Positive Advocacy Resources

Advocacy is about securing, protecting and advancing the rights of one’s self or others. People on the autism spectrum/autistic people have rights. Our system has enacted legislation and regulations to support the needs of children, youth and adults on the autism spectrum. All programs and services must be in compliance with current legislation and regulations. Parents and self-advocates, however, may have to strongly advocate to ensure that their rights or their child’s rights are met. 

Most effective advocates share a combination of important knowledge and skills:

  • An understanding of regulations and rules 

  • An understanding of the law 

  • A sense of procedural advocacy 

  • A realistic sense of what they want and how to work with others to achieve their goals

This process supports self-advocates and their families to constructively express dissatisfaction and contribute to creative solutions to problems existing in human service systems.  

As one of the largest collective voices representing autism, Autism Ontario and its network of staff and volunteers across the province are dedicated to providing quality information and education, supporting research and advocating for programs and services for the autism community. It is our objective to provide people on the autism spectrum and their families practical strategies to support their role as advocates as they navigate the system. 

Autism Ontario is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day-to-day challenges faced by individuals on the autism spectrum, their families, and the professionals with whom they interact. The organization and its chapters share common goals of providing information and education, supporting research, and advocating for programs and services for the autism community.

RDSP Action Coalition

The RDSP Action Coalition is a group comprised of Community Living Ontario, Partners for Planning, PooranLaw, Autism Ontario and Family Alliance Ontario.

Our mandate is to increase the uptake of the RDSP in Ontario and address barriers to opening and utilizing a Registered Disability Savings Plan.

As a coalition, we believe the greatest barrier people with a disability, and those that support them, face regarding the RDSP is the lack of Supported Decision-Making legislation in Ontario. The absence of this legislation will force many to apply for a guardianship order to help a person apply for an RDSP or to manage an RDSP later in life.