Rebecca McCash’s Post

Good morning, LinkedIn community, As part of our ongoing efforts to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment, we are looking to connect with disabled individuals. Your discernments are invaluable and will help us raise awareness, advocate for better support, and promote inclusion within our community. Whether you have personal experiences to disclose or know someone who does, please reach out. I am working on a piece for a local publication based on local news in the Inishowen area. I want to get everything done before Disabilty pride month is over. Let's work together to create a new inclusive Inishowen! I have already spoken to somebody with Aspergers Syndrome and another person with autism, but I am looking for more people who are disabled and/or neurodivergent. It goes without saying that you need to be 18 years old to participate in an interview as I will talk to different people and what it meant to them growing up.   Feel free to message me directly or share this post with anyone who might be interested in connecting. You don’t have to be from Inishowen for me to speak to you, but you must be living here. Ta for your support! I want to speak to you as disabled and neurodivergent people who have read this far, and I don’t want to speak to parents as they don’t fit the criteria that I am looking to cover. #DisabilityAwareness #Inclusion #CommunitySupport #Inishowen #DisabilityPride #AutismAwareness #Advocacy

Before starting Ginomai Consulting & Training, I spent 15 years working in various roles in autism services, here in Ontario. In 2016 autism services, as we knew it, was turned on its head and families and organizations began the long arduous journey of navigating continuous policy and funding changes. This left families hanging with no clarity on where to turn. The landscape of services and supports changed drastically, making them difficult to navigate, understand, and access. Waiting lists got longer, not shorter Many providers lost their direct funding in a bid to give families more autonomy and control. But families got less money, and accessing adequate supports became unaffordable and overwhelming. And yet, in the face of all this set against them, these families have been resilient - standing up for their needs, and holding our local government accountable for the impact of these changes. They have taken a stand for meaningful change because their children's lives depend on it. And because autistic individuals have something meaningful to contribute to society. They bring unique perspectives, new ways of seeing the world, and an opportunity to dismantle the status quo of our assumptions and biases, in the name of a world that's inclusive and accepting, not just tolerant. As we bring awareness to autism this month I encourage you to check on one of these linked to learn more and be an advocate: https://lnkd.in/ggjkYKRM https://lnkd.in/gAaV-mDC https://lnkd.in/gYuUnTnz #Advocate #Autism #AutismAcceptanceMonth #Inclusion #Acceptance

🎉 GREAT NEWS FOR AUSTRALIA 🎉 This week, our country took a significant step forward with the release of the National Autism Strategy – an initiative that has the potential to positively impact the lives of so many individuals and families. The strategy outlines 22 commitments across four vital reform areas: 🔹 Social inclusion 🔹 Economic inclusion 🔹 Diagnosis, services, and support 🔹 Health While this is a wonderful achievement, the real work starts now. It’s time to turn these commitments into meaningful action that drives real change. 📖 Read more about the strategy and what it means here. Let’s all play a part in building a more inclusive and supportive future! #Autism #Inclusion #Support #SocialImpact

✔𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡, it's crucial to remember that understanding and acceptance are the cornerstones of building an inclusive society. 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥, it's a unique way of experiencing the world. Each individual on the spectrum brings their own talents, challenges, and perspectives to our communities. By embracing neurodiversity, we create spaces where everyone can thrive. 𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 (Maureen Brown, M.S.), I'm deeply committed to ensuring that individuals with autism receive the support and resources they need to reach their full potential. Advocacy isn't just about fighting for rights; it's about fostering understanding, empathy, and respect. 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡—𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬, uplift autistic voices, and work towards a world where everyone is valued for who they are. Together, we can build a more inclusive and compassionate society. #AutismAwareness #Acceptance #Inclusion #Neurodiversity #Advocacy

Today, BWFAA is celebrating Autistic Pride Day by taking a moment to recognize and honor the Autistic community and to remember the struggles they have overcome to get to a place where such a thing as Autistic Pride Day exists. For much of the 20th century, autism was misdiagnosed and stigmatized, leading to harmful treatments and institutionalization. Many autistic people were isolated from society and denied opportunities for education and employment. In the last few decades, the autistic community and their allies have made remarkable strides in advocating for autistic rights, support, acceptance, and shifting perceptions towards the unique, vital skills and traits the autistic community brings to society. While we have seen incredible progress, there is still work to be done. Many autistic people continue to encounter barriers and discrimination, as well as harmful stereotypes and an expectation to conform to neurotypical social norms. Ongoing efforts are essential for the success of autistic people, and all neurodivergent people. Here at BWFAA we take our name seriously, providing education and support to autistic adults in a program designed By, With and For Autistic Adults. We want to continue to build a world where every autistic person is valued, heard, and given the opportunity to shine. Join us in celebrating the incredible contributions of autistic individuals and advocating for a more inclusive future. Happy Autistic Pride Day! #BWFAA #AutisticPride #Neurodiversity #Diversity #Inclusion #DisabilityAdvocacy If you're interested in our mission, please check out our website here: https://lnkd.in/gBtWQFwy Our board members and staff (tagged for enhanced visibility and to allow interested parties to engage with us) David E Bartek CEO Beth Kimmel Autism Curriculum Director Lisa Richer Chair Ingrid Cooper Justice Vice Chair Jim Janetzke Treasurer Anne Carpenter Claire Fierro Michael Hoffarth John Tucker

Autism Strategy Article Share A fantastic initiative has been launched in South Australia. 🚀 A state-first ‘Autism Strategy’, setting out a 5-year roadmap to help improve the lives of all people living with autism and their families. To fulfil commitments made by the Government, the plan will focus on areas like: - Thriving in the workplace - Access to support and services - Interactions with the justice system. What another great step for inclusion in Australia! I am excited to see where this goes next. Click the link below for the full article 📖: https://lnkd.in/gttg8uDX #AccessibleAustralia #Strategy #Government #InclusivePractices #AutismInclusion

When we centre the research, stories, platforms, and narratives in advocacy around neurodivergent people of privilege, we abandon, alienate, and leave behind millions of disabled people of colour who face additional systemic barriers. Just a few of these barriers include… - A lack of accessibility to mental and physical healthcare. - A lack of accessibility to diagnoses. - Racism. - Xenophobia. - Alienation and ostracision by one’s cultural and ethnic group. These barriers go overlooked if advocacy is centred around whiteness. An estimated 20% of the global majority is neurodivergent, yet our voices are often undermined, dismissed, and forgotten about. Instead of ignoring us, give us an equal opportunity to share our story. Amplify the voices and platforms of ethnic, cultural, and racial minorities so all neurodivergent people are seen, heard, and represented. We, as a neurodivergent community, are stronger together. By supporting the most marginalised, we are supporting us all. Advocacy without a focus on intersectionality is advocacy centred around erasure and suppression. Sonny Jane Wise Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her) Dennis Tran Jenny Mai Phan Hwee Peng Tan Institute Of Neurodiversity ION #autism #adhd #neurodiversity #education #employment #disability #advocacy #inclusion #dei #inclusion. #intersectionality #communication #mentalhealth #trauma #culture

Did you know only 17% of autistic adults in the US graduate college? Did you know only 22% of autistic adults have full time employment in the US? Did you know that 85% of autistic adults with degrees can’t secure a full time job? Did you know autistic people are 9x more likely to die by suicide? Let’s do something about these statistics together ♾️ #Autism #AutismAdvocate #AutismSupport #Neurodiversity #DisabilityRights #AutismCoach #AutismConsultant

Celebrating #IDPWD and Empowering Autistic Futures On International Day of People with a Disability, we're thrilled to share that Empower Autism's CEO, Tom Moss, and Manager - Education Services, Emma Messer, had the honor of presenting to the Queensland State Network of the Department of Social Services (DSS). Together with Richard Nelson from ARC Disability Services Inc., they discussed the transformative impact of our DSS-funded AutismWorks program. This initiative empowers small to medium businesses to create inclusive workplaces for autistic individuals by: 1. Building organisational capacity and understanding of autism, 2. Providing confidence to hire, support, and retain autistic employees, & 3. Empowering autistic job seekers We're excited to partner with ARC Disability Services Inc. as our first regional employer partner. Together, we're committed to fostering autism-affirming recruitment and employment practices. A big thank you to the team at Department of Social Services (DSS) for inviting us to share our work on this important day. Your ongoing support is invaluable and appreciated. #autism #autistic #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #inclusion #autismintheworkplace #IDPWD #InclusionMatters