On 25 November 2026, Good Access goes to Toronto! We will be bringing our experience in accessibility, neurodivergence, mental health and suicide to Canada for a special day of learning, conversation and practical action.
Our event, Neurodivergence, Mental Health & Suicide: Understanding Risk, Building Support, will bring together professionals from healthcare, higher education, the public sector, emergency services and other organisations to explore an important question:
What can we do differently to create environments where people feel safe to be themselves, talk about how they are feeling and ask for support?
Understanding the realities of mental health and suicide
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. We are aware that mental health and suicide can be difficult subjects to talk about, but avoiding difficult conversations does not make the issues disappear.
Creating environments where people can speak openly, feel understood and access appropriate support can make a meaningful difference.
This is particularly important when we consider the experiences of neurodivergent people. Differences in communication, sensory experiences, social expectations and the way people interact with services can create barriers that are often overlooked.
Research has also highlighted the need to better understand the relationship between autism and suicide. The 2022 Cambridge study found evidence of possible autism or elevated autistic traits in 41.4% of a small follow-up sample of people who had died by suicide in England. While the sample was small, the findings highlight an important area for further understanding and action.
For Good Access, this is not simply about statistics. It is about asking what organisations, professionals and communities can do differently.
How can we create workplaces, healthcare services, educational environments and communities where people feel safe enough to communicate their needs, seek help and access support?
What will we explore in Toronto?
Our taster sessions will bring together these closely connected areas: neurodivergence, mental health and suicide.
Neurodivergence: Understanding needs and removing barriers
We will explore what neurodivergence really means, who it affects, and the barriers neurodivergent people may experience in workplaces, education and healthcare.
We will also look at how reasonable adjustments and more accessible environments can help people feel safer, communicate their needs and seek support.
Because accessibility is not simply about compliance. It is about creating environments where people can participate, communicate and thrive.
Mental health & suicide: Creating environments where people can talk
We will explore the importance of open and compassionate conversations about mental health and suicide, alongside practical approaches that organisations and professionals can take into their everyday environments.
The focus will be on building understanding, recognising concerns, encouraging people to seek help and strengthening the support systems around them.
Neurodivergence and suicide data
We will also explore the relationship between suicidal ideation and neurodivergent communities, considering what organisations and professionals can do differently to identify barriers and strengthen support.
These are taster sessions designed to build understanding, strengthen support and contribute to wider, community-driven resources and change.
Learning from our work in healthcare
The event will also introduce our Training on Intellectual Disability and Autism, one of the areas where Good Access has extensive experience supporting healthcare organisations.
Good Access works with NHS organisations across England to improve accessibility, strengthen inclusion and create lasting change through training that brings together professional knowledge and lived experience.
In Toronto, we want to open a conversation about how the principles behind this work could inform approaches within Canadian healthcare organisations.
Because when healthcare professionals better understand intellectual disabilities, autism and different ways of communicating and experiencing the world, they can create services that are more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the people they support.
Bringing years of lived experience to Toronto
This will be our first event in Toronto, but it is certainly not our first time having these conversations.
At Good Access, our work combines professional expertise and lived experience. We work with organisations to understand the barriers that disabled and neurodivergent people can face and, most importantly, to turn that understanding into practical changes that make a real difference.
We are bringing our know-how to Toronto because we believe these conversations need to happen everywhere. Our experience includes:
Who should join us?
This event is designed for professionals working across a range of sectors, including:
- Healthcare & Hospitals: Directors/VPs of EDIA, Patient Experience & Safety, Clinical Education, and People & Culture.
- Higher Education: Directors of Student Wellness & Mental Health, Accessibility Services, Student Affairs, and Staff Organisational Development.
- Municipal & Public Sector: Leads across City of Toronto People & Equity, AODA/Accessibility compliance, and Community/Social Services.
- Emergency Services & First Responders: Training & Professional Development leads, Crisis Response/MCIT coordinators, and Community Engagement leads.
It is also open to anyone with an interest in neurodivergence, mental health, accessibility and suicide who wants to learn, ask questions and contribute to the conversation.
Speaker
Heike Jord Knip, CEO & Founder of Good Access
Heike is a leading trainer and consultant in accessibility and neurodivergence, delivering practical, evidence-based solutions for organisations worldwide. He brings a unique perspective shaped by more than 30 years of lived experience navigating systems that were not designed for neurodivergent people, masking his identity, and facing significant mental health challenges.
The venue
The event will take place at Startuptive | Toronto Coworking and Shared Office Space, located in the heart of Toronto and within walking distance of major hospitals, university campuses and City Hall.
In a city built around innovation, diversity and community, Toronto is the perfect setting for conversations that can help create more accessible and inclusive organisations.
We want everyone attending to feel welcome, comfortable and able to participate. The conference room is wheelchair accessible, with elevator access and accessible washroom facilities. If you have accessibility requirements or would benefit from reasonable adjustments to participate fully, please let us know when registering.
Ready to be part of the conversation?
This is an opportunity to step beyond awareness and start thinking about what practical change can look like.
- When? Wednesday, 25 November 2026
- What time? 9:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
- Where? Startuptive, C1 Conference Room, Toronto
Join Good Access in Toronto for an honest, informative and practical conversation about neurodivergence, mental health and suicide.
Help us build the next chapter together!
Need more assistance? Contact us at hello@goodaccess.org
