Virtual Learning & Socialization Opportunities for Individuals with ASD
Small Groups, Multi-Day Sessions, and Large Group Community Connections Sessions.
Scroll to learn more!
Open to individuals from Indiana and beyond!
HANDS in Autism® provides a range of on-site services tailored to individual goal-setting and age-based needs.
Early Childhood Program
(2-6yo Children)
School-age Program
(K -12th Grade)
Transition/Adulthood Program
(14yo-Adulthood)
Does your child or student with ASD need to develop executive skills, plan for and practice daily routines, or learn about community opportunities related to employment, leisure, and socialization? Scroll down to learn more about our virtual group sessions (small, multi-day, and large group community connections). Summer schedule is now available!
To be able to access these opportunities, make sure you register (or update your information, if you are a returning participant!)
Contact us at 317.274.2675 or hands@iupui.edu with any questions
Small group sessions
Small groups (up to 6 participants) will center around monthly topics and are conducted across 2-4 weekly sessions. We will be running two topics per month with 2 options per group so you can pick the best time for your individual with ASD and choose to participate in either one or two topics each month.
| June Tuesdays, 9-10am EST Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30pm EST | July Tuesdays, 9-10am EST Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30pm EST | August Tuesdays, 9-10am EST Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30pm EST |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Scheduling: Options, opportunities and ways to get involved | New Opportunities: How to adapt your style and get involved in a new setting | Transitioning to Fall: Navigating your time and routines |
| •Explore and learn about avenues for finding summer opportunities •Discuss ways to engage in opportunities from volunteering to paid experiences •Engage with options to review what is of greatest interest for them and what they want to gain or do in summer | •Learn about communication styles and how these may be different from setting to setting •Practice engaging with others using different communication styles •Gain important tips and cues that can support beginning conversations, learning about expectations in different settings, and ways to see if how you are communicating is working | •Consider ways transitioning back in fall may be different •Discuss questions and concerns they may have across settings •Explore ways they can find answers and resources to these questions •Apply concepts in balancing out their schedules within the start of fall as they adapt to new situations and settings |
| June Thursdays, 9-10am EST Fridays, 3:30-4:30pm EST | July Thursdays, 9-10am EST Fridays, 3:30-4:30pm EST | August Thursdays, 9-10am EST Fridays, 3:30-4:30pm EST |
|---|---|---|
| Being aware of self-care: Improving self-awareness and having strategies at hand | Day to day living: Basic routines, sleep and hygiene as foundations to my physical wellness | Emotions and what they are telling me: Tools to recognize and regulate my emotions |
| •Gain understanding of self-awareness (e.g., conceptually, physically, appropriately) •Discuss and discern where self-care skills are used (e.g., school, home, community, etc.) •Learn why self-care skills are important •Be introduced to self-care strategies and problem solve strategies that are natural to their settings •Identify, teach and practice self-care strategies as well as when those strategies can be used in home, school and work environment and generalized across settings | •Learn about basic activities of daily living, sleep and hygiene routines •Discuss and look at their own routines and how these routines are working out for them •Use strategies shared to improve their routines with focus on areas for individual improvement and self-monitoring | •Understand and identify a range of emotions and analyze body’s cues to determine emotions •Identify triggers that influence behaviors •Discuss and use tools to regulate self when experiencing intense emotions in the home, school, and work environment |
Multi-day sessions
Spanning a 2-3 day period, multi-day sessions allow for focused opportunity to learn, apply, and implement skills or areas noted for that session. Each month we offer a new focused, multi-day session with indication of the audience (i.e., students, families/caregivers, student & family/caregiver); however, we always encourage families to engage when interested and offer open office hours to further connect with individuals and families/caregivers beyond sessions.
| June 15-17, 12-2pm EST | July 20-22, 12-2pm EST | August 10-12, 4-6pm EST |
|---|---|---|
| Time management: What do my days look like in summer | Talking with others: Tips and tools for social, school and work settings | Questions, questions, questions: Where to find answers to common questions and how best to support one another in transitions |
| •Learn about strategies and tools to play their days and weeks •Consider activities or components that may need planned in advance (e.g., travel time, reservations, hours) •Apply strategies using selected tools to plan selected activities of interest or need | •Observe and learn about the flow of conversations •Practice navigating conversations within social and professional or educational contexts (e.g., school, university, work) •Apply strategies learned and develop tools to increase their ability to navigate a range of conversations | •Explore resources based on fall transitions (e.g., transition back to school, transition to a job, transition to a new setting) •Discuss questions that arise and where to go for support •Work within a planning guide to map out questions to support and inform each other in transitioning |
Large group community connections sessions
Groups of 10 or more students connect virtually to learn about just-in-time topics allowing them to engage with and learn more about community opportunities, to hear about topics of interest or importance to them, and to connect with a group of peers. New topics are covered each week with an overarching monthly theme.
| June Fridays, 12:00-1:00pm EST | July Fridays, 12:00-1:00pm EST | August Fridays, 12:00-1:00pm EST |
|---|---|---|
| Exploring the outdoors and areas around us | People, supports and groups that are there to support me | What do I need and how can I connect to be and do my best? |
| Speakers and activities will allow group members to hear about, ask questions, and connect with groups from parks to fairs to museums and more with both access and safety in mind. | Speakers and activities will allow group members to hear about, ask questions, and connect with: •Advocacy, •Self-advocacy, •Mentoring, and •Other peer networks. | Speakers and activities will allow group members to hear about, ask questions, and connect with resources and groups that support: •Arts and creative interests, •Assistance and therapy dogs, •Technology and other supports, and •Clubs and community groups in my interest areas. |