Northstar Buddy Up! Program: Peer Connections for Autistic Kids
Northstar Buddy Up! Program: Peer Connections for Autistic Kids
Lead Agency: NorthStar Special Needs Society
Participants: 20 children with autism and their families + 20 neurotypical teenage peers
Funding Approved: $98,700
Funder: Ontario Trillium Foundation (Seed Grant)
Project Period: December 2025 – December 2026
Overview
The Northstar Buddy Up! Peer Connections for Autistic Kids Program is a pilot initiative designed to address social isolation and limited peer-connection opportunities experienced by children with autism, with a particular focus on Asian-Canadian communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The program centres on matching autistic children with trained, neurotypical older peer volunteers and engaging them in structured, inclusive activities that support friendship-building, social confidence, and communication skills.
Through this Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant, NorthStar Special Needs Society is strengthening its capacity to deliver peer-based programming by developing a structured program model, training facilitators and volunteers, and expanding outreach to families facing cultural, linguistic, and systemic barriers to accessing supports, while emphasizing both child-centred programming and family engagement to foster longer-term inclusion and community connection.
Program Scope
- Delivery of structured peer-connection activities for children with autism
- Creation of safe, supportive environments for social interaction and friendship-building
- Engagement and training of volunteers to support inclusive participation
- Involvement of families to reinforce social development beyond program activities
- Outreach to families within Asian-Canadian communities facing access barriers
- Pilot testing of a repeatable peer-connection model to inform future program growth
Impact
- Increase opportunities for autistic children to build meaningful peer relationships
- Reduce social isolation among participating children
- Improve confidence and social engagement in group settings
- Strengthen family awareness of inclusive peer-support approaches
- Enhance organizational capacity to deliver peer-based programming
- Establish a tested program model suitable for scaling
Our Contribution
- Guided the articulation of a peer-connection–focused program model aligned with OTF Seed objectives
- Strengthened clarity and consistency across the project narrative and budget justification
- Helped position the program as a scalable pilot suitable for future expansion
- Ensured project activities and outcomes were clearly linked to Seed funding eligibility
- Championed the inclusion of a community hub component to support ongoing connection, resource-sharing, and engagement among participating families and peer volunteers