Guided by Lucia Laford (Waawaaskone Qwe), artists of all ages and abilities are invited to learn how to draw in a Woodland Arts style.

Material suggestions: Paper, pencil, pen,markers, but any drawing tool works!

In order to participate in this event, you will need to be able to access the ZOOM platform; a link will be emailed to all registered participants the day before the event.

The Journey to Adulthood Discussion Workshop (for parents and caregivers of autistic youth ages 16-20) is a series of six discussions featuring topics relevant to the transition from youth to adulthood. Each session includes discussion and resources around specific topics on the journey to adulthood.

Important: This session is limited to parents and caregivers of youth (ages 16-20) who are currently in secondary school.

The Journey to Adulthood Discussion Workshop is a virtual workshop open to parents and caregivers province-wide. The workshop will be presented via a virtual platform (Zoom). Participants will need access to the internet and a laptop/tablet/cell phone with video and speaker capabilities.

Topics will include:

• Funding (as of age 18)
• Consent, capacity, and legal concerns
• Post-secondary options
• Employment, Advocacy, Mental health

Registration is limited.

The A-Team is run by neurodiverse individuals for neurodiverse individuals, with some assistance from Bridges to Belonging. The goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment to meet fellow neurodiverse adults, discuss topics of interest, share experiences, and embrace our neurological diversity.

More information and a list of upcoming meetings can be found using the link below.

Come see the Raptors 905 take on the Wisconsin Herd.  
This game is not a sensory friendly event. Expect a lot of crowd noise, music, and a lot of activity overall.

Your tickets will be sent to you via Ticketmaster. Please ensure you register with your primary email address.

Note: Tip off is at 2pm.

Need to know details: 
A limited number of tickets are available. Max of 6 tickets per family.

Cost: $5 per person. No refunds.

If you require financial assistance or accessible seating to attend this event, please e-mail Jason@autismontatio.com.

Parking: Free. For directions, please click here

For information on the venue (Paramount Fine Foods Centre), please click here.

Registered families will receive an email closer to the event date with any and all updates pertaining to this event. If you have not received an email be sure to check your spam/junk folders

Please note we strive to offer tickets to as many families as we can, but tickets are limited. If, for any reason, you are registered and can no longer attend, please let us know so we are able to share those tickets with other families.

Registration opens March 12, 2024 at noon

This session is an introduction / overview of key topics in the transition from youth to adult. 

It will provide caregivers with a broad overview of adult services, funding, and supports along with key dates for applying for adult services. 

We will also introduce additional topics to consider in the transition to adult such as:

• legal
• post-secondary education
• employment
• community engagement.

Note: If you can't attend this session, we will be holding this information/overview once every 3 months. Keep an eye out for the next session later in the spring.

During this information session, an Autism Ontario Service Navigator will lead you through the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) reconciliation process.    

This session will cover these topics: 

• Tips and tricks on managing your funds 
• Eligible expense headings and subcategories 
• How to fill out the online expense form 

This session is intended for those in receipt of OAP Childhood Budget or One-Time Interim Funding.   

This event will be hosted online. A Zoom link will be sent to you prior to the event start time. 

Xenia Concerts is offering two adaptive performances at 11 AM and 2 PM for an inclusive and engaging experience. Mark your calendars for this special event!

11 AM concert: Adaptive performance

2 PM concert: Adaptive performance

Available On-Demand and on YouTube!

Dr. Christie Welch has been researching Burnout, Inertia, Meltdowns, and Shutdown (BIMS) from the perspectives of autistic children, youth, and adults.

In this webinar, Dr. Welch will share her research findings, including how her autistic co-researchers describe and experience BIMS and what they found helpful. We will also discuss the importance of including the lived autistic experience by using terms that come from the autistic community when refining the definition of BIMS. Finally, we'll explore the BIMS self-management tools that Dr. Welch's research team has under development.

This webinar is appropriate for autistic youth, adults, and their families, as well as professionals working with this population.

Click here to access additional resources created for this presentation: https://www.autismontario.com/node/982

Available On-Demand and on YouTube!

We invite you to join Danielle Nolan (MSW RSW) and Bethany Brewin (MSc OT) in a 3-part mini-series about mental health and well-being in childhood and adolescence.

This mini-series is intended to support parents and caregivers in understanding their child’s mental health and provide general strategies and information on what can be done at home to promote coping and improvements in well-being.

Autism Ontario webinars are an interactive, easy-to-understand resource for autistic people, parents, professionals, and educators.

Check out our website to see more events from Autism Ontario in your region!

Autism Ontario is turning 50! Help us by donating $50 in honour of our 50th anniversary so we can continue our momentum for another 50 years!

Together with the autism community, we are committed to promoting inclusivity and support for autistic individuals and their families.

Let's continue to make a difference, together!

Join us each month to meet with other moms, female caregivers, and transgender/non-binary folks. This casual setting allows you to socialize, share your experiences, or simply sit back and listen.

Autism Ontario staff will facilitate group activities.

Registration opens March 7 @ 12:00 PM.

Join us each month to meet with other dads, male caregivers, and transgender/non-binary folks. This casual setting allows you to socialize, share your experiences, or simply sit back and listen.

Autism Ontario staff will facilitate group activities.

Registration opens on March 11 @ 12:00 PM.

This webinar aims to introduce autism and neurodiversity.

We will discuss autism and neurodiversity, the features of autism, and provide information on how autistic people may perceive and interact with their environment.

We will also discuss how you can be an autistic ally, offering practical tips and strategies on how to create an inclusive environment and support autistic people in your home, school, or community.

This webinar can be helpful for anyone who interacts with autistic people, including caregivers, community partners, educators, and other professionals.

At the end of the webinar, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and participate in a live Q&A session with a member of the Autism Ontario team.

Registration: March 25, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Join Coach Steph for a 7-week cardio interval training fitness class that includes short cardio intervals with rest periods and dynamic stretching. Expect to develop strength, cardio, and flexibility!

Coach Steph will be correcting your form and encouraging a team-based environment where participants cheer each other on and support one another through the workout.

No equipment needed!

Note: No class during March break (March 13)

Friendly Connections is an interactive social service for individuals of all ages with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities run by ConnectABILITY.  

Friendly Connections is focused on helping their community overcome isolation. It aims to help improve the well-being of individuals through socializing and providing entertaining resources.   

Friendly Connections aims to connect with individuals across Canada through phone calls, video calls, emailing, messenger chats, and good old fashion mail. The organization mails letters, postcards, colouring sheets, activity sheets, stickers, and other fun goodies!

Autism Ontario invites you to contribute to the evolution of Canada's health research by sharing your insights with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and partners of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR).

This initiative seeks to enhance health outcomes and the healthcare system by engaging those with lived experiences in research. Your feedback is crucial to improving SPOR's design, increasing stakeholder involvement, and guiding the program's future!

Submit your feedback by March 31, 2024.

IAO is recruiting Ontario parents/guardians of children with disabilities for its inclusive education advocacy study. If you wish to share your experience navigating the education system through an audio-recorded interview with the team, please contact jspecht@uwo.ca

Help the team at CAMH understand the experiences of school-age autistic children and their families while accessing virtual mental health supports during the pandemic.

Help the team at CAMH clinicians’ experiences supporting school-age autistic children and their families during the pandemic.

If you are the parent/guardian of a person aged 12 to 25 who receives pediatric rehabilitation or transitions services from an Ontario healthcare organization, you are being invited to participate in this study.

Our team wants to learn about youth readiness for the
transition to adult life. Youth transition readiness is about youth’s journeys into adulthood; it refers to youth having the behaviours and skills necessary to live their adult lives as part of their community.

Please contact Madhu at 1-800-363-2440 x3516 or mpinto@hollandbloorview.ca if you have any questions.

Toronto Pearson has partnered with Autism Ontario and Magnusmode to provide these resources to assist autistic and neurodiverse people and their caregivers.

Their interactive tool for autistic and neurodiverse people and their caregivers includes a checklist for each step while travelling through the airport.

My Toronto Pearson Activity Book

The activity book assists autistic and neurodiverse children and their caregivers in preparing for their upcoming trip, from arriving at the airport to boarding a plane.

Lanyards are available for passengers with invisible disabilities to help identify that they may need extra help or additional time while travelling.

Toronto Pearson is the first airport in Canada to offer the Sunflower Program for passengers with invisible disabilities. Invisible disabilities refer to a wider umbrella of spectrum of disabilities that are not immediately apparent, including sensory and medical disabilities.

First introduced by Gatwick airport in 2016, the Sunflower Lanyard Program provides a discreet way to signal that a passenger may need additional help or some extra time to complete a task while travelling through the airport.

Strong Minds Through Active Bodies is a free online course for students, professionals, and people supporting autistic youth and adults to access physical activity programs and spaces.

Participants who access this free course will learn about autism, neurodiversity, ableism, and autistic mental health.

They will have access to crowd-sourced creative ideas to improve accessibility to community programs and physical activity for autistic youth and adults. They will also have opportunities to contribute to a community of practice through discussion board posts and a written assignment.

Working at Autism Ontario means being part of a unique work culture that revolves around something we all believe in: ensuring autistic individuals are provided with the means to achieve a quality of life as respected members of society. 

Autism Ontario is an equal-opportunity employer committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization and actively encourages autistic individuals and those from all equity-seeking groups to apply.