Free Web Stream Series
ACT has developed a free Fall/Spring series of presentations by speakers who will inspire and inform via web streaming. This initiative is in response to the concerns of families and individuals across the world, affected by autism and other special needs, who have been devastated by the pandemic. They are looking for practical resources that are accessible from their homes at little or no cost. Registration is free for these events. They are open to anyone who is interested, internationally, but the focus is on supporting caregivers.
BC Election 2020 Resources
As BC’s snap election campaign accelerates, many of those affected by disability are feeling forgotten, after months of being virtually ignored by the current government during the pandemic, and years of neglect by successive governments. Many families are hunkered down in survival mode as October 24, Election Day 2020, draws near.
ACT has developed this page to gather election resources from disability organizations that prioritize the needs of aboriginal communities, those living in poverty and racialized minorities.
COVID-19 Resources
ACT is gathering information to support families during the COVID-19 crisis, including resources specific to those who are neuro-diverse and useful general resources. Our COVID-19 Resources page will be updated as new resources come in.
- Watch Practical Tips for Helping Families Reduce Stress
- Resources for Families Waiting for Assessment
- View upcoming live web streams and presentations you can watch any time
B.C. Resources
Looking for autism & special needs resources specific to British Columbia? Visit the new B.C. Resources page to find community agencies, recreational activities, service providers, support groups, education & employment, community events, the autism manual, new diagnosis hub, transition to adulthood, and much more!
New! View upcoming Summer Camps & Activities Guides to Videos & Resources
Download the ACT Videos & Resources Guide for the latest updates on ACT’s videos, events, and resources. We have specialized guides for:
Special Needs Resources Guide for Schools Guide to Mental Health Resources
ACT Videos & Resources Guide for Parents and Professionals Find Autism Information
Find practical autism resources in the Autism Information Database (AID). We've made it even easier to find resources and tools for parents and professionals with a new subject listing. Free and relevant world-wide.
You can also find 自閉症社區訓練協會 (ACT in Chinese), ACT in Punjabi, Online Mental Health & Autism Project: Looking Beyond Autism, and Autism Research.
Latest News
Registration open for 7 Fall Events | BC Election Disability Focus | Access $90,000 - October is RDSP Month | Does ACT owe you a refund?Get the latest updates in your email. Subscribe to our newsletter for news, resources, and events:
ACT is committed to respecting your privacy. We do not share information with any other organization or individual. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read ACT’s Privacy Policy for more details.
Autism, Anxiety and COVID-19
To mark World Autism Day with a practical initiative, ACT invited three respected mental health clinicians, who have presented for ACT on autism and mental health, to answer questions on ‘Anxiety and COVID-19’.
Watch hereSearch the Autism Information Database
Search over 1,400 vetted information resources related to ASD, including online articles, videos, and websites.
Featured Videos
View all videos
Special Needs Community Events
ACT lists workshops and conferences in B.C. related to autism and other special needs that are provided by local agencies and organizations.
News from ACT on Facebook
National Public Radio in the United States takes a look at a Toronto musical group whose members are all autistic.
Toronto's ASD Band Looks To Raise Autism Awareness By Example
www.npr.org
All the members of the Toronto-based ASD Band are on the Autism Spectrum. This month, they've been dropping new covers of songs each week in celebration of Canada's Autism Awareness Month."In a study involving 84 participants aged between eight and 14, including both autistic and non-autistic boys and girls, participants were asked to take part in an interactive drawing task in which a researcher and participant took it in turns, working together, to create a drawing. Points were awarded for reciprocal behaviour.
Among female participants, the autistic and non-autistic children had almost identical scores, with autistic girls achieving an average score of 2.91 compared with 2.89 in the neurotypical group. Among boys, however, the non-autistic children achieved a significantly higher social reciprocity score, at 3.22 compared with 2.16 in the group with autism."
A study from the UK that highlights how adept many autistic girls can be at masking, despite the toll such camouflaging behaviour can take on them.
Autistic girls going undiagnosed due to ‘camouflaging’ behaviour, study says
www.theguardian.com
Researchers say better awareness needed so females with autism get right supportToday’s presentation by Dr. Georgina Robinson on Combating Compassion Fatigue for Families and Caregivers of Children with Special Needs is getting a great response from parents and the many education para-professionals who are participating.
We do of course wish we had a large in person audience but we are grateful to have hundreds of participants joining us from across BC, Canada and even as far away as Romania and South Africa!
"We know that by supporting kids with special needs, they'll have more confidence, more skills and the ability to reach their full potential. But right now in B.C., we're not doing that." A parent who was interviewed for this news report about disability issues and the B.C. election drew attention to the fact that the wait time for publicly-funded autism assessments in B.C. can be as long as two years.
For more on the B.C. election visit this page on our website: www.actcommunity.ca/bc-election-2020-resources
Voters with disabilities disappointed, frustrated by B.C. election campaign | CBC News
www.cbc.ca
Disability advocates are frustrated that the B.C. election campaign hasn’t shone a light on many of the issues that matter to voters with disabilities.自閉症社區訓練協會 | ACT in Chinese
ACT 自閉症社區訓練協會，
是加拿大卑詩省內針對家有自閉症兒童的家庭提供諮詢及轉介服務的非營利機構。
ACT in Punjabi
ACT has been able to both create and identify valuable resources for the Punjabi-speaking community in British Columbia.
View Punjabi-language Resources