Special Needs
Youth Recreation Centre

Jason’s Wheelhouse is a Not for Profit Organization designed to be an inclusive and barrier-free environment where our guests will have the space to grow and the freedom to be themselves. 

All of our patrons utilizing Jason’s Wheelhouse will be between the ages of 15-21 and will be referred to as our guests.  We want everyone to feel welcome, and to have the same opportunities that all youth have. 

Our goal is life enhancement, for both our guests and their caregivers. These youth are exceptional and we want to expand on their gifts and talents.

The word “Wheelhouse” has 3 definitions:

1) The shelter covering the Captain at the wheel of a ship.

2) A place or centre of control or leadership.

3) A specific area that matches a person’s skills or expertise.

The concept for Jason’s Wheelhouse arose from my experiences with my son, Jason. He is 16 years old, is non-verbal, has autism, and like many other children like him, has a long list of conditions and diagnoses. Some of his challenges include, but are not limited to:

➢ Inability or severe limits in communication (both spoken and understood).

➢ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

➢ Seasonal Affective Disorder

➢ Hyper-sensitivity to noise or crowds

➢ Aggression

➢ Self-Injurious Behaviour

➢ Fear and Anxiety

➢ PICA (eating of non-food objects)

Jason's Wheelhouse was created with these considerations in mind, and each guest that is referred to our organization will be provided with a holistic, individualized intake assessment in order to design a recreational care plan that builds on each individual's needs, strengths, goals and interests.

This is why it’s called Jason's Wheelhouse; he is the true expert in this field.