The Kinark Outdoor Centre is pleased to offer a new program in its ASD Program menu, a social/life skills program geared towards moderate to high functioning teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This program will consist of approximately six teens who reside in rural areas of the Central East region, such as Haliburton County/Kawartha Lakes, who don t have access to the same level of services as those residing in urban and suburban areas. The program offers a bi-monthly weekend visit to KOC during the school year for a weekend social/life skills program followed by a 5-day recreational camp in the summer. The areas of social/life skills that will be focused on are as follows:

Fitness/movement
Trust/communication/cooperation/team building
Leadership skills
What it means to have/be a friend
Grocery shopping, preparing and cooking a meal
Learning new skills/hobbies (i.e. climbing, canoeing, archery, kayaking, fishing)
Volunteering in the community

After each weekend the teens will receive a certificate for a skill they have accomplished and practiced. They will work together as a group to encourage, experience and practice new social and life skills. Each of the teens will have the opportunity to be a leader, make friends and gain confidence in areas where they might not be able to in another setting.

For more information, please contact the Kinark Outdoor Centre at 1-800-805-8252 or info@koc.on.ca.