Resources Archives - Canucks Autism Network

Foundry and Canucks Autism Network (CAN) are excited to offer a new initiative to equip youth peer supporters with training to better support Autistic youth in need of mental health services.

Foundry provides young people in BC, ages 12-24, and their caregivers access to integrated health and wellness services, including mental health, substance use, physical & sexual healthcare, and social services through Foundry centres or the Foundry BC App.

This partnership will provide Foundry BC’s youth peer supporters access to an online training module, co-developed by CAN, to better understand the unique needs of Autistic youth, using Foundry’s existing peer support curriculum as a foundation.

This training was developed with direct input from subject matter experts engaged in professional clinical practice who directly support the mental health needs of Autistic individuals, Youth Peer Support Workers in the Foundry network, and Autistic self-advocates and job seekers engaged with CAN through Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) and other CAN services.

We can’t wait to see how this initiative, in addition to Foundry’s recent MSDPR provincial grant for development of the youth peer support program, will impact mental health support for the autism community in BC!

Learn more about Foundry Peer Support and visit the CAN mental health & wellness programs page for more information about Canucks Autism Network.

Additional Info

In a resource scan done by CAN and Autism Nova Scotia in 2021, lack of autism trainings and resources was identified as a significant barrier Autistic individuals face when accessing mental health resources.

Here’s what we know:

92% of Autistic youth & adults indicated a need for support, but only 40% indicated they had adequate access to services.
Autistic youth & adults are seven times more likely to attempt suicide than non-Autistic individuals.
66% of newly-diagnosed Autistic adults have reported feeling suicidal.
Autistic youth and adults are at greater risk of substance misuse and addiction than non-Autistic individuals.
Approximately 70% of Autistic people experience at least one co-occurring mental health issue.

Read the report summary and visit the CAN mental health training webpage to learn more.

We would like to acknowledge Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) who provided funding for this training. RWA is a national partnership of Inclusion Canada and the Autism Alliance of Canada and their member organizations. RWA is designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability or on the autism spectrum.

More News & Stories

Government of B.C. awards $540,000 to Canucks Autism Network in support of mental health initiatives for Autistic individuals

CAN removes diagnosis barrier for youth & adults to access programs

“Mom, I’m really happy today.”

At Canucks Autism Network, our vision is for every individual with autism to be understood, accepted and supported in all community spaces.

To achieve this vision across the province, far beyond the walls of our programs and events, CAN seeks to collaborate with like-minded organizations who also support this goal.

For years, the City of Surrey has been a key partner for us to impact the lives of individuals and families with autism. In addition to hosting countless CAN programs, the city has been host to some very special highlights in our 10-year history.

In April 2016, the CAN Provincial Adapted Hockey Tournament was hosted at Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex, and was recognized by the City of Surrey as the year’s “Best Provincial Event”. This unique tournament brought athletes with autism and other developmental disabilities from across the province together to compete and showcase their skills.

CAN was also proud to partner with City of Surrey in 2017 to host an Open House at Surrey Fire Hall #17, inviting families with children on the spectrum to come and interact with firefighters to decrease fear and increase awareness.

This was a pivotal first for many families in making emergency services more friendly and accessible, and for increasing autism awareness among first responders.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, the City of Surrey has joined us in hosting the CAN Birthday Festival, a free and public celebration at Surrey Civic Plaza.

At this event, the City of Surrey has unveiled a number of community accessibility initiatives, created and supported by CAN. These resources have been introduced at the CAN Birthday Festival with the goal of extending them to improve autism awareness and accessibility in a wide range of City of Surrey buildings, programs and events in the future.

Many of these features will benefit not only individuals with autism, but a wide range of community members who may need support to access community spaces.

These initiatives are outlined below:

1. City of Surrey Staff Training
All City of Surrey staff attending the CAN Birthday Festival have receive our autism training. This training has included information about autism and introduce strategies to support successful interaction in community spaces. This information will allow these City of Surrey staff to better provide services to individuals and families with autism not only at the CAN Birthday Festival, but in a range of community settings and activities for years to come.

2. Video Storybook for City of Surrey Events
In 2017, CAN partnered with the City of Surrey to create a publicly-available step-by-step video model for accessing a fitness centre. This year, CAN is proud to partner with City of Surrey to produce a video that will support access to community events.

This video will provide a step-by-step visual of what to expect and provide strategies for individuals with autism to successfully navigate public community events. This resource will be filmed at the CAN Birthday Festival and is expected to launch later this year.

3. Event Accessibility Toolkit
Similar to the Accessibility Toolkits developed in collaboration with YVR, Kelowna International Airport and Rogers Arena, the City of Surrey will also offer tools for individuals and families with autism to better access their public events. These tools will include event maps with icons for key areas and activities (ie. sensory-friendly space, washrooms, food, entertainment, shopping, etc), event signage that matches the icons on the map, and an event schedule/checklist.

The CAN Birthday Festival schedule checklist and map that will be handed out to event guests. Tools such as these are one of the many accessibility elements that City of Surrey will aim to implement for future public events.

4. Sensory Friendly Spaces
These designated spaces at public events will provide a haven for individuals with autism and other sensory sensitivities to relax. These quiet spaces will feature seating and activities for individuals of any age or diagnosis who may be feeling overwhelmed to have a designated space to decompress.

Sensory Friendly Spaces can be identified city-wide by the logo that was unveiled at the CAN Birthday Festival.

5. Autism Accessibility Guidelines
In order to consistently deliver these initiatives, CAN and the City of Surrey have developed a set of guidelines to ensure that all events, programs and buildings are providing an accessible experience to individuals and families with autism.

With over 16,000 children and youth with autism in BC, we are so thankful for organizations like the City of Surrey, who have recognized a clear need for increased accessibility and support.

As we continued working towards our vision, we look forward to collaborating with more like-minded organizations to improve autism accessibility in all community spaces.

If you would like more information about partnering with Canucks Autism Network to improve autism accessibility in your business, organization or community space, please contact our Manager of Strategic Partnerships ryan.yao@canucksautism.ca.

If you would like more information about City of Surrey’s accessibility initiatives, please contact Tara Roberts at troberts@surrey.ca or 604-598-5763.