TTC Staff Get Autism Awareness Training

Good Foot and Autism Ontario partner to provide Autism Spectrum Disorder awareness training to the Toronto Transit Commission's Fare Inspectors and Special Constables

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - Good Foot Delivery & Support Services and Autism Ontario have partnered to provide Autism awareness training for all Fare Inspectors and Special Constables of the Toronto Transit Commission, through eight, hour-long workshops. The TTC is excited to announce that this initiative has been integrated into their annual training and recruitment cycles.

Autism is a lifelong neurological disorder that affects the way a person communicates and relates to the people and world around them. Autism crosses all cultural, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic boundaries. There are over 135,000 individuals in Ontario living with Autism, and the national prevalence rate is 1:66.

"The TTC is proud to partner with an inspiring social enterprise like Good Foot Delivery to enhance training and awareness around Autism for our special constables and fare inspectors," said TTC CEO Rick Leary. "Every day our front line staff serve customers with different needs and abilities and get them where they need to go safely. This collaboration ensures that our special constables and fare inspectors are even better informed when engaging with customers with Autism."

Established in 2010, Good Foot Delivery & Support Services is a charity operating a courier service that employs 40+ people with developmental disabilities who do deliveries in Toronto using the TTC. Good Foot's mission is to provide engaging employment for people with developmental disabilities through a courier service via public transit. Courtney Ayukawa from Good Foot, "It's been a pleasure to collaborate with the TTC's Community Outreach Officer and the Autism Ontario team. The ability to safely take public transit is crucial in building independent lifestyles for people with Autism. I'm thrilled to see these trainings come to fruition. These workshops are a great first step as Good Foot hopes to eventually give this education and training to all first responders in Toronto."

Autism Ontario is the province's leading source of information and referral on autism and one of the largest collective voices representing the autism community, helping people on the autism spectrum and their families by advocating on their behalf, providing services and programs, and raising awareness. Autism Ontario's mission is to ensure that each individual with ASD is provided the means to achieve quality of life as a respected member of society. According to Margaret Spoelstra, Executive Director, "Autism Ontario is delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Good Foot Delivery in providing this education and training to the TTC Fare Inspectors and Special Constables. Awareness and understanding of autism will most certainly result in positive experiences for both TTC staff and riders with ASD."

SOURCE Good Foot Support Services