Social Communication Group Options

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Social Communication + Groups target skills that are essential for positive interactions with family and friends and within the community. Some of the targets include play skills, conversation skills, social learning, flexible thinking.  A multi-disciplinary team of professionals from Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy and ABA/Behaviour Services developed the group programming. Our facilitators may include Communication Disorders Assistants, ABA Therapists, Behaviour Consultants and Therapy assistants. In these groups the children and youth engage in fun activities to support the skills they are focusing on that week.  Practice and skill development happen while playing games, doing crafts/experiments and sensory and movement activities. These groups bring together children/youth with ASD and provide a space for therapists to instruct and model skills and a space for children to role-play and practice the use of the skill while receiving immediate feedback and reinforcement to promote success. All while having fun! 

ARCS Youth Groups
ARCS Youth Groups target skills that are essential for positive interactions with family and friends and within the community. Some of the targets include play skills, conversation skills, social learning, flexible thinking. A multi-disciplinary team of professionals from Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy and ABA/Behaviour Services developed the ARCS youth group programming. Our facilitators may include Communication Disorders Assistants, ABA Therapists, Behaviour Consultants and Therapy assistants.  ARCS  youth groups bring together children/youth with ASD and provide a space for therapists to instruct and model skills and a space for children to role-play and practice the use of the skill while receiving immediate feedback and reinforcement to promote success.

Some benefits of attending ARCS youth Groups may include increases in:

  • spontaneous positive social and play interactions with peers
  • use of spontaneous language (verbal or through augmented commination devices) to offer and request items, information, and to gain attention when with peers
  • spontaneous conversational communication
  • use of coping strategies when experiencing frustration

Topics covered

  • Social Awareness (understanding thoughts and feelings of others)
  • Whole body listening
  • Using greetings
  • Getting peers attention
  • Joining in with others
  • Keeping your body with the group

Quick Facts…

  • 2 curriculums available!
    • ARCS jr 6-10yr old
    • ARCS sr. 11-14 yr old
  • Type of Group – Social Communication+
  • Hours per Session – 2
  • Number of Sessions – 6
Movement Based ARCS Program

This program is intended for children ages 6-10 with ASD that require a higher level of support to participate in group services those who may have varied communication styles.  It was designed by a multidisciplinary team to support social skills, sensory processing needs, behavioural development and language skills.  Ideal participants benefit from a kinesthetic based learning approach.  As such, ample movement opportunities and sensory check-ins are provided. Our facilitators include Communication Disorders Assistants, ABA Therapists, Behaviour Consultants as well as clinical consultations from Occupational therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists and BCBA’s.  

Topics Include:

  • Expected and Unexpected behaviours
  • Body in the Group
  • Whole Body Listening
  • Joining in

Quick Facts…

  • Type of Group – Social Communication+
  • Hours per Session – 2
  • Number of Sessions – 6
Social Detective Training Academy

In this fun thematic group we explore the social thinking concepts and graduate as Social Detectives!  Each week children will come to the “training academy” to be supported and coached in their use of social interposal skills in a small group setting

This program is intended for those children that are using language at a reciprocal conversational level, are able to differentiate between what is real and what is pretend. 

Session Themes:

  • Expected and unexpected behaviours
  • Being part of the group
  • Being flexible
  • Thinking with your eyes

Quick Facts

  • Age 6-9yrs.
  • Type of Group – Social Communication+
  • Hours per Session – 2
  • Number of Sessions – 4
Superflex Bootcamp

A fun superhero themed group that focuses on recognizing triggers for emotion dysregulation and supports to manage those upset feelings. Superflex gives kids the language to identify their thoughts/feelings, point of view, and intentions; ways to discuss behaviour with the adults and peers in their lives and encourages students to use strategies to deal with those behaviors.  Children learn how to work more cooperatively without labeling behaviors in a negative way and facilitators stress the importance of flexibility.  And it gives families and kids proactive strategies to use! 

Session themes: 

  • Defeating rock brain (stuck thinking)
  • Defeating glassman (managing strong emotional reactions)
  • Defeating Brain Water (Managing distractors)
  • Defeating the Worry wall (Managing anxious thoughts)

Quick Facts

  • Age 6-9yrs.
  • Type of Group – Social Communication+
  • Hours per Session – 2
  • Number of Sessions – 4
Girls only

This is a group for young women on the Autism Spectrum that are looking to socialize & gain understanding and support from other girls that are like-minded.  In this group we focus on 3 main areas, supporting ecologically valid social behaviours for preteen and teen girls, improving ones self-image, and carrying yourself with confidence and emotional regulation.

Topics covered:

  • Positive self-image
  • Roles in my life that make me unique
  • Using confident body language
  • Body positivity and recognizing the cues our bodies give us about our emotions
  • Stress reduction and mindfulness
  • Self-care and celebration
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Quick Facts…

  • Age 10+
  • Type of Group – Self-advocacy
  • Hours per Session – 2
  • Number of Sessions – 6
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