Faced with the challenges of integrating his autistic son into society, André Langevin explored various avenues before turning to karate. This sport proved to be an effective tool for fostering development and socialization. On the strength of this experience, he founded the Fondation Karaté Autisme in 2021, a non-profit organization offering classes adapted to children on the autism spectrum.

It all began with André Langevin when his son was diagnosed with autism in 2000. A karate practitioner himself, he saw the sport as a way to help his son integrate socially.

Over the years, he explored a number of avenues to encourage his son's socialization: soccer, scouts, summer camps, sports teams... But integration difficulties were constant. His son was excluded from several groups because of his behavior, making the journey even more complex.

His wife also worked hard to give him as many opportunities as possible. “We've had a lot of failures over the years, and no one wanted to take him on. We did everything we could to help him develop his social skills.” André Langevin stresses the importance of starting this process at an early age. “The younger they are stimulated, the better their chances of having a better future. I'm a big believer in that.” 

A commitment that led to the creation of a unique program

At the time of his son's diagnosis in 2000, André Langevin was serving with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in a remote area, where no specialized services were available. Faced with this situation, the RCMP decided to repatriate the family so that the child could benefit from the necessary resources.

Drawing on his own experiences, André developed a karate teaching program adapted to autistic children. He has been teaching since 2008 and has trained several thousand students. 

This sport, which demands a great deal of discipline and rigor, has proved particularly beneficial for his son. Initially, his son took lessons at a school, but he needed his father's presence to be able to take part. As a result, he was able to earn his green belt.

In 2021, André Langevin officially created the Fondation Karaté Autisme, a non-profit organization. His goal was to offer this opportunity free of charge to families with children on the autism spectrum. Today, a dozen instructors accompany him in this mission.

An inclusive, participatory approach

The foundation welcomes children from all levels of the spectrum. However, André Langevin relies heavily on parental involvement to maximize progress. “We believe that parents have to be involved for there to be more improvement. That's our main criterion: the parent has to be involved, otherwise it would take up too much of my time.”

The instructors who help André are themselves on the autism spectrum, i.e. parents of children who are on the spectrum. This proximity to the reality of autism encourages more adapted and humane teaching.

Since retiring from the RCMP five years ago, André Langevin has devoted his time to the foundation. “I've been retired from the RCMP for five years now, so I'm doing this full-time, I'm having a lot of fun with it, I like it.” 

A family and societal impact

Today, his 30-year-old son has a black belt in karate. He has been involved with the organization for almost 15 years, helping to teach classes. He now devotes more of his time to the administrative management of the foundation. Today, he is fully independent and holds a degree in mathematics from McGill University. 

Challenges, but concrete results

André Langevin acknowledges that teaching autistic children requires a great deal of patience, and that some families give up along the way. However, he is convinced that efforts are bearing fruit. “It takes a lot of patience, but over time, it works. On the other hand, it's difficult, and I'd say that's why a lot of people give up.”

He owes his resilience to the many hardships he has endured over the years. “I've had to deal with a lot of major difficulties, being in the RCMP, being stationed in remote areas and having a special-needs child without access to the resources needed to help him. This led me to develop a resilience I didn't have 25 years ago.” 

A positive and inspiring vision

For him, the most important thing is to understand these children rather than react negatively to their behavior. “Autistic children can progress enormously, but you have to get down to their level and try to understand them instead of reacting negatively.”

Ultimately, André Langevin believes he himself has learned a great deal from autistic people, to the point of transforming his own perception of life. “They teach us a lot. I used to be a very anxious person, but I've changed completely thanks to them. People with autism are very genuine. By spending so much time with them, I've come to see life in a much simpler light.“

André Langevin's work has been recognized by the province's highest political authority. The Vaudreuil County resident received a medal from the National Assembly in recognition of his commitment to the inclusion and development of special-needs youth,