My Outlet Issue #7 | 2026
How lucky we are to have family supporters like this.
Hear from Michal, My Outlet parent, on what the Kids Signature Program means for her family on our social media next week.
Founder’s note
Most days of the week feel like I set out to achieve the impossible. Changing the social narrative on neurodiversity, contributing to better fluency and building an ecosystem that has human impact and changes outcomes is no small feat. They say you never see the grit that goes into building a business, or the work that all of us as individuals put into ourselves as we’re working through difficult things (you only see the “tip of the iceberg”).
The work we do at My Outlet oscillates between top-down and bottom-up, using both approaches concurrently. We’re working hard to get the attention of the decision makers holding the keys to the agenda at schools, camps, companies and service industries. We recognize we’re contending with hot topics like AI, data privacy, technology, social media and mental health. We recognize budgets are changing in tandem with economic and geopolitical factors, and time simply seems to be escaping us at an even faster pace than ever before. This means we need to be more innovative and adaptable with our approaches to collaboration and education. And it hopefully means that when one door closes, a window opens. Because advocacy and education are essential to supporting and building a neuroinclusive future.
We continue to work at a systems level using a “top down” perspective, because as parents, young adults and individuals with lived experience, we deeply want to bring people in, not push people out. As Christina Cipriano, PhD wrote in her book titled “Be Unapologetically Impatient”:
“It may take our lifetime to change how systems operate and even how we are seen in the system. But we can each harness the power in our positionality to interrupt the status quo right now. We can do it every day by prioritizing compassionate, empathetic, inquiry. We can ask questions … with the intention of calling others in, not out.”
Then there’s the bottom up approach we apply simultaneously. This is the work that nourishes my soul and motivates me to push harder and farther every day. Because it’s not just about a single (elating or gut wrenching) story, it’s about the collective stories with similar themes. Nearly every day I speak with parents who are looking for an environment where their child or teen feels comfortable being their full selves, where they feel inspired to reach beyond their comfort zone (whatever that might look like), and where there is a palpable long-term path forward available to them within the My Outlet ecosystem that will develop them in ways they couldn’t have envisioned or accessed elsewhere.
Our families, facilitators, university co-ops and ambassadors recognize our programming as a space that delivers a consistent feeling of belonging and community and one that generates a source of confidence and encouragement that fuels self identity and self worth. It allows a child, teen, or the facilitator that supports them to rise to greater heights.
I feel blessed and empowered by the support, validation, gratitude and endorsements My Outlet has received over the past months. From reputable field experts and organizations to social workers to parents to our growing cohort of post-secondary students, we are regularly reminded of why the work we are doing and the ecosystem we’re building matters so much. Equally, when we hear from Rogers TV hosts Chris and Cam that our interview last January really resonated with parents and that they want us back on set for a second episode, we know we’re headed in the right direction! When parents offer to film an endorsement of our program, write a recommendation letter to their school for professional development and workshops, or ask how they can help bring our after-school program into their child’s school, we know we’re headed in the right direction.
Lastly, I headed back to my alma mater for a big reunion year this past weekend. A couple of moments really stood out for me. The first was reuniting with old classmates, friends and a favourite professor of mine, John Haywood-Farmer. The second was a discussion with several classmates who now work at UK-based Private Equity firms in the sustainability space. Although not surprising to me, neurodiversity training is a core part of their ongoing staff education and onboarding process. We only need to look across the pond for evidence based research on the benefits of doing so. The third moment was the fortuitous meeting my husband and I had with a lovely couple, (also Ivey grads), when we stumbled back into the old business school building to reminisce. They were doing the same, and it was not more than a couple of minutes into a conversation about what we all do for work, that I was asked by this couple, “how can we help?” I am deeply touched and grateful for people like this, who understand the grit, persistence and luck that a new venture or undertaking like this requires, and who recognize that moments like this have real impact.
Full circle. Always (and especially!!) on days that feel like I set out to achieve the impossible, I’d like to take a moment to thank those who remind us in their own way of the value they see in the ecosystem we are building and for the trust they have granted us as we ambitiously seek to achieve our vision.
— Warm regards, Audrie Chad Founder, My Outlet
News and upcoming events
Fall 2026 | Kids Signature Program - last spots
Fall sessions start October 18, and spots are going fast.
📍 North York — Kids and LIT programs are full. A couple of spaces are still open in Minis (ages 4–6). Act fast!
📍 Vaughan — Limited spots left. Register by October 15 for a special fall promotion while room is available. Send us an enquiry for details.
Winter registration is now open
Planning ahead? Winter sessions are open for registration.
📍 7 sessions run on Sundays:
January 24, 31
February 7, 21, 28
March 7, 14
Want to learn more or reserve your spot? Book a free 15-minute call with Audrie or send us an enquiry.
SPECIAL COMMUNITY CLASS
You asked, we're bringing it back
After our August 24 class, many of you asked for more: more speakers, more topics, more time together as a community. We heard you.
Tell us what you'd like to learn about next. Send us a DM with your topic, and the month and day of the week that work best for you. We'll make it happen.
Send us a DM or Email us at info@channelmyoutlet.com
After-school programming is off to a strong start
Our programs with PLASP are back, and this year we'll be in over 15 schools across Peel Region, delivering regular enrichment programming to school-aged and JK/SK kids. They'll be learning the same LEGO toolkit concepts, skills, and strategies we teach in our Kids Signature Program on weekends.
Coming to private schools in January
We're bringing our enrichment programming to private schools starting in January. Want My Outlet at your school?
My Outlet in the news
Missed us on Rogers TV?
Audrie will be back on What's Buzzin with Chris and Cam this November. Stay tuned for the airing date.
Where we've been
Centre for Diverse Learners (CDL) symposium
Thank you to the Centre for Diverse Learners for an accessible, insight-rich webinar series, Learning Together: A Neurodiversity Symposium, the week of September 21.
We shared many of the sessions with family, friends, and colleagues. A highlight was Carolyn Rankin's focus on emotional safety at work: modelling flexibility in how we work, and staying curious about how each of us works best.
Missed it? Recordings are available here.
Nrth Festival (formerly Elevate)
AI took centre stage in nearly every conversation, and online marketing keeps getting harder to keep up with. But one thing is clear to us: word of mouth is the most important way families find us.
Thank you to our partners, social workers, and parent advocates for recommending us and sharing such valuable feedback. That's how we build community and keep growing.
We also met thought leaders in the inclusion and disability space who encouraged us to stop and celebrate how far we've come. Sometimes we need to take our own medicine. It's about the journey, not the destination.
And we filmed a short video with Tangerine for their entrepreneurship campaign. Fingers crossed we're selected!
Book Street Festival
We gave our book series an early introduction and shared more about My Outlet with the community.
Want to be first to know when the books launch?
Back to Ivey
Audrie reconnected with classmates and alumni at her Ivey Business School reunion, many now leading across finance, sustainability, and beyond. One former classmate, now in private equity and sustainability in the UK, shared that his company invested in neurodiversity training years ago and still sees the value. A reminder of how much opportunity there is for North America to catch up, push forward, and lead.
Others shared how life events and mental health challenges led them to rethink their paths, values, and goals. Another reminder of why neurodiversity and inclusion in the workplace matter.
And with Ivey's case study method in mind, there's so much to draw on from a career spanning finance, sustainability, risk management, and now entrepreneurship in the neurodiversity space. Stay tuned: a case study with Ivey may be in the works.
The highlight? Seeing Professor John Haywood-Farmer, Audrie's favourite professor in operations and professional service firms.
You don't always remember the lesson or the content, but you always remember how you felt around someone. That's what we strive for in every interaction at My Outlet, from kids programming to education, training, and consulting. Thank you, John." — Audrie
Where we're headed: Kids' Brain Health Conference
We'll be in Calgary October 19–21 for the Kids' Brain Health Conference,learning the latest research and best practices for supporting kids and youth with neurodisabilities and their families. We're also looking forward to sharing our latest programs and finding new ways to collaborate.
Going too? Let us know. We'd love to meet up!
We're hiring! Part-time and casual facilitators wanted
With our programs growing across the GTA and Peel Region, we're looking for post-secondary students to join our team as facilitators.
We'll train you to deliver our programs in schools, communities, and on weekends: building confidence, emotional skills, and connection with kids and teens.
Studying child and youth work, education, psychology, social work, or a related field? Or simply passionate about neuroinclusion and working with kids? We'd love to hear from you.
Flexible hours that work around your class schedule.
Interested? Email us at info@channelmyoutlet.com sharing your experience and a few reasons you want to join the team, and we can go from there!
NEW
Monthly coffee chats for post-secondary students
We've started a pilot for monthly virtual coffee chats for post-secondary students: a space to meet, share experiences, get support and resources, and stay connected to what's happening at My Outlet.
No cost, no commitment. Just show up.
Interested, or know someone who might be?
Community Spotlight: Davina's Swim House
Davina's Swim House is Toronto's go-to swim school, with 5 locations across the city!
They're all about building confident swimmers, one splash at a time. Kids (and adults too!) grow real skills in classes that are safe and seriously fun, taught by instructors who love the water as much as they do. Come make a splash!
The partnership perk
My Outlet families get 2 FREE classes when they sign up for a session at Davina's Swim House!
How to redeem:
Head to davinasswimhouse.com/register
Find your class
On the registration form, enter "My Outlet" where it asks for a referral name
Heads up: this step is a must! If "My Outlet" isn't entered as the referral, Davina's Swim House can't apply the promo.
Partnership Corner: Positive Dance Experience
FALL INTO A NEW ROUTINE
A new season is the perfect time for a little reset!
Join us for Barre at Positive Dance Experience, an hour to strengthen, stretch, move, and recharge.
No dance experience needed!
First Class: $23 + HST
Plus, we have a special Barre offer happening right now.
October is ADHD Awareness Month
ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in Canada, affecting 5–9% of children and 3–5% of adults, or approximately 1.8 million Canadians. That means it's in every classroom, every team, and every workplace.
And when we design for different minds, everyone benefits. Clear instructions, flexible ways to work, and movement breaks help every learner and every employee, diagnosis or not. That's universal design.
So what is your school or organization doing this month to recognize, educate, and celebrate?
A few ideas:
Share a fact and a related activity in a school announcement, assembly, or on your company intranet
Create a public wall to share inspiring or endearing personal stories
Run a panel at your school, workplace, or community centre
Or let us facilitate it for you. Get in touch to bring a My Outlet workshop, panel, or talk to your school or team this October.
Quick Tip
Move first, focus second
Before homework or any task that needs focus, try a quick movement break:
5 minutes of jumping jacks, a dance party, a lap around the block, or carrying the laundry basket upstairs.
Movement helps the body release extra energy and gets the brain ready to settle in. It's the same reason every My Outlet session starts with movement before we dive into learning.
Try it for a week and notice the difference in how your child settles into tasks.
Looking Ahead
October is a busy one. Fall sessions kick off October 18, and we can't wait to welcome new families and familiar faces. If you've been thinking about Vaughan, remember the fall promotion ends October 15.
We'll be in Calgary later this month, back on Rogers TV in November, and planning our next community class. Don't forget to send us your topic ideas!
As always, if you have questions or just want to chat about whether My Outlet is a fit for your family, reach out anytime.
Have a great October!
See you this fall! 💙
— The My Outlet Team
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