COVID-19 Update

​We are hoping you all are keeping safe, as much as possible during these difficult and challenging times. COVID-19 is creating interruptions to our daily lives and dangerous conditions for many of our community members. Neurodivergent people are facing even more barriers than usual to our financial, mental, and physical safety and well-being.

However, as many Autistics can attest to, physical distance does not necessarily mean we can’t care for and support one another. We’re making space and connections for neurodivergent people, while advocating for protections of our collective rights and justice for those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
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[Image description: yellow text with star decorations on a green background.

​Text reads:
"Neurodivergent Hangouts
online board games & chat!"

Autistics United Canada logo with eight interlocking infinity symbols in a rainbow of colours]

Online hangouts

• Autistics United is holding twice-a-week online hangouts for neurodivergent people!
• Times:
  Tuesdays 2 PM PST / 3 PM MST / 4 PM CST / 5 PM EST / 6 PM AST
  Saturdays 7 PM PST / 8 PM MST / 9 PM CST / 10 PM EST / 11 PM AST
• We will be playing online board games, watching videos, chatting and sharing experiences--whatever you feel like doing.
• Accessibility information and join-in details are on the Facebook event page.

Mutual aid

• ​Mutual aid means directly helping each other. This includes doing errands and physical labour, giving food and supplies, providing emotional support, sharing and translating resources and information, and other ways to care for one another.
• We are connecting autistic people and allies to support networks.
• If you are struggling or want to offer help, please reach out to us via social media or email. We have a Facebook group for autistic people and allies, and can share confidential requests on behalf of those without Facebook.

Resources

• There are plain language guides to COVID-19:
  COVID-19 Information By and For People With Disabilities (Green Mountain Self-Advocates)
  We Are Heroes: A Plain Language Guide to COVID-19 and Some of the Changes in Our Lives (A4A Ontario)
  Easy-To-Read Information About the Coronavirus in Different Languages (Inclusion Europe)
• We will have a fuller list of resources posted soon on our website. 
  Update: here is our Great Big List of COVID-19 Resources for Autistic People!
  
• If you have any useful resources to share, please send them to us! 

Advocacy

• Currently, our advocacy team is joining the call to demand provincial and federal governments to protect the rights and safety of disabled people during the pandemic. Please stay tuned for further updates.
• We have identified six (6) major areas of concern:

1) Financial aid
2) Housing security
3) Access to health care
4) Access to food and necessities
5) Safety and freedom from abuse
6) Communication access 

• We want to hear from you about the barriers you are facing. You can send your story by filling out the comment form on our website or by emailing us.
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