Interested in joining Hand Over Hand?

We are currently accepting new members to our programs!

Hand Over Hand has four programs that provide safe and accessible spaces for our members and their families. Learn more about each of our programs below! For more information, please send us an email at [email protected] or complete the contact form below.

Already a member of Hand Over Hand?

Thank you for being a part of Hand Over Hand!

If you are looking for photos from our past events, you’ll find them on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. Don’t forget to follow us on our social media accounts for updates on our organization, upcoming events, and interesting posts and articles in the news!

Programs

Social Group

The goal of the Social Group is to create a support circle for young adults with disabilities in York Region.  We organize a recreational activity once per month that is facilitated solely by volunteers. Through this program, we create visibility and awareness in the community so as to create safe spaces all over York Region for our members with disabilities. As a result of one-to-one or two-to-one volunteer pairings, we are able to also work with our members on any personal goals, including communication and social skills.

We pride ourselves in the quality of our volunteers, most being young people interested, educated and/or involved in programs related to social services, education, health care and nonprofits. All volunteers go through our specialized team-building training program.

To learn more about our Social Group or to participate, please email us at [email protected] or use the contact form below.

Pen Pal Program

Hand Over Hand relaunched the Pen Pal Program in the fall 0f 2014 to deepen personal connections between volunteers and members outside of our monthly Social Group program.  We believe that this is a great way for our members and volunteers to maintain their friendships, especially if they are unable to attend all of our Social Group events.  Additionally, this is an opportunity for our members to develop their communication skills in a multitude of accessible ways.  Each member can exchange emails, texts, posts on social media, or letters with a volunteer at least once per month.

If you are interested in taking part in the Pen Pal Program or if you would like more information, please send us an email at [email protected] or use the contact form below.

Parent Social Group

The Parent Social Group was launched in 2014 to provide a setting for the parents of Hand Over Hand to interact with one another. This program is facilitated by one of our parents, and is planned alongside our regular monthly Social Group for our members.

This group aims to achieve the following:

  • To create a community of parents, welcome new parents, and establish a support circle within the families of Hand Over Hand
  • To provide a venue to discuss and share your lived experience of having a child with a disability
  • To share resources, advice and experience with other parents of Hand Over Hand on a multitude of topics, which can include: transportation, schools and education, funding, support workers, friendly and appropriate activities for your children, sensory/communication/social strategies, etc.
  • To provide a fun and relaxing event for parents to have a break and do something that is out of the ordinary routine

To find out more about our Parent Social Group or to join, please contact us at [email protected] or use the contact form below.

Adaptive Yoga Program

Hand Over Hand's Adaptive Yoga Program makes yoga accessible to youth and adults with developmental disabilities. Using a holistic approach and creative techniques, our accredited yoga instructors will empower participants to develop and maintain a yoga practice that is attuned to their individual capabilities and needs.

Hand Over Hand's Adaptive Yoga Program aims to create a safe space for all participants, where youth of all abilities can improve their physical and mental health, at their own pace. Each attendee is expected to bring their own yoga mat, towel, and water bottle. Attendees will receive an Adaptive Yoga booklet to track their progress throughout the session.

These sessions are brought to the public in partnership with the City of Markham and requires a fee to register. Our Adaptive Yoga booklets were beautifully designed by Arwen Giel. Please email [email protected] for more details! 

Contact us to find out more about becoming a member!

Contact us to find out more about becoming a member!

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