Why theSpace?

Many neurodivergent adults find themselves at an impasse, often at critical junctions in their life journey.
  
As they prepare to graduate from secondary school, or from supportive day programs, for example, seeking to transition and participate in the wider community, or the world of jobs, they may be faced with limited choice.

This includes limited opportunity for progressive engagement in their community, and indeed, their own personal development and connection.

At the same time, there is currently little action-based research that would support finding viable and inclusionary strategies for these adults in transition--whether they are new graduates, or approaching retirement from occasional work, volunteer or recreational day programs.

At theSpace we believe that the most important forms of value and belonging, both social and personal, emerge organically, and particularly when individuals are enabled to find a lifelong interest  which motivates learning, and through creative contribution.

What makes theSpace unique?

Our members have the opportunity for real involvement and engagement, and a sense of social belonging, through their creations and co-creations.
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Not only is theSpace a gathering place for artist members, it is a platform for building lifelong community networks, which in turn harness new resources and innovation.

theSpace also supports individuals who are often not fully represented or given a platform to express personal agency, within so many mainstream programs---introducing instead, an approach which moves away from traditional notions of 'a job', and toward an embodiment of more broad forms of social citizenship and identity.

We want to prepare people for the future. 

In a world of accelerating change, traditional jobs have an ever shorter shelf-life. Learning is becoming the key challenge to our ability to adapt.

Meeting this challenge successfully, requires conditions that awaken an intrinsic motivation that can unleash a lifelong passion for learning and growth.

As a result, theSpace supports our members to find not only their own voice and creative identity, but also to build a lifelong foundation or career, to inspire a robust sense of well being.

​theSpace acknowledges that Ottawa is built on un-ceded and un-surrendered Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. The Peoples of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation have lived on this territory for millennia.