THIS WAY FORWARD
For Young Adults with Disabilities and the People Walking Beside Them
EVERY STORY BELONGS HERE
– MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
Helping you find trusted services for young adults with disabilities
This site is for the entire young adult disability community - those with visible and invisible needs, medical complexities, mobility supports, mental health challenges, and everything in between. It’s for the families, friends, and allies who walk beside them, every step of the way.
A place to spark ideas, open doors, and remind you that you’re not alone in this journey. Here, you’ll find starting points, next steps, and maybe even a little inspiration for the road ahead.
If you’ve just read my book, This Way Forward, you already know how many questions and “where do I even start?” moments can come up when navigating life with a young adult with disabilities.
This website is my way of keeping a promise - to put reliable, Ontario-based links and resources in one place, so you can skip the endless searching and get connected faster.​
WHY I CREATED THIS SITE
This Way Forward was written with one clear goal - to share these resources with families, young adults, and their supporters. I had collected them long before I started writing, and this site is here to make them easier to find and use, so you can spend less time searching and more time focusing on what matters most.
WHO THIS SITE IS FOR
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Young adults (16+) with disabilities
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Families and caregivers who show up and advocate every day
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Friends, educators, and allies who want to support more effectively
HOW TO USE THIS SITE
I’ve organized a selection of Ontario-based resources into ten chapters. Browse these chapters (below) for lists of links to organizations and providers. Each link will take you straight to their official site, where you can explore their services, see what they offer, and find your next steps.
Note: This is not a service provider site - just a clear path to the ones that are.
ONTARIO-BASED RESOURCE LIBRARY
Click on each chapter below for a list of helpful links.
THIS WAY FORWARD
Author Mary E. Barnes
Life, love, and detours - navigating adulthood with disability is rarely straightforward. There’s no map, just challenges, unexpected triumphs, and moments that test your strength.
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This Way Forward is an honest guide for adults with disabilities and the people who walk beside them in Ontario, Canada (and beyond). From tough emotions to burnout-proof advocacy, and from isolation to building community, it blends practical tools, personal stories, and hard-earned wisdom.
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If you’ve ever thought, ‘I wish someone understood,’ this book does. For fresh ideas, grounded strategies, and plenty of ‘me too’ moments - consider this your guide to finding strength and encouragement through the twists and turns of this journey.
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