People who reach out to us need a listening ear, a word of support, and actionable guidance. In the past year, we have answered over 4,400 information requests. That’s an increase of 2,018 more people asking us for help since last year! Ask AutismBC is our most-used programming service because the need for reliable information is so great. 

Our workshops are a powerful tool for anyone wanting to learn more about the world of autism in BC. In particular, our What Is Autism? workshop has seen tremendous interest, with hundreds attending sessions between April 2024 and March 2025. It educates allies, workplaces, caregivers, and others about better understanding, accommodating, and affirming autistic people in their community. As a predominantly neurodivergent organization, most of our presenters are autistic—something participants consistently describe as invaluable for its firsthand, lived perspective. Over the past year, we’ve also been closely reviewing and reflecting on our Waiting for Assessment workshop to increase accessibility, relevance, and support for families and caregivers at all stages of the autism assessment journey. Originally designed to support families navigating the wait for an autism diagnosis, this program is evolving to better meet the diverse and changing needs of our community.

Every year, our regional coordinators organize several Goes events in their areas to connect local members of the autism community. These inclusive, low-barrier gatherings are for everyone from autistic children, teens, and adults to the people who support them, including caregivers, teachers, employers, and service providers. Designed with sensory sensitivities and common co-occurring conditions in mind, AutismBC Goes give people a (usually in-person) place to meet, get to know each other, and make memories over shared activities in a judgement-free space. As a team, we are expanding our efforts to include remote and rural community members and Indigenous community members through Goes programming. 

Recurring virtual meet-ups are an essential resource not only for autistic people of all ages, but also their loved ones. Isolation is a common hurdle faced by many in our community. Meets remind us we’re not alone, offering vital information-sharing and emotional support networks. Creating these environments is just one way we help take action towards a more inclusive society where autistic people are living their best lives. Groups for caregivers are separated by age (0–10 and 11–pre-adulthood), and our adult group, Getting Together on the Spectrum, is ever-growing. GTOTS is made entirely by and for autistic adults, aligning with community calls for there to be “nothing about us without us.” This year, we surpassed our attendance target for Meets by 45%, highlighting the growing demand for this program and the impact of our outreach efforts. 9 of 13 our monthly support facilitators are autistic.

Building friendships is crucial to autistic kids, teens, and adults. We know how important it is to make those memories, so we offer clubs centred around common interests and activities. Two of our most popular youth initiatives, Minecraft Club and Pokémon Club, provide spaces for kids to be themselves, have fun, and find belonging. 

Talks bring education and awareness to our members, connecting them with experts through virtual presentations. We held less Talks this year as our organization shifted towards greater alignment with neuroaffirmative values. For this reason, the first two events we held were relatively simple, giving participants an opportunity to connect with experts on financial literacy and starting a business. However, with the final and most recent Talk of the year, we led with our new, neuroaffirmative lens that better reflects our values. Grant Bruno delivered a popular and resonant workshop on reclaiming Indigenous Understandings of Neurodivergence during the summer of 2025. Centring Indigenous voices is one of our key goals at AutismBC, and we’re grateful to Grant Bruno to have made progress in that way through his knowledge-sharing. We hope to provide similar programming in future years. 

Based around collaborations like the one we have with Science World, Community Events are public-facing opportunities to promote AutismBC and our partners. Our initiative with the Community Access Program provides low-barrier entry for members to attend Science World as part of our new, members-only partnership. 

Gifting our members the joy of sharing experiences with their loved ones is one way we offer support to the broader community. While most of our giveaways this year were for opportunities in the Lower Mainland, we saw strong expansion in our partnership with Autism Okanagan and continued support for Vancouver Island. We’re developing our efforts in Northern BC. Doing activities like going to sports games, plays, galleries, and more without facing financial and other access barriers can make a big difference to the people we serve. It wouldn’t be possible without continued support from our passionate donors, sponsors, and partners.