A place to call home
Autistic adults face barriers to finding and keeping stable and suitable homes over their lifetime; young adults and seniors are especially vulnerable. This is the focus of our work.
Who we are
This project is funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) National Housing Strategy. The Lansdowne Consulting Group / CTLabs is the consulting company contracted by CMHC to make this project possible. Their expertise is in the design and delivery of Solutions Labs.
The team
We are a group that represents the whole system around an Autistic adult and the topic of housing. This includes Autistic adults, family members, service providers, housing providers, researchers, professionals and subject matter experts. Learn more about our project team.
Check out AIDE Canada webinar on housing for Autistic adults
The goal
The goal of this 18-month Solutions Lab project is to develop relevant and immediately useable pathways to secure housing options for Autistic adults that include supports, services, and resources. We are also looking at solutions for home builders. In the long term, these solutions will increase safety and reduce risks — including the risk of homelessness for Autistic adults.
Learn more about our project plan and see our project poster.
Read our Challenge Report, based on findings from the submission of more than 200 micro-stories.
The way
This project is a Solutions Lab. Solutions Labs use an innovative approach to tackle complex societal challenges that require changing a system. To learn more about Solutions Lab click here.
Solutions Labs are guided by the principle of “nothing about us without us”. The project includes the full and direct participation of Autistic adults, as well as other parts of the system.
The results of this project will be made public for you to use and share.
In the news
We’re sharing the Housing through an Autism Lens story and getting more people involved. Below are recent news stories.
Team members Maddy Dever and Pari Johnston spoke with CBC Ottawa about the Housing through an Autism Lens project in early April 2021.
- Pari Johnston, project founder and parent volunteer
- Helen Ries, Great River Consulting
- Fiona Wright, CTLabs — The Lansdowne Consulting Group
- Dani Prapavessis, CTLabs — The Lansdowne Consulting Group
- Self-advocate advisors: Christine Jenkins, Courtney Weaver, Matthew Dever, Adrian Colp
- Subject-matter advisors: Kathleen Rooney, Marge McCabe
- Algonquin College, Claude Brulé, President
- Autism and Intellectual Disability Knowledge Exchange Network (AIDE),
Joanna Nefs, ED - Autism Ontario, Margaret Spoelstra, CEO; Tobi McEvenue, Adult Coordinator
- Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Yona Lunsky, Director
- Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, York University, Clinical Psychologist
- LiveWorkPlay, Julie Kingstone, Co-Leader & Director of Operations
- Ottawa Adult Autism Initiative, Sheila Bell, Lead
- Ottawa Community Housing, Stephane Giguere, CEO
- Sinneave Family Foundation, Tanya McCleod, CEO and Barbara Potter, COO
- The Royal Mental Health Centre, Patient Care Services and Community Mental Health – Dr. Susan Farrell, Vice President
Phase 1: Definition (October 2020-December 2020) – Understanding & defining the problem
Phase 2: Discovery (November 2020 – May 2021) – Conducting research and gathering stories
Phase 3: Ideas (June 2021 – August 2021) – Identifying potential solutions
Phase 4: Prototyping (September 2021 – November 2021) – Developing prototypes
Phase 5: Roadmapping (December 2021 – May 2022) – Mapping the way forward