Organizations offering leisure activities, enriching your life outside work

The Youth Leadership Initiative’s Advisory Committee suggested that participating in community work and developing hobbies or leisure activities not only help young adults with disabilities reduce stress but also learn new skills, build self-confidence, and enhance social learning.

Having a hobby we enjoy brings us joy and excitement, which helps relieve our stress. It’s also a good opportunity to acquire a new skill and create a sense of accomplishment as we progress on that hobby. Developing a sense of accomplishment also helps build our self-esteem. In addition, if we participate in a social activity, our social learning can be enhanced. By interacting with peers, sharing ideas, and collaboratively tackling tasks, we can positively influence each other.

We have curated a list of organizations offering leisure activities. Come back and visit frequently, as we’ll constantly update the list.

Organization Name	Program Name	Type of Activities	Types of Disabilities	City or Area	Province	Age
Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association		Riding with Horses (therapeutic, recreation, sport programs). Some centres have Hippotherapy (physical therapy using the horse’s movements).	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	National	All ages
Sportball	Sportball Adapted Programs	Sportball	Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome	Across Canada	BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS	Children
Swam Canada		One-on-one swimming lessons	Children with special needs	Across Canada	BC, ON, NS, NB	Children
British Columbia
Adaptive Sailing Association BC		Adaptive sailing	Physical (mobility)	Vancouver	BC	All ages
British Columbia Mobility Opportunity Society		Adaptive hiking, paddling, cycling	Physical (mobility)	Metro Vancouver	BC	All ages
Disabled Independent Gardeners Association		Adaptive Gardening	Physical (mobility)	Vancouver	BC	All ages
Vancouver Adapted Music Society	VAMS Mini-school	9-course series providing clients with a well-rounded introduction to the music industry. This engaging and hands-on set of workshops is an opportunity to explore the student’s interest in various facets of the music industry and includes	Physical (mobility)	Vancouver	BC	All ages
BC Wheelchair Basketball		Wheelchair basketball	Physical (mobility)	Various areas	BC	All ages
BC Wheelchair Sports Association		Track & field, wheelchair rugby, basketball, Tennis, target sports			BC	All ages
British Columbia Blind Sports and Recreation Association					BC	All ages
Swim BC		Para-swimming	Functional, Visual, Intellectual	Various Areas	BC	All ages
Sportability BC		Sledge Hockey, Boccia, Power Soccer, CP/Para Soccer	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	BC	All ages
BC Adapative Snowsports		Skiing or snowboarding	Physical, Cognitive	Various Areas	BC	All ages
BC Floorball		Wheelchair floorball	Physical (mobility)	Vancouver	BC	All ages
CurlBC		Wheelchair curling	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	BC	All ages
Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks		Adaptive learn to ski/snowboard lessons	Physical (mobility), sight and hearing impaired, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, mental health disabilities	Kamloops	BC	All ages (6+)
BC Blind Sports and Recreation Association		Chair Yoga, in-person fitness classes (cardio, strength), virtual fitness classes (balance, bodyweight exercises, seated exercises), Early intervention project (pre-school children who are blind of partially sighted), Insight project (adapted fitness for youth who are blind or partially sighted, Competition Development (sports including hockey, dragon boating, tennis)	Blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, blind with additional disabilities	Various Areas	BC	All ages
BC Deaf Sports Federation		Curling, Pickleball, Basketball, Ski	Deaf and Hard of Hearing	Various Areas	BC	All ages
Whistler Adaptive Sports Program		Alpine skiing and racing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, hiking and trail riders, hand-cycling, biking, canoeing, kayaking, rowing, swimming, triathlons, running, yoga and gymnastics. One-on-one programs, camp settings, groups.	Physical, sensory, cognitive disabilities	Whistler	BC	All ages
Alberta
Rocky Mountain Adaptive	Disability Groups	Hiking, biking, paddlesports, snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing	Physical (mobility)	Banff	AB	Ages 5-30
Canadian Adaptive Snowsports Alberta		Alpine ski/snowboard	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	AB	All ages
Wheelchair Sports Alberta		Wheelchair basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Wheelchair Tennis, Wheelchair Athletics and Sledge Hockey	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	AB	All ages
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Wheelchair Sports		Curling, Para-canoe/kayak, rugby, para ice hockey, tennis, basketball, para-alpine skiing, para nordic skiing, sailing, target sports, water skiing	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	SK	All ages
Ontario
Able Sail Ontario		Accessible Sailing	Physical (mobility)	Various Areas	ON	All Ages
Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre		Therapeutic horse riding, recreation, farm-related social activities, equine facilitated wellness	Special needs	Puslinch	ON	All ages
Quebec
Parasports Quebec		Various sports such as curling, soccer, basketball, rugby, tennis	Physical, Visual	Various Areas	QC	All ages
Adaptive Sports Foundation		Tandem paracycling, paracyling adapted bikes, paranordic skiing on wheels, stand up paddle board, kayak, adapted horse riding, dahu, adapted mountain biking, adapted alpine skiing, paranordic skiing, nordic para skate	Physical disabilities (mobility)	Various Areas	QC	All ages
Prince Edward Island
Parasport and Recreation PEI		Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Para-Cycling	Physical (mobility), Blind and Visually Impaired	Various Areas	PEI	All ages
Nova Scotia
Sport Nova Scotia		Para Archery, Paracanoe, Para Equestrian, Para Rowing, Para Sailing, Para Swimming, Para Waterskiing, Wheelchair Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball, Blind Hockey, Para Nordic, Para Hockey, Para Snowboard, Para Karate, Wheelchair Curling	Physical, Intellectual	Various Areas	NS	All ages