Welcome
We are pleased to present the program for the 2009 NWT FASD Symposium entitled “Opening doors, hearts and minds”. Our conference committee has worked hard to produce a dynamic and engaging program that includes a very talented and knowledgeable keynote speaker and a variety of sessions of interest to parents, caregivers, service providers, professionals, and people affected by FASD alike.
We invite you to join us for this important event focusing on FASD and its impact on individuals, families and communities. The 2009 NWT FASD Symposium will address a number of FASD topic areas, including identifying strengths, latest research, and perspectives and experiences from individuals affected by FASD, caregivers, and community supports. Together we will share experiences, enhance partnerships and build on our existing strengths.
We hope you will join us for this unique learning and networking opportunity. I would also like to acknowledge and thank our sponsors: Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services; Health Canada Community Action Program for Children; and First Air for helping us make the 2009 NWT FASD Symposium possible. See you in November!
Kim Fewer
Executive Director
Yellowknife Association for Community Living
Health Canada’s
Community Action Program for Children
First Air Rules and Registration
Presenter Profiles
Stephen DeGroot BA, BSW, MSW, RSW - Key note Speaker and Presenter of Concurrent Session Relational and Strength-Based Approach
Stephen de Groot of MYRIAD Consultation and Counselling is a clinical and organizational consultant and is the author of the Relationship Based Strengths Approach (RBSA) (2003, 2008) to social work helping. Steve specializes in the development and implementation of strengths based interventions at all levels of social services systems from planning to direct service delivery and front-line practice.
For almost two decades Steve has provided support, education and training to parents and helping professionals who live and work with children and youth. Steve’s approach to working with children and youth has been informed by relational and strengths based principles and developed out of his successful practice experiences and life stories from more than 1000 teenagers and hundreds of families. Many of Steve’s successes have been with youth in care who have been identified by various service providers as “the most difficult”, “the most challenging” and/or having the “highest needs” for support and intervention.
Pat Strus - Co-Presenter of Concurrent Session “Look At Me”
Pat and her husband and three birth children have been a foster and adoptive family for the past sixteen years. The family specializes in providing care to children with FASD. The family is currently providing long-term care to four individuals with a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Pat is a founding member of the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories. She has also been an active member of the Yellowknife Foster Family Association. Pat has provided training to foster parents, caregivers and educators on FASD. Pat continues to learn from her children as they approach adulthood and to share her experience with others.
Tammy Krivda - Co-Presenter of Concurrent Session “Look At Me”
Tammy is a foster and adoptive parent in Yellowknife. She has had the pleasure of opening her home to well over 200 children in the past sixteen years. She is currently parenting several children that have a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. There is never a dull moment in a very busy home with 8 children and many family pets. As the president of the Yellowknife Foster Family Association, Tammy strives to educate foster homes, which includes training on FASD. Her family is looking forward to supporting their children into adulthood.
2009 NWT FASD Symposium Program
Concurrent Sessions (Day 1 - 1:30-5:00 and Day 2 - 8:30-12:00)
Service Providers: Relational and Strength-Based Approach
This interactive workshop is highly practical in nature. It will explore concepts and principles for working with and caring for youth with FASD in a relational and strength-based way. This approach has been successfully used for over five years in care giving by youth care workers, foster care parents and other caregivers. It provides ways to develop respectful relationships with individuals with FASD based on that individual’s perceived needs, goals, interests, hopes and desires. This approach is individualized, developed in collaboration with the specific individual, and allows for plans to be continually updated allowing individuals to change and move towards their identified goals.
Caregivers: “Look at Me”
Tailored specifically for caregivers of individuals affected by FASD, this workshop briefly covers the characteristics of people with FASD as well as examines the importance of diagnosis and the related occurrence of associated secondary disabilities. It examines problems with cause and effect, memory, sensory overload, and language processing, which often cause challenges in all aspects of life for people with this disability. FASD is a lifelong disability, but effective intervention can make a critical difference in life outcomes for people with FASD. The presenters use humor, stories and participant activities with a power point presentation to help participants reach a new level of understanding of FASD and learn practical strategies to implement when supporting people with FASD.
For People Who are Affected by FASD: Learning from Each Other
Using an interactive and dynamic approach, these sessions are specifically designed for older adolescents and adults who are affected by FASD. The group will focus on:
- No Limits: “I have FASD… So what!”
- Transitions: “I’m out of high school… what the heck am I supposed to do now?”
- Relationships: “Love, like, lust… Sorting it all out!”
Please note that the Janvier Room will be available to registered “Learning from Each Other” participants outside the hours designated for concurrent session. Participants are welcome to hang-out in the Janvier room from 8:30 to the end of the day on both 2009 NWT FASD Symposium days. Activities and support will be available.
Sessions for All Registrants
Opening Doors, Hearts and Minds - A Warm-up
9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 24th
Jane Arychuk, Campus Director, Aurora College, Yellowknife Campus will lead participants in a discussion which will clear up FASD myths and rumors and bring all participants to the same basic level of understanding about FASD.
Research and Evidence - what has been learned and how this can be applied in the Northwest Territories
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 24th
Susan Chatwood, BScN, MSc, Executive and Scientific Director of the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research will describe the scope of FASD research and partners who support FASD research in the Northwest Territories. Methods and perspectives for FASD research will be described. Current evidence which may support families, communities, care providers and persons living with FASD will be highlighted. Areas for further FASD research in northern regions will also be explored. A web format will be used to guide the presentation and will remain as a resource for research and FASD in the north www.fasd.circumpolarhealth.org.
Panel: A Caregivers Journey
1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, November 25th
Caregivers will share their personal experiences of living with and supporting people who are affected by FASD.
Panel: Learning From Those Who Know Best
1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 25th
Learn from a multimedia presentation about living with FASD from the prospective of individuals who are affected.
Panel: Positive Supports ó Potential Pitfalls
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 25th
Service providers share their experiences about what can happen if people affected by FASD don’t get the supports they need.