The FASD & Me:
Strengthening My Community Program
About the Program
Adopt4Life supports hundreds of families within our community as they navigate the many paths to accurate diagnosis and long-term success strategies for their children living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
We created the bilingual FASD & Me program to celebrate children and youth with FASD and their families and enable members of their communities to better understand both their strengths and needs. The program provides current facts about FASD, a disorder affecting an estimated 4% of Canadians, and serves to dispel harmful myths and stereotypes. The FASD & Me resources have become valuable tools in Ontario's FASD community, frequently distributed by many FASD diagnostic clinics, provincial FASD Workers, support group leaders, and front-line workers to their clients.
FASD & Me: For Teens—Until Next Time
We’ve partnered with 6 remarkable teens with FASD, to listen and learn what they want us (and all of you!) to know about their experiences with school, work, friendships, family, their communities, and more. Together we’ve co-created this series of video letters, “Until Next Time” where these amazing FASD experts get real about where they need support, what works best for them, and most importantly their strengths and abilities!
Building on our FASD & Me: Strengthening My Community program, the FASD & Me: For Teens project was made possible with support from Kids Brain Health Network. The program provides future employment skills development to young people with FASD through peer mentoring opportunities for teens / youth. Youth mentors (aged 16-25) use their own lived experience and insights to guide younger children through facilitated workshops and develop strength-based resources for teens with FASD.
FASD & Me: Strengthening My Community Workbook
The FASD & Me: Strengthening MyCommunity booklet is at the heart of the FASD & Me program, and was inspired by Hope Myers, an individual with FASD, and her mother Miranda. Since its inception, more than a thousand copies have been distributed, and the booklet is now available in English and French. The accompanying fillable worksheets allow children with FASD to explore their strengths.
Each booklet can be personalized by the individual with FASD, with places to share their strengths and challenges, triggers, goals, and strategies for success. The booklet also contains valuable FASD facts and information which serve to dispel common myths and stereotypes about FASD. These resources can in turn be shared with educators, relatives, neighbours, and other members of the child’s network to better equip them to provide support.
Sample Worksheets
Select portions of the FASD & Me: Strengthening My Community workbook are now available as a digital download, for families to easily update their workbooks and share information as their child’s strengths and needs change over time.
If you are registered in our Parent2Parent program, please contact us at bookorders@adopt4life.com to ask about a free copy.
If you wish to purchase in bulk to equip your agency staff with multiple copies to support children/youth, please contact bookorders@adopt4life.com and indicate your agency, contact name and number required.