May 12, 2025

Allison Kearley, Recipient of the 2025 Joan Craig Trailblazer Award

We are honoured to announce the 2025 Joan Craig Trailblazer Award recipient, Allison Kearley.

This award is presented to an outstanding individual who champions the autism community, amplifies Autistic voices, and helps trailblaze a path forward for everyone.

Allison was a remarkable community leader and fierce advocate who ensured the autism community was seen, heard, and valued.

She also played a significant role in shaping the Pictou County Regional Autism Centre and served as Chair of the Centre for several years.

We had the opportunity to present this award to Allison’s loving family, who accepted the award on her behalf. Please join us in celebrating the extraordinary legacy of Allison Kearley.

(left to right: Jessica Kearley, daughter of Allison; Leah Poirier, Manager, Chapter Support; Trevor Kearley husband of Allison; and Emily Kearley, daughter of Allison)

Response to Nova Scotia Provincial School Code of Conduct 

Autism Nova Scotia understands and supports the provincial government's efforts to enhance safety and respect within our schools. We share the commitment to create environments where both students and educators…

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May 9, 2025

Exploring Textures with Messy Play

Engaging in messy play activities can help with mealtime, bathtime, and other self-care routines. If they are sensitive to textures, these activities can help slowly make them more comfortable. Helpful…

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May 16, 2025

Tips for Post-Secondary Students

Post-Secondary Autism Support Services (PASS) wants to share helpful tips for students getting ready for the first year of post-secondary studies. Important dates: Be aware of key registration deadlines. Registering early…

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May 1, 2025

Celebrating Incredible Volunteers

Written by Holly Nauss If I were to explain the volunteer recognition event to someone who wasn’t there, I’d tell them it was a heartwarming gathering where volunteers, families, and…

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April 11, 2025

‘It’s a movement’: Flag Raising Ceremonies Across Nova Scotia

The Autism Nova Scotia flag was raised in communities across the province in early April to celebrate the start of Autism Acceptance Month! Autism Acceptance Month takes place every April…

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April 10, 2025

Egg Hunt Fun

Egg hunts are not just about finding treats they can also be a great way to support communication, social, and motor skills in a fun and engaging way! Here are…

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April 1, 2025

Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month

Autism Acceptance Month is here! Can you feel the excitement in the air? April is an especially important month to go above-and-beyond in promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion for everyone.…

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March 27, 2025

E-Bikes: A Gift of Hope

Last fall, Autism Nova Scotia received an extraordinary donation of 76 e-bikes from Carson Exports. These incredible gifts have created opportunities for Autistic individuals to explore their communities, enhance their…

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March 23, 2025

The Power of Gestures

Gestures are crucial in language development, communication, and learning. Children rely on gestures to express thoughts, emotions meaning, interact with others, and intentions. Why Are Gestures Powerful? Early Communication: Use…

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March 20, 2025

2025 Walk Ambassador, Holly Nauss 

Happy. Exciting. Awesome. Those are the words Holly Nauss, our 2025 Walk Ambassador, uses to describe our flagship fundraiser, Walk YOUR Way. We could not have asked for a better…

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March 7, 2025

Pictou’s Late Discovered Peer Support Group Success

Since launching in January 2024, the Pictou County Regional Autism Centre’s (Chapter’s) Late Discovered Peer Support Group has seen tremendous success. The program was created after identifying a gap in…

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March 6, 2025

Central Office Move This Spring

Autism Nova Scotia has some big news to share! We are excited to announce that our two Central offices are moving to a new location this spring! This move will…

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February 6, 2025

Heavy Work Ideas

Have you ever noticed how toddlers love to climb, push, pull, or crash into things? That’s because the body craves movement and resistance. This kind of activity is called heavy…

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January 25, 2025

Employment Coaching Q&A

Looking for one-on-one employment support? Here are some frequently asked questions about the Employment Coaching program! Q: Who is this program for? A: This program is for Autistic, working individuals…

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January 25, 2025

Toy Rotation

What is Toy Rotation? Toy rotation is an easy and effective strategy that involves periodically swapping toys. Rather than having all toys available at once, some are stored away and…

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January 14, 2025

Consent Focus Group Leads to Rich Discussion

Last month, Autism Nova Scotia staff met with 10 Autistic youth from across Canada to talk about consent. The youth provided first voice perspective on their knowledge of consent, their…

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January 9, 2025

Cynthia Carroll Inclusion Scholarship

Nominations are now closed. Do you know a teaching assistant, educational program assistant or educational support worker who has made a positive impact fostering inclusive learning spaces? This new initiative…

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January 7, 2025

Helpful Strategies for Mealtime Routines

Mealtimes with toddlers can be a wonderful opportunity for connection and learning. Here are some simple strategies to make mealtime smoother and more enjoyable: Consistency: Establish a predictable routine with…

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December 29, 2024

Winter Fun Indoors

When it is too cold to go outside the Quickstart team has some ideas to keep moving when stuck inside. Maze Adventures: Use blankets and pillows to create a maze on…

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December 8, 2024

Quick Tips for Toothbrushing

Helping little ones build a positive toothbrushing routine early on can make a big difference in teeth and gum health! These caregiver-friendly tips can make toothbrushing fun: Choose a Consistent…

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December 4, 2024

2024 Holiday Open House Brings Community Together to Celebrate

The Cedar Events Centre was full of community members, donors, and families for our Holiday Open House in Halifax on Thursday, November 28, 2024. A hundred attendees mingled and learned…

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November 29, 2024

Autism Aviators a Flying Success

Autism Aviators was a success this year at Halifax Stanfield! The airport was full of excitement and smiles on November 23 for the fourth rendition of this important annual event,…

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November 21, 2024

Autism Action Plan Working Groups

The Autism Action Plan for Nova Scotia is a multi-year plan that will find ways to meet the needs of Autistic people at all life stages, and make their lives,…

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November 18, 2024

Keeping Hats and Mittens On

Struggling to keep a little one’s hat or mittens on? Here are some fun tips to make it easier:Start Small: Begin with just a few minutes and gradually increase the time.…

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November 5, 2024

2024 Provincial Elections

In the upcoming provincial election, Autism Nova Scotia is focused on the Autism Action Plan. The provincial government plays a crucial role in ensuring the more than 32,000 Autistic Nova…

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October 15, 2024

Autism Action Plan Community Consultations

Join the conversation for the Autism Action Plan community consultations. These consultations are a vital opportunity to share your experiences, insights, and ideas on how we can create a more…

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October 14, 2024

Singing is More than Just Fun!

Singing is a simple but powerful way to connect, encourage learning, and spark joy. How Singing Helps: 🌟 Turn Songs into Conversations: Pause during a song to let them fill…

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September 26, 2024

National Autism Framework Announcement

Autism Nova Scotia is cautiously optimistic about the release of Canada’s National Autism Framework that was announced today. This is inching closer to supporting the rights, inclusion, and well-being of…

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September 22, 2024

Making Words Fun: Learning through play

Children learn best when having fun. Here are some strategies to make playtime enjoyable and motivating for toddlers: Follow the lead: Join in on playing and talk about the focus…

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August 7, 2024

Quick Tips for Keeping Cool

Keep cool this summer with these 8 Quick Tips! Hydration Station: Make drinking water fun with colourful bottles and add a splash of fruit for flavour! Chill Out with Frozen…

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July 31, 2024

Supporting the post-secondary experience

The Post-Secondary Autism Support Services (PASS) team is thrilled to welcome 12 students to this year's Summer Transition Program! The eight-week program is designed to ease the transition into post-secondary…

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July 23, 2024

Summer Transitions

A transition is a change from one activity to another. This could be a task completed as part of a routine, location change, or play activity. Transitioning between activities can…

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July 10, 2024

Introducing the Best of Local Culinary Talents

Autism Nova Scotia is excited to welcome two extraordinary East Coast culinary talents to our 11th Best of Local gala stage on October 17th: East Coast Canadian Head Chef Gabrielle…

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July 9, 2024

Playing with Water

Water play is a fantastic way to stay cool and engaged this summer! The QuickStart team wants to share tips to help make water play safe and fun. Comfort is…

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June 21, 2024

Provincial Autism Action Plan Community Advisory Committee

Please note: Thank you to everyone who applied for the committee. Applications are now closed. Each application will be reviewed by the Provincial Autism Action Plan Project Team who will…

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June 14, 2024

Applying Sunscreen

As summer approaches, sunscreen becomes a must-have for safety. However, applying sunscreen can be challenging. Here are five tips to help make applying sunscreen easier from the QuickStart team: To set…

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May 27, 2024

Charli’s Insights on the Healthy Relationships, Sexuality, and Autism

Meet Charli Miller, Autism Nova Scotia’s Employment and Transitions Manager, someone who is passionate about creating inclusivity in discussions around relationships and sexuality. Charli also oversees the Healthy Relationships, Sexuality…

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May 14, 2024

Quick Tips for Dressing

Dressing involves multiple skills and movements within one routine, like balance, coordination, pushing, pulling and other fine motor skills. Consider the steps below to try and practice with your child…

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April 30, 2024

Brandon Boyd Recipient of 2024 Joan Craig Trailblazer Award

It is our great honour to announce the recipient of the 2024 Joan Craig Trailblazer Award, Brandon Boyd! This award is presented to a change-maker who works to build inclusion,…

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April 25, 2024

Quick Tips for Creating Safe Child and Pet Interactions

Pets can be a wonderful addition to a family and the bond that can develop between children and companion animals can be incredibly rewarding to the child, pet, and family…

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April 23, 2024

Stephen’s Story about Embracing Autism

Meet Stephen, a 42-year-old who sees the world through a different lens. Stephen is autistic, which means his brain works in its own special way. But here is the thing,…

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April 22, 2024

Best of Local 2024

Autism Nova Scotia is proud to host the 11th annual Best of Local gala event presented by Stewart McKelvey on Thursday, October 17th. This incredible evening will celebrate the autistic…

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March 27, 2024

Playing in Nature

As we enter the Spring season and the weather starts getting warmer, you can create opportunities to take your child outside to play in nature. Playing outside and in nature…

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March 20, 2024

Myles’ Autism Journey

In the world of sending and getting packages, there's a special story about friendship and accepting each other at DHL. Let's meet Myles, who is autistic and works at DHL.…

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March 8, 2024

Celebrating International Women’s Day: Women’s Autism/Autistic Project

To help honor International Women's Day, it's important to highlight programs that uplift and support women from diverse backgrounds. One such initiative at Autism Nova Scotia is the Women’s Autism/Autistic…

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March 7, 2024

Understanding Coaching in the QuickStart Nova Scotia Program

What does “Coaching” mean? Coaching provides a collaborative approach which focuses on the following in different roles and organizations, such as sports/fitness, business, education, and counselling. 1)Defining goals and finding…

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February 14, 2024

Talking about Healthy Relationships

Relationships are the connections between people. Everyone has relationships that fall into many categories such as: sexual, romantic, friendship, family, service provider, colleague/boss, etc. Sometimes, these relationships may happen in…

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February 14, 2024

Shared Interests to Shared Hearts: A Journey of Friendship and Love

Meet Alex and Rebecca, two remarkable individuals from our Social Group program at Autism Nova Scotia, who have blossomed from friends to compatible partners. Their journey is a testament to…

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January 24, 2024

Sensory Bin Ideas for Play Routines

Sensory bins can be a fun addition to add to your play routines. They can be a great way for children to explore and learn through hands-on play. Sensory bins…

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January 8, 2024

Winter Car Seat Safety Tips

As a rule, winter coats should not be worn underneath in your child’s car seat because they can leave the harness too loose to be effective in a crash. Here’s…

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December 19, 2023

Tips for Mealtimes with Your Child

Little Bellies? Little Changes! The amount of food, and different types of food that children are willing to eat can be a stressor for many families. Here are a few…

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December 18, 2023

Holiday Homemade Treats

There are so many yummy flavors during the holidays - gingerbread, peppermint, caramel, chocolate and vanilla! A fun activity that you can do with your kids is have them help…

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November 29, 2023

Fuel the Camp Experience

At Autism Nova Scotia we believe in the power of dreams and building an inclusive community for everyone. We believe in the joy we see in people’s eyes as they…

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November 21, 2023

QuickStart Community Outreach

Our team is thrilled to share some exciting updates on the achievements of QuickStart Nova Scotia (QS) in our recent community outreach project in the Cape Breton Region. Community Outreach…

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November 21, 2023

Celebrating Brandon Boyd: A Trailblazing Filmmaker with Autism

In the heart of Nova Scotia's vibrant film community, a rising star is making waves and challenging stereotypes. Meet Brandon Boyd, a talented filmmaker whose passion for storytelling transcends the…

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September 11, 2023

6 Good Sleep Habits

Here are 6 tips you can do throughout the day to promote good sleep habits at night. Engage in 180 minutes of active play or exercise, with at least 60…

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September 1, 2023

5 tips for Post-Secondary Students

Here are 5 tips for college and university students gearing up for the first semester of school this fall. 1) Attend all of your classes and take notes. 2) Get…

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August 11, 2023

7 Ideas for Playing with Water

Playing with water has many benefits for early learning, such as hand-eye coordination, motor skills and sensory exploration. Here are 7 ideas for playing with water from the QuickStart team:…

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July 5, 2023

4 Gardening Tips

Gardening is a great way to get outside, enjoy the nice weather, and practice building fine motor communication, joint attention, imitation skills, and more. The QuickStart team wants to share…

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June 14, 2023

Walk YOUR Way 2023 Team Spotlight

We participate in Walk YOUR Way because Autism Nova Scotia was a lifeline when we first learned about Theo’s diagnosis. We have had access to resources, advice, and programs that…

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June 5, 2023

Walk YOUR Way 2023

Although Walk YOUR Way looked different this year for many of us, our first in-person Walk since 2019 would not have been possible without the generosity of our incredible community,…

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May 18, 2023

Ideas for Outdoor Play in the Spring

As the days feel warmer and you start spending more time outside, consider these 7 outdoor activity ideas to keep playing fun and engaging. Toy Car Wash: Fill a bin…

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May 2, 2023

4 Tips for Post-Secondary Students

Students - as you're gearing up for your first year, the Post-Secondary Autism Support Services team wants to share 4 tips. 1) Be mindful of course selection times! It is…

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April 27, 2023

Make Reading Books Fun

The QuickStart team wants to share 5 tips to make reading books fun at an early age. 1) Keep Reading Interesting Pick books that align with your child’s interests or…

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April 24, 2023

Autism Acceptance Month

Strong communities are filled with diverse people where we accept and celebrate our differences and learn from each other. Autism Acceptance Month encourages us to continue to build inclusive communities…

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April 14, 2023

Autism Acceptance Month Flag Raising

We were delighted to welcome two first-voice advocates to our Autism Acceptance Month flag raising event. "When you can see the world from a different perspective, you can change the…

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April 17, 2023

National Volunteer Week 2023

As we reflect during National Volunteer Week, we would like to recognize and thank our many volunteers across the province for their generous gift of time and energy. As a…

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March 24, 2023

3 Tips for Mealtime

Mealtime is an opportunity to explore, learn and build confidence with routines. Toddlers might refuse some foods, and that's ok! It's important to give them the time and space to…

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March 21, 2023

Promoting Movement

Movement is important for every stage of development and helps promote an active lifestyle. Fundamental movements can boost mood, improve cognitive ability, and support better sleep. The QuickStart team has…

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March 17, 2023

Father Raises Funds for Walk YOUR Way

Chris Richards is a member of the Royal Canadian Navy and a father of three. With two autistic children, Chris has strived to advocate for the autistic community. He also…

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February 2, 2023

Valentine’s Day Activity

Valentine's Day activities can be a great way to practice fine motor skills with your child. The QuickStart team wants to share one activity you can do at home this…

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January 21, 2023

Ideas for Outdoor Play in the Winter

Active play is important for everyone, young or old! It can be tough to get outside in the cold winter months, but fresh air and movement can boost your mood.…

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January 14, 2023

4 Routine Tips after the Holiday Season

The holiday season is often a busy time when daily routines (i.e., mealtime, playtime, bedtime) can become disrupted. Once the season ends and we begin to re-establish those familiar routines,…

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January 3, 2023

PDPP Success Story

Metztli Michel is a queer artist attending Dalhousie University who combines their knowledge of human psychology with their love of creativity to encapsulate peaceful moments of the world through vivid…

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December 20, 2022

Give Your Best Gift

This holiday season, give your best gift to support Autism Nova Scotia’s programs and services delivered across the province to Autistic children, youth, adults and their loved ones. Your generosity today…

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November 28, 2022

2022 Sheelagh Nolan Award Recipient

The Sheelagh Nolan Award for Excellence in Teaching is a prestigious award that honours the devotion and perseverance of the late Sheelagh Nolan. Sheelagh was an active contributor to many…

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November 27, 2022

Homemade Sensory Bins

Sensory bins can be a fun addition to your playtime routine and is a wonderful way for children to explore and learn through hands-on play. When exploring the sensory bins…

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October 28, 2022

Creating an Inclusive Space for Trick or Treaters

With Halloween right around the corner. The Family Support Services team wants to share 6 tips for creating an inclusive space for Autistic trick or treaters. 1- Be Patient The…

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October 21, 2022

6 Quick Tips for Trick or Treating

Halloween events and trick or treating can be challenging to navigate with toddlers. The QuickStart team wants to share six tips to help your family have a successful spooky night.…

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October 13, 2022

The Power of a Small Community

Gwen's son Kyle drops off a donation to Autism Nova Scotia. During the isolation period of the pandemic, Gwen Issacs found a sense of community in a Facebook Group dedicated…

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September 20, 2022

Walk YOUR Way 2022 Raffle

In our province today, 1 in 34 children under the age of five have a confirmed diagnosis of autism. This statistic and our commitment to the autism community inspires our…

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September 15, 2022

Andrew’s Employment Success

Employment support programs break workplace barriers by providing personalized support to increase workplace success. “Autism cuts across every segment of society, yet not every part of that segment has equal…

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September 9, 2022

Five Tips for Post-Secondary Students

Post-Secondary Autism Support Services [PASS] is here to help you navigate the transition from high school to early adulthood and post-secondary. The program works to create plans that are unique…

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June 15, 2022

Pinwheel Wellness Centre – Mental Health Support

Earlier this year, Autism Nova Scotia opened our Pinwheel Wellness Centre to support Autistic adults who are experiencing mild-to-moderate mental health needs. The Pinwheel Wellness Centre will help unlock access…

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June 15, 2022

QuickStart Nova Scotia Expansion

QuickStart Nova Scotia, our parent mediated coaching program that help parents and caregivers of toddlers with autism support their child’s development, expanded across the province this spring. Since the implementation…

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June 22, 2022

Celebrating 20 Years

This year we are celebrating 20 years at Autism Nova Scotia! Autism Nova Scotia was founded 20 years ago by Joan and Jack Craig. Joan's vision was to make sure…

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June 15, 2022

Annual General Meeting

Autism Nova Scotia’s 2022 Annual General Meeting took place via Zoom on Wednesday, June 29 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm (AST). View our 2021-2022 AGM video here!

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Allison Kearley, Recipient of the 2025 Joan Craig Trailblazer Award

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