NEWS

Asperger’s Community Social Group

2009-11-02

The Autism Society of the Black Hills is excited to announce registration for our Asperger’s Community Social Group! This is a 6 week program, designed to help adolescents and young adults with Asperger’s and their parents improve on their community social skills and friendship skills. Parent’s will be involved by using the learned skills at home and in the community with their child.

The first session will run for 6 weeks beginning Saturday January 9th and the last session will be Saturday February 13th. The 1st class will be held at the Autism Society of the Black Hills office at 521 7th Street, but remaining sessions will be at various locations in the community. These locations will be announced after the 1st session. Sessions will be approximately 90 minutes each, but some community outings may last longer. Time is 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Children will be dropped off and attend the classes without parents unless otherwise noted.

We have broken down the sessions by age; the first age group we will be offering sessions for will be kids in the 9-12 year old range. Our subsequent age groups will be 13-15 and then 16 & up. We will keep the sessions small, taking between 4 -6 students for each session. This will lessen the kids’ social anxieties and make it easier and quicker for them to become comfortable with one another and with the instructor.

Cost is a deposit of $75. If you attend at least 5 of the 6 sessions, your check will be returned to you at the last session. We understand that things happen (illness etc) but commitment and participation in every session is crucial to each participant’s success.

Sessions will be instructed and organized by Dennis Hanken, author of “Getting to Know You; A Social Skills Curriculum” and a local psychologist specializing in Asperger’s Syndrome.

If you would like to sign your child aged 9-12 up for the 1st session, please print out and complete the accompanying needs assessment form and return it and a check for $75.00 (this will not be cashed unless you do not meet the attendance requirements) made out to ASBH.