I’m now back from my USA trip, it was absolutely incredible I learnt great deal and I think the experiences will last a life time,
I got the opportunity to speak to over 100 school aged children in California at a film school and a school named Village glenn which is run by a large charity named the HELP group the group run a mixture of schools over several campus’s, village glenn uses the same curriculum and textbooks as other schools in its district but teaches social skills and can cater for kids both struggling and excelling,
I also visited the PPERs programme as featured in my channel 4 interview ( see links page) which was very intresting, since the effectiveness of this programme is proven and involves parents so that the results are longer lasting this as far as I know is unique, I also met Dr Alexander Gantman who is developing peers for young adults, I attended the help group summit where I met the likes of Barbera firestone and Alan Leslie.
On touching down in the UK within 26hours I was speaking at the house of commons to a group of MP’s and then the following day had a radio interview, for BBC radio Cambridgeshire so I have been very busy,
the photograph here is Me
and Dr Liz Laugeson.
Press release
Below is my press release
Robyn Seward is an experienced trainer and mentor specialising in Asperger
syndrome. Robyn's passion is to educate and inform in a positive, practical
way, exploring not only the theory but, more importantly, the reality of
daily
life on the autistic spectrum.
Robyn herself has Asperger syndrome (along with several other co-morbid
disabilities), giving her a unique insight into this complex condition and
the
ability to draw on personal experiences to help educate others.
About Robyn
Robyn grew up in the UK and attended a mainstream school, where she struggled
due to a lack of understanding of her disabilities. Having left school early,
Robyn attended college, where, with the right support, she thrived.
Becoming active within the college community, Robyn co-wrote and co-presented
the Asperger syndrome staff awareness program at Norwich City College's
Regional Centre for Learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in City
College Norwich - one of only a few mainstream ASD-specific centre for post compulsory
education in the UK.
Now working successfully on a freelance basis, Robyn regularly trains staff
at
the centre and gives talks on Asperger syndrome at events around the UK,
including at London Olympia and numerous teacher training colleges, FE
colleges, schools universities, and businesses and other organizations.
Robyn's British media credits include live interviews on the BBC and Channel
4
national news programmes and featuring in an article in The Guardian
newspaper.
Robyn's articles have been published by The National Autistic Society (NAS)
and
'about.com' and she regularly blogs on the NAS website. She has also written
and produced a film about Asperger syndrome and young people and is a music
composer.
below are some links , the website links page is still a bit temperamental
but
this should help
Channel 4 an interview on prime ime british news programe Chanel 4 newss,
faturing the PEERS program research that was presnted in london in May 2008.
http://www.channel4.com/player/v2/player.jsp?showId=012088
British news paper Guardian Interview
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/women/story/0,,2283569,00.html
Robyn's film can be viewed here ( click the download button and there is also
a
short article.
www.oldham.ac.uk/news/84
an article published on about.com discussing issues around teenagers with
ASD's
http://autism.about.com/od/transitioncollegejobs/Teens_and_Autism.htm
The National Autistic Society is a British charity specializing in helping
those with ASD's and organizing campaigns which effect government such as
their
current I exist campaign aiming at helping get better services for adults
with
ASD's Robyn keeps a blog on the campaigns website.
http://www.think-differently.org.uk/Blogs/Robyn.aspx
Regional Centre for Learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in City
College Norwich website :
http://www.rugroom.net/information/
June 2008
I apolgize for the long delay in actually posting a blog, my new website has been problamatic to say the lleast, I have plenty of news, first of all, I have been featured on Channel 4, and also BBC news as well as being interviewed for the guardian and Ive alswo had an article published on about.com I will shortly be writing another article for them.
Im planning a visit to the USA to Visit UCLA, and will be running some talks during my visit, if you would be intrested in attending a talk please e-mail me robyn@robynsteward.com
II now have an apple mac and have been working with a program called Logic creating music, and in the near future Ill be putting some up on my myspace.