This is a sponsored post.
April marks World Autism Month, an opportunity to raise awareness and spark conversation about Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Approximately one in 66 children and youth in Canada are autistic, according to the National Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance System. Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental difference in which people with autism perceive the world and interact with others in unique ways.
In honour of World Autism Month and all year-round, these organizations in Toronto are raising awareness and celebrating Canadians with autism.
Flourish on Queen
Flourish Health Services is a strengths-based paediatric centre located in The Beaches area in Toronto that supports children, youth, and their families.
The organization is helmed by Marie Hooper and Kyla McDonald – both doctoral associates in clinical child psychology who are passionate about providing comprehensive, holistic care to the community. Their interdisciplinary team of professionals specializes in areas of child development, evidence-based assessment, and intervention.
The organization takes a whole-person approach to provide a number of personalized services both in-person and virtually, including psychological and educational assessments, therapy, and social work, among others.
Their approach emphasizes family-centred care, through decision-making and goal-setting, to ensure the well-being of all family members. The team also uses a strengths-based approach to optimize a child’s assets and build on them.
“By focusing on the “whole-child” as opposed to just the areas of need, we aim to highlight your child’s strengths with the goal of improving their overall functioning, confidence, resilience and wellbeing,” Marie Hooper, Flourish’s director and co-founder says. “This model allows children to recognize their potential and thrive.”
Flourish Health Services values diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone.
For more information, visit Flourish Health Services’ website.
Autism Ontario
Autism Ontario is a charitable organization with a history of over 49 years representing the thousands of people on the autism spectrum and their families across Ontario.
It aims to support and advocate alongside all autistic individuals across the province, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
People connect with Adult Services at Autism Ontario seeking answers to questions about transitioning to adulthood, post-secondary education, accessing a diagnostic assessment as an adult, available funding, mental health and addictions services, housing, scholarships, life planning, positive advocacy, and learning about social, economic, and learning opportunities.
Autism Career Connections is an online workshop that helps both job seekers on the autism spectrum and employers create safe and healthy workplaces.
For more information, visit Autism Ontario’s website.
Geneva Centre for Autism
The Geneva Centre of Autism serves over 3,000 families in Toronto, providing a holistic service to individuals with ASD, offering various clinical programs and services that stem from the latest evidence-based clinical practices.
Its International Autism Symposium, a three-day conference, brings in top researchers and professionals from around the world to discuss the latest findings and strategies in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Its training institute has progressed into an online digital platform known as Sonderly, which provides high-quality training in over 94 countries. This curated online training empowers teachers with effective skills and strategies in a classroom setting.For more information, visit The Geneva Centre of Austim’s website.
The Autism Centre of Toronto
The Autism Centre of Toronto is a not-for-profit organization serving children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Toronto.
Its programs are guided by the scientifically-valid, evidence-based approach of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). It also is designed to teach skills in the areas of: communication, social skills, play, daily living, safety, self-management, and school readiness.
Programs covered are around school readiness, social skills, and caregiver education. The centre is an approved provider for the Ontario Autism Program.
For more information, visit The Autism Centre of Toronto.
Ready, Willing, and Able
Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) is a national partnership of Inclusion Canada, Autism Alliance of Canada, and their member organizations.
Funded by the Government of Canada, RWA is designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability or on the autism spectrum.
As a national strategy to develop inclusive and effective labour markets, RWA will connect and support employers, persons with an intellectual disability and/or on the autism spectrum and local, provincial and national community agencies. It also promotes understanding and awareness among employers and the general public as to the business value of hiring people with an intellectual disability and/or on the autism spectrum.
In addition, RWA complements and enhances the capacity of community employment service delivery organizations by connecting them to new employer demand.
For more information, visit Ready, Willing and Able’s website.
