Special interest groups for neurodivergent kids
Finally… a space where your kid just gets to be their neurodivergent self. No agenda, no “goals,” no skill-building… just a safe space for neurodivergent kids to hyperfocus on the thing they love with other kids who are just as passionate as they are about their beloved special interest.
Perhaps your kid makes a new friend. Perhaps they build social navigation skills. It may happen naturally. But this is intended to be a no-pressure space. If your child wants to sit alone and “parallel play” next to other kids on their screen, they can. If they want to initiate conversations with other kids, they can.
The vision for the special interest social group is to create an opportunity for neurodivergent kids to meet other kids who they can relate to, who get them, who they can unmask with.
What is the cost of these groups? How does registration work?
Our special interest groups cost $30 for each group meet up. You will pay/register for one meet up at a time, rather than registering for the whole series.
To register for our next group meet up, you can click on red the sign up button above. This will lead you to pay and sign our consent form.
Please email Gabi at gabi@realworkwellness.com if you would like to attend but cannot pay the fee… we don’t want finances to be a barrier for anyone to be able to attend. :)
You can also leave us a “tip” if you’d like to contribute to scholarships for other families to attend and/or for our supply budget!
You can use the link here to give a tip: https://realwork.kit.com/products/special-interest-group-tip-jar
What is the format of the groups?
There will be a facilitator present (Gabi) as well as 1-2 volunteers associated with the Real Work. Group gatherings will be one hour in length. There will be some materials provided related to the monthly topic, and your child is encouraged to bring their own items to show and tell too! Parents and/or caregivers will be asked to stay present for the duration of the group.
As described above, this will be a low pressure space to simply hang out, connect, and hyperfocus in the company of other neurodivergent kids. The facilitators will not be “teaching skills” but skills may be learned naturally. The facilitators will be there to host the groups, connect and interact with kids who would like to, and provide opportunities for kids to connect with each other when appropriate.
Currently, we are capping group meet ups at 5 families.
Learn more about the group facilitator, Gabi, on her bio here!
What are the days/times of groups?
Our special interest groups are hosted once/month. Generally, they will take place on Sunday afternoons from 3-4 pm. They are one hour in length.
What are the topics of groups?
Every 3-6 months, we will host a different “series” of special interest topics. Within each series, there will be a more specific topic of the month. We are hoping this will allow kids who have very niche special interests to connect, while also offering the opportunity to attend the whole series for those interested.
Right now we are in our SCIENCE series!
Other topics to look forward to include video games, vehicles, and creating/building… you can sign up to be notified when the next series of special interest groups is announced!
We decided which topics to offer based on your feedback (thank you!) If you’d like to share what your child’s special interest is to inform future topics, you can email Gabi at gabi@realworkwellness.com.
Where do these groups take place?
In person at The Real Work in downtown Beaverton.
The address is 4775 SW Watson Ave. (Gabi will send more specific instructions for finding the space and parking after you registration).
Who can participate in group meet ups?
At this time, the group is open for neurodivergent kids ages 5-12.
“Neurodivergent kids” includes children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and sensory processing disorders, but no diagnosis is required to participate in this group. You/your child may decide for yourselves if they identify as “neurodivergent” (aka, their brain/nervous system diverges from the “norm.”)
Questions or feedback?
Please reach out to Gabi at gabi@realworkwellness.com with any other questions or feedback you have!
Our hope is that these groups will help meet the needs of our neurodivergent community. We are hoping to learn more about how to best do that as we go! We would love to hear your feedback about how this offering does or doesn’t meet your child or family’s needs to connect with peers. Let us know if you have any feedback about the structure, size, date and time, topics, etc. Your feedback helps inform this group!