendships skills AND they attend completely FREE! Not to mention they love Play Group. Register online is quick and easy. Programs start September 27 - Don't miss out!

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Thank you to Variety, the children's charity for their generous donation to our Autism Demystification Programs

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Friend 2 Friend Play Centre

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Local Charity Creates International Autism Demystification Program to Support Adults with Autism in the Workplace - Friend 2 Friend Social Learning

November 7, 2013

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Charity Creates International Autism Demystification Program to Support Adults with Autism in the Workplace 

Vancouver, B.C. – Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society is proud to announce the launch of their new program Demystifying Autism in the Workplace: The Friend 2 Friend Model

“Individuals on the autism spectrum make wonderful employees and co-workers. They are reliable, hardworking, honest and bring many talents and skills to the table,” says McCracken, creator of the Friend 2 Friend Model and programs and Founder/Executive director of Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society.

Friend 2 Friend’s Demystifying Autism in the Workplace program focuses on teaching employers and co-workers the necessary skills to include individuals on the autism spectrum in the workplace. The program works to promote understanding, acceptance and empathy to enhance peer social relations, productivity and a safe and healthy environment for all. The program teaches employers and co-workers effective, prosocial communication strategies and provides ongoing support to ensure the ultimate success of the program. Benefits for employers include gaining access to an enormous untapped talent pool of highly capable workers while at the same time creating an inclusive educated workplace.

 “Our vision has always been to create a community, and now a workplace, where individuals on the autism spectrum would find the support they require to be contributing members and to feel accepted for who they are,” says McCracken. “My son [who was the inspiration for the design of the program 15 years ago] is now 20, is finishing post secondary education and will be entering into the workforce shortly. I know the stumbling block to employment will not be his abilities or skills; rather, it will be, as it always has been, that his employer and co-workers will not understand his unique kind of mind. It is my hope that our new Demystifying Autism in the Workplace program will help to create inclusive workplaces for individuals like my son and continue the mission of Friend 2 Friend to change the world one mind at a time.”

Friend 2 Friend has over a decade of experience designing and delivering their unique and innovative autism demystification programs to 175,000 children and young adults in BC, Canada, the US and abroad, with satellite organizations in Alberta, Vermont, San Francisco and another underway in Germany.

Employers interested in participating in the pilot project please contact Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society at friend2friend@shaw.ca For more information visit our online press room at www.friend2friendsociety.org/contact/press-room or contact us at:

URL: www.friend2friendsociety.org, Email: friend2friend@shaw.ca

Twitter @F2FHeather, @F2FPlayCentre


Heather McCracken
Cell: 604-528-0560

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Think F2F-IPG program service fees too high – take a closer look!

Recently we at Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society have heard talk/gossip that our services fees for the Friend 2 Friend-Integrated Play Groups (F2F-IPG) are “too high”. If you just look at the fees and do not research the actual program, it might look like the fees are high on the surface. We encourage you to “take a closer look” because...

Each F2F-IPG program requires 72 hours of a Master Guide’s (Master Guide is the equivalent to a Behaviour Consultant or higher) time for each program. All F2F Master Guides hold a master’s degree (or are working towards) in Speech and language, Occupational Therapy, Psychology or Special Education. They run every program – they are not just consultants they are hands on with the children. And, they have spent at least one year training in the F2F and IPG models.

Each F2F-IPG program requires 40-45 hours of a Play Guide’s (Play Guide is the equivalent of a Behavioural Interventionist or higher) time for each program. All Play Guides have undergraduate or graduate degrees in related fields as well.

Each F2F-IPG program requires 18-25 hours of the director’s/IPG supervisors time for every IPG program. Heather McCracken is the only IPG supervisor (meaning permitted to train others) in the world outside of Dr. Wolfberg. And, Friend 2 Friend is the only organization in Canada endorsed by Dr. Wolfberg to deliver the IPG model.

Each F2F-IPG program is individually designed to meet the child’s needs. We do 8 weeks of assessment (no extra charge).

Each F2F-IPG program includes a full written report with goals and strategies (no extra charge).

Each F2F-IPG program includes written session notes after every play group session (no extra charge).

Each F2F-IPG program provides all the transactional supports to families (no extra charge) such as Social Stories™, visual schedules, Autism Demystification Packaged Programs, etc.

Each F2F-IPG program includes a 90-minute parent training session (no extra charge).

Each F2F-IPG program includes monthly parent support groups (no extra charge).

Each F2F-IPG program includes all the materials, play and otherwise (no extra charge)  – have you seen the Play Centre – it’s amazing!

Each F2F-IPG program consists of 1 or 2 novice players (no more then 2 children with autism or related needs) and 2-3 expert players (typically developing peers and siblings).

Each F2F-IPG program includes 2-3 expert players who attend completely free of charge.

Each F2F-IPG program is 1 hour long. However, we extend the time if we feel the children can do it, up to a 90-minute session (no extra charge).

If a family comes to us with no autism funding, or are waiting on funding and wants our services, we provide them a program completely free of charge.

AND, for families who have exhausted their autism funding, we reduce our rates and or provide free programs whenever we can.

If a family whose child is participating in the F2F-IPG requests extra services, we often provide those completely free of charge as well (IEP meetings, team meetings, videotape, extra reporting, etc.).

But don't take our word for it. Talk to a parent whose child is currently participating in a Friend 2 Friend – Integrated Play Groups program or read the testimonials on our website.

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Back to School – No Sigh of Relief For Children without Friends

75% of children with autism experience bullying, exclusion, loneliness and anxiety in the school environments. Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society seeks to address these challenges by providing education to families and professionals during our highly anticipated 2013 Integrated Play Groups Conference on Sept. 27th-28th at Vancouver Hillel, UBC. Learn to support children with autism AND their typically developing peers.  For more information and registration: http://www.friend2friendsociety.org/adult-programs/integrated-play-groups-conference/

URL: www.friend2friendsociety.org, Email: friend2friend@shaw.ca

http://research.news.yorku.ca/2012/02/28/youth-with-autism-face-higher-rates-of-bullying-says-study-of-parents/

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“Now Everyone Can Know How I Feel!” Understanding Emotional Regulation and the Autism Spectrum by Heather McCracken

We all have experienced at one time or another the fight or flight response  – this is a natural human reaction to being extremely dysregulated.

As we grow and mature we generally get better at staying well regulated (ready and available for engaging and learning) and at regulating ourselves even during stressful situations. The strategies we use for staying well regulated are uniquely our own and sometimes a little unconventional.

Emotional dysregulation is, in itself, a spectrum. You can be mildly dysregulated to extremely dysregulated or anywhere in between. Many different factors or stimuli, such as lack of sleep or exercise, poor diet, sensory stimuli, or any type of negative or positive experiences may cause you to feel dysregulated. Therefore, the strategies we use to stay or become well regulated also vary. Regardless of whether you are crying or laughing, if you cannot control your emotional state, then you are extremely dysregulated.

Most of us need a little help staying well regulated from time to time. Sometimes we need a walk, a hug, to yell, scream, cry, or even talk to a trusted friend. Individuals on the autism spectrum are no exception. In fact, many individuals say they experience their own and other people’s emotions with great intensity, even when the emotions are subtle. 

Many individuals with autism experience extreme emotional dysregulation in the school or classroom environment. This is because the sensory, communication, and social expectations in these environments are very difficult for individuals on the spectrum to process. In an effort to support individuals on the autism spectrum in inclusive settings, Friend 2 Friend prepares children with autism and their peers by designing a “What’s My Number?” communication board and system of supports. This activity teaches children to recognize, identify, express and reflect on their emotional state using emotional “check-ins” regularly throughout the child’s day.

At the Friend 2 Friend Play Centre, the Play Guides (adult facilitators) model how to use the “What’s My Number?” emotional regulation board by taking their picture and putting it next to the number (1-5) that best represent their emotional state. The play guide will also say, “I am feeling at a 2”. The Master Guide will encourage a player to then ask, “Why do you feel like you are at a 2?” to model reflection and support common focus.

All of the children (novice and expert players) in the group then take turns sharing what their number is at the beginning (opening ritual) and end (closing ritual) of each play group. If a child becomes dysregulated at any time during play group he or she is encouraged to revisit the “What’s My Number” communication board for an “emotional check-in” where the above process is repeated with the player. This visual, tactile and auditory activity supports children to learn about their emotional state, giving them a strong foundation for staying well regulated, even during stressful times.

Many children (and adults) have difficulty regulating their own emotional states. But when we learn how to say, “I am at a 4” this give us a means to recognize, identify, express and reflect on our emotional state, thereby reducing anxiety and increasing understanding, acceptance and empathy for the people around us.

Join us on September 27 & 28th at UBC to learn more about the Friend 2 Friend Integrated Play Groups programs. For more information on the F2F-IPG Conference/Fundraiser, please see this link: http://www.friend2friendsociety.org/adult-programs/integrated-play-groups-conference/

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Fall Fundraiser to provide free programs to children with autism and their peers

Vancouver, B.C., Canada – Friend 2 Friend announces a fall fundraiser to benefit children with autism and their peers with free Play Centre programs.

 “What do you remember most about childhood? The answer is almost always friends,” says McCracken founder and executive director of Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society. “Friendships are what motivate us to get up in the morning and go to school and to work. Imagine what it must be like for a child on the autism spectrum to never be invited to play after school or go to a birthday party.”

These elements of loneliness and exclusion are exactly what Friend 2 Friend seeks to address. The Vancouver based, non-government funded, not-for-profit charity facilitates friendships and peer social relationships between children with autism and their peers. Last September the decade-old organization launched their state-of-art play centre in East Vancouver and started offering their centre based Integrated Play Groups programs. “The Centre based programs, like all Friend 2 Friend Programs, are offered to families at 1/3 of the cost to the Society. But for many families any fee is too much, so the Society does its best to offer families in need our programs completely free of charge,” says McCracken.

In order to further this goal, Friend 2 Friend is hosting the 2013 Integrated Play Conference on September 27th and 28th at the Vancouver Hillel, UBC. This fundraising conference, featuring peer play expert Dr. Pamela Wolfberg (Professor at San Francisco State University), will offer attendees the opportunity to learn the principles and practices of the Friend 2 Friend – Integrated Play Groups program. At the same time, help raise funds to supply children with autism and their families unique and innovative programs completely free of charge.

Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society was founded in 2002 by Heather McCracken — a parent of three, including a son who has autism. The nonprofit charity provides innovative social, communication, peer play and friendship programs to children on the autism spectrum and with related needs throughout B.C., Canada, the United States and internationally.

For more information visit our online press room at www.friend2friendsociety.org/contact/press-room or contact us at: 

URL: www.friend2friendsociety.org, Email: friend2friend@shaw.ca

Twitter @F2FHeather, @F2FPlayCentre

Jennifer Jacobs

Cell: 604-528-0560

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The Friend 2 Friend Play Centre in Autism Parent Magazine

The Friend 2 Friend Play Centre, A Safe Haven Where Children With Autism and Their Peers Find The support They Need To Play and Make Friends

https://s3.amazonaws.com/AutismParentingPdfs/AP_5_web.pdf 

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Friend 2 Friend Play Centre Lights It Up Blue for International Autism Awareness Month!

http://www.friend2friendsociety.org/play-centre-lights-it-up-blue/