Transforming Alberta.

 

The Centre for Autism Services Alberta is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children, teens, and young adults with autism. Established in 1997, the Centre has grown to offer a wide range of services to individuals on the spectrum and their families, and is the largest accredited autism service provider in northern Alberta. Its mission is to provide comprehensive and innovative supports and services to those with autism, and their family network. Some of those supports include: early childhood services; sports, leisure, social and skills programs; and pre-employment programs.

The Centre’s vision is to support individuals with autism in leading meaningful, engaged lives; our purpose is to empower autistic people and their families to thrive

Our Values:

  • Collaboration: We build authentic partnerships.
  • People Focused: We seek to understand each person’s specific context, dreams, and goals to promote their achievement.
  • Autistic Voice and Choice: Our services reflect what is important to autistic people.
  • Continuous Improvement: If better is possible, we do it.

Together we can change outcomes, foster independence, enrich lives, empower families and transform communities. Together we can transform Alberta.

 

Our Mission
To provide comprehensive and innovative supports and services to those affected by autism spectrum disorder.
Our Vision
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder lead meaningful, engaged lives.

 

 

Twenty-Five years ago in Edmonton, there were no private or community support services in place to help children with autism and their families. The families were isolated, confused, and exhausted, with no connection to one another, experts, or to the community.

Researchers were beginning to understand the condition, but there was scarcely a link between the science and what was happening in a growing number of households in Alberta.

In 1997, a few parents of children with autism launched a new organization in Edmonton. The science, then as now, showed that early intervention could make a huge difference in a child’s life. They acted quickly, to help their children reach their full potential.

They knew there were other families out there, like them. They wanted to help these families too. They wanted to invite them into this organization, and they wanted to be sure its programs evolved with the science and with children as they grew into adulthood.

And they wanted something else: to build a community that understands, includes, and creates opportunities for people with autism.

The Centre for Autism Services Alberta inherited these goals. We put science into action every day but we aren’t bound by our address or the walls of our building. We take our successes to every corner of the city.

Today, with the support of funders, sponsors, and private donors, our programs and services are changing outcomes, enriching lives, empowering families, fostering independence, and transforming communities.

We invite passionate experts to launch new programs here. We invite parents and community partners to suggest ideas that might interest their children. Maybe it’s a new technique or therapy. Maybe it’s art, cooking, skating, music, or Tae Kwon Do. We create ways to try new ideas with our staff and volunteers.

When a program succeeds, we move it into homes, schools, and arts centres, into community kitchens, into the YMCA, into municipal programs, and clubs. We’re a service provider and an educational organization. We train others to do what we do: to understand what makes children with autism unique, to include them, and to integrate them into the community.

We love when our partners take these opportunities and nurture them. When we let our programs breathe outside our walls, perhaps the Centre itself doesn’t grow as fast, but it’s much better for kids, their families, and the province. As more and more young people are diagnosed with autism, more and more of us have to understand it. These are citizens who can make an extraordinary contribution if we’re willing to help.

While there is support for adults with disabilities, there is little support for adults with autism. Too often, adults with autism find themselves isolated at home. At the Centre for Autism we’re finding new ways to help our adults navigate their homes and the city, find jobs and launch companies, volunteer, build enriched lives, and build Alberta.

The Centre thrives on new ideas, research, imagination, and public and philanthropic funding. The return on our investment is extraordinary. All Albertans can help someone with autism. All Albertans with autism can make a meaningful contribution to the province and realize what is in their hearts and in their dreams.

The Centre is in your neighbourhood. Join us!