Self/community-advocacy groups in Canada
Does anyone know of self/community-advocacy groups in Canada?
There seems to be a shortage of info on the internetz surrounding this topic in our country.
A handful of us run a very informal, mainly social & support, group out of Toronto & Hamilton and are looking for others in our area that may have a firmer grasp of the wider community.
There is a facebook group that has popped up in the past couple of days claiming to advocate for autism. Researching the founding members has set up all sorts of red flags related to past Canadian policy issues.
In a direct, and spontaneous, response I have started a facebook group called Our Votes Count - Neurodiversity and Disability Rights in Canada. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ourvotescount/)
If there are any members of AWN who are located in Canada or have greater knowledge or resources regarding this topic, or know of any who does, please join or post.
There has to be something out there; if not, something needs to be created.
Autism Ontario has some stuff. The Ottawa chapter has 2 groups. Aspirations is a group for adults that is led by a self-diagnosed Autistic. Asperfemme has co-chairs (one with Aspergers and one member of the office staff).
Hi Nansnick!
I believe I just joined your facebook group not too long ago. And you're right, there is not a lot of information about self-advocacy groups in Canada. The only ones I know of are the Manitoba chapter of ASAN, and possibly the Asperger's Society of Ontario. Most of the groups I've come across are either caregivers/professionals- and parent-run groups. I haven't seen too many Canadian Autistic-run groups. A couple that I work with, like Kerry's Place Autism Services and the Kingston Foundation for Autism, have been fairly positive in welcoming Autistic perspectives, but yeah, we don't get heard a lot.
It's been difficult, cause I've been trying to do a petition against a Private Member's Bill about ABA/IBI: http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-parliament-aba-not-medically-necess... (I need to work on the image)
One of my hopes as a member of the AWN is to create Canadian chapters of the AWN. Until then, I'm hoping to do what I can with the orgs that'll listen to me, and be a part of the greater disability rights movement.
~ Corina
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