Autreat is a retreat-style conference run by Autism Network International

We are now accepting proposals for workshops to be presented at Autreat 2005
to be held Monday-Friday, June 27-July 1, 2005, in metropolitan Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Our campus location provides greater comfort, accessibility, and food service than previous camp facilities, while still offering the open space and freedom to roam that have always been part of Autreat.

WHAT KINDS OF WORKSHOPS ARE WANTED AT AUTREAT?

Autreat is very different from typical autism conferences. When preparing a proposal for consideration, be aware that the *primary* audience at Autreat is autistic people. Parents and professionals do attend, and most who attend find the presentations to be of interest, but Autreat is basically autistic space. Be sure your information is being presented in a manner that is both helpful to and respectful of autistic people. We expect that you will be speaking *to* us, not speaking to non-autistic people
*about* us.

We are interested in workshops, by either autistic or non-autistic people, about positive ways of living with autism, about functioning as autistic people in a neurotypical world, and about the disability movement and its significance for autistic people.

We are *not* interested in workshops about how to cure, prevent, or overcome
autism. We do *not* appreciate having non-autistic people come into our space to talk to each other about how difficult we are to deal with, or how heroic they are for putting up with us. If your workshop is geared toward the interests of parents or professionals, it should focus on positive ways of appreciating and supporting autistic people, not on reinforcing negative attitudes about autism and autistic people.

A note about "personal experience" presentations:

Be aware that everyone at Autreat either knows what it's like to be autistic or knows what it's like to care about someone who is autistic. All of us have our own personal stories. Presentations about the presenters' personal stories are not going to generate much interest, unless you're able to use your story in a way that will help other people to share and understand their own experiences in a new way. Your proposal should describe what participants can expect to get out of your workshop, not just what personal experiences you're going to talk about.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WORKSHOP TOPICS OF INTEREST

If you have never attended Autreat before, please review the ANI web site (www.ani.ac) and the past Autreat brochures, and contact Jim Sinclair (jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu) if you have questions, to make sure you understand what Autreat is about and whether your topic is relevant to ANI's philosophy.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PRESENTERS?

If you submit a proposal, we expect you to be available to attend Autreat if we accept your proposal, and to give your presentation on the day and time scheduled. We make every effort to accommodate presenters' preferences in setting the Autreat schedule, but it is not always possible to give every presenter his or her preferred time slot.

Presenters are expected to send advance copies of any handouts or transparencies they plan to use, so that we can prepare alternate format copies for print-impaired attendees.

Presenters are expected to submit an article on their topic for inclusion in the program book. These also need to be submitted in a timely manner, so we can prepare copies in alternate formats.

Presenters are expected to consent for their workshops to be videotaped, and for the tapes to be sold by Autism Network International.

Please be prepared to meet these expectations if you decide to submit a proposal.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE PRESENTERS?

Autreat presenters receive free registration, including on-site meals and lodging.

ANI is a volunteer-run, member-supported grassroots organization with minimal funding. We cannot reimburse for off-site expenses, nor can we pay travel expenses or honoraria. If your proposal is accepted, we will send you a formal letter of invitation if this would help you in raising your own travel funds.

Presenters are entitled to receive one free copy of the videotape of their workshop.

PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE:

* Title of your proposed workshop

* Detailed description for consideration by the planning committee

* Brief (5 sentences or less) abstract exactly as you want it listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Indicate one theme that best relates to your proposed presentation:

Advocacy skills
Life skills/adaptive strategies
Helpful support services
Communication
Social/interpersonal issues
Autistic community and culture
Education
Employment
Family issues
Residential issues
Disability rights and politics
Autism research and theory
Other (describe):

* Indicate which group(s) you believe would find your proposed presentation of interest. Check as many as apply. Briefly describe what your presentation would offer to each group you have checked:

Autistic adults
Autistic teenagers
Family members of autistic people
Educators
Clinicians
Service providers
Other (specify):

* Your name and title (if any) exactly as you want them listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Contact information (address, phone, fax and/or email if you have them)

* Brief (5 sentences or less) presenter bio exactly as you want it listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Any audiovisual equipment you would need for your workshop

If you have never presented at Autreat before, please also include an introduction for the planning committee summarizing your relevant experience including any presentations or other ducation/advocacy activities elsewhere
and the nature of your interest in autism and/or
in general disability issues.

PROPOSAL DEADLINE:

February 15, 2005

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL:

Proposals can be submitted via email to Jim Sinclair (jisincla@mailbox.syredu), or via postal mail to ANI at the address below.

WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO PRESENT, BUT I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A WORKSHOP I'D LIKE TO SEE?

If you want to make suggestions for Autreat presentations, or make comments about previous presentations or presenters, please fill out the questionnaire available at tp://ani.autistics.org/autplan2.txt and send responses via email to jisincla@mailbox.syr.edu, or print out a copy and send it via snailmail to ANI at the address below.

Autism Network International
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse NY 13235
USA