Canucks Autism Network Updates
COVID-19
This webpage will be updated as the provincial health situation continues to develop. We encourage Canucks Autism Network (CAN) members, staff, volunteers and supporters to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter) and check their email for ongoing updates on our programs and events.
Monday, June 29
Our Plan this Summer
New! Outdoor Summer Pilot Programs
We will be running a small number of in-person, outdoor programs this summer in the Lower Mainland in order to practice our newly enforced COVID-19 safety protocols. Multiple safety measures will be in place including enhanced cleaning, hand hygiene, and physical distancing to the extent that is possible within our programs.
While we wish we could accommodate more members in other regions, we strongly believe in piloting the enhanced safety procedures with a limited number of participants to ensure we get it right. Like other program providers, we plan to expand our offerings by gradually adding more in-person programs in other regions throughout the next year.
For more info, read our June 29 member newsletter update.
Or visit our FAQ for In-Person & Virtual Programs during COVID-19.
Looking Ahead
Even come fall, we will be facing challenges with access to facilities as well as budget constraints as a result of cancelled fundraising events and the overall economic impact of the pandemic. Our goal will always be to deliver the greatest number of programs for our members while ensuring CAN’s long-term sustainability.
Virtual Programs
In the meantime, we encourage you to check out our live virtual programs this summer, with registration opening on July 13. Our virtual programs allow CAN coaches to interact with participants in real-time. Stay tuned as we add new and exciting opportunities throughout 2020. You can also check out our library of pre-recorded videos and 8-week programs that participants can enjoy at their own time and at their own pace!
New! Join the CAN Virtual Challenge
Every year, we host a large-scale public event (CAN Family Festival, CAN Relay 4 Autism) that aims to raise vital funds for CAN, while increasing autism acceptance and support in the community at large.
This year, rather than gathering together physically, we want you to join us online for the first ever CAN Virtual Challenge! The online fundraising event will take place over 10 days (August 5-14), with fun, accessible challenges that have been designed to promote active living, creativity and mental health.
REGISTER NOW and learn more about the challenges and prizes that you and your family can win!
Friday, May 22
Summer 2020 Programming
We hope that you and your family are doing well and have been able to take advantage of our library of online activities and resources during this challenging time.
As promised, we want to keep you, our valued members, updated on any decisions that may affect the future of CAN programming.
As the health situation continues to evolve, so do the recommendations from authorities. As such, our team is dedicated to staying informed of the changing restrictions and how they will influence the way in which we eventually deliver in-person programming again.
THE WORKING PLAN FOR SUMMER
In order to safely reintroduce any kind of in-person programming this summer, we must first fully understand the health protocols and how they may impact the specific needs of our participants.
We’re already researching the feasibility of enhanced safety and sanitization procedures, with the hope of offering a limited number of outdoor programs to a small group of participants this July or August. The greatly reduced scale will enable us to practice newly enforced protocols while preparing us to introduce more programs in more regions in the fall.
In the interim, we will continue to explore other potential scenarios and will aim to report back on our plan by end of June.
NEW: ZOOM PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN
We’re excited to announce the launch of online programs (using the free Zoom app) for CAN participants and their siblings, aged 3-12, starting the week of June 8th. The 6-week pilot programming (for 3-6yrs & 7-12yrs) opens for registration on Saturday, May 23 at 11am until Friday, May 29, at noon.
Active Program: 3-6 years
The Virtual Active program will teach children with autism and their siblings core movement skills such as running, jumping and balancing. Participants will also get the opportunity to play games, participate in sing-a-longs and story time, and practice skills like listening and waiting. Each weekly class will be delivered via the Zoom app (online meeting/webinar platform) and will run for 30-45 min for 6 weeks.
Movement Program: 7-12 years
The Virtual Movement program will provide children with autism and their siblings with a fun introduction to the world of physical activity and social interactive games. Participants will play games and learn movement skills and drills while practicing listening, transitions and taking turns. Each weekly class will be delivered via the Zoom app (online meeting/webinar platform) and will run for 45-60min for 6 weeks.
Unlike our pre-recorded videos, Zoom-based programming will allow our coaches to connect and interact with participants in real-time, while teaching lessons in a fun, new, digital environment.
As it will be a learning experience for us all, you can expect to see us adapt our content along the way to best suit the online platform and the needs of our participants.
With this new digital format, it’s hard to anticipate the level of interest in the programs. As always, we will do our best to accommodate participants into their preferred program time slot. We encourage members to submit requests for multiple times using the registration system’s ranking feature, with top time choice ranked as #1. Program confirmation emails will be sent on Wednesday, June 3rd.
ZOOM PROGRAMMING FOR CAN YOUTH AND ADULTS
We have had a great response to our Zoom-based programming for youth and adult members (aged 13+) and we look forward to continuing to offer a variety of weekly registered Zoom classes and meetups. We hope to see you there!
REQUEST A PERSONALIZED VIDEO FROM CAN!
In an effort to help you feel more connected to your CAN family, we’re accepting personalized requests for private video messages (up to 30 seconds) from the CAN staff or volunteer of your choice. Request a personalized message from your favourite CAN team member by filling out this request form.
GET SOCIAL WITH US!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for program updates, photos, videos, and general feel-good content! We look forward to connecting with you.
REACH OUT TO US
As a reminder, the entire CAN office team (including our friendly office dogs) is now working from home until further notice. While our physical office is closed, our arms are still open to our entire CAN community. Feel free to reach out to us via email: [email protected], Monday-Friday, between 8:30am and 4:30pm.
From our remote offices to your home, we’re sending you and your family a virtual hug from everyone at CAN.
Monday, April 6
Spring Programs Update
As promised, we want to keep you, our valued members, informed of any changes to CAN programming and events as a result of COVID-19.
Due to the ongoing health crisis, newly enforced social distancing measures and indefinite facility closures, we have made the inevitable decision to cancel spring programming as it was originally planned.*
This includes all weekly programs, monthly youth and adult programs, and family events scheduled from April and June, as well as Sports Day.
We are already looking at ways of incorporating key aspects of Sports Day into a late summer event in the hope that we can bring our community back together when the time is right. We are also starting to explore creative ways to deliver safe, socially-distanced family events.
In addition, our team is working hard to move various components of our spring programming online so that individuals and families can continue to participate in CAN activities while staying safe at home.
This Spring, we plan to roll out Movement Mondays, Team Meeting Tuesday and Thursday, Wellness Wednesdays, Story Time Fridays and Spontaneous Saturdays.
*We will be updating the registration system and following up with participants who were enrolled in spring programs during the week of April 6-9 with details for reimbursement of program fees.
Summer Program Planning Continues
Our province-wide team continues to actively plan for summer programming so that we can act quickly if the health situation improves in time. We are preparing for the best case scenario while also planning for alternate outcomes. We are crossing our fingers with you.3
As promised, we will be sure to keep you updated on important decisions every step of the way.
*Summer registration dates and details on whether we expect to proceed with our summer plans, will be released in a special newsletter mid to end of May.
Browse the Summer Program Guide >>
Access Resources and Activities from Home >>
Virtual Team Meetings | We hope that many of you have seen our “Team Meeting“ video series on social media featuring well-known CAN coaches leading a variety of activities. We will continue to release new videos each week featuring activities such as arts and crafts, simple sports drills, music lessons, fitness lessons, contests and more!
Have an idea for an activity you would like to see? Fill out this short form and we will do what we can to try to make it happen!
Activities for Youth & Adult Members
We will soon be launching online activities for CAN youth and adult members such as online meet ups, virtual Netflix Watching Parties, activities to follow along with at home, and a bi-weekly newsletter to stay connected.
We recognize that many individuals and families miss their CAN community, and we want you to know that we miss you too! Now more than ever, we need to band together as a community to stay strong and positive.
Wishing everyone health and safety from all of us at CAN!
Tuesday, March 17
With the safety and well-being of our community in mind, CAN programs and events across BC will remain suspended until at least Tuesday, April 14.
We will re-evaluate the health situation in early April and provide an update on a delayed spring session start date based on various factors at that time (facility closures, provincial health recommendations, etc).
We will use this webpage and social media to answer your frequently asked questions about CAN programming, events and other areas of interest during this unprecedented time.
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1) Will CAN still provide swim and skate report cards for this past winter season (Jan-Mar 2020)?
Coaches are currently in the process of completing winter swim and skate report cards. Once all report cards are collected, we will mail hard copies to all winter swim and skate participants. This process may take between one and two months.
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2) How will CAN’s suspension of programs and events affect the spring season (Apr-Jun 2020)?
Based on recommendations from health authorities, we have made the decision to suspend spring programming until at least April 14th.
We will re-evaluate the situation in early-April and make a decision on a delayed spring session start date based on various factors at that time (ie. facility closures, health authority recommendations, etc). We will communicate this decision to all confirmed participants in the first week of April.
We are working with facilities to try to extend the spring season to make up for missed classes and will follow up with participants via email once we know if this is possible.
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3) Is the CAN office open?
In order to do our part to maximize public safety, all CAN office staff have been advised to work from home until further notice. As a result, there may be some delays in communication, as our staff work remotely to continue to serve our CAN community. Please feel free to contact us through our online form.
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4) If I am registered for an upcoming program that I no longer feel comfortable attending, can I cancel my registration without penalty?
Given the current and rapidly evolving health situation, members may cancel their program registrations with no impact on their future registration requests. Participants may cancel their program registration by emailing [email protected], making sure to include the participant’s name, and the program name, location, and time. As a reminder, no programs will run until at least April 14th.
Stayed tuned for more FAQs and answers as they come.
On behalf of everyone at CAN, we wish you utmost health and safety during this challenging time. We look forward to seeing you once our programs and events resume!
March 13, 2020
In response to provincial health recommendations regarding COVID-19, we are suspending all CAN programs and events across BC until further notice.
We are closely monitoring and evaluating the situation and will follow the recommendations of provincial health authorities.
We want to encourage all CAN members, supporters and stakeholders to abide by provincial health guidelines. For COVID-19 updates and recommendations, please visit: bccdc.ca
During these unprecedented times, we would also like to remind everyone to take care of their mental health just as much as their physical health. If you are in a crisis, please reach out to Crisis Services Canada – 1-833-456-4566. For additional resources, please visit: foundrybc.ca
Once again, we will continue to evaluate new developments from public health authorities and will provide updates as needed. We look forward to seeing you at a CAN program or event soon once the situation has alleviated.
Stay tuned to this page for the most up-to-date information on CAN programs and events.