For most people, the end of high school is an exciting yet intimidating time. Teenagers may struggle to decide what they will do next. For neurodivergent and autistic students and their parents, it can be even harder to know what opportunities exist after high school, or how to think about building a good life when people are less independent than their neurotypical peers. 

There are other times in a person’s life when they are looking at big changes. People come and go, occupations change, and people sometimes decide they just need something new. 

Person-centred planning is a set of collaborative strategies used to help people recognize their abilities and talents, consider how they might build relationships, explore interests, build independence and contribute within their communities.

Defining PATHs

A PATH is a person-centred planning tool that can help people explore the values, activity and people that are most important for them, and come up with specific actions they can take to move towards their goals. A PATH is a gathering of the person looking for clarity and direction with friends, family, and others who know them well. A typical meeting lasts for 2-3 hours. While a lot is accomplished during a PATH, the atmosphere is leisurely, open to possibilities, and welcoming.

Figure 1. An example of a PATH diagram (with names and sensitive information redacted).

Preparing For Your Meeting

Each meeting must be led by two trained facilitators – one to guide the conversation, and one to record ideas. It is better to have facilitators who are not connected to the focus person, to avoid assumptions and help everyone consider new possibilities. PATH facilitators can be found by contacting provincial members of Inclusion Canada. School divisions often have trained facilitators available to students.

The thoughts and plans of the group are recorded in a mix of images and words, which helps focus attention, aid communication, express ideas and create a lasting reminder of the ideas that were most meaningful.

In the meeting, discussion follows a specific set of questions:

• The North Star: What values and goals are most important in this person’s life?   
• Possible and Positive: If the person pursues their values and goals, what might life look like in 1-2 years?
• Now: What is happening in the person’s life now?
• Next Steps: What actions can be taken in the next days or weeks to move towards this vision?
• Enrol: Who can help, and how?

Benefits of PATHs

It is the role of the supporters to make sure the person moves ahead with the plans formulated during the PATH. It is recommended that the group gather again after six months to a year to evaluate how the plan has unfolded. At this time they might adjust the plan according to circumstances and the person’s feelings about their recent experiences and what they would like to do next. The visual created in the first PATH is again a guide to this discussion.

Using a PATH to explore new opportunities helps people build skills and abilities, form relationships in the community, and builds confidence.  It also strengthens relationships between participants and their family and friends. Seeing a PATH unfold can be a wonderful thing for everyone involved. A successful PATH affirms the potential of every person to develop interests and abilities, make new friends, and contribute to their communities.

Resources that Support PATHs

The Inclusion Centre in Toronto has many great resources to support PATH, MAPS, and other approaches to person-centered planning and community inclusion.