A neurodivergent community is born.Put simply, Neurodiverse Pathfinders is a UBC AMS club focusing on promoting neurodiversity, and in particular encouraging positive social interactions and mental health among people with Autism and similar neurodevelopmental disorders. We do this by …
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Our History |
Pathfinders was started in 2012 by our current president, Adrian Cheng. Seeking to reach out to other neurodivergent people in university, Adrian obtained permission to put up a poster outside Access and Diversity's office. Shortly thereafter, he was contacted by a neurodivergent student affiliated with the Resource Groups, then in the old Student Union Building. Adrian met with this student and was shown the physical Resource Group space, where by chance there was a 5th year history student with Asperger’s Syndrome who was graduating. This student offered Adrian their former office to be used as a new space for the creation of a neurodivergent community. It was thanks to this simple act that Pathfinders was born.
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A sign for one of Pathfinder's early movie nights in the Old SUB
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Now having a proper room, Adrian set about working on starting club activities for students who were Neurodiverse. At the time, no other organizations existed for individuals on the neurodivergent spectrum. Working with the Resource Groups, Adrian secured funding to host several movies in the Norm theater in the Old Sub, choosing movies related to Autism. Unfortunately, public acknowledgement of these events was somewhat limited. To gain experience, Adrian tried various other methods of outreach, including participating in class presentations, acting as a mentor to leaders of the mentorship program at UBC, and speaking in discussion groups about neurodiversity. Adrian also organized get-togethers for individuals interested in or part of the neurodivergent spectrum in the city and held sporadic meetings to build a sense of community within the neurodivergent student body at UBC.
Around 2015, construction began on the interior of the new Student Union Building. Adrian constantly attended Resource Group meetings to ensure that the new Resource Group rooms would have a space allocated to ND Pathfinders. After ensuring that the transition would include ND Pathfinders in the building plans, Adrian worked to ensure that the room’s location would be well suited to students with problems with sensory overstimulation: the room was given an openable window to allow access to fresh air and situated deep within the Resource Group space to help block out outside noise.
In late 2015, after ND Pathfinders was settled in to the new space, the Resource Group Allocation Committee was contacted by UBC’s Equity and Inclusion Office. The Equity and Inclusion office proposed to use UBC’s 100th year anniversary celebratory grant to put on a 100th Year Anniversary event with a focus on the Resource Groups. The Resource Group Allocation Committee agreed and set about preparing for the event, which happened on January 13, 2016.
At a feature panel at the event, Adrian gave a speech which attracted the attention of Professor Benita from the Jack Bell School of Social Work. Professor Benita offered assistance in getting more signatures in support of ND Pathfinders becoming an AMS recognized organization. To that end, Professor Benita created additional opportunities for Adrian and ND Pathfinders to speak about Neurodiversity to her class. Speaking to her class inspired Adrian to put more focus on getting the club constituted by the AMS.
Starting in September 2016, Adrian began completing the paperwork required for AMS constitution and working closely with the AMS Clubs Administration. With their constant feedback and help, Adrian was able to get the club officially constituted in April 2017. Shortly after at the inaugural general meeting, Casey was elected to become the first official Treasurer and Adrian was officially elected President.
Around 2015, construction began on the interior of the new Student Union Building. Adrian constantly attended Resource Group meetings to ensure that the new Resource Group rooms would have a space allocated to ND Pathfinders. After ensuring that the transition would include ND Pathfinders in the building plans, Adrian worked to ensure that the room’s location would be well suited to students with problems with sensory overstimulation: the room was given an openable window to allow access to fresh air and situated deep within the Resource Group space to help block out outside noise.
In late 2015, after ND Pathfinders was settled in to the new space, the Resource Group Allocation Committee was contacted by UBC’s Equity and Inclusion Office. The Equity and Inclusion office proposed to use UBC’s 100th year anniversary celebratory grant to put on a 100th Year Anniversary event with a focus on the Resource Groups. The Resource Group Allocation Committee agreed and set about preparing for the event, which happened on January 13, 2016.
At a feature panel at the event, Adrian gave a speech which attracted the attention of Professor Benita from the Jack Bell School of Social Work. Professor Benita offered assistance in getting more signatures in support of ND Pathfinders becoming an AMS recognized organization. To that end, Professor Benita created additional opportunities for Adrian and ND Pathfinders to speak about Neurodiversity to her class. Speaking to her class inspired Adrian to put more focus on getting the club constituted by the AMS.
Starting in September 2016, Adrian began completing the paperwork required for AMS constitution and working closely with the AMS Clubs Administration. With their constant feedback and help, Adrian was able to get the club officially constituted in April 2017. Shortly after at the inaugural general meeting, Casey was elected to become the first official Treasurer and Adrian was officially elected President.
Our Executives
Adrian Cheng
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Casey Broughton
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