Category: Employment

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April 24, 2020

#WeBelieve that every individual with autism should be supported during important transitions into adulthood.

Sebastian Ralphs is not only one of our longest tenured participants – he is one of our most active volunteers! He has used a lifetime of experiences to build confidence, gain life skills and secure meaningful employment. This is his story.

“Living a life I like”

Hi, I’m Sebastian Ralphs. I‘ve been a Canucks Autism Network (CAN) member since it was founded in 2008. First, I was a participant. Then in 2014, I became a volunteer to help other kids with autism. I’ve done so many fun things and learned so much at CAN. Let me tell you about it!

My family and I first heard about CAN from our neighbours, whose daughter worked there. My first activities with CAN were horseback riding at a stable in Southlands and golfing at the driving range with a golf pro.

These experiences were programs that were piloted in CAN’s early years before we shifted our focus on our current sports & rec offerings. Sebastian has been with us for a long time!

I did a lot of summer camps with CAN which helped me be more confident with things like high ropes and rock climbing. I was a little scared with those at the beginning, but the staff and volunteers helped me. I did many years of soccer and swimming until I moved on to CAN’s youth and adult programs.

Sebastian at 14 years old with his friend Tilman. CAN Overnight Camp in 2011.

One of my favourite programs was the CAN music program with the Sarah McLachlan School of Music. I was in the first-ever class that was offered. And that made me happy because I love music. I met new friends and also my first girlfriend in the music classes.

We learned to sing as a choir and also play percussion. Our choir sang at the first CAN Reveal Gala, and we sang “Ice Cream”.

I even shared a microphone with Sarah McLachlan herself!

I was able to do the music program for two years as a participant – and then two more as a volunteer.

My mom first told me about the opportunity to volunteer with CAN back in 2014. I really wanted to do it so I could help other kids with autism. My first volunteer position was at the soccer program. I only expected to do things like set up and take down equipment.

So I was happy that I got to lead warm-ups and stretching and demonstrate skills that I had first learned as a participant.

I have been a volunteer in the Explore Volunteering program, where I helped other youth and adults with autism with various tasks, like making a forest trail and stocking clothing at the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store.

This program is for youth and adults with autism to sample volunteer opportunities in the community. As an experienced volunteer already, Sebastian helped out in a ‘peer support’ capacity, providing a positive role model for our participants!

Sebastian has additionally participated in one of our first two Translink Accessibility Tours for youth and adults with autism. View video of the first CAN x Translink Accessibility Tour.

I’ve also really enjoyed volunteering at many community events, like CAN’s info booth at Canucks games, family events like Sports Day and fundraisers like the Reveal Gala. I see so many friends and people I know from so many years at CAN.

I’ve been able to do so many fun things, like being a people greeter, assisting at information booths, giving kids stickers and demonstrating games to kids.

CAN has helped me be more social and confident in connecting with other people.

Volunteering with CAN even helped me get another volunteer job as a Sun Run clinic leader at Dunbar Community Centre for the last 4 years. My volunteer experience also helped me get a paid job at Vancity Credit Union.  I’m not doing any of my jobs now because of the pandemic, but hopefully it will end soon.

I am proud that I have these jobs. CAN is helping me have a life I like!

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: “Be friendly to one another”

Behind the scenes with the Reveal Gala choir

Sylvain Formo: Changing my thoughts about autism

Former hockey player gives back at CAN skate

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At the 2019 Canucks Alumni Charity Golf Tournament, Sylvain Formo delivered this speech in front of a room of former NHL players, tournament participants and guests.

My name is Sylvain Formo and I am 23 years old. I’ve been a member of Canucks Autism Network (CAN) since it was founded in 2008. During that time, they have completely changed my thoughts about having autism. And what a person with autism can do in their community.

Growing up was difficult. When I was younger, I had problems talking and being understood by others. Except for my mom, who always knew what was going on. At school, I struggled the most, where social interactions and speech were the most important.

But I always loved hockey and goaltender was my favourite position growing up. It was hard to participate in sports too. I seemed to learn and interact with my teammates a little differently. In a dressing room of 20 or more people, I never really knew how to talk to the other players.

Then in 2014, Canucks Autism Network started a hockey program — the Vancouver Orcas. The difference was huge in the support I received. There were more than 20 staff and volunteers with us. And they understood everything we were going through.

Sylvain (goalie; third from right in back row) on CAN’s inaugural hockey team in 2014.

At 18, I aged out of the program. And as CAN didn’t have an adult program yet, they asked me to volunteer. That is when I found my calling to be a goalie coach.

Learn more about volunteering with Canucks Autism Network

At first, it was just a way to stay involved with the team and be with the guys that I liked playing with. It was challenging. I wasn’t sure how to support these guys that once were my teammates.

But just like when I was a participant, the staff and volunteers carried me along. They gradually gave me the responsibility to lead activities, like team stretches and other drills.

I began to work with the Vancouver team’s goalie. Then, two goalies. I began helping out at the Surrey location a little bit too. After each practice, I started doing my own research on goalie drills through the Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and Finland Hockey websites.

Sylvain instructs one of the Vancouver Orcas’ goalies during a CAN hockey scrimmage at Rogers Arena

After a couple years as a volunteer, one of the CAN staff approached me and said, “You know you’re doing the job of a staff member now? Working one on one with the kids and developing lesson plans?”

This encouraged me to think of the possibilities. CAN offered me a position as goalie coach in the hockey program. And this past April, I just completed my second full season as a a staff member.

From participant to volunteer to staff, my involvement with Canucks Autism Network has changed my life profoundly. They have supported and encouraged me for over a decade and have pushed me to strive for greater things and better things in my life.

With every CAN program I participated in, volunteered in or worked at, I have learned more about myself. I have gained skills that have carried me forward not only in my employment with CAN, but into my personal life.

CAN has changed my attitude towards the goals I had set for myself. They have given me a newfound sense of confidence that anything is possible. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

But there are so many other kids, teens and young adults who need the continued support of CAN programs. In BC, 1 in 46 children have autism. That is over 16,000 children province-wide.

With your support, you can help us grow our programs and reach out to the autism community. You can help Canucks Autism Network impact lives, like they did for me.

READ MORE: Goalie with autism finds calling coaching CAN hockey

LEARN MORE: Support Canucks Autism Network programs

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Oct 25, 2018

This story was first featured by the Presidents Group, a network of change-driven BC business leaders who are champions or more accessible, inclusive workplaces.

“When I started working at Canucks Autism Network (CAN), I was shy and nervous about making mistakes. Today, I’m responsible for a variety of tasks – from inventory to data entry. The best part is that I get to help CAN families.” -Siobhan Doyle, Office Assistant

Siobhan Doyle is one of two young adults with autism who works part-time in the CAN office.  As a long-time participant who currently accesses CAN youth and young adult programs, she wanted to give back to the organization that had helped her. In turn, she has become an incredible asset to the team.

A passionate Vancouver Canucks fan, Siobhan first developed a level of familiarity and comfort with the organization and their staff as a participant. So when her Job Readiness Program at Douglas College tasked her with securing a practicum, she naturally reached out to the CAN office.

Like any employee, Siobhan entered her first job with a set of unique strengths and challenges. Joining the CAN office team as an administrative intern, her co-workers immediately recognized her exemplary work ethic.

In particular, Siobhan demonstrated a desire and aptitude to perform repetitive tasks that most staff would find monotonous. She was assigned to data entry, photocopying, filing and general administrative duties – all of which she completed with commendable focus.

However, as Siobhan recalls, it was not a seamless transition into the workforce. “I was mostly quiet and kept to myself. I was in a new environment, didn’t know my co-workers yet, and was nervous about making mistakes.”

A young adult woman sits an office desk
Siobhan in her first year as Office Assistant in 2014

Recognizing the need to ease Siobhan into the demands and nuances of office communication, CAN assigned her with a dedicated supervisor who was able to model proper social and workplace behaviour.

“What I would emphasize to other potential employers is that although I had an understanding of autism, I wasn’t an expert.” explained Amy, CAN’s Manager of Membership Services and Siobhan’s long-time supervisor. “More importantly, we approached Siobhan’s employment with open-mindedness and a willingness to try.”

Despite being an autism organization, CAN did not make assumptions about the type of support that Siobhan would need to succeed in the office environment. Understanding that she, like any other employee, is a unique individual with her own working style, they asked her directly what would help her succeed.

“It was really helpful to have written lists and visual step-by-step instructions on how to complete each task,” Siobhan explained. By providing her with a visual reference in addition to verbal instruction, Siobhan could work independently and refer back to tangible guidelines to confirm the expectations of the task.

By the time Siobhan’s practicum came to an end, she was invited to stay in a part-time capacity to continue contributing her skills to the team.

A group of youth and young adult women in green shirts pose for a celebratory group photo at an outdoor festival.
Siobhan (middle) also volunteers her time at key events, such as the CAN Family Festival in 2014 (pictured).

Among the many roles that she fulfills within the office today, Siobhan is responsible for compiling all coaches’ binders that go out to the 50+ CAN programs on a quarterly basis. Containing participant, staff and volunteer information, curricula, emergency procedures and more, the binder is a critical resource for the success of CAN’s province-wide sports and recreation programs.

When Siobhan isn’t occupied with administrative tasks in the office, you can catch her discussing her favourite Canucks players, reminiscing the most recent softball game (she plays on the office’s rec team), or inviting her co-workers out for a coffee run to Starbucks.

By investing additional time in Siobhan’s training, CAN was not only able to uncover her innate capabilities, they were able to benefit from her incredible work ethic, dedication and skill set. After nearly five years of working in the office, it is clear that Siobhan is a loyal and motivated employee who is delighted to be contributing to the overall success of the organization.

Canucks Autism Network is proud to have followed the lead of other inclusive employers and hopes that more organizations continue to pave the way towards workplace diversity.

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Sep 7, 2018

This story was first featured through the Presidents Group, a network of BC business leaders committed to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities in BC. View the original story.

“Coaching the kids, I see myself when I was their age. Growing up with autism, I remember feeling that anxiety. Goaltending is high stress on its own. But because I have experienced those breaking points first-hand, I know to go at their pace.”

Having first joined Canucks Autism Network (CAN) nearly 10 years ago, Sylvain Formo has progressed from participant to volunteer to staff. As a volunteer in their hockey program, Sylvain used his experience as both an individual with autism and a former goalie to go above and beyond in mentoring CAN’s young athletes.

Recognizing the need for his unique background and expertise, CAN innovated a new position within the program and hired Sylvain as their goalie coach. This is his incredible story.

A mother and son ice skate together.
Sylvain and his mother nearly 10 years ago at our first-ever Family Skate at GM Place (now Rogers Arena).

Since our inaugural year in 2008, Sylvain and his mother have accessed CAN programs and events. When CAN expanded to include a hockey program in 2014, he immediately jumped at the opportunity. As a former competitive ringette goalie, Sylvain excelled as the Vancouver Orcas’ netminder.

After aging out of the program, Sylvain approached the organization with a desire to give back. Volunteering for CAN Hockey, he saw an opportunity to create the same positive experiences for children and youth with autism that he benefited from.

Given his experience, Sylvain knew that he had a unique insight into the needs of the program. Unlike other volunteers and coaches within the program, Sylvain understood first-hand what it was like to live with the anxiety and apprehension often associated with autism – let alone the pressure that only a goalie understands. As illustrated by Sylvain, “It takes a special person to willingly stand in front of hockey pucks. And as goalie, you can’t help but feel like each goal is entirely your fault.”

But despite his desire to share his knowledge and insight, Sylvain arrived nervous at each practice, unsure of his ability to lead.

The staff recognized Sylvain’s apprehension and slowly eased him into the responsibilities of being a volunteer. Mentored by the program’s on-site coordinator, Megan Mereniuk, he was encouraged to start by simply leading group stretches at the start of each practice. Gradually, Megan helped Sylvain progress into facilitating more drills and activities, while teaching him the basics of coaching children with autism.

Sylvain’s confidence grew. Having established a trusting relationship with his supervisor, he approached Megan with the idea of preparing a separate lesson plan for the team’s goalie. At home, Sylvain spent hours researching lesson plans on Hockey Canada’s website. Before long, he had developed individualized drills and targets that were even adapted to incorporate the goalie’s love for Mario and Nintendo.

“That was the turning point for me,” recalls Sylvain. “I’m a planner and I have to feel prepared before I do anything. If I don’t expect something coming, it brings up a lot of anxiety.”

Beyond his off-ice preparations, Sylvain began applying his self-awareness about autism and anxiety to inform his interactions with the participants. For example, after noticing that one of the goalies loved books, Sylvain made sure that he had an opportunity to read before hitting the ice to calm his nerves.

“He understands the kids like no one else does,” explained Megan. “Often times, Sylvain is the first one to recognize when a participant is becoming anxious or may need to some extra attention.”

It became clear that his acute awareness and expertise with the program’s goalies was becoming indispensably valuable. Recognizing that Sylvain was in a position to provide unique value to the team, CAN created the role of goalie coach and immediately hired him for the job.

A man smiling.

With endless humility, Sylvain credits CAN’s staff for recognizing his abilities, but being patient with him when he began as a volunteer. It is the same approach he now takes to coaching CAN’s young athletes.

When asked if he would be interested in offering his skills for other CAN programs, like swim, soccer or basketball, Sylvain replied without skipping a beat:

“Absolutely. Working at CAN is when I feel most like me. The best part is that I get to help other kids with autism feel like their best selves too.”

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May 25, 2018

Canucks Autism Network (CAN) is thrilled to announce that Robbie Hsieh has joined our office team in the position of Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.

In this newly-created role at CAN, made possible through a generous multi-year grant from the North Growth Foundation, Robbie will be working alongside volunteers and staff with autism or other identified barriers to employment. This will include creating accessible recruitment processes for new applicants, creating supportive employment opportunities and developing youth and young adult programming focused on leadership and personal development.

To support these new initiatives and the evolution of CAN’s current youth and young adult programs, Robbie will be working in partnership with CAN’s new Youth Advisory Committee (stay tuned for further details on this new committee).

Robbie brings with him a highly extensive background working in CAN programs and a wealth of experience facilitating employment opportunities in the community.  Robbie first joined CAN as a volunteer in 2012. In the six-and-a-half years since, countless children, youth, young adults and families with autism have benefited from Robbie’s enthusiasm and expertise as both a program staff and volunteer.A male child and a male adult pose for a photo on an outdoor field.

Outside of CAN, Robbie previously worked for Open Door Group as Associate Program Director, connecting numerous individuals with disabilities to successful job opportunities.  Robbie is also currently a Social Innovation Fellow at RADIUS SFU, where he is working with other local change makers to address challenges in refugee and newcomer settlement and integration, health promotion, the future of education, and the future of work in Vancouver.

As CAN celebrates its 10th anniversary of creating barrier-free and accessible environments for individuals and families with autism across BC, we are thrilled to be expanding these efforts within our hiring processes.

“I am extremely excited to be joining CAN in this position,” said Robbie. “CAN’s vision is for every individual with autism to be understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces, and I am very excited to work alongside individuals with autism to advance our employment and leadership initiatives to further this vision province-wide.”

Robbie’s work will also extend outside of our walls, as he works with community partners to share CAN’s knowledge about autism in the workplace and facilitate bridging opportunities for community placements.  Robbie has already initiated conversations with a number of community groups and is eager to connect CAN’s volunteers and staff to other exciting opportunities in their local communities.

In all of these activities, Robbie looks forward to working closely with all key stakeholder groups, including CAN’s Youth Advisory Committee, other self-advocates, community partners, and supporters of accessible employment across the province.

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