Neurodiversity Change Foundation

This month, the Neurodiversity Change Foundation (NCF) introduced CareSafer, a neuroaffirming primary care quality improvement program, to a group of physicians for the first time. The team is now in the final stages of completing the curriculum, which has been shaped by deep community engagement, including input from 15 neurodivergent people across Canada who shared their experiences, priorities, and gaps in primary care.

LET’S’ Founder–Executive Director, Heather McCain (they/them), has been contributing lived-expertise-based feedback to the curriculum alongside other collaborators, including Jenna Kedy and Lawrence Yang.

Lara stated, in a recent LinkedIn post: “I also attended a session with Canada’s National Autism Network where over 50 Canadians shared their perspectives on neuro-affirmative care to inform policy recommendations. What stood out clearly is that the Neurodiversity Change Foundation CareSafer program strongly reflects what the broader community is saying they experience in primary care, and what needs to improve. Let’s build on what we have.”

Neurodivergent people are calling for care that is relational, consent-based, low-pressure, and grounded in lived experience – not just policy language or diagnostic checklists.

LET’S is honoured to have played a small part in shaping CareSafer so far and is excited to continue collaborating as the program moves into piloting and future scaling. This work reflects the tremendous expertise that already exists in neurodivergent communities and the potential to make meaningful, concrete improvements in how care is delivered.

InQlusive Reach Website Consultation

A local organization recently invited LET’S to consult on their website redesign to make it more accessible and reflective of the communities they serve. Examples of small language shifts that signal big changes in values.

Why Access Instead of Adaptive?

Access is a rights-based concept: everyone needs it. Using “adaptive” implies something “special” or separate, which reinforces outdated ideas about disability. “Adapted” still works when describing personal care, since it reflects support tailored to an individual’s needs.

Why Neuro-Affirming Instead of Neuro-Inclusive?

At LET’S, we don’t use “inclusion” or “inclusive.” Inclusion continues to center dominant groups and depends on them to “invite” others in, rather than transforming systems that caused exclusion in the first place. Equity, by contrast, questions and changes those very systems – a justice-based approach that redistributes power and resources.

The term affirming actively values all neurotypes as valid expressions of being, recognizing that the existing world was built for only some. Being neuro-affirming means recreating environments and relationships that honour neurodivergent experiences and expertise.

Through our consultation, we helped reframe service descriptions to better reflect access, affirmation, and authenticity – removing over-promising, ableist, or hierarchical language.

This collaboration shows how language and framing can shape systems – turning accessibility from an afterthought into a foundation of equity and dignity.

Ministry of Health

LET’S, in partnership with Resilience Planning and Lisa Moffatt, successfully applied to support a Ministry of Health initiative to improve how the health system responds to patient harm through the Patient Care Quality Program.

The Ministry reached out to organizations that represent communities inequitably impacted by the health system, including existing processes for responding to harm, and invited them to facilitate engagement sessions with their service populations. Participant feedback from these sessions will shape quality assurance policy and practice changes aimed at better reflecting the needs of patients and communities.

LET’S’ role is to design and facilitate an engagement that centers disabled, Mad, neurodivergent, and other equity-denied patients’ experiences of harm, complaint processes, and accountability structures in healthcare. We will be focusing on accessibility of current mechanisms, barriers to reporting, fear of retaliation, and what repair and systemic change could look like when patients are truly believed and prioritized. This work recognizes that the people most impacted by patient harm hold expertise that is essential to building safer, more just health systems.

By participating in this project, LET’S is helping ensure that provincial policy conversations about “quality” are grounded in lived experience rather than solely institutional perspectives. It is an opportunity to bring disability justice principles into health system change and to advocate for processes that do not simply respond to harm, but actively work to prevent it.

Beyond Inclusion Guide Refresh Workshop

The Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University hosted a Beyond Inclusion Guide Refresh Workshop as part of its process to update the Beyond Inclusion: Equity in Public Engagement guide, a resource outlining key principles for meaningful, equitable participation in public engagement. LET’S took part in the session, contributing lived and professional expertise grounded in disability justice, neurodiversity, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to help identify gaps and strengthen the guide’s equity and accessibility commitments.

During the workshop, participants explored how equity and accessibility were being practiced in engagement processes, shared strategies for addressing barriers, and offered concrete recommendations for the refreshed guide. LET’S’ involvement ensured that disabled, neurodivergent, and 2SLGBTQIA+ perspectives were centered in the dialogue, supporting a more robust and actionable resource for organizations and practitioners working in public and community engagement.

SFU Accessibility Project

LET’S was contacted by the Director of Projects at SFU (Simon Fraser University). They are supporting the SFU Accessibility Project, which was established in response to the enactment of the BC Accessibility Act. They reached out to LET’S as a potential consultant who could support their office with drafting an Accessibility Plan.

LET’S’ name was shared with them by a member of our Accessibility Committee and a colleague who had spoken very highly of one of our workshops. We look forward to proceeding on this project.

Change Advocacy to Projects
Creating Accessible Neighbourhoods was created by and for disabled people who knew
that businesses, charities/non-profits, communities, educational institutions, individuals,
non-profits, and government needed accessibility, equity, and diversity information
from those most impacted.

Consulting has been an ongoing priority for Creating Accessible Neighbourhoods. Our
consulting can be on the smaller scale of answer questions for individuals, such as
questions from people newly disabled or for people who are doing accessibility renovations and/or upgrades or questions about appropriate language. We have done one-time projects such as participating in research projects, accessibility audits, help create disability awareness training/manuals, and/or act as a Subject Matter Expert.

Examples of our consulting (linked to sections)
Business Charities/Non-Profits Community Educational Institutions Individual
Government Publications

Testimonial

Businesses:

Arbutus Club: Created a disability awareness guide for front-line staff.
Providing workshops for staff and management.
Reviewing policies and documents for appropriate, equitable language.

SuperHost: Reviewed the Customer with Disabilities section.

 

TransLink: Accessibility consultant.
Performed accessibility audits of SkyTrain stations.
Delivered accessibility awareness training. Advised on general accessibility for all
modes of transportation (bus, SkyTrain, West Coast Express, SeaBus, HandyDART).

Vancouver International Airport (YVR): Assessed the accessibility of all Drop-off Zones and Entrances/Exits at YVR (the Vancouver Airport) in preparation of the 2010 Olympics/Paralympics

Charities/Non-Profits:

2010 Legacies Now: Onsite inspections of businesses throughout Vancouver using 2010
Legacies Now’s criteria for accessibility.

#AllOnBoard: Sharing the experiences of disabled people who live in poverty and rely
on transit. Speaking to how oppressive practices of TransLink need review and
Alteration. Presented to several city councils representing the voices of disabled transit users who live in poverty.

BC Poverty Reduction Coalition: Consulted on PRC’s transition process as an organization,
including our deep dive on our values and our policy framework. Ongoing member.

BC Rehab Foundation: Consulted for the Community Partnerships Initiative which was
offering five grants of up to $10,000 to improve community accessibility in the Province
of BC.

CanRoots West Conference: Accessibility consultant for event.

Canadian Centre of Disability Studies: Consultant for theirTool for Livable and Inclusive Communities

Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture: Subject Matter Expert for auditing project of accessibility at art institutions.

Organize BC: Advised on how to make social justice workshops more accessible and equitable.

PeerNetBC: Health Equity Collaborative community consultation. Held a consultation session for participatory research project creating a community-based report to the Ministry of Health
identifying key gaps for gender and sexual diverse folk.

Rick Hansen Foundation: Accessibility Consultant for Global Accessibility Map

Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
(VANOC): Assessed accessibility of Olympic/Paralympic venues.

Vancouver Pride Society: Doing accessibility assessments, staff training, and community consultations.

Communities:

Burnaby Pride: Accessibility advisor for in person and digital events.

City of Burnaby: Examples of projects include pedestrian infrastructure accessibility assessments, consultation on accessible parking standards, a review of accessible
design guidelines for civic buildings, and inclusive customer service training for City staff.

City of Burnaby: Accessibility assessment of the Bob Prittie (Metrotown) Library.
Contractors: Assisting those who need information about Universal Design and accessibility.

City of Maple Ridge: Advised staff on accessibility guidelines. Researchers:
Consulting about transportation services evaluations. Ensuring appropriate terminology, equitable and gender-neutral language,

City of Victoria: Engagement for the City’s Accessibility Policy and Framework

Educational Institutions:

BCIT: Provided Feedback and Participated in Workshop for Researchers Regarding
Interactions Between Police and People with Physical Disabilities

Canadian Disability Participation Project and deMAND Project: Advisor for projects within
this alliance of university, public, private and government sector partners working together to enhance community participation among Canadians with disabilities.

Justice Institute of BC: Provided content and consulted on the disability awareness content for TaxiHost Training Program.

Justice Institute of BC: Subject Matter Expert for RideHail Curriculum Development Multiple University Project: Mobility, Access, and Participation (MAP) Partnership Steering Committee,
a partnership between researchers and community organizations across multiple provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia) aimed at improving Mobility, Access, and Participation
among Canadians with disabilities.

Canadian Disability Participation Project (Multiple University Project): An alliance of university, public, private and government sector partners working together to enhance community participation among Canadians with physical disabilities.

Simon Fraser University (SFU): Assisted Gerontology Department on assessment tool regarding walkability/wheelability.

Simon Fraser University (SFU): Provided input to the Gerontology Department for the
On the Move: Participation and Inclusion game, a photovoice display and video vignette
tool that encourages community members to think about how people of different demographics interact with streetscapes.

University of British Columbia: Supporting student disability zine called CripNotes.
Crip Notes hopes to reveal, celebrate and bring visibility to the stories of disabled
students, particularly Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, People of Colour. Stories will relate to personal or collective acts of resistance, intersectional identities and community-driven moments.

University of Illinois in Chicago: Consulting with assistant professor on an Active Transportation Policy Analysis.

Individual:
Answering questions about appropriate terminology.
Connecting people to adaptive sports and recreation programs.
Offering advice for accessibility renovations/upgrades.
Offer support regarding medical appointments.
Providing support and resources for newly disabled people.

Publications:
Passenger Transportation Board: Consulted on Report Regarding Wheelchair
Accessible Transportation. Quoted in a subsequent report.

Sharing Our Reality: Life on Disability Assistance in British Columbia Report:
A report on the ways income assistance is demoralizing and oppressive from the perspective of
those most impacted. In partnership with the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition.

Shifting the Culture at the Ministry of Social Development & Poverty Reduction: A report with examples of achievable measures which would better reflect the support and assistance the system is supposed to be providing for people with disabilities on disability or welfare. In partnership with BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, Raise the Rates,the Richmond Poverty Response Committee, Together Against Poverty Society, West Coast LEAF and UFCW1518

Testimonial:
Heather spoke with me on the phone for a really enlightening hour! Not only were they a great
listener and respectful of my limited education in this subject, they were able to give me truly honest reactions and suggestions for improvement. This ranged from the words I used to speak
about disabilities (such as refraining from using “able-bodied” and instead using “non-disabled”) to commenting on the story of the movie it self and how it can be more powerful and effective towards bringing awareness to disabilities equity in the Hollywood industry. We continued
our discussion after the call too, and Heather gave me feedback on the language in my project’s
documents to make it as respectful as it can be.

All of Heather’s insight was valuable and exceeded what I was hoping to learn. CAN gave me a
safe environment to grow and ask questions that I couldn’t ask elsewhere. And ultimately I am
grateful to be guided by a specialized group than to put any pressure on friends and colleagues
with disabilities to teach me what I should be learning on my own.

I am more confident now in my efforts to help people than I was prior to speaking with Heather.
And these lessons go beyond my work! Any time I speak now, whether about my project or
otherwise, I am able to use language that is more respectful for people with disabilities and
further explain the importance of these words and why I speak differently now. I am certain that
this has an effect on these people and is making important progress by helping them to better
understand what I have learned as well.

I have such gratitude for Heather and her team at CAN. Their work is important and has a
positive effect in the world. And if there’s one thing they teach extremely well, it’s that we are all
in this world together.

Barry Bogovich
Director, Producer, Writer
Los Angeles, CA, USA

 

The Vancouver Writers Fest Accessibility Committee gathered on November 22 for an engaging Accessibility Round Table.

Meeting virtually via Zoom, committee members Clovis Bernard, Alison Klein, Jess Eaton, Heather McCain, Ladan Sahraei, Anika Vervecken, Celeste Cadieux-Rey, Chelsee Damen, Jennifer Milley, Ruth Ormiston, Joyce Wan, and Sarah Wang shared their experiences and insights from the festival.

Together, they reflected on standout moments from the year’s events, identified both positive and challenging accessibility experiences, and discussed next steps for continuing the festival’s accessibility growth. Key topics included implementing effective trigger warnings, determining how best to communicate them, and exploring actions to strengthen accessibility planning for next year’s festival.

In December, the Vancouver Writers Festival Accessibility Roundtable continued its important conversations about access, inclusion, and collective learning, holding multiple sessions for reflection and collaboration.

A person writing on typewriter, surrounded by books, glasses, and plants.
A person writing on typewriter, surrounded by books, glasses, and plants.

LET’S is working with The Feminist Campaign School, who have received a grant to continue a project they started in 2021. They have been looking at the barriers to retaining progressive people in local government who are made marginalized by their gender. In this phase of the work, we are surveying and interviewing folks in PEI, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan, as well as doing educational workshops and policy work in BC and AB as a follow up to our earlier report in 2023

They contacted LET’S as they have budgeted to work with an accessibility consultant to ensure they are doing their best to make their work accessible as they launch and deliver it, as well as to do a review at the end or provide guidance to how they report it after.  They did this the first time around.

LET’S is proud to be working with The Feminist Campaign School. We look forward to seeing this project continue to unfold.

LET’S provided feedback on, and delivered a workshop for SFU staff and a representative from Equity Compass on SFU’s Accessibility Plan. The plan has now been released.

As their website reads:

“Aligned with the Equity Compass and informed by the perspectives and needs of SFU students, faculty and staff with disabilities, the Accessibility Plan describes the changes needed to transition towards a more accessible university. Through the Accessibility Secretariat and Committee and the Equity Office, SFU will refine the plan each year, responding to the provincial standards and community feedback. An annual implementation plan will define milestones and responsibilities, supporting both resource allocation and reporting.

The initial action program spans five (5) years, with the most pressing steps highlighted upfront. While improvements in academics, operations and environment will ultimately inspire culture change, we also highlight actions to foster more directly a culture of inclusivity and care.”

LET’S made some great connections at the Just and Sustainable Future Funds summit. 1 is Rochelle Ignacio, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Tamarack Institute.

About the Tamarack Institute: “The Tamarack Institute is a registered charity dedicated to ending poverty in all its forms. We believe true community change occurs when we adopt new ways of thinking and working together. We equip communities with the skills, knowledge, resources, and connections to make lasting, meaningful impacts.

At the heart of Tamarack lies the belief that true community building, engagement and change go beyond mere words — they require genuine care, compassion and action.

Tamarack is a connected force for community change, building the capacity of changemakers in cities and communities, within Canada, and around the world.”

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LET’S was pleased to receive an invitation from the Tamarack Institute to participate in their virtual conference EngageFest, held on October 29th and 30th. The theme of EngageFest! is The Power of People and Place.

About EngageFest: “Tamarack exists to end poverty in all of its forms. We do that by hosting spaces where people build skills to change systems. We support local partnerships where people deploy these skills. We amplify their progress and impact. We bring them together so that they can contribute to changing narratives, public policy, and resource flows.

Now more than ever, these partnerships are crucial because they are attuned to local history and current context, they engage people with lived experiences of harmful systems, and they have access to the full range of local assets.

We hope participants at EngageFest! go back into their communities with practical tools, knowledge, connections and the confidence to create sustainable impact in their local communities. We hope they hear stories of change, learn from challenges, and set intentions for what they will do next. We hope they find new ways to engage with the Tamarack network once the events end.”

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1 of Tamarack’s Learning Centre Directors, Yas Hassan, has drafted workshop content for ‘Art, Mindfulness and Play: Practical Strategies for Accessible Spaces’, LET’S has been asked to collaborate on this 90 minute workshop. We are excited by this project and the building of this relationship.

About Yas Hassan: Yas is dedicated to community development and engagement with a focus on ethical co-creation and collaboration. Yas works on driving systems change by addressing gaps in areas such as Black liberation, Indigenous sovereignty, anti-racism, belonging and more. Complete list of EngageFest! speakers.