Autistic Dating Peer Group
Group sign up is open on an ongoing basis. Participants will receive monthly emails with meeting information.
CAN Program Guide Join The GroupShare, support & learn!
Support each other as you navigate dating goals and relationship milestones in a small group setting.
This program provides a safe space for Autistic adults to share their relationship struggles and successes.
Group topics of discussion are led by a trained program facilitator, alongside two Autistic peer facilitators.
This program is for anyone age 18+ who self-identifies as Autistic. A formal diagnosis is not required.
Participants must have a registered account and be of the correct age when the program starts.
What To Expect
This program follows a ‘drop-in’ format. Sign up once and you’ll receive monthly emails with meeting details.
Participants can choose to attend based on their availability and/or interest in the topic or theme of the month.
Online meetings are held once a month via Zoom.
The program is open to Autistic adults (18+) at any stage of exploring romantic relationships.
- No dating experience required to participate.
- Relatively independent participation is expected.
This program is a great follow up to participants who have taken our Healthy Relationships, Sexuality and Autism program. However, this is NOT a requirement!
Topics for group discussion can include:
- Choosing a good first date outfit
- Setting up a dating profile
- Fears and worries
- Communication and sex
- Rejection and self-care
- Boundaries, and more
We are committed to ensuring every participant is understood, accepted, and supported.
Group participants are encouraged to provide any information regarding accommodations, supports, and preferences for participation upon sign up and/or via email at youthandadults@canucksautism.ca.
Who leads the program?
The program is led by a Program Facilitator and two Autistic Peer Facilitators.As Program Facilitator, Kendall oversees group discussion and the overall run of the program.
She holds a BA in Psychology (University of Michigan), Bachelor’s of Social Work (UBC), and a Master’s of Social Work (UBC Okanagan).
Kendall loves talking through thoughtful questions. In addition to working with CAN, she is a hospital social worker with a focus on gender-affirming care.
Kendall is passionate about helping people find tools to live life and experience relationships in ways that are as unique as they are.
As a Peer Facilitator, Adam supports the program by helping guide group discussion.
Adam is a game designer, a photographer, and many other things (Autistic and queer, among them). They are particularly interested in the ways people interrelate, especially as regards the ways cultural forces and individual desire interact.
Adam believes that all relationships are unique and have their own challenges and joys.
Curious is their favorite thing to be and they love learning about people and the ways their brains and hearts work. They speak Japanese (poorly) and play roleplaying games (much less poorly).
As a Peer Facilitator, Andrea supports the program by helping guide group discussion.
Andrea holds a BA in Psychology from Dalhousie University. She is a passionate artist who loves to express her creativity. She has a passion for fostering welcoming and inclusive spaces for all people, especially those on the spectrum. Her previous work in one-on-one support for autistic folks and her lived experience has helped her understand the uniqueness of every corner of the spectrum.
Andrea welcomes asking the big questions and enjoys hearing, understanding, and synthesizing all perspectives and experiences to create a better understanding of one’s self, others, and their contexts.
Andrea is passionate about helping people explore and understand themselves, so that they can discover the tools and techniques that work for them and their relationships.