We all know that a good education is one of the key stepping stones to a prosperous future. We tell our children to work hard at school and do their best, so they can go on to college or university and get a good job someday. However, the public school system doesn’t necessarily work for every child. Sometimes, children living on the autism spectrum face serious barriers to getting that basic education, and many have given up on going to a traditional school at all.
That’s where Oak Bridge Academy comes in. A Kindred Charitable Fund recipient, Oak Bridge Academy in Cambridge is an alternative school structured around the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis, designed specifically for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
“Most of the kids who come to us have extensive trauma from going to a traditional school,” stated Kathie Shaw, Founder of Oak Bridge. “The bulk of the work that we do is to retrain the brains of these kids, and give them the skills they need to be successful.”
However, this work takes place with an eye to the future. Unfortunately, the 100 children currently attending Oak Bridge will face some substantial barriers once they graduate. In 2021, people with disabilities were twice as likely to live in poverty in Canada than those without. And the situation is even bleaker for those on the autism spectrum. According to Statistics Canada, autistic adults had the lowest rates of employment across all populations with disabilities in Canada according to data from 2017. The Canadian Survey on Disability noted that only 33% of autistic adults aged 20-64 were employed, compared to 79% of those without a disability.
That’s a big part of the reason that Oak Bridge used their Kindred Charitable Fund grant towards building a kitchen. The life skills that can be learned through cooking will prove very useful as the students grow up. And the hope is that these skills will help cushion the challenges around food security faced by many young adults with autism. “It’s critical that these children work on their education, while also getting their therapeutic needs met, and developing the skills that they will need in adult life,” commented Kathie.
Located in Cambridge, Oak Bridge serves families and children from as far away as Oakville, St. Mary’s, Elora, and Guelph. They offer schooling at both the elementary and secondary level, with many of their students receiving an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. For those students who can’t complete the requirements of the diploma, independent living skills are the main focus of their high school learning.
Surprisingly, Oak Bridge receives no government funding at all. They rely mostly on tuition fees and fundraising. “We wish we could offer our program for free to everyone who needs it,” explained Kathie. “Our families have to make some hard financial choices. And that’s why this grant is so meaningful for us.”
Kindred is pleased to support Oak Bridge Academy as they strive to provide children with autism with peaceful, just, and prosperous futures.