PDA Society Q&A Live: Gaming

The PDA Society is currently running monthly online Q&A Live sessions with guest speakers answering questions on specific topics.

Where possible, the Q&As will be held on the last Thursday of the month between 8pm-9pm. There may be a few exceptions, so please do keep an eye out for dates. Tickets must be purchased in advance and cost £5 per person (plus booking fee).

Questions

Questions can be submitted at the time of booking and/or via the Q&A function on the night. Please note this is a webinar so you will be able to see us but we will not be able to see or hear you. You will however be able to use the chat function to talk with us during the session.

The Q&As will be recorded and available for pre-booked delegates to watch for a period of 30 days after the event – so for privacy and confidentiality, please don’t share personal information in your questions.

It may not be possible to answer all questions depending on the numbers attending and the amount of questions asked. Also it won’t be possible to answer specific questions on personal situations within these Q&A sessions – if you require support please contact our enquiry line: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/contact-us/enquiry-line/

Q&A Live - Gaming, Thursday 21st July 2022, 8pm-9pm

During the session we will be looking to answer questions related to gaming, and will also be looking at the benefits this activity can have for those engaged with it.

Our guest speakers include:

Andy Smith – Founder and Creative Director of Spectrum Gaming. Andy is an autistic adult who, after years of struggling to fit in, realised that the only way to be happy and thrive was to stop trying to fit in and accept himself. Andy created Spectrum gaming to help other autistic children and young people to realise this too so they can live the happiest lives they can.

Spectrum Gaming is an online community for autistic young people which has three main intended outcomes: Building Friendships, Increasing Self-Acceptance and Advocacy. A lot of autistic young people are lonely, isolated and struggle with friendships. Andy wanted to create a community where autistic young people feel comfortable and can make strong friendships in a safe way. Spectrum Gaming's main provision is our online community, that anyone from across the UK can access.

For more information please see https://www.spectrumgaming.net/

and

Dan Clark - Dan runs the service MindJam - online 121 mentorship and guidance for children struggling with SEN, anxiety, stress and social issues; through gaming and game design. At MindJam, their aim is to support children who suffer anxiety, stress, social issues and other emotional needs. They are experienced in working with children with ASD, ADHD, Trauma, PDA and children who have been adopted. In 2021 Dan was a nominated finalist for BAFTA Mentor of the Year. Dan also works with schools, health services and councils to bring greater understanding to the needs of young people and the positive benefits of gaming and game design.

As a father of two autistic children, which brings great understanding of how SEN impacts the whole family, Dan has created a company that has helped so many young people, and through his dedication and passion he is making sure MindJam grows to support as many who are struggling as possible. MindJam supports young people in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and many other places around the world!

For more information please see www.mindjam.org.uk

Please join the Zoom webinar 5-10 minutes prior to the start time to check your technology is working as we’re unable to delay the start, due to the number of delegates we anticipate attending. Please also familiarise yourself with the chat function and Q and A function so that you can ask questions.

If you have any additional needs that may require assistance during the session, please do let us know at the time of booking so that we can discuss arrangements in advance.

Please remember to check your e-mail (messages may be forwarded to your spam/junk folder) for a confirmation receipt from Eventbrite sharing a link for registration. For greater reliability and functionality we recommend selecting the 'join via Zoom' tab. Eventbrite will also send reminders prior to the session taking place.

Other Q&A Live events include*:

All sessions below are on a Thursday between 8pm-9pm:

26th May - Balancing needs within the family

30th June - Sleep

21st July - Gaming

29th September - Understanding social care

*dates/topics subject to change until shared via Eventbrite

Please note: The PDA Society reserves the right to substitute published speakers should unforeseen circumstances arise. Any education, legislation or healthcare practices discussed are related to England and delegates joining from other locations will need to consider their own local education, legal and healthcare requirements.

The PDA Society offers a variety of training programmes available for parent/carers and professionals. If you’d like further information or would like to make a booking, please contact our training team: training@pdasociety.org.uk