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.

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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.


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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.



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 Matthew Dever and Pari Johnston spoke with CBC Ottawa about the Housing through an Autism Lens project in early April 2021.


Questions?

See our list of frequently asked questions and privacy information here. You can also get in touch with us by contacting: Phil Culhane, CTLabs/The Lansdowne Consulting Group 613.236.3333 x302, phil.culhane@ctlabs.ca.

Team

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Core project team

  • 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

Project partners

  • 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

Project plan

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