Hans Dupuis has been a member of the NYAC since its inception in 2016. A longtime Air Canada employee, he was introduced to CHILD-BRIGHT by a friend who was running an autism support program in Montreal.
Hans Dupuis, Co-Chair of the NYAC
“One thing led to another," he says. “I heard about the youth council and ended up getting recruited.”
Hans was diagnosed with autism and a mild attention deficit at age 6, but only learned that he was on the spectrum at age 13: “I’d been taking medication for years but didn’t know why.”
When he heard about the NYAC, he was keen to get involved in brain-based developmental disability research and share his perspective.
Hans has been the NYAC Co-Chair with Logan Wong since 2022. As the only French Quebecer, he brings a unique and valued perspective to the council. Since 2016, he has participated in various NYAC group consultations, been a guest lecturer on youth engagement in research at McMaster University, and become an active member of CHILD-BRIGHT's Knowledge Mobilization Committee. Most recently, Hans helped review the network’s new terminology for our much-anticipated language refresh.
When asked if he’s experienced any discrimination due to his autism, Hans says he’s been lucky overall. “I was never bullied,” he says, though he recalls how kids would sometimes avoid or exclude him in school. “I’ve mostly experienced prejudice when dating.” He points out that while social interactions are much easier than they used to be, he still struggles:
“Even though I’ve spent a lot of time studying neurotypical social interactions, it can be hard. I don't always understand ironic jokes or innuendos. It’s a daily challenge.”
Outside of the NYAC, Hans is a member of the International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) Young Persons Advisory Group. He is also a former workshop mentor for Action main d’oeuvre, an organization that aims to help people with autism prepare for the workforce. “It was Action main d’oeuvre that helped me get hired at Air Canada in 2017,” says Hans. “So, I was happy to give back.”