We had a wonderful time talking to parents, students and various professionals on Friday, May 11 during the Service Fair for Youth in Transition to Adulthood under the theme: My Future Belongs to Me.  The purpose of the Services Fair was to inform young adults and their families what health and social services, job integration services, transportation, post-educational supports, accommodation, financial management, etc. are available in the Outaouais area to help foster an optimum transition of these young people towards adulthood.

We had the opportunity to talk to parents and students at our kiosk, answer some of their questions and share information on:

• Connexions Resource Centre: sharing information on available health and social services within the Outaouais including Info-Santé 8-1-1 (a free and confidential telephone consultation service), Community Resources for Youth and how to Register for a Family Doctor.
• Éducaloi: steering youth and their families towards online information on Cancelling your Lease Because of Special Needs, Wills & Protection Mandates and their online Youth Zone.

We were joined by a number of community organizations including:

• Heritage College provides various services to support students with special needs through the Department of Student Services.
• Trait d’Union offers personalized and flexible services for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• The Centre d’Apprentissage pour la Déficience Intellectuelle de l’Outaouais provides adults a work environment to improve their social integration process
• (French only Website, but English Pamphlet)
• L’ARCHE Agapé offers 5 community/group homes and it’s work activity « Les Jouets d’arc-en-ciel» to help support and integrate young adults with an intellectual disability (French only Website).
• APICO offers various services for individuals with an intellectual impairment and their families to facilitate community, social and sociprofessional integration (French only Website)
• La Relance is a non-profit organization specializing in job search assistance and employment integration within the Gatineau region.
• Military Family Resource Centre in Ottawa provides programs and services that empower and encourage strong, independent individuals and families.  There are various services and supports offered to military families who have children, youth and young adults with special needs.  This organization offers services to the Ottawa-Outaouais area.  Contact: 613-998-7438
• Réseau Outaouais ISP offers social and professional integration services (French only Website).
• Re-Source Intégration creates jobs for persons with disabilities and provides them with a real, meaningful and gratifying work experience.Re-Source Intégration owns La Source des Aubaines, a liquidation center open to the general public, and Recycled Cedars, a pick-up service for cedar trimmings destined for essential oil extraction.  Their employees carry out daily tasks in their field of expertise, namely; assembly, packaging, cardboard skid production and recycling.

**Please note that though many of these organizational Websites are available in French only, staff and/or services/activities can be bilingual.  Please contact the organization for further information.

A thank you to the Centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais and it’s seven community partners for organizing this Services Fair.