April 3rd 2009Welcome to 2009 Walk Now for Autism Ontario

Sunday, June 7, 2009
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Join Autism Speaks Canada as we walk together to support Canadian autism research and unite the voice of Canadian autism community! Experience the power of thousands united by a single cause by joining the Ontario Walk Now for Autism. Start a family, school or corporate team today!

Walk Now for Autism offers everyone a fun-filled experience with entertaiment, refreshments, an autism community resource fair and much, much more. Be sure to raise $150 to earn your official Walk Now for Autism t-shirt. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Click here for more information.

March 11th 2009Official Walk Kick-Off Breakfast. Sunday March 29. 10AM-12Noon

Official Walk Kick Off Breakfast Sunday, March 29, 2009 10 AM - 12 noon

Where: University of Toronto Conference Centre, 89 Chestnut Street

Special Guest Speakers:

Evdokia Anagnostou, M.D.
"Research Trends and Findings in Treatments of Autism Spectrum Disorders"

Jonathan Howard "Run the Dream"
Hear Jonathan impressions of his cross-Canada run in support of autism research and awareness.

RSVP by March 25 to autismspeakscanada@autismspeaks.org or call 888-362-6227.

Welcome to 2009 Walk Now for Autism Ontario
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Click here for more information.

March 9th 2009We have moved to 81 the East Mall suite 101, Effective on March 16th.

We have moved to 81 the East Mall suite 101, M8Z 5W3 on March 16th, our telephone and fax numbers will remain the same.

Click here to see the map.

January 27th 2009Delisle Youth Gallery invites 13-19 year olds to submit artwork for 2009 exhibit

ATTENTION ALL YOUTH ARTISTS & PERFORMERS!
THIS IS A CALL FOR YOUTH ARTISTS & PERFORMERS AGED 13-19...
Delisle Youth Gallery is now accepting artwork for our 2009 exhibit.

Submit your work by March 16th, 2009 at 4PM for the opportunity to have your artwork showcased at our upcoming exhibit on April 2nd, 2009. There is no selection process; space is the only limitation so get your artwork in early. This is a great opportunity to get exposure as an artist and to meet other creative youth. They accept visual art of any type or medium - paintings, photographs, sculpture, and mixed media works.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 16, 2009 4PM

They are also looking for performers for our Opening Reception on April 2nd, 2009. Music, spoken word and other performances will be accepted. Contact us to submit ideas or reserve a spot at the event.

CONTACT: Bianca 416-482-0081 x249 or bfeitelberg@delisleyouth.org

**Join our FACEBOOK group - Delisle Youth Gallery - to keep up with the latest news and see pictures from our last event!**

Submit your art & performance applications weekdays between 9 am- 5pm at:
Delisle Youth Services
40 Orchard View Boulevard, #255
(2nd floor of the Northern District Public Library building,
One block north of Eglinton, just west of Yonge)

Please download the following pdf files for detailed information:
Performance Submission Form 2009
Final 2009 Visual Art Submission Form
Call for art Jan. 2009

January 20th 2009wm+a announces Go Green Initiative

wm+a are excited to announce that 2009 will be the year we place increased focus on ensuring our environmental impact is reduced as much as possible, through our Go Green Initiative.

CEO, Dunya Marijan Winterson comments: 'We have already been ramping up our commitment to recycling during the past year. Formalizing our aim to be mindful of wm+a's collective impact on the environment with the Go Green Initiative is the next step to ensuring we as a company have the lowest possible carbon footprint.'

Some of wm+a pledges in the Go Green Initiative include:
* Paperless administration
* 80% of office waste recycled
* Using recycled print cartridges
* No polystyrene or throwaway cups/plates
* Avoiding unnecessary printing, and printing on both sides where possible

All of the wm+a team had already adopted a green-minded lifestyle at home - and staff have all made a commitment to ensure that same environmentally friendly attitude is carried on at the office. Not only with regard to recycling, but also being sensible with the energy we use in our workplace, to help reduce carbon emissions created needlessly every day. Simple adjustments will all help to make a difference - such as turning off the lights and any equipment when meeting rooms are left, only boiling as much water as is necessary for coffee breaks, and unplugging cell phone chargers when they're not in use.

wm+a is excited that the Go Green Initiative will not only be adopted by staff at the office, but that through advances in internal on-line billing and administrative systems, environmentally responsible practices will filter through both to associates in the field and to wm+a customers.

December 19th 2008Congratulations to our IT and Associates of 2008!

wm+a is very pleased to announce the IT and Associates of the Year, for 2008. The Instructor Therapist award goes to Amanda A, the Associates go to Darwin U and Jessica S. Congratulations! An honorable mention also goes to Joel and Crystal, both of whom also deserve to be mentioned for their contribution.

Our huge thanks to all of you for your contribution to wm+a this year. Your commitment has been outstanding and we appreciate what a fantastic job you are doing to really make a difference in the community on behalf of wm+a.

wm+a would like to thank all their associates for their continued hard work and dedication - and look forward to making 2009 another very successful year for all of us.

November 19th 2008Dunya Marijan-Winterson is voted November's 'Powerful Woman of the Month'

Every month, Ontario-based company Mpowered celebrates one woman's inspirational story, wisdom and the legacy she is building. The award is given to women who have made enduring contributions to others in their lives through their dedication and tenacity. They have perhaps struggled through difficult times, juggled entrepeneurship with motherhood, or simply stood up for what they believe in. What each woman has in common however is that they have risen to the challenge to lead the life they envisioned for themselves and others.

We are excited to announce that our very own CEO, Dunya Marijan-Winterson, is November's 'Powerful Woman of the Month'. You can read her story, and those from past winners, at www.womenmpowered.com.

October 24th, 2008wm+a and AlphaBee enjoy crowds at Autism Symposium

Two brand new exhibition stands for both wm+a and AlphaBee, incorporating the new wm+a branding, certainly brightened up the exhibition hall at this years Autism Symposium, held at the Toronto Convention Centre this week. Dunya Marijan, CEO of both companies, commented 'This is our third year attending the Symposium and we found it a more successful event than ever. We were overwhelmed by the response we recieved at the symposium.'

At the symposium wm+a revealed their new customer portal, Oasiis, which not only allows customers direct access to scheduling and billing information for associates they have booked for support, but also allows them to request support on-line, in real time. Associates and internal staff are already using the sophisticated system, which can even be viewed using an iPhone, and customers will be using the portal later this year. Using technology to improve services has been something that wm+a have been focusing on during the past year, and from what we've seen of Oasiis their efforts certainly are paying off. wm+a Operations Director and CEO of Hybrid Visions, the company responsible for developing the system, Simon Winterson is the chief architect of the Oasiis initiative: "We have been working on catapulting wm+a to the forefront of technology for some time now. Given the sensitive and immediate nature of wm+a's service, we decided that it was imperative that any scheduling system would be secure, reliable, instantly available and complex in its capability - able to manage detailed information about our clients needs and our associates capabilities, whilst simultaneously helping us to streamline our internal processes. For these reasons, only a custom system would effectively do the job. It was a big undertaking, but one that we are certain will bring dividends in the long run."

AlphaBee was also very well received with a first appearance at the Symposium, having only opened its doors in September this year. Dunya comments 'The response to our home and centre-based programs for Autism was incredibly positive, and we are certainly looking to a bright future with AlphaBee.'

October 20th, 2008wm+a launches new sister company, Interim

After 10 successful years delivering support services to children, youth and adults with autism and developmental exceptionalities, wm+a is celebrating the launch of their new sister company, Interim Support Services.

Interim has been launched in direct response to both customer needs and the high numbers of associates' approaching wm+a ready and available to work. Whilst wm+a has traditionally provided services to the high needs and at-risk population needing one-to-one support, Interim associates will provide support in a supplemental capacity, in shelters, group homes or hospitals.

Customers will be able to request associates to cover requirements at short notice and be given a fast response just as they have come to expect from wm+a. With wm+a's reputation behind the business from the start, Interim 's flexible and cost-effective service will sit well alongside wm+a's existing service portfolio.

CEO of both companies, Dunya Marijan comments: 'With intense pressure on service providers to quickly ensure they have a full complement of staff; a competitive employment market; growth of legislation and regulations; and increased pressure on funding, there is a great demand for a fast, cost-effective support staff solution. With our intensive screening processes and professional scheduling expertise we are confident that the launch of Interim will successfully meet that need.'

wm+a has successfully demonstrated its competence, reliability and willingness to adopt standards and promote best practises within the industry. With a big sister like that to lead the way, Interim looks set to do the same.

Click here to visit Interim website.

October 20th, 2008wm+a helps reduce administrative costs

If you have been known to spend many hours trying to source staff to cover sickness, or you're unsure how much you have spent this year on support staff, then wm+a may be just the service provider you've been looking for.

The team at wm+a have been delighted by the implementation of a new, customized on-line portal that has cut not only their administration time in half, but is also set to do the same for customers. By the end of 2008, the customer portal will be launched to enable customers to log in and view staff they have scheduled for support, view financial information such as billing and payments, and run administrative and trend reports.

This ability to remotely manage the administrative aspect of support staffing is eagerly anticipated by wm+a's existing customers. The benefits of reduced time spent on their staffing component, from both an administrative and scheduling perspective, will be a welcome change, and one that is unique to wm+a.

wm+a are asking those who wish to find out more, or customers who would like to be a part of the pilot project, to e-mail simon@wmanda.com.

September 3rd, 2008Technology Enhances Services at wm+a

wm+a this week announced the introduction of an exciting new software system, Oasiis, to support office staff, associates and customers. www.oasiis.com

Dunya Marijan, CEO, says: "As a company, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our service whilst upholding our values of accountability and a quick response." The company's new custom scheduling system, Oasiis, does just that. Not only does the system promise to enable wm+a to streamline its internal processes, but it will also allow both associates and customers real-time access to their personal information, shift logs, and payment and billing information.

Currently the system, which has been in development for the past two years, is in the Beta Testing phase. wm+a Operations Director and CEO of Hybrid Visions, Simon Winterson, is the chief architect of the Oasiis initiative: "We have been working on catapulting wm+a to the forefront of technology for some time now. When initially searching for suitable software to support our business processes, I found that no off-the-shelf system had the advanced features we required to support the unique needs of our client-base. Given the sensitive and immediate nature of wm+a's service, we decided that it was imperative that any scheduling system would be reliable, instantly available and complex in its capability - able to manage detailed information about our clients needs and our associates capabilities, whilst simultaneously helping us to streamline our internal processes. For these reasons, only a custom system would effectively do the job. It was a big undertaking, but one that we are certain will bring dividends in the long run."

Confidentiality had to be a big consideration for wm+a, as detailed personal and medical information is important to ensure wm+a is able to provide appropriate support for clients with very specific needs. "Security was a top priority even before we released the preview version for testing. Associates and customers' access levels are carefully tailored and powerful encryption software is in place to ensure all our data is highly secure," says Simon.

The systems advantages don't stop at technology either. Implementing a "Green Initiative" has quickly become a top priority for companies around the world and wm+a are eager to do their bit for the environment. Dunya comments: "Oasiis will benefit wm+a across the board. Not only will our productivity and service levels increase, but we will dramatically reduce our paper use, enabling us to meet one of our green goals this year - cutting paper consumption by more than 50%."

wm+a staff are already using Oasiis internally. Associates will begin the changeover in early September, and customers will benefit from access by the end of the year.

August 23rd, 2008See us at the Autism Symposium 2008

wm+a and AlphaBee will both this year have a presence at the Geneva Centre for Autism International Symposium 2008, to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre during October.

The bi-annual conference brings together professionals, educators, parents and researchers from around the world, and focuses on the leading research and clinical practices in the field of Autism.

wm+a and AlphaBee will both have stands in the exhibitor hall.

We look forward to seeing you there!

May 28th, 20082008 Summer Camp Support Fund For Children With Autism

Do you need one-to-one support so your child can go to summer camp?

The 2008 Summer Camp Support Fund is available from Autism Ontario, to Ontario families of children or youth with ASD who retain the services of a one-to-one support worker for their cild to attend a community summer camp or summer program.

Maximum reimbursements of $600 per child or youth (18 years or younger) will be made to help subsidize services purchased between July 1 and August 31 2008. Approximately 300 families are expected to receive reimbursements.

Cheques will be issued by Autism Ontario's Provinical Office upon receipt of the following three documents:

1. Evidence of a clear ASD diagnosis from a professional who is qualified to make the diagnosis.
2. All original receipt(s) for fees paid to the child's worker by the parent fo the child with ASD.
3. A complete, signed 2008 Summer Camp Support Application (Application available on our website).

For more information, visit www.autismontario.com/summercamp or contact Ginny via e-mail at ginny@autismontario.com or phone 416-246-9592 x225.

March 26th, 2008wm+a Opens AlphaBee

Local business wm+a (pronounced W M and A) has announced they are now accepting registrations for AlphaBee, a new Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) learning centre for children and youth with autism and other learning exceptionalities, which is due to open in April this year. AlphaBee"s IBI services are offered as centre or home-based programs, across the GTA, Peel, Halton, Hamilton Wentworth, and York regions. The AlphaBee service menu also includes clinical and psychological assessments and parent training.

The idea for AlphaBee was initially borne out of witnessing first hand the progress that an IBI program can enable - for all children including those with the most challenging behaviours and learning difficulties. Dunya Marijan-Winterson, CEO of both wm+a and AlphaBee, comments: "IBI has a well known success rate and is a proven method for assisting younger children with autism and learning exceptionalities in acquiring social, communicative and life skills." She continues, "Successful IBI programs usually require more than 20 hours of therapy per week for each child, and early intervention is paramount. With such an increase of children on the waiting list, families are looking for services that match their specific needs. Our goal was to make IBI more accessible, and by offering families the flexibility of services six days per week to fit around their schedules, plus the choice of centre and home-based therapy programs, we are able to do just that."

Set up just as a school environment would be, AlphaBee"s aim is to help children with school readiness and an easier transition to the mainstream school system. With its individual interactive learning stations, state of the art computer lab, gross motor room and even a dining room for snacks and lunch, AlphaBee"s facility provides every child with an opportunity to play, learn and develop their skills in a safe and educational environment.

AlphaBee"s IBI programs are clinically supervised and supported by highly trained, experienced staff who care about the learning and development of each child. "We are very happy to be in a position where we are supported by a clinical team who are well known and respected in the field of behaviour analysis," says Dunya. "This not only ensures that the children in our care have access to invested clinicians that can hone individual programs to provide the best outcome for each child, but also gives us the unique advantage of being able to harness expertise to ensure that we are in step with the very latest developments in IBI and Applied Behaviour Analysis."

Based on individual assessments, Senior and Instructor Therapists create and carefully monitor customized programs for each child, whether it be centre-based or home-based. Dunya is focused in her goals for AlphaBee from the outset: "Our commitment at wm+a has always been focused on improving the quality of life for individuals in our care, and helping them to learn and grow. Underpinning this philosophy is accountability and working with the wider community to develop our own skills, and we are fully committed to this same philosophy at AlphaBee."

AlphaBee's doors are now open, and those interested are encouraged to come for a tour of the facilities. AlphaBee is accepting requests for enrolment in both home-based and centre-based programs, so please call 416 367 5968 asking for the intake office, or visit www.AlphaBee.com for more information.

February 11th, 2008Idealistic Approach brings 10 Years Success

Local business wm+a (pronounced W, M and A)is this month celebrating 10 successful years providing specialized services to support some of the children and adults facing most severe behavioural and developmental challenges throughout GTA.

Not only has their CEO Dunya Marijan-Winterson achieved incredible growth, with the business expanding from 2 employees in 1999 to more than 200 professionals working across the GTA and beyond, but she has managed to maintain a collaborative work environment where its staff feel like a family and play an important part in decision making. Dunya comments: "We strive to make the wm+a experience positively different, for all who come into contact with us – especially our clients and our associates. It's well known locally that we are able to help children and adults with the most challenging behaviours and circumstances. We are able to do this through the commitment and dedication of our associates and staff, who uphold our philosophy of accountability and availability every day."

Today, wm+a provide some of the most comprehensive services available for individuals with autism and developmental exceptionalities, responding to crisis situations 24 hours a day. So how is this loyalty and dedication achieved from the workforce? Dunya has a pragmatic approach: "The key success factor for wm+a has been our resolute focus on our customers and their need for responsiveness. Immediate support for the individuals that need our help has to be our top priority. Secondly, the involvement of our clinical team and our evidence-based approach enables us to ensure individuals are getting the best possible chance to make progress. Lastly - but perhaps most importantly - involving our employees and associates in every step of our growth, trusting their judgements and translating their input into making informed decisions as we expand, is the most effective way we can serve our clients. As a result we have been able to provide an outstanding service that exceeds our clients" expectations, achieving a reputation for reliability and professionalism, whilst our associates gain satisfaction from their direct involvement in our success."

This idealistic approach is one that seems to have brought success. wm+a have recently passed the million hours mark with services to the non-profit sector and the community, and later this month are opening their first centre to provide Intensive Behavioural Intervention therapy for children with Autism and other developmental exceptionalities. If they can continue such commitment and retain their small company mentality, who knows where the future will take them.

February 11th, 2008wm+a Announces IBI Centre to Open

Local business wm+a (pronounced W, M and A)has announced today that they will be later this month opening a specialized Centre based in Etobicoke, to provide Intensive Behavioural Intervention therapy for children across the GTA. wm+a has for the last decade provided well trained professionals to support children and adults in and around Toronto facing some of the more extreme behavioural and developmental challenges.

This latest venture stems from their increasing involvement in the clinical aspects of Applied Behaviour Analysis and IBI during the past few years. With highly regarded clinical psychologists such as Dr. James Porter, Dr. Robert Stromer and Dr. Eric Davis working closely with their specialized team of Instructor Therapists and Senior Therapists, wm+a recognized the need for a dedicated IBI centre, which will provide therapy for up to 20 children with a diagnosis of Autism or other developmental exceptionalities.

Dunya Marijan-Winterson, CEO at wm+a, comments: "Our philosophy at wm+a has always been to help the children and adults we support to progress, assisting them to not only successfully overcome behavioural obstacles, but placing great importance on helping individuals to learn and grow. Intensive Behavioural Intervention has been proven to make a huge difference to some children particularly with Autism, and we are excited to be in a position to offer this therapy in a dedicated centre."

Intensive Behavioural Intervention is a structured approach to breaking down the barriers that isolate children with autism from the world around them. Specially trained IBI therapists work intensively with children either one-on-one or in small groups, using systematic methods derived from principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis to promote development and change inappropriate or unsafe behaviour. Research has shown that IBI should be commenced early because very young children can gain the most from this approach.

IBI is individual and program goals are based on a thorough assessment of each child's unique strengths and needs. The practical approach to therapy allows a focus on developing the skills each child needs for greater independence.