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On April 30th, our club had the pleasure of holding a regular meeting at Geneva Centre for Autism. After the meeting, we were given a tour of the facility -they are a valuable and much needed resource for individuals & family with autism.

We were divided into two groups and began our tour of this three storey building.  Holly, Sylvia and Shayna were the leaders of one group and we were glad to have one of their clients, Rob, join us for the tour.

They took possession of this building in February 2008 and were open for business in May 2008. As this was previously a commercial building, they were lucky in that few renovations were necessary. It’s very important to have this type of facility for autistic teens and adults, as there are very few programs for them after childhood. They were very pleased that the East York Rotary Club was one of the first organizations to step forward with support.

We were shown around the third floor which has a variety of rooms. There is a reception area where clients can volunteer to answer the phones and greet other clients - this prepares them for the real working world. There are also waiting room chairs and they can practice sitting, as if waiting for a job interview. There are also rooms for a social club, communications, a kitchen, resource centre and consulting. These can be sponsored by companies (or a Rotary Club) for a $50,000 to $100,000 donation.

The second floor has a games room and larger rooms for meetings, exercising, karaoke, etc.  Both the front and the back of the building could be renovated into gardens with table and chairs.

We briefly looked at the first or main floor, which is not completed yet.  They envision an open concept in an internet café type of setting, with computers, games, music, art supplies and a kitchen. 

Autism has always been around, but the diagnostic criteria has improved drastically in the last few years - but it is still difficult to diagnose.  Rob was diagnosed at age 13 as having Asperger Syndrome (high functioning autism) and Tourette’s. One of the problems found in autism is the ability to show emotion.

We enjoyed talking to Rob, who explained how this facility helps him to get organized.  He has been show how to use his palm pilot, which reminded him to wake up early today! He has managed to graduate from college with a degree in assisting other disabled people. Rob said a lot of other programs at other facilities treat their clients like small children, which is frustrating for teets and adults.

Sylvia took the opportunity to also thank Rob for all his contributions, which include volunteering at the summer camp and entertaining guests at the annual picnic. Apparently he is very good at Elvis impersonations. He also takes the time to speak to organizations such as Rotary about his experiences and how the Geneva Centre has helped him.

We’re looking forward to May 23 when we will feature Geneva Centre for Autism night at our annual Lobsterfest.