Tag: volunteer

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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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Aug 2, 2018

By Keara Farnan

As a 22-year-old woman on the autism spectrum, I have certainly faced extremely challenging situations throughout my life and still continue to.

I live with significant social anxiety and depression. I’m not the most confident person, so trying to lead a normal social life is a challenge. Making conversation is quite difficult for me as I’m never sure how to approach new people. Growing up, I was rejected by many individuals who did not care to understand what having autism meant. I lived in a state of constant distress and agitation – often hanging out alone and waiting for the phone to ring.

Excluded by my peers, I questioned my self-worth and whether it was okay to have autism. However, over time, I have learned to appreciate who I am. Someone once told me, “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” And I believe this to be very true.

In addition to improving my self-image, I’ve learned that I can also help manage my anxiety by doing the things I love. For me, these things include writing, working out and being a part of the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) community.

I’ve been a CAN participant since 2011 and even began volunteering for the organization a few years later. CAN is my safe place, because I’m free to be whoever I choose and everyone accepts me for who I am.

One of my most cherished memories is the first time I went to CAN Overnight Camp in the summer of 2016. I was quite nervous to be away from home, especially since there were many CAN participants I didn’t know very well. But paired with an extremely understanding support worker for the entire weekend, I felt so at ease. She was kind and non-judgemental about the social anxiety that I struggled with. With her support, Overnight Camp was among the most memorable experience of my life. The weekend was packed with activities, but my favourites were archery and making paracord bracelets.

A female support worker and young adult female camper sit together while making paracord bracelets.

While Overnight Camp has given me a weekend that I can fondly look back at, CAN’s year-round social programs have provided me with a regular way to stay involved. In North Vancouver, the Weekly Social Group allows me to get to know CAN staff, volunteers and participants over the course of 6 weeks in the Fall, Winter and Spring. By meeting weekly with the same group of young adults, I feel more confident in building rapport and developing healthy relationships. Playing games like Family Feud gives me an opportunity to get to know other participants and practice my social skills.

Most importantly, having fun with other young adults with autism has helped me to see that I am not alone – it’s wonderful to see that there are others who share my struggles. Though our challenges may differ, we all have autism in common.

In addition to being involved as a participant, CAN has also given me the opportunity to volunteer at their community and family events. As I continue to mature into adulthood, I want to find more ways to incorporate CAN into my life. By volunteering at events like Family Concerts, Party in the Park and Easter Tea House in Stanley Park, I can also give back.

I see a huge difference in myself since joining CAN seven years ago. I’m more responsible and open to conversation with others who share my diagnosis. I’ve made friends who I spend time with outside of CAN. Forming friendships outside of CAN still startles me, but I realize that if I avoid social interaction altogether, I’ll only delve deeper into my anxiety, instead of overcoming it.

Two female youth sit together while crafting.

Through a lifetime of experience, I’ve become naturally distrusting of others. But because CAN’s staff and volunteers have been patient with me, I’ve learned to open up and engage others in conversation more and more.

My experiences at CAN have helped me go out of my comfort zone to do the things I love in my community. Exercise helps me feel calm and release anxiety. Since 2015, I’ve been working our regularly at Club 16 in North Vancouver. The staff there accept me for who I am in the same way that CAN staff and volunteers do. They treat me no differently than any other member, which is the kind of respect I wish more people would show me.

I realize that my life is always going to be a challenge, because having autism isn’t easy. There’s never a day where I don’t experience challenges and setbacks – and wish to be a neurotypical girl. I may have trouble making friends, developing romantic relationships, and finding a job. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up.

I yearn for acceptance from others who do not understand autism, but I’ve learned that I’m not able to control how others perceive me or treat me – only how I view myself.

I wanted to share my story because above all, I find strength in writing. It helps me let go of negative thoughts. And I find great importance in being able to properly convey my experience – and it’s much easier for me to write than to speak with others. Words are powerful.

I have been recently published on numerous occasions in The Mighty, an online community for individuals with disabilities. My articles have addressed my challenges trusting others, making friends and my sensitivity to touch.

I am currently working on several other pieces, including the challenges of dating, and aspire to write a memoir detailing my experiences as a woman with autism. Through my writing, I hope to inspire others to tell their story and speak openly about their challenges.

I can’t wait to share it with the CAN community.

Later this month, Keara will be participating in the CAN Youth & Young Adult Advisory Group’s first meeting to discuss the future of our programming for participants aged 13+. If you are a youth or young adult CAN member and would like to participate, find more details and RSVP on our online form!

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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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Apr 17, 2018

Every year, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) invites our volunteers to apply for one of four $500 scholarships to access ACT-Autism Community Training workshops.

Applicants are asked to share why they volunteer with CAN and why they want to receive funding for additional autism training.

Among the four recipients this year is Kyle Boyle. Since 2015, Kyle has volunteered in CAN’s Overnight Camps, Skate and Hockey programs, as well as at Fundraising Events, Family Events and in the office. After becoming a CAN support worker, he still continued to volunteer in our programs and events.

Here is Kyle’s volunteer testimonial:

***

When I was 10 years old, I used to play hockey in my driveway and pretend I was Markus Naslund. When I went to hockey practice on Saturday mornings, I would pretend I was Trevor Linden prepping for a game. As I grew older, I realized not everyone grows up sharing these similar experiences.

This is why I began volunteering for Canucks Autism Network (CAN).

The most meaningful experiences I have had while volunteering with CAN are found in the small moments. They are in the smiles of the 18 kids stepping onto the ice every Saturday morning.

A youth hockey team and their coaches pose for a team photo.
CAN’s Vancouver Orcas at the 2018 Special Hockey Tournament in Kelowna. Kyle in top row, third from left.

They are the moments when the fastest, most skilled player on the team stops on a clean breakaway and passes to a player lagging behind so he has the chance to score his first goal.

They are in the moments in between plays when you’re learning about your participant’s favourite animal or their fascination with Zambonis.

They are in the moments when parents recognize the CAN logo on your jacket while you stand in line for coffee and tell you how much CAN has impacted their family.

It’s these small moments that make volunteering for CAN such a special and rewarding experience.

From what I can tell, it’s small moments such as these that makes CAN so meaningful for the families too. Earlier this month, I traveled with the Vancouver Orcas (one of CAN’s two adaptive hockey teams) to Kelowna, where they participated in the annual adaptive hockey tournament.

When I was a kid, my father would take me to Tim Hortons after every hockey practice for a chocolate croissant and a chocolate milk. (As you can tell, I love chocolate.) Growing up with sisters, I always looked forward to those moments when it was just me and my old man.

During the tournament in Kelowna, I had the privilege of having a long conversation with one of the hockey dads. He told me how he shares a similar tradition with his son – Timbits after every CAN practice. His son’s favourite? Chocolate.

For me, spending time with my dad was the best part of playing hockey. It is so humbling to be a part of making that experience a possibility for CAN families too.

It is amazing to see how CAN impacts families beyond the successes on the ice. Every week at CAN, I get to see the enormous impact that the proper level of support can have on a child with autism. And as a graduate student at UBC, I get to look forward to how my experience at CAN will benefit my future career in health care. Having developed the necessary skills to support children with autism, I hope that I can – at least in part – fill a gap in the healthcare system in BC. Be a missing puzzle piece, if you will.

Although I was asked to share my own personal experience volunteering, CAN has never been about the individual. As such, I contacted other members of CAN’s volunteer family and asked them what the bright green Canucks Autism Network volunteer shirt means to them.

I’d like to share a few of those comments. One individual said, “it represents giving hope for children with autism to play sports and be involved in their community.”

Another said “dedication, passion, positivity, and the burning desire to make a difference in the lives of children and families living with autism.”

For me, it’s ensuring that every kid in CAN’s hockey program gets to step on the ice and pretend they’re Bo Horvat or Brock Boeser. It’s helping facilitate the bond between a father and son that hockey can make possible.

And for all the participants in CAN programs, I hope that when they see the green volunteer t-shirt, it means that they see a friend.

Kyle at Overnight Camp in 2015 — his first experience volunteering with CAN.

Learn more about volunteering with CAN at canucksautism.ca/volunteer.

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Mar 8, 2018

Over ten years ago, Katy Harandi gathered around a kitchen table with Vancouver Canucks Co-owners Paolo and Clara Aquilini and envisioned an organization that could provide recreational opportunities and a community of support for families living with autism.

As parents of children with autism, Katy, Paolo and Clara shared an understanding for the struggles associated with an autism diagnosis. It was with this desire to support other families living with autism that Canucks Autism Network (CAN) was formed.

On March 8, International Women Day, we recognize the decade of strong leadership that our invaluable President and CEO, Katy Harandi, has provided to our growing organization. Her spirit, compassion and infectious “I CAN” attitude has inspired a team of hundreds to create a space where every individual with autism can be understood, accepted and supported.

But before leading CAN, Katy’s commitment to those with autism began at home. Motivated to create a better life for her daughter with autism, she researched the field extensively, investigating a wide range of treatments for autism. And in order to supervise her daughter’s at-home support, she underwent countless hours of training from specialists and therapists.

Beyond her personal motivation to better understand autism, Katy was driven to create positive change in the lives of other families with autism, as well. With an MBA from UBC Sauder and a background in computer science, Katy’s acumen and solution-driven mindset have propelled CAN since day one.

A woman holding a mic speaks on stage.

After overseeing the process of becoming a non-profit society and registered charity, Katy and the Aquilinis set about obtaining funding from the Canucks for Kids Fund. In its inaugural year, CAN offered one soccer program at what was then GM Place and an autism awareness curriculum for elementary schools in the Lower Mainland.

From 2008-11, Katy served as CAN’s Chair of the Board, guiding the organization in its formative years as a small, grassroots charity. By 2012, CAN developed the capacity to fill over 2,700 annual program spots in weekly sports lessons, day camps, overnight camps and family events.

But during a critical time in CAN’s 10-year history, we were faced with a vacant Executive Director position. Katy was selected to assume the position of CEO on an interim basis.

What many may not know is that for one year, Katy donated her time in this executive position. While the Board searched for a permanent replacement, Katy represented an extreme rarity in the executive world – a volunteer CEO.

Needless to say, her selflessness and unwavering commitment is what inevitably made her the appropriate choice to assume the permanent position of President and CEO.

But regardless of her title – whether it be Chair of the Board, President, CEO or volunteer – it is Katy’s steadfast leadership since our inaugural year that has allowed CAN to influence the thousands of families with autism that benefit from our programs today.

A girl runs while holding a ball. A woman runs behind her.

Outside of CAN, Katy also serves as President of PALS Autism Society, another non-profit in Vancouver that provides school and adult programs for individuals with autism. It should come as no surprise that she has been a nominee for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to Canada.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the countless women like Katy who have dedicated their time and efforts to individuals and families living with autism across BC. They are on our board and in our office, guiding and coordinating our efforts. They are in our programs, delivering support in gyms, arenas, pools and fields. They are at home, providing unconditional love and care.

Thank you for leading the way.

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Oct 6, 2017

“As a student-athlete, I recognize that I am extremely fortunate for all the enjoyable experiences I have had playing sports in my life. I want to do what I can to help children with autism gain some of these lifelong memories too.”

When Kyle McComb joined the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) as a volunteer this past June, he shared these incredibly inspiring words with us.

It is no surprise that after a summer supporting our Multisport and I CAN Bike day camps, he is our selection for CAN’s Exceptional Volunteer Award!

At the end of each season, we choose one volunteer who has truly gone above and beyond in their support for both staff and participants within our programs. A varsity baseball player for UBC, Kyle combined a clear passion for sports and giving back to his community to completely blow our staff away this summer.

Daily briefs with program staff consistently highlighted Kyle’s enthusiasm and natural ability to engage the kids:

“Kyle used clear language and always modeled for the participants what he needed them to do – showing the skills, in addition to telling.”

“He jumped right in! His energy is fabulous.” 

“Kyle jumped in as a coach and did amazingly well leading the entire softball station! In addition to demonstrating the skills with clear and simple instructions, he made sure to use our visual toolkit with the group as well!”

For more tips on engaging individuals with autism in a sports and rec environments, please visit our Helpful Resources webpage!

This Fall, Kyle returns to his busy schedule at UBC as a student-athlete. But as soon as his availability allows, he looks forward to continuing to make a difference in his new staff role as a CAN support worker.

For our participants to have athletes like Kyle to look up to is such an incredible benefit to our programs. Kyle’s genuine enthusiasm for making a difference in his community is representative of so many of the volunteers that CAN is lucky to have.

Each year, we benefit from over 600 volunteers that compassionately and generously donate their time. Whether it’s handing out CAN bracelets at a community info table or demonstrating the perfect swing of a bat in our Multisport program, we could not do what we do without volunteers like Kyle.

A huge thanks to Kyle and every CAN volunteer that makes our programs possible.

For more information on volunteering with the Canucks Autism Network, please visit our Become a Volunteer webpage!

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