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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!

“It’s important to accept, be open to everyone and enjoy everyone’s unique and individual personalities and abilities,” Natanya said.

As a young woman on the spectrum, her lived experience fuels the understanding and compassion she brings to our programs. Natanya has been with CAN for just over two years. Before being hired as a support worker, she started as a volunteer, supporting kids in our summer programs.

In addition to supporting CAN camps & weekly programs, Natanya (2nd from right) has also volunteered at fundraisers & family experiences!

“My favourite memory at CAN was Overnight Camp on Keats. I remember encouraging one of the campers to let me take him out on the water in a kayak. We saw dozens of seals. His excitement was so rewarding.”

That summer alone, Natanya volunteered in two week-long summer day camps and a full three days at Keats – tirelessly supporting our participants in a range of scenarios.

The following season, Natanya jumped in the pool to support our weekly swimming lessons. Overseeing our swim program at our JCC location in Vancouver was Kaitlin Sterndale-Bennett. Recalling Natanya’s time as a volunteer, Kaitlin had particularly high praise:

“I cannot speak highly enough about Natanya. As a volunteer, she was naturally responsive to the kids, excellent with our visual tools and calm under pressure. She was one of the strongest individuals in the pool.”

Needless to say, Natanya was quickly hired on as a support worker. Her tireless energy, natural ability and clear dedication to helping others are such a benefit to our participants.

Today, she works in CAN’s Active, Multisport, Skate and Music programs.

“I want people to know that people on the autism spectrum are just like everyone else. We have goals and dreams. And we work hard to be successful and achieve them.”

We are so lucky to have individuals like Natanya supporting our participants and families. In addition to guiding our participants in their skill development, she is showcasing first-hand how individuals on the spectrum can lead the way in their community.

Read more from individuals on the spectrum:

Sebastian: Living a life I like

Sylvain: Changing my thoughts about autism

Jack speaks in front of entire school

Nate: What I want you to know about autism

Ryan: “This will all be over soon. I promise!”

Dec 4, 2018

There are so many dedicated and passionate individuals that go into the success of each of our programs. Each year, we employ over 250 program staff and benefit from over 600 volunteers.

While reviewing your comments from recent parent and participant surveys, we have recognized that the program roles of our staff and volunteers may be unclear to all of our members. At the majority of CAN programs, there are four roles:

Support Team (Black shirt): CAN Support Team are paid staff who oversee the behaviour support provided to each participant. They work closely with participants, caregivers, staff and volunteers to ensure that each participant grows towards achieve their own definition of success.

Support Team are responsible for writing behaviour support plans in collaboration with participants and caregivers, and training Support Workers to implement these plans. In addition, the Support Team is the primary communication liaison with both the CAN office and any non-CAN facility staff.

Coach (Blue shirt): CAN Coaches are paid staff who are responsible for implementing the CAN curriculum for each program and creating lesson plans that are customized for each group. CAN Coaches are skilled in the activity they lead and provide guidance to Support Workers about appropriate skill progressions to help each participant reach their full potential and gain new skills.

Support Worker (Blue shirt): CAN Support Workers are paid staff whose primary responsibility is to make sure each participant achieves their own definition of success. Support Workers support participants under the direction of Coaches and Support Team alongside volunteers. Support Workers may be assigned to support multiple participants.

Volunteer (Green shirt): CAN Volunteers are community members who donate their time to support CAN programs. Volunteers are often looking for additional experience in supporting individuals with autism and provide crucial help by assisting staff members to support participants, setting up and cleaning up equipment, and contributing positive energy to ensure that each CAN program feels fun, safe and supported.

See more articles like this:
Who gets into programs?
Why aren’t swim programs longer?
Why are programs offered at less than ideal times of the week?
Why I volunteer for CAN: Kyle Boyle

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.”

RETURN TO BLOG HOME

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.