01-14-2007, 02:41 PM
Posted by: "Jim Sinclair" jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu jisincla
Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:30 pm (PST)
And, just in case anyone here wants to attend and present Autreat in the
US:
Autreat is a retreat-style conference run by Autism Network International,
for autistic people and our families, professionals, friends and
supporters. We are accepting proposals for workshops to be presented at
Autreat 2007, to be held Monday-Friday, June 25-29, 2007, in metropolitan
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
FOR HELP PREPARING A PROPOSAL:
If you want to submit a proposal but you have trouble reading these
instructions and putting your proposal in the requested format, contact
Jane Meyerding, jmeyerding@earthlink.net, for help. Send only plain text
messages, with no attachments.
WHAT KINDS OF WORKSHOPS ARE WANTED AT AUTREAT?
Autreat is very different from typical autism conferences:
WHEN PREPARING A PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION, BE AWARE THAT THE *PRIMARY*
AUDIENCE AT AUTREAT IS AUTISTIC PEOPLE.
Parents and professionals do attend, and most who attend find the
presentations to be of interest, but Autreat is basically autistic space.
Be sure your information is being presented in a manner that is both
helpful to and respectful of autistic people.
We expect that you will be speaking *to* us, not speaking to non-autistic
people *about* us.
We are interested in workshops, by either autistic or non-autistic people,
about POSITIVE WAYS OF LIVING WITH AUTISM, about functioning as autistic
people in a neurotypical world, and about the disability movement and its
significance for autistic people.
We are *not* interested in workshops about how to cure, prevent, or
overcome autism.
We do *not* appreciate having non-autistic people come into our space to
talk to each other about how difficult we are to deal with, or how heroic
they are for putting up with us.
If your workshop is geared toward the interests of parents or
professionals, it should focus on positive ways of appreciating and
supporting autistic people, not on reinforcing negative attitudes about
autism and autistic people.
AUTREAT AIMS TO BE WELCOMING AND RELEVANT TO THE BROADEST POSSIBLE
CROSS-SECTION OF THE AUTISTIC POPULATION.
Autreat is attended by autistic people who speak and by autistic people
who do not speak;
by autistic people who communicate fluently and by autistic people who
have limited communication;
by autistic people who live independently and by autistic people who need
intensive support with daily living;
by autistic people who have jobs and by autistic people who live on
disability benefits;
by autistic people who are able to present as "socially acceptable" and by
autistic poeople who require support to help them manage their behavior;
by autistic people who have been labeled "high-functioning" and by
autistic people who have been labeled "low-functioning"--including some
autistic people who have had *both* labels, at different times or under
different circumstances.
While it is not expected that any one presentation will be of interest to
each and every autistic person, we do look for presentations that will
appeal to the widest possible audience.
We are *not* interested in presentations that reinforce what we consider
to be artificial distinctions between members of our community who are
labeled "low-" vs."high-functioning."
A NOTE ABOUT "PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" PRESENTATIONS:
Be aware that everyone at Autreat either knows what it's like to be
autistic, or knows what it's like to care about someone who is autistic.
All of us have our own personal stories. Presentations about the
presenters' personal stories are not going to generate much interest,
unless you're able to use your story in a way that will help other people
to share and understand their own experiences in a new way.
Your proposal should describe what participants can expect to get out of
your workshop, not just what personal experiences you're going to talk about.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKSHOP TOPICS OF INTEREST
If you have never attended Autreat before, please review the ANI web site
(http://www.ani.ac) and the past Autreat brochures, and contact Jim Sinclair
(jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu) if you have questions, to make sure you
understand what Autreat is about and whether your topic is relevant to
ANI's philosophy.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PRESENTERS?
If you submit a proposal, we expect you to be available to attend Autreat
if we accept your proposal, and to give your presentation on the day and
time scheduled. We make every effort to accommodate presenters'
preferences in setting the Autreat schedule, but it is not always possible
to give every presenter his or her preferred time slot.
Presenters are expected to send advance copies of any handouts or
transparencies they plan to use, so that we can prepare alternate format
copies for print-impaired attendees.
Presenters are expected to submit an article on their topic for inclusion
in the program book. These also need to be submitted in a timely manner,
so we can prepare copies in alternate formats.
Presenters are expected to consent for their workshops to be videotaped,
and for the recordings to be sold by Autism Network International.
NEW REQUIREMENTS EFFECTIVE 2007:
We hope to enhance the Autreat children's program by offering abbreviated
versions of the presentations adapted for children. Presenters will be
asked to either present a 30- to 45-minute adapted version of their
presentation; or, if a presenter is not comfortable presenting to
children, to work with a volunteer in advance of Autreat, so that the
volunteer will have the necessary information and materials to give the
children's presentation.
Some presenters opt not to attend all of Autreat, but to come only on the
day that they are presenting. Following a number of instances in which
commuting presenters--usually through no fault of their own and due to
truly unforeseeable circumstances--have been late arriving for their own
presentations, we are instituting a new requirement for presenters who are
not staying on-site for the entire duration of Autreat. If your proposal
is accepted and is scheduled for an afternoon session, then you MUST plan
to arrive on-site by 8:30 a.m. on the day of your presentation. If your
proposal is accepted and is scheduled for a morning session, then you MUST
plan to arrive on-site the night before your presentation. (Or, if you
prefer to stay off-site at your own expense, you must arrive at alternate
lodgings within five miles of the Autreat site, no later than the night
before your presentation.)
This requirement is meant to create a safety margin so that even if you
get lost, your vehicle breaks down, or a road along your route gets
flooded, you will have enough time to navigate the crisis and still arrive
in time for your presentation. So, if you plan to attend only on the day
that you present, please plan to arrive half a day before your
presentation.
Please be prepared to meet these expectations if you decide to submit a
proposal.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE PRESENTERS?
Autreat presenters receive free registration, including on-site meals and
lodging.
ANI is a volunteer-run, member-supported grassroots organization with
minimal funding. We cannot reimburse for off-site expenses, nor can we pay
travel expenses or honoraria. If your proposal is accepted, we will send
you a formal letter of invitation if this would help you in raising your
own travel funds.
Presenters are entitled to receive one free copy of the recording of their
workshop.
PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE:
* Your name and title (if any) exactly as you want them listed in program
materials should your proposal be accepted
* Contact information (address, phone, fax and/or email if you have them)
* Title of your proposed workshop
* Detailed description for consideration by the planning committee
* Brief (5 sentences or less) abstract exactly as you want it listed in
program materials should your proposal be accepted
* Indicate ONE theme that BEST relates to your proposed presentation:
Advocacy skills
Life skills/adaptive strategies
Helpful support services
Communication
Social/interpersonal issues
Autistic community and culture
Education
Employment
Family issues
Residential issues
Disability rights and politics
Autism research and theory
Other (describe):
* Indicate which group(s) you believe would find your proposed
presentation of interest.
Check as many as apply. Briefly describe what your presentation would
offer to each group
you have checked:
Autistic adults
Autistic teenagers
Family members of autistic people
Educators
Clinicians
Service providers
Other (specify):
* Brief (5 sentences or less) presenter bio exactly as you want it listed
in program materials should your proposal be accepted
* Any audiovisual equipment you would need for your workshop
If you have never presented at Autreat before, please also include an
introduction for the planning committee summarizing your relevant
experience, including any presentations or other education/advocacy
activities elsewhere, and the nature of your interest in autism and/or in
general disability issues.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE:
March 1, 2007
HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
Proposals can be submitted via email to Jim Sinclair
(jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu), or via postal mail to ANI at the address
below, or submitted online at http://www.ani.ac/aut07cfp.php.
WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO PRESENT, BUT I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A WORKSHOP I'D
LIKE TO SEE?
If you want to make suggestions for Autreat presentations, or make
comments about previous presentations or presenters, please fill out the
questionnaire available at http://www.ani.ac/autplan2.php.
Autism Network International
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse NY 13235 USA
Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:30 pm (PST)
And, just in case anyone here wants to attend and present Autreat in the
US:
Autreat is a retreat-style conference run by Autism Network International,
for autistic people and our families, professionals, friends and
supporters. We are accepting proposals for workshops to be presented at
Autreat 2007, to be held Monday-Friday, June 25-29, 2007, in metropolitan
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
FOR HELP PREPARING A PROPOSAL:
If you want to submit a proposal but you have trouble reading these
instructions and putting your proposal in the requested format, contact
Jane Meyerding, jmeyerding@earthlink.net, for help. Send only plain text
messages, with no attachments.
WHAT KINDS OF WORKSHOPS ARE WANTED AT AUTREAT?
Autreat is very different from typical autism conferences:
WHEN PREPARING A PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION, BE AWARE THAT THE *PRIMARY*
AUDIENCE AT AUTREAT IS AUTISTIC PEOPLE.
Parents and professionals do attend, and most who attend find the
presentations to be of interest, but Autreat is basically autistic space.
Be sure your information is being presented in a manner that is both
helpful to and respectful of autistic people.
We expect that you will be speaking *to* us, not speaking to non-autistic
people *about* us.
We are interested in workshops, by either autistic or non-autistic people,
about POSITIVE WAYS OF LIVING WITH AUTISM, about functioning as autistic
people in a neurotypical world, and about the disability movement and its
significance for autistic people.
We are *not* interested in workshops about how to cure, prevent, or
overcome autism.
We do *not* appreciate having non-autistic people come into our space to
talk to each other about how difficult we are to deal with, or how heroic
they are for putting up with us.
If your workshop is geared toward the interests of parents or
professionals, it should focus on positive ways of appreciating and
supporting autistic people, not on reinforcing negative attitudes about
autism and autistic people.
AUTREAT AIMS TO BE WELCOMING AND RELEVANT TO THE BROADEST POSSIBLE
CROSS-SECTION OF THE AUTISTIC POPULATION.
Autreat is attended by autistic people who speak and by autistic people
who do not speak;
by autistic people who communicate fluently and by autistic people who
have limited communication;
by autistic people who live independently and by autistic people who need
intensive support with daily living;
by autistic people who have jobs and by autistic people who live on
disability benefits;
by autistic people who are able to present as "socially acceptable" and by
autistic poeople who require support to help them manage their behavior;
by autistic people who have been labeled "high-functioning" and by
autistic people who have been labeled "low-functioning"--including some
autistic people who have had *both* labels, at different times or under
different circumstances.
While it is not expected that any one presentation will be of interest to
each and every autistic person, we do look for presentations that will
appeal to the widest possible audience.
We are *not* interested in presentations that reinforce what we consider
to be artificial distinctions between members of our community who are
labeled "low-" vs."high-functioning."
A NOTE ABOUT "PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" PRESENTATIONS:
Be aware that everyone at Autreat either knows what it's like to be
autistic, or knows what it's like to care about someone who is autistic.
All of us have our own personal stories. Presentations about the
presenters' personal stories are not going to generate much interest,
unless you're able to use your story in a way that will help other people
to share and understand their own experiences in a new way.
Your proposal should describe what participants can expect to get out of
your workshop, not just what personal experiences you're going to talk about.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKSHOP TOPICS OF INTEREST
If you have never attended Autreat before, please review the ANI web site
(http://www.ani.ac) and the past Autreat brochures, and contact Jim Sinclair
(jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu) if you have questions, to make sure you
understand what Autreat is about and whether your topic is relevant to
ANI's philosophy.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PRESENTERS?
If you submit a proposal, we expect you to be available to attend Autreat
if we accept your proposal, and to give your presentation on the day and
time scheduled. We make every effort to accommodate presenters'
preferences in setting the Autreat schedule, but it is not always possible
to give every presenter his or her preferred time slot.
Presenters are expected to send advance copies of any handouts or
transparencies they plan to use, so that we can prepare alternate format
copies for print-impaired attendees.
Presenters are expected to submit an article on their topic for inclusion
in the program book. These also need to be submitted in a timely manner,
so we can prepare copies in alternate formats.
Presenters are expected to consent for their workshops to be videotaped,
and for the recordings to be sold by Autism Network International.
NEW REQUIREMENTS EFFECTIVE 2007:
We hope to enhance the Autreat children's program by offering abbreviated
versions of the presentations adapted for children. Presenters will be
asked to either present a 30- to 45-minute adapted version of their
presentation; or, if a presenter is not comfortable presenting to
children, to work with a volunteer in advance of Autreat, so that the
volunteer will have the necessary information and materials to give the
children's presentation.
Some presenters opt not to attend all of Autreat, but to come only on the
day that they are presenting. Following a number of instances in which
commuting presenters--usually through no fault of their own and due to
truly unforeseeable circumstances--have been late arriving for their own
presentations, we are instituting a new requirement for presenters who are
not staying on-site for the entire duration of Autreat. If your proposal
is accepted and is scheduled for an afternoon session, then you MUST plan
to arrive on-site by 8:30 a.m. on the day of your presentation. If your
proposal is accepted and is scheduled for a morning session, then you MUST
plan to arrive on-site the night before your presentation. (Or, if you
prefer to stay off-site at your own expense, you must arrive at alternate
lodgings within five miles of the Autreat site, no later than the night
before your presentation.)
This requirement is meant to create a safety margin so that even if you
get lost, your vehicle breaks down, or a road along your route gets
flooded, you will have enough time to navigate the crisis and still arrive
in time for your presentation. So, if you plan to attend only on the day
that you present, please plan to arrive half a day before your
presentation.
Please be prepared to meet these expectations if you decide to submit a
proposal.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE PRESENTERS?
Autreat presenters receive free registration, including on-site meals and
lodging.
ANI is a volunteer-run, member-supported grassroots organization with
minimal funding. We cannot reimburse for off-site expenses, nor can we pay
travel expenses or honoraria. If your proposal is accepted, we will send
you a formal letter of invitation if this would help you in raising your
own travel funds.
Presenters are entitled to receive one free copy of the recording of their
workshop.
PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE:
* Your name and title (if any) exactly as you want them listed in program
materials should your proposal be accepted
* Contact information (address, phone, fax and/or email if you have them)
* Title of your proposed workshop
* Detailed description for consideration by the planning committee
* Brief (5 sentences or less) abstract exactly as you want it listed in
program materials should your proposal be accepted
* Indicate ONE theme that BEST relates to your proposed presentation:
Advocacy skills
Life skills/adaptive strategies
Helpful support services
Communication
Social/interpersonal issues
Autistic community and culture
Education
Employment
Family issues
Residential issues
Disability rights and politics
Autism research and theory
Other (describe):
* Indicate which group(s) you believe would find your proposed
presentation of interest.
Check as many as apply. Briefly describe what your presentation would
offer to each group
you have checked:
Autistic adults
Autistic teenagers
Family members of autistic people
Educators
Clinicians
Service providers
Other (specify):
* Brief (5 sentences or less) presenter bio exactly as you want it listed
in program materials should your proposal be accepted
* Any audiovisual equipment you would need for your workshop
If you have never presented at Autreat before, please also include an
introduction for the planning committee summarizing your relevant
experience, including any presentations or other education/advocacy
activities elsewhere, and the nature of your interest in autism and/or in
general disability issues.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE:
March 1, 2007
HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
Proposals can be submitted via email to Jim Sinclair
(jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu), or via postal mail to ANI at the address
below, or submitted online at http://www.ani.ac/aut07cfp.php.
WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO PRESENT, BUT I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A WORKSHOP I'D
LIKE TO SEE?
If you want to make suggestions for Autreat presentations, or make
comments about previous presentations or presenters, please fill out the
questionnaire available at http://www.ani.ac/autplan2.php.
Autism Network International
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse NY 13235 USA