On April 2nd, the Special Education Network and Inclusion Association (SENIA) is hosting an Autism Awareness event in celebration of World Autism Awareness Day. The free event will take place from 2pm to 6pm in Shuangjing and open to the general public.

The Autism Awareness event is designed to promote awareness and acceptance of autism, celebrate neurodiversity, and provide a fun and inclusive experience for individuals with autism and their families. The event will include a variety of sensory-friendly activities, arts, crafts, and sports stations, educational booths, a raffle, performances and entertainment, and food and refreshments. The proceeds of the event will go to 蜗牛我行 (Wōniú wǒ xíng) and 融爱融乐 (Róng ài róng lè), two organizations that work tirelessly to increase awareness and promote advocacy and inclusive environments for those with autism.

“The Autism Awareness event is an opportunity for the community to come together to learn about autism, celebrate neurodiversity, and support individuals and families affected by autism,” said Stephenie, the event organizer. “We believe that by raising awareness and promoting acceptance of autism, we can create a more inclusive and supportive community.”

The event will feature interactive educational booths where participants can engage in sensory simulations, craft solutions to social dilemmas, and discover books on neurodiversity curated by librarians and students to better understand autism. These fun and engaging activities, along with the arts and crafts stations and speakers and performances, give the community an opportunity to come together and celebrate our diversity. The event is designed to be inclusive and welcoming to individuals with autism and will provide a variety of sensory-friendly activities to ensure that all participants can enjoy the event.

Our raffle will include prizes both for kids and families with autism, and prizes for allies of the autism community. The outpour of support for autism awareness has been incredible, with local businesses and organizations generously sponsoring a wide array of products, services, and experiences for raffle prize winners! Raffle tickets can be purchased at the event or by contacting event organizers.

“We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in and enjoy community events, and we have taken steps to ensure that the event is accessible and inclusive for individuals with autism,” said Gerald, chairman of SENIA-Beijing. “We hope that this event will be a positive and empowering experience for everyone who attends.”

The Autism Awareness event is free and open to the public. For more information about the event, please scan the code below.

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Images: Pexels

On Friday April 22, SENIA-Beijing, an association of educators, professionals, and parents whose mission is to advocate for and provide resources and support for differently-abled individuals, is welcoming an international panel to share their insights into Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) for children with special needs. In our dynamic times, practitioners and parents play an essential role in advocating and supporting our neurodiverse students to thrive in academic and everyday settings!

The keynote speaker, Scott Andrew Campbell, offers his own inspiring, first-hand narrative of how he learned to embrace his differences, overcome hurdles in others’ perceptions, and become the man that he is today- an inventor with 6 post-secondary degrees, as well as the founder of an educational charity. What an amazing journey for someone who was once classified as being functionally illiterate!

Other panelists offer insight into classroom accommodations, practical strategies for learning, diagnostic testing, and how technology is poised to transform support for students with special needs during online learning and in the future.

Noel Roberts, the developer of ReMynd, a Remote Assessment and Intervention System, will unpack 35 years of experience in the US and China working with kids with special needs as a school mental health counselor and an assistant principal at international schools. His journey in different capacities supporting students has led him towards an entrepreneurial venture to increase access for students across China to understand their learning profiles and receive effective interventions.

Dr. Keri Sullivan Ed.D, BCBA, will speak specifically about behavioral modifications for students with autism. She will share insight from her years of experience practicing in California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, facilitating collaboration between families and schools to bolster the results of inclusive learning environments!

Beverly Sace will share practical strategies and recommendations for developing literacy based on her years as a teacher, a teacher trainer, a curriculum developer, and an avid advocate of synthetic phonics teaching! With experience supporting students across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and India, her insight is both relevant and practical for attendees to the conference!

Mingzhu Wei will provide attendees with insight from her years as a counsellor at international schools. In particular, she will provide insight into how Play Therapy has transformed her own practice and the lives of the children whom she has crossed paths with during her over 6000 hours of direct counseling.

So what are you waiting for? These speakers, and others, are ready to provide you with their experiences, answer your questions, and support our network of passionate educators, practitioners, and parents to help students with special needs find their voice, make their choices, and thrive in today’s world! For the full list of speakers, visit our registration site now! Recordings will be made available to attendees for a year following the conference. Register by scanning the QR code!

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Images: SENIA Beijing