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September 28, 2022

Hi there!

We’re your new Program Coordinators! We work in the office and oversee all Lower Mainland children’s programs. As a team we value being approachable, collaborative, adaptable and working together as a unified team.

Here’s what we do:

Develop curriculums & schedules based on member needs & interests
Book facilities & maintain partnerships with program partners
Guide our Training Team in providing resources to our participants & staff
Guide Onsite Supervisors in their on-the-ground support of program staff

While Onsite Supervisors are your go-to for any day-to-day questions in programs, the Program Coordinator team is your support system in the office.

We want to foster a place where staff can learn, grow & develop professionally. You will see Program Coordinators regularly supporting and representing CAN within our programs and at major events!

Our goal is to provide a safe and welcoming place for everyone while upholding CAN’s vision and our values.

Julia Sawers

Julia (she/her) is a graduate of Dalhousie University with a Combined Honours degree in Psychology and Law, Justice and Society.

After spending four years in Halifax, Julia recently swapped out the east coast for the west coast. Julia has worked previously at the Autism Research Centre in Nova Scotia and at Autism Nova Scotia, in addition to working at the Early Phase Psychosis Unit while writing her thesis.

Julia played competitive basketball for over 10 years until retiring after moving across the country to attend University. She is looking forward to playing a part in ensuring every individual has an opportunity to access and enjoy the countless benefits of sports and recreation that she was able to experience during her basketball years.

She is thrilled to start this next chapter with CAN and to grow alongside this team!

Fun Fact: Julia loves to travel and had the opportunity to live for six months in Bath, England on an exchange prior to COVID. Julia also has a twin … brother!

Katie Ashley

Katie (she/her) is a graduate of Dalhousie University with a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Therapeutic Recreation. After six years in Halifax, she moved back to her hometown on the west coast to attend the University of British Columbia where she completed her master’s degree in Special Education, specializing in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Katie has spent the last seven years working with autistic individuals, as well as individuals with other disabilities, in community and home settings. During this time, she worked with her clients to build self-care skills, daily living skills, and utilized recreation and sport to enhance their lives.

With a background in therapeutic recreation and being an avid lover of sports and all things leisure, Katie cannot wait to help foster this love in others by playing a part in providing inclusive, accessible, enjoyable, and meaningful experiences at CAN!

Fun fact: During her free time, you can find Katie either on a surfboard behind a boat, on skis at a local mountain, or at the pottery studio making all kinds of ceramics!

Laurel Curtis

Laurel (she/her) grew up on Vancouver Island and spent much of her childhood exploring the beautiful outdoors that BC has to offer.

Laurel has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has worked at BC Children’s as a nurse in various wards and clinics since graduating from the University of British Columbia. Prior to switching degrees to nursing, she completed three years in Kinesiology focusing on adapting programs and improving accessible recreation. During her summers, she worked for overnight camps including leading multi-day trips.

She has worked as a coach and support worker for CAN for many years in a variety of programs, including most recently as the Summer Day Camp Coordinator. Laurel can’t wait to support CAN’s programs on a larger scale.

Fun Fact: Laurel LOVES pickles and her favourite food is pickle-flavoured hummus. (You’re welcome for your new favourite snack!)

Donné Davidson

Donné (she/ her) comes into this position with 11 years experience working as a Special Education Teacher Assistant, eight years of Recreational Access, and two years with CAN as a Support Worker and Onsite Supervisor.

Being active has always been a part of her life as a competitive swimmer and basketball player during her high school career. From those experiences she has passed her love of sports to high schoolers by coaching multiple sports such as basketball, swimming, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and rugby.

Through her work, Donné has developed a passion for creating welcoming environments for all with, a special place in her heart for those on the autism spectrum.

Fun Fact: Donné was born in South Africa and really enjoys being outside. You can often find her camping, in the water, or on the water kayaking.

The new Program Coordinator team is excited to provide inclusive, accessible, enjoyable, and meaningful experiences.

We are here for our members, staff and volunteers. We value being approachable, collaborative, adaptable, and working together as a unified team.

The team cannot wait to meet you in person!

This past December, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) Manager of Programs, Elisabeth Walker-Young, received the incredible honour of being named to the Order of Canada. As per a statement from the Governor General, Elisabeth has been appointed “for her excellence in the sport of swimming and for her advocacy of inclusive sport in Canada.”

We are overjoyed that Elisabeth’s tireless work to promote accessibility has been so highly recognized on a national level. We welcomed Elisabeth to our office team in September 2017. She joined CAN as a highly-experienced advocate and changemaker for inclusion in sports — both as an athlete and a professional.

As a competitive swimmer, Elisabeth is a four-time Paralympian that has won three gold medals for Team Canada. At the 2015 ParaPanAmerican Games, she was chosen for the role of chef de mission (official leader and spokesperson) for Team Canada – an honour that foreshadowed her career in affecting positive change.

Photo from games.paralympic.ca.

After retiring from competition, Elisabeth took on managerial roles with ParaSport Ontario, Curl BC, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and viaSport BC, before joining CAN.

In celebration of her appointment, Elisabeth was interviewed this week by Accessible Media Inc (AMI) in Toronto. In addition to speaking about her lived experience as an athlete with a disability, Elisabeth reflected on the province-wide impact on individuals and families living with autism that she now helps oversee with CAN.

“I absolutely love [working at CAN], because it’s an organization that truly believes in sharing their knowledge. We provide that intro to sports, but a huge part of what we do is training,” Elisabeth explained.

Listen to the full 14-minute interview with AMI.

“From a capacity issue, we can’t offer [every possible sports and rec program], so we train the sports sector, recreation sector, first responders. We train anyone in the community to be inclusive and to understand what autism is so that there are more positive experiences in the community.”

On being named to the Order of Canada, Elisabeth had this to say: “It’s a huge honour, but my work isn’t done. I know there’s still so much more to do and so much more to give.”

With passionate leaders like Elisabeth at the helm of our province-wide efforts, we are so excited for what the future of CAN programs, training and awareness initiatives holds.

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Jan 8, 2019

FREE E-LEARNING MODULE LAUNCHES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BC PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

In an innovative effort to increase accessibility for individuals with autism in community recreation, Canucks Autism Network (CAN), in partnership with BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), has launched a free E-Learning Module for recreation providers across BC. Funded by the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD), the online resource represents an unprecedented collaborative effort among government, recreation, and the non-profit autism sector.

The one-hour online module outlines behaviours associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as effective strategies for supporting children and youth with autism in recreation settings. The interactive module also highlights interviews with experienced recreation leaders who have successfully implemented these strategies, which include communication tips, behavior support, and teaching tools. The E-Learning Module can be accessed at no cost at elearn.bcrpa.bc.ca or canucksautism.ca/recreation.

“Canucks Autism Network has been providing workshops to the recreation sector since 2012, and demand grows exponentially every year,” said Dr. Stephanie Jull, VP of Programs and Training at Canucks Autism Network. “This new online training module provides an exciting opportunity to spread knowledge and build capacity across BC and beyond, creating a positive impact for the thousands of families living with autism in our province.”

The project began after CAN successfully pitched the need for a widely-accessible online resource to the MCFD in 2017. With 1 in 66 Canadian children diagnosed with autism, and over 16,000 children and youth with autism in BC alone, MCFD recognized the growing need for community accessibility.

“All kids deserve the opportunity to participate in sports and other activities,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development. “I’m pleased that MCFD could collaborate with CAN and BCRPA to bring this specialized training to recreation providers so that they can provide the supports kids need to join in with their peers.”

Research shows that individuals with autism are far less likely to participate in community recreation than their typically-developing peers. Furthermore, research indicates that physical activity can increase attention and cognition while decreasing anxiety, among children and youth with autism.

“We are thrilled to be presenting this valuable E-learning module in partnership with CAN, said Rebecca Tunnacliffe, CEO of BCRPA. Our members who manage and work in recreation facilities across BC hold very highly the importance of creating a positive experience for all their participants. This module will directly assist staff to amplify their awareness of the needs of autistic individuals, and implement strategies to provide them with a positive experience so they will want to return again and again.”

Since 2012, CAN’s province-wide team of training facilitators has delivered hundreds of workshops to well over 10,000 individuals in the public sector across BC. In addition to supporting the sport and recreation sectors, CAN’s live training team builds capacity for first responders, education staff, and a variety community spaces including YVR, Science World, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

CAN is proud to unveil three online training resources for various sectors in January 2019. In addition to the launch of the E-Learning Module for recreation providers, CAN has also released an online training module for first responders and will be unveiling an online resource for sport coaches in late January.

For more information, or to book a live training workshop, please visit canucksautism.ca/training.

Tag: recreation