Motivated by a desire to see change, and a personal connection to the condition, Nick Savona has volunteered to raise money and awareness for autism research
Nick Savona has seen progress made in autism research, he’s even seen some progress in how that research has been enacted in health and education policy, but he hasn’t seen it happen fast enough. Savona is the Chief Compliance officer at Independent Trading Group (ITG) and Newton Crypto. He’s also a board member for Bay St. Rides FAR (For Autism Research).
Savona explained how he got involved with the cause, driven by the experiences of colleagues he saw around him and the experience of one of his family members who is on the autism spectrum. He discussed how advances in research and changes in policy can make a huge difference in the lives of individuals and families who experience autism with varied degrees of severity. He explained, as well, why he thinks the financial services industry has so immediately gravitated to this cause.
“When I was growing up this issue was just swept under the rug, and now we’re starting to realize there’s a need to identify the cause and do research to make people’s lives easier down the road,” Savona says. “When I saw the ride last year I thought ‘I have to get involved.’ It’s eye opening how many people catch on with Rides FAR, because they know someone in their family who has this condition.”
Savona pulls from his own and others’ experience to highlight the importance of autism research for both the severe and less severe cases out there. He emphasizes how early intervention strategies — if personalized and enacted in policy — can make a huge impact on the severity of a case.
While he has seen progress and has hope for the future, Savona also sees little in the way of policy action that backs up research. He has seen the immense amount of work still demanded of families with members who have autism, to pick up the slack from the public healthcare and education systems, at least in Ontario. He sees traditional ‘special education’ classes as siloizing and stigmatizing students, condemning them to disadvantage from a young age. He wants to see the progress being made in autism research reflected in policies that help students grow to function in the working world.
While policy change is Savona’s hope, he knows that it takes several steps to get there. The first step is research, which events like Bay St. Rides FAR raises money for. The second step is communication and awareness. As more people share their own experiences with autism or with family members who have the condition, Savona believes that there will be less isolation, less loneliness, and better organization and advocacy for change.
Savona notes the remarkable solidarity that the financial services industry has shown for the cause of autism research, as demonstrated through the Rides FAR events. He attributes some of that to the social nature of the industry and the presence of many individuals who either are on the autism spectrum or have family members on it. He thinks that this industry is well aware of the stigmas associated with autism and sees an opportunity to dispel them.
As the day of the Rides FAR event approaches — October 5th in downtown Toronto — Savona continues to drive home the importance of autism research, supportive policy, and this industry’s role in making that change.
“We’ve already made progress, but I think this cause is somewhere we can actually see results and improve the lives of a lot of people,” Savona says. “This is something that we can make a difference in.”
Bay St. Rides FAR will be held on Saturday October 5, 2024, beginning and ending at Sherborne Common in Toronto. The event raises money for the Autism Science Foundation (ASF). You can learn more about the event here.
