Victoria Speech and Language Centre offers a range of peer groups which welcome both neurotypical and neurodivergent learners. The groups aim to support preschool and school-aged children and teens with self-awareness, self-esteem and self-advocacy, as well as developing their confidence with navigating family, friend and school relationships. Our peer groups offer a neurodiversity-affirming safe space for young people to be themselves and connect with like-minded peers in a safe and supportive environment. We aim to develop self-understanding, self-esteem and self advocacy skills, while also exploring a range of social interaction strategies, accommodations and supports to meet each individual’s evolving needs. Our groups are appropriate for children and teens with ADHD, autism or other neurodivergent learners.
Our groups seek to avoid terms and concepts that “normalize” or “cure” autistic behaviour. Our approach is person-centred approach and neurodiversity-affirming so that rather than insisting on a homogenous communication ideal, we explore each individual’s motivation and own communicative preferences as well as investigating how understanding and interpreting others’ perceptions can help us achieve our own social, academic and life goals (including schoolwork, friends and family relationships, higher education and workplace).
Group content and activities vary depending on the ages and needs of the children but are always based on the principles of child-centred and play-based therapy. Group activities begin with exploring each individual’s own thoughts, feelings and wants around social interaction, as well as exploring the benefits of understanding neurotypical norms of communication, behaviour and culture. We then experiment with different strategies which can be used to make sense of other people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviour and expectations.
