New Heights at CASDA

On April 3-5, 2017, Katie Blasetti and Karen Unger traveled to the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA) Leadership Summit in Ottawa. CASDA’s goal is to work towards a Canadian Autism Partnership, where all provinces and territories can work together to address the complex issues facing individuals with ASD and their families. One highlight from the summit was hearing the perspective of ASD self-advocates involved with CASDA. Another highlight was attending a reception at Parliament Hill hosted by MPs and Senators from all four Canadian political parties, including Alberta MP Mike Lake and his son Jaden.

As part of the summit, organizations were invited to present posters showcasing their programs. Katie shared about the Employment Project and Karen spoke about New Heights Backyard Social Skills Camp. Both Katie and Karen were asked to participate on discussion panels at the conference. Katie’s was on the theme of “Employment Readiness and Transition” and Karen’s related to “Community Engagement and Quality of Life.” It was a great opportunity to share with an audience from across Canada about the great work that is done at New Heights!