FAMILIES & ORGANIZATIONS

You do not have to figure out what comes next alone. Neither does your organization.

Neurodiverse students are often asked to navigate high school exits, post-secondary transitions, placements, and early career with too little support. The systems exist. The information is technically available. But knowing what to ask for, who to ask, and how to advocate for yourself in a setting that was not designed for you is a different problem entirely.

VELA works directly with students and families navigating that path. VELA also partners with community organizations and nonprofits to deliver transition support directly to the people in their programs. That is where VELA comes in.

A family of four, consisting of a woman, a man, and two young girls, sitting around a wooden table. They are engaging with an electronic device, possibly a tablet, and appear to be playing a game or sharing a moment together. On the table, there are notebooks, a pencil, and some other items. The setting looks like a cozy living room with a red sofa and neutral-colored walls.

Who this is for

  • Students finishing high school and planning for post-secondary, externship or employment

  • Students starting college or university and needing a better transition plan

  • Students preparing for or navigating a co-op, field placement, or work-integrated learning/externship experience

  • Students moving into early career/employment and needing support with self-advocacy

  • Families trying to understand accommodation, disclosure, education systems

  • Neurodiverse young people in community transition programs, including those supported by family service agencies, settlement organizations, and nonprofit transition programs

  • Program directors and coordinators at community organizations looking to contract facilitation and transition support for the participants in their programs


What we offer

  • Transition coaching: support for executive function, self-advocacy, burnout prevention, and navigating expectations across different environments

  • Disclosure and accommodation planning: practical help with what to share, when, and how to bridge academic accommodations into placement and workplace settings

  • Family coaching and navigation: guidance for caregivers who want to understand the systems their young person is moving through and support them without taking over

  • Technology coaching: support for choosing tools that fit your needs and using them in ways that build skills rather than replace them

  • Contracted facilitation: group and individual transition workshops delivered directly to participants in community programs, covering self-advocacy, accommodation navigation, WIL readiness, and executive function strategies including: time management and college readiness skill building


Get in Touch

Whether you are an individual or family navigating a transition, or an organization looking to bring VELA into your program, the form is the same. Tell us a little about your situation and we will take it from there.

We will talk through what is working, what is not, and whether VELA is the right fit. For individuals and families, that means looking at the transition you are facing, the support already in place, and the gaps that need attention. For organizations, it means talking through your program, the population you are serving, and how VELA can support the people in it.

If it makes sense to work together, we will talk through next steps. If not, you still leave with a clearer sense of direction. Sessions and engagements are available virtually, with format and frequency based on what is useful, not a fixed program.

Summer is a good time to start. Whether you are preparing for post-secondary or a first co-op/field placement in the fall, or planning a new program cycle, starting the conversation now means arriving prepared.

You can also email us directly at deandra@thisisvela.com to connect.