Hosted in partnership with The Sinneave Family Foundation

The Sinneave Family Foundation (Sinneave) developed a set of six principles, in partnership with autistic self-advocates, that make post-secondary places and spaces more welcoming for not only these learners and earners, but everyone! The six principles are Communication, Environment, Structure, Flexibility, Emotion, and Connection.

A Four (4) Part Skill Share Series.

Join us for a free Skill Share to learn the final two principles of Emotion and Connection.

Participants will be welcomed to ask questions throughout the presentation and are encouraged to reflect on how to apply what they have learned to all professional interactions.  There will be a PDF provided to learners to summarize the information from the Skills Share session.

Register using this link. 

Emotion is both our own emotional response as well as the ability to interpret the emotional response of others. Many autistic people may not display emotions in typical ways which can lead to confusion and impact their connection with others and the community.

Connection is the forming of relationships, including both professional to professional and professional to student. Unwritten and implicit cultural norms shape interaction expectations, and deviations may lead to perceived awkwardness. The Skill Share session focuses on navigating emotional reactions and fostering relationships with autistic and neurodivergent individuals. Participants will gain strategies for understanding unexpected reactions and building connections beyond societal conventions. The session will be discussion based and use a case study approach to discuss the principles of Emotion and Connection.

Speaker Bios: 
As the Director of Learning and Connection, Amy Tatterton provides leadership to The Sinneave Family Foundation’s learning activities and community engagement initiatives. This work helps Sinneave fulfill its mission of reducing barriers and enhancing opportunities for Autistic and neurodivergent youth and adults. Amy holds a Master of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Calgary with a concentration in Educational Research and has personal and professional experience serving the disability community in a variety of environments including sport, post-secondary supports, pediatric behaviour intervention, early childhood learning management and now adulthood transition support.

Jay Haukenfrers is the Learning and Connection Coordinator for the Sinneave Family Foundation.  She supports Sinneave in various capacities to advance knowledge about autism and neurodivergence. Jay has a Bachelors of Arts, with a focus in music and psychology.  She has had the honour to offer support to diverse vulnerable populations for 10 years including families and kids in crisis, young people with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education, adults with disabilities and co- occurring health challenges, and currently, supporting autistic and neurodivergent youth and adults with the transition to and throughout adulthood.