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Photo credit: Air Canada/Célian Genier

Canucks Autism Network partners with YYJ & Air Canada Foundation for Autism Aviation Day

Victoria, BC – On April 29, 2023, Victoria International Airport (YYJ) and Air Canada Foundation welcomed over 50 individuals from the Canucks Autism Network (CAN) community for Autism Aviation Day.

Rounding out April as Autism Acceptance Month, the event provided an opportunity for children and youth on the autism spectrum and their families to rehearse the entire pre-flight process. The practice run included checking-in, going through security, and boarding an Air Canada aircraft for a simulated pre-flight experience.

Airport ‘rehearsals’ can greatly benefit individuals on the autism spectrum and their families by increasing predictability and decreasing stress. With 1 in 29 children and youth on the autism spectrum in BC, the initiative seeks to increase autism accessibility.

“Our vision is for every individual on the autism spectrum to be understood, accepted, and supported in all community spaces,” said Hallie Mitchell, CAN’s Director of Training and Community Engagement. “We are thrilled to partner with YYJ and the Air Canada Foundation to open up a world of travel opportunities for the autism community.”

CAN’s new partnership with YYJ builds off the success of similar initiatives launched with both Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Kelowna International Airport (YLW).

“Victoria International Airport (YYJ) was very pleased to be part of YYJ Autism Day along with the Air Canada Foundation and Canucks Autism Network (CAN),” said Rod Hunchak, Director, Business Development and Community Relations. “Hosting this tour for individuals on the spectrum and their families to practice the airport experience and working with CAN has been a very gratifying educational experience for us. We are committed to continuing our work at the airport to identify and remove barriers for persons with disabilities and make travel accessible for all.”

“We know experiences like this help individuals on the autism spectrum develop the confidence to travel by air. Employees at Air Canada and Jazz Aviation LP spearheaded this initiative to make the magic of travel accessible for everyone,” said Valerie Durand, Spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation. “80% of the individuals on the autism spectrum on board during the rehearsal were children, and as a Foundation committed to the health and well-being of kids, we couldn‘t be more proud to support this event. I know our colleagues at Air Canada and Jazz enjoyed welcoming them on board!”

The event also represented the launch of an Autism Resource Kit that attending families and all future travelers will be able to access ahead of any departing flight from YYJ airport. Developed in partnership with CAN, the kit features noise cancelling headphones and sensory items to help reduce anxiety.

This partnered initiative from CAN, YYJ, and the Air Canada Foundation is also delivered with support from AutismBC, Travel with Ange, Beaches Resorts, Royal Caribbean & Visit Huntington Beach.

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About Canucks Autism Network (CAN)
Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides programs to individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, while promoting acceptance and inclusion through community engagement and training initiatives across BC and beyond. For more information, visit canucksautism.ca.

CAN Media Contact
Lindsay Petrie, Director of Marketing & Communications
lindsay.petrie@canucksautism.ca

About Victoria Airport Authority (YYJ)
Victoria Airport Authority is a not-for-profit authority that has managed the safe and secure operations of the Victoria International Airport on behalf of the surrounding communities since April 1, 1997.

YYJ Media Contact
Rod Hunchak; Director, Business Development and Community Relations
250-953-7514

About the Air Canada Foundation
The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in 2012. It offers both financial and in-kind support to Canadian-registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling sick children to access the medical care they need away from home. The Air Canada Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also engages directly in fundraising activities, such as the Every Bit Counts program, which encourages customers to donate loose change of all denominations on board flights or through collection containers available in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. The Foundation also offers continued support to major health-related causes that benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more information about the Air Canada Foundation, please read the 2020-21 impact report or the Air Canada’s 2021 Corporate Sustainability report available at www.aircanada.com/citizensoftheworld.

Additional news

https://www.canucksautismnetwork2024-070224.local/blog/yvr-autism-tour-2022/

Foundry and Canucks Autism Network Offer New Youth Peer Support Training Initiative

https://www.canucksautismnetwork2024-070224.local/blog/canucks-autism-network-to-deliver-vital-autism-training-across-sectors-in-nelson-bc/

 

Kerry and her husband Ryan have a son with autism and a younger daughter. Last month, her family participated in the 5th Annual CAN & YVR Autism Accessibility Tour.

Held on April 18, the tour is offered to decrease anxiety often associated with air travel. Individuals and families with autism were invited to familiarize themselves with the pre-flight process, including check-in, security, finding their gate and boarding a plane.

In addition to the tour, each individual with autism was given a YVR Resource Kit, which features an activity storybook, step-by-step checklist, airport map, tips for travel and a tote bag to carry each item.

By increasing expectations and providing a simulated airport experience, the goal of the annual event is to build confidence for future travel.

It was Kerry’s first time at a Canucks Autism Network event. That same night, she shared this feedback with us:

***

Yesterday night, I was front-loading my oldest for the tour. He announced: “I don’t want to do it. But I’m ready to do it. I will use my courage.”

To prep himself on the way there,  he requested that we play “Brave” by Sara Bareilles on repeat.

With his visual schedule in hand, he put that song into action at the airport—conquering check-in and security. He fearlessly filed onto the Air Transat Airbus A330, filled with families just like ours.

 

Travelers with autism can obtain the YVR Resource Kit, including the Activity Storybook (pictured above), at any YVR info desk.

 

 

The beautiful thing about this whole experience was that it provided a safe place for nervous fliers and their supporters to just be, without apology.

Meltdowns, earmuffs, iPads, fidgets, and endless questions about every step—it was all okay. There were no dirty looks or hurry-ups, because everybody there just “got it.”

To be honest though—when I signed up for this event, I was thinking mostly of myself. I wanted to have a picture of what traveling with a child who is fearful of crowds, machines, noise, and new things would look like.

And I left with not only that, but also with this sense of feeling deeply loved by countless kind strangers. To the service agents, security and customs officers, airport volunteers, flight attendants, and to the many, many genuinely smiley helpers sporting Canucks Autism Network t-shirts—why do you care about my family so much?

The tour also included an opportunity to sample the YVR Customs Declaration kiosks.

This week, spectrum-related struggles had me feeling extra lost & lonely, and ready to resign from this parenting gig. Tonight felt like the gigantic hug I needed. Thank you Canucks Autism Network and YVR for allowing me and my family to feel seen & safe.

***

We launched this program with YVR in 2014, because we had individuals and families with autism like Kerry’s in mind. Air travel can be a significant challenge for those on the spectrum who have anxiety or sensory sensitivities. But with the correct supports in place, they can accomplish so much.

We have always recognized that the entire family that shares the struggles and successes of an individual with autism. That’s why the tour allowed for the entire immediate family to join in on the experience.

Kerry’s husband & daughter were also able to experience the entire CAN & YVR Autism Accessibility Tour.

The larger the community of support, the better we can all support those on the spectrum. In addition to YVR, this year’s tour was also made possible by collaborations with Air Transat, Canadian Air Transit Security Authority (CATSA), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and US Customs & Border Protection (CBP).

More CAN Stories

Nearly 200 “Learn to Fly” during YVR Autism Aviation Days

Together with Air North, YVR and Canucks Autism Network are back with our Autism Accessibility Tour

CAN & YVR: Launching a community of support

Jun 29, 2018

From our beginnings as a small, grassroots autism charity, we are so proud to have the province-wide impact on individuals and families that we do today.

It was just over 10 years ago that Paolo and Clara Aquilini sat around a dining table with Katy Harandi. Together, they envisioned an organization that would make a positive and lasting impact on the autism community in BC.

With the support of the Canucks for Kids Fund, Canucks Autism Network became a non-profit society on January 7, 2008. That year, we began with one soccer program and one family skate at GM Place (now Rogers Arena).

A decade later, CAN delivers nearly 500 programs to 4,000 members province-wide. Since day one, we could not do what we do without the countless supporters who share our mission.

There is much to be thankful for and much to celebrate. Here are just some of the milestones that have highlighted CAN’s 10-year journey with our participants, families and supporters:

1. July 29, 2008 | Our first-ever program
Offered to just a handful of families, we launched I CAN Play Soccer as a two-day program at GM Place. After 10 years, guess which CAN coach is still around to guide our participants?

A male coach puts his arms around two child soccer players as they pose for a photo together.
Coach Neeeeeeesh!

Over the past decade, we have expanded to a wide range of sports and rec programs, allowing children and youth with autism to explore physical activity on land, water and ice. Beyond sports, our social programs and overnight camps have allowed participants to try new activities, develop lasting friendships and make lifelong memories.

2. September 2008 | Launch of We CAN Be Friends
In addition to sports and rec programs, one of the pillars of our mission has been to raise autism awareness. That’s why in our first year, we launched We CAN Be Friends, a free curriculum-based autism awareness program for elementary classrooms.

By raising awareness among BC’s youngest students, we can help educators build a brighter future of acceptance, empathy and inclusion for individuals with autism. After launching to a handful of schools in the Lower Mainland, the program has now grown to 275 schools across BC.An elementary school classroom sits in front of a "We CAN Be Friends" sign with an orca whale mascot seated behind them in a school gym.

3. April 2011 | Programs expand outside the Lower Mainland
In Spring 2011, CAN launched multi-week sports and rec programs in both Victoria and Kamloops. Today, CAN offers programs in three Vancouver Island communities (Victoria, Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo) and two BC Interior communities (Kamloops and Kelowna). In total, CAN programs are actively delivered in 79 communities across BC.

4. April 1, 2012 | Inaugural CAN Family Festival at Jack Poole Plaza
In celebration of World Autism Awareness Day, we hosted the first-ever CAN Family Festival at Jack Poole Plaza. Held in Downtown Vancouver, the annual event featured an awareness walk, exhibitors, games, and live performances. For six years, the CAN Family Festival was an annual centerpiece in our efforts to bring families together, increase awareness and raise vital funding for our programs.

A group of children play with bubbles in an outdoor plaza
April 2012: The cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza was lit to celebrate CAN Family Festival for the first time.

5. March 17, 2013 | Inaugural CAN Sports Day at Sportstown in Richmond
For ten years, CAN family events have provided invaluable opportunities for both parents and kids to connect with others in the autism community. Events like the Rogers Arena Family Skate and Van Dusen Gardens Festival of Lights have marked the CAN calendar as annual highlights for our families.

In March 2013, we hosted the first-ever CAN Sports Day. With the support of the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Vancouver Canadians, participants were treated to a truly memorable experience playing alongside their local sports heroes. Held in Sportstown Richmond the first year, it was moved to BC Place in 2014 where it has been held ever since.

A group of roughly 100 children, youth and adults gather on a turf field for an aerial photo

6. June 3, 2013 | First training workshop for external sports & rec staff
Our vision is for all individuals with autism to feel understood, accepted, and supported in all community spaces. In 2013, we began delivering autism training to sports and rec providers, ensuring that our ability to engage individuals with autism extends outside our walls too.

Since then, we have expanded these efforts to include training across public sectors, including first responders, educators, community recreation providers, and many others. Across BC, our workshops have been delivered in the far reaches of the province, including Northern BC, as well as First Nations communities.

In the summer of 2016, CAN workshops reached a pivotal milestone, becoming eligible for Coaching Association of Canada NCCP Maintenance Certification Points (PD Points) and BCRPA Continuing Education Credits (CECs).

7. Spring 2014 | CAN reaches 1,000 memberships
We are humbled that so many families have made us a part of their lives. Today, we impact over 4,000 individuals and families with autism on an annual basis. With a high ratio of support in all of our programs, we can be proud that each and every one our participants has a volunteer, support worker or coach that has personally supported them and celebrated their accomplishments.

8. November 17, 2014 | Launch of I CAN Fly with YVR
At CAN, collaboration is among our core values. We recognize that we cannot achieve our vision alone. After hearing about the struggles that individuals and families with autism face with air travel, we partnered with the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to launch I CAN Fly.

Beginning with the annual Accessibility Tour, families with autism are invited to go through the entire pre-flight process. Once families are ready to travel, they can access a step-by-step video and pick up a complimentary YVR Resource Toolkit that features checklists, maps and activity storybooks to best prepare children with autism for what to expect.

After successfully delivering the I CAN Fly program for three years, it was expanded to Kelowna International Airport (YLW) in November 2017.

9. September 21, 2015 | Inaugural Reveal Gala at Rogers Arena
We could not do what we do without our valued donors, sponsors and supporters. In order to shed light on both the challenges and successes of our participants, while raising vital funding for our programs, we held the inaugural Reveal Gala.

Transforming Rogers Arena into an intimate venue for just over 500 guests, the first gala raised over $800,000 for CAN programs. Over the past three galas, guests have been treated by incredible performances from Sarah McLachlan, the Tenors and Lola Lennox.

A family of three stands on stage while the mother speaks at a podium

10. April 3, 2018 |  Rogers Arena receives “Autism Aware” designation
With the Vancouver Canucks and Canucks for Kids Fund representing our longest-standing supporters, it was only fitting that Rogers Arena became the first NHL arena in Canada to feature comprehensive autism accessibility.

In addition to over 50 event staff receiving CAN autism training, sensory kits (featuring noise-cancelling headphones for loan, a sensory toy, ID bracelet, visual storybook, arena map and game-night timeline), a quiet room and fan text service have been made available to individuals and families living with autism for all Canucks games, events and concerts.

***

Have you been a part of any of the above 10 milestones within the past 10 years? Join us in celebrating a decade of “I CAN”. The CAN Birthday Festival on Saturday, July 7 at Surrey Civic Plaza is FREE and open to the public.

Learn more at canucksautism.ca/bdayfest. Let’s celebrate!

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