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:
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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
“Everyone has been quite stressed and my son can pick up on people’s stress levels. It’s unbearable for him.” Two Victoria parents describe how their child's service dog is helping them get through the pandemic.
Pandemic poses serious problems for children with autism, say Victoria parents - BC Local News
www.bclocalnews.com
Parents of children with autism say COVID-19 is overwhelming and reducing social skills"He pretended to be my friend and made me do things I didn't want to do. In junior high, I got beat up by him. … Everyone thinks he's so cool that he gets to go to the NHL, but I don't see how someone can be cool when you pick on someone and bully someone your entire life."
We don't usually post stories about hockey, but this report looks at the disturbing past conduct of a recently-drafted NHL player, who chose as his victim a developmentally disabled Black classmate. What are your thoughts? Should this athlete still be criticized for actions that occurred when he was 14?
Arizona Coyotes top draft pick was convicted for bullying Black, mentally disabled teen
www.azcentral.com
The top draft pick for the Arizona Coyotes, whose CEO is in a NHL group to stop racism, was convicted of bullying a Black disabled kid four years ago.4 years isn't THAT long.... How much could a racist entitled America teen have grown in the past 4 yrs with an entitled racist white president setting an example...?
Heavily dependent on whether he acknowledged his behaviour and made amends.
wow, I can understand teasing at 14, but calling someone the N-word that is deep in character issues, not ok
"With a minimal amount of creativity and good sense, trick-or-treating could look exactly like adults queuing up to grab takeout." This opinion piece by an Ottawa parent is not related to disability, but argues that Halloween is important to kids and that it should be possible to trick or treat with little risk of spreading COVID-19. What are your thoughts? Do you have plans for celebrating Halloween?
Kids have lost so much. Don't take Halloween too. - Macleans.ca
www.macleans.ca
Shannon Proudfoot: With a modicum of creativity, trick-or-treating would be as low-risk as adults grabbing takeout. Why the lack of effort to make it happen for kids?No Halloween at our house this year. It's not safe.
Due to announced rules, we will do Halloween. Isn't worth the hassle.
I believe our kids will survive if Halloween doesn't look the same as usual. I know in our house any holidays don't look "typical'. Perhaps we need to help families see that there are different ways and different accessibility points for having fun.
We are doing pizza, a campfire and an outdoor Halloween scavenger hunt (kids are given a list of candy, chips and other treats to find to avoid one kid getting all the candy). We are inviting a couple of friends over (we are staying outdoors). So they still get to dress up, get candy and see friends, but no trick or treating. That's okay, because every year of trick or treating ends in a sensory overload meltdown. The kids are excited and we are trying something new.
"School has at many times absolutely been a hostile environment that did not understand who I was. In every school there are good teachers and bad teachers and I've had some horrendous teachers."
Seventeen-year-old Maria Scharnke recently gave evidence to a royal commission in Australia, describing one teacher who refused to believe that she was autistic, instead insisting that she simply needed to be disciplined. Have you ever encountered similar attitudes?
Student with autism had good, bad and 'horrendous' teachers, disability royal commission told
www.msn.com
Autistic student Maria Scharnke plans to spend her life fighting for justice for young people with disabilities, after experiencing physical and psychological abuse at schools across two states.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