Promote advocacy & inclusion.
Work together on projects that increase Autistic representation and address barriers in the community.
Meetings are held monthly over Zoom. The group focuses on respectfulness, open-mindedness, and a willingness to learn.
CAN youth & adult programs are for anyone who self-identifies as Autistic. A formal diagnosis is not required.
What to expect
Meetings are held every 3rd Tuesday of the month from 6:00-7:30pm.
Typical meeting schedule:
- Introductions & updates – 20 min
- Working on project – 45 min
- Wrap up & planning – 25 min
The Autistic Leaders Group consists of approximately to 5 to 10 participants each session.
Group activities and efforts are led by 1 to 2 Autistic facilitators and CAN Youth and Adult Program and Employment Support Specialist Andrea Cunningham.
We are committed to ensuring every participant is understood, accepted, and supported.
Don’t hesitate to let us know if you require any accommodations or have any preferences for how we can best include you.
Email us at autisticleadersgroup@gmail.com.
Sign up once and you’ll receive monthly emails with meeting details.
Group members are expected to see projects through to the end (attend at least 2-3 consecutive monthly meetings).
If you are curious about the group, you are welcome to join a meeting in any capacity and without expectation.
We can also arrange for you to meet one of the facilitators to learn more about the group!
If you’d like to learn more, email autisticleadersgroup@gmail.com.
Who leads the group?
Discussions and projects are led by two Autistic facilitators, Liz-Anne and Sylvain.Liz-Anne is a dedicated advocate for the Autistic community, leveraging her skills, passions, and Autistic experience.
She serves in various roles at CAN, including Job Coach and Bird Walk program leader. She has experience facilitating groups in Autistic advocacy and Autistic queer communities, and loves to create inclusive environments that foster connection, growth, and a sense of belonging.
Liz-Anne is also a soon-to-be lawyer and is passionate about advancing the legal needs of the Autistic and neurodivergent communities, utilizing her legal knowledge to create meaningful change and personal experience to ensure Autistic-friendly support.
Sylvain is a long-time advocate for people on the autism spectrum, and enjoys using his life experiences, skills, and interests to help the autism community.
He has been at CAN almost 11 years in multiple roles, including Volunteer, Support Worker, Skills Coach, Learning Facilitator & Peer Facilitator. Sylvain’s experiences include being on community committees and developing solutions by creating safe and inclusive environments focusing on everyone’s words to be heard.
Outside of CAN, Sylvain works to provide trainings and knowledge about autism to businesses and first responders. His goal is to help create Autistic-friendly spaces, where negative experiences for those on the spectrum will be less common.
READ: “Changing My Thoughts About Autism” by Sylvain