| P.U.F.F.:
People United for Fun & Friendship |
NOTE:
The PUFF group is currently on hiatus
due to lack of interest.
What
does P.U.F.F. mean?
PUFF stands for People United for Fun and Friendship.
Who
is invited to join?
Anyone who wants an opportunity to socialize and make friends
may join. Most of the people are families of children with autism,
and they bring their children with them so that they can play
together. We do not force them to interact, but they are free
to, and many do. If you wish to join, please e-mail me at willrogers@thestonkingsteps.com
and I will put you on the mailing list.
Who
came up with the idea for this group?
I did, and some friends who are also members of the Saskatchewan
Family Network helped me.
Where
does the group meet? How often do they meet?
Usually, the group meets at people's houses. When Spring comes,
we will probably start meeting in parks. We try to meet every
other week, usually a Saturday or a Sunday, but times may vary.
I contact people on the PUFF list when there's going to be another
gathering.
What
activities does the group participate in?
Adults can socialize, children can play together, but PUFF is
by no means regimented. No one is forced to interact or attend
the whole sessions; no one has to attend if he/she doesn't want
to.
Why
is there a need for this group?
So that people - adults and children alike - can have opportunities
for friendships. Many groups for people with special needs are
regimented, like social skills groups. I have benefited little
from those. Other groups are often not very reliable - they may
not meet frequently or on a regular basis. So I wanted a group
that is reliable when it comes to making friends.
Is
this group meant to help autistic people with their social skills?
This is NOT a social skills group; however, developing
friendships and being around people like oneself can really foster
people's abilities to make friends and their social skills may
improve automatically this way.
Is
PUFF run by Saskatoon Autism Services?
No, it is independently run. Autistic people don't need treatment,
except for getting rid of destructive stuff, like head banging,
screaming, etc.
They just need opportunities.
