We are grateful for the support that our son received from [AS Coach] to help him with completion of college courses in support of a career plan. [AS Coach] was always quite calm which helped diffuse anxiety. She was flexible in her approach to allow her to depart from a coaching role, when required, to also assist with advocacy and working through administrative and bureaucratic barriers to success.

Delivery was flexible, and we were able to do a combination of virtual and in-person. The virtual days were used to prepare for the in-person shifts which focused on hands-on experience. This was the only training cohort we were able to deliver in-person due to COVID- 19 restraints. This was beneficial for providing participants with experiential learning opportunities to practice and complete work tasks and duties.

Job coaches sourced from ASpectrum were one of the biggest assets during our partnership. ASpectrum truly went above and beyond in the supports they provided prior to, during, and after the training cohort. Because of their flexibility and ability to provide in-person supports participants were able to get the individualized supports they require on-site. They had a strong focus on rapport and relationship building which contributed to participants feeling comfortable and being able to communicate openly. The takeaway for participants was impactful with regards to employment and hard skills that were taught and practiced, as well as life skills and soft skills such as teamwork, time management, communication, and initiative.

It was an absolute pleasure working with ASpectrum, specifically Karen and Julien, on their collaboration with the OTL culinary program. They provided immense support for the participants as well as me. They gave valuable feedback that allowed me as an instructor to help each participant excel in their own way. They were a constant support system for the participants going as far as creating breakout rooms after our group class to field additional questions and concerns. ASpectrum was in constant communication with participants helping them to set and achieve goals during the program. I felt a sense of comfort having them in my class as they helped me to navigate situations that arose with participants. OTL together with Aspectum was able to create a healthy, safe, comfortable, and inclusive learning environment for all.

In December 2020 when people were losing their jobs, I was fortunate enough to have employment support from [AS Coach]. [AS Coach] helped me from the first day I applied for the job, from the interviews even up to the first 3 months of my employment, I still have her support, she always asks about my concerns. [AS Coach] helped me believe in myself from the first call; she assured me that I would get the job, she followed up with the employment with explanation about my situation and also all the clarification I wanted to know about the offer. She tried her best to get all the benefits that I was entitled to. During the interview process, I had mock interviews with [AS Coach] where she walked me through all possible interview questions. She made me understand the logic behind all the questions so I could be better prepared for the real interview questions. I had her support during the interview as well, whenever I forgot some important points, she simply explained it and reminded me about all the possible answers that we were practising during the mock interviews. I recommend the service especially for disabled people. Karen is knowledgeable about the process and she knows how to help improve one’s performance during the interviews. They are such a miracle especially for people who do not have much of a choice sometimes.

To the team members of ASpectrum,

The support you offer to job seekers, employees, and employers, based on your valuable expertise, is necessary to recognize the skills of job seekers on the autism spectrum or with an intellectual disability and allows them to contribute fully to the economic vitality of businesses. Working with your agency is a key to the success of the inclusive employment journey. Your commitment is much appreciated, and we sincerely thank you for your involvement with RWA. We truly could not do this without you.