New Post: Accessing CollectionControl on avalondock panel

How can access a CollectionControl on an AvalonDock panel?
Specifically I have the following:

<avalonDock:DockingManager x:Name="dockManager">
   <avalonDock:DockingManager.LayoutItemTemplateSelector>
      <local:PanesTemplateSelector x:Name ="dddd">
         <local:PanesTemplateSelector.ConstructionTemplate>
            <DataTemplate x:Name="wwww">
               <Grid Name="ParentGrid" Background="{DynamicResource WindowBackgroundBrush}">
                  <ScrollViewer HorizontalScrollBarVisibility="Visible">
                     <Grid Grid.Row="0">
                        <xctk:CollectionControl x:Name="CollectionControlElements2"
                               Grid.Row="2"
                               ItemsSource="{Binding ElementCollection, Mode=TwoWay}"
                               ItemAdded="Persist_Changes"
                               ItemDeleted="Persist_Changes"
                               SelectedItem="{Binding SelectedElement, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
                               NewItemTypes="{Binding ElementTypes, Mode=OneWay}">
</xctk:CollectionControl>
 </Grid>
 </ScrollViewer>
 </Grid>
 </DataTemplate>
 </local:PanesTemplateSelector.ConstructionTemplate>

and in the code behind I try:

Dim mytemplate = myfrmMDI.dddd.ConstructionTemplate
Dim myobj As Object = mytemplate.FindName("CollectionControlElements2", myfrmMDI)

(where myfrmMDI is defined on Window_Loaded event)
This doesn't really work well and seems over complicated to me. Is there an easier way?

Many thanks for any help.