How CSRF helped Autisme Péninsule acadienne empower people with autism to succeed in the workplace

For people with autism, COVID-19 brought unique and often devastating challenges.

Isolated, disconnected from their daily routine, and without access to community-based supports, many people with autism experienced significant mental health impacts during the pandemic. This was especially true for young people and adults who were struggling to enter the job market during the shutdowns, which prevented them from developing economic and social independence.

When the team at Autisme Péninsule acadienne — a non-profit organization in Caraquet, New Brunswick supporting people with autism, their families, and professionals working in autism-related fields — realized the scope of the enduring challenges faced by those they serve, they applied for support from the Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF) to strengthen and scale up several of the organization’s key projects.

Recognizing a need to enhance access to its wide range of supports and services, the team used funds from CSRF to redesign the organization’s main website and create a new one catering specifically to people with autism in the workplace.

The grant also allowed the team to continue developing a project they first launched in 2021: The creation of two guidebooks in French, one for individuals with autism and one for their employers. Funds were also used to start developing an online course to train all users on how to use the guides and to provide tools for effectively integrating and retaining people with autism in the workplace.

Since the guides were published, New Brunswick’s Minister of Education and numerous Francophone school districts have indicated their intention to use them to help learners transition from school to the job market. The team has also received requests for the guidebooks from other Franco-Canadian organizations as well as organizations based in Europe.

Discussions are underway to translate both guides into different languages, with a goal to extend their reach and impact internationally.

Liette Lanteigne, Director of Autisme Péninsule acadienne, says that the funding provided by CSRF is playing a critical role in uplifting the well-being of people with autism and enhancing knowledge and capacity across the entire sector.

“Every person interested in learning about autism should have access to these resources, amongst others,” she says. “We are grateful for the CSRF grant and their help in developing our services to better support our deserving communities.”