The Oshawa Dungeons & Dragons Club is a social group for neurodiverse youth ages 13-18. It uses the fantasy tabletop role playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) as a social medium within a neurodiversity affirming structure built on the concepts of Youth Empowerment, Mentorship, Belonging, Engagement, and Respect (EMBER).
To achieve the goal the players must communicate, strategize, and cooperate with each other to be successful. Emerging research suggest that tabletop roleplaying games can provide benefits to players such as increases in communication skills, creativity and social connectedness. Through role-playing characters the participants have an opportunity to explore different identities and build friendships along the way. The program runs from September to May to give the participants a chance to make meaningful connections.
The Oshawa Dungeons & Dragons Club also gives the youth in the program the opportunity to shape the game and world in which they choose to play. As a group the participants choose the setting, the types of encounters they want to have, and even what they do not what to happen in the game. The participants create characters that have skills and traits that they want to role play, and they are encouraged to create backstories about their characters. The game is then tailored around the group's choices but also includes personalized events so that each player has an opportunity shine.
The program is led by a neurodivergent mentor who facilitates the games. It is their role to guide the participants through the character creation process and then build an immersive game experience that incorporates all the things the participants have chosen to have in the game. This website uses a blog to track the weekly adventures of the characters. This also creates a history of the game world where the players can see how their characters have shape the world.
Why Dungeons & Dragons?
Dungeons & Dragons has been around for 50 years and large diverse community has built up around it and other tabletop role playing games. The community has long known that there were benefits to playing tabletop roleplaying games but it is only over the past 10 to 15 years that research has looked into what if any benefits playing tabletop roleplaying games provide. The results suggest that there are benefits to playing tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons. The benefits include fostering creativity, team building, increasing social connectedness, and even giving players opportunity to explore their own personal development. As well research about the gaming community in the UK found that neurodivergent people made up about 30% of the community suggesting that as adults neurodivergent people find playing games as a way to create social connections.
What Participants and Parents are saying
Thank you for pushing to extend your programme and for advocating for a safe and inclusive environment where neurodiverse kids can learn, grow and create friendships. Your programme allowed my daughter who suffers from social anxiety to participate in a programme that she's long had an interest in but was too nervous to try in larger older groups. The small group setting was perfect and we loved that you catered to those that were absolute beginners as well as those who had some experience. The welcoming, inclusive and patient environment you created helped my daughter to feel comfortable. She thoroughly enjoyed the group and we've seen a huge growth in her confidence since joining. - Parent
The program was a fantastic outlet for my son. He struggles with social connections and the way that he interacts with others. The city has allowed him to join and make connections to others in the D&D programs. He wants to keep connections with his peers going, plan outings and has looked forward to talking with others who are Neurodivergent . He sometimes feels that people don’t take the time to understand his uniqueness so they often don’t bother asking. We are thankful that the different community partners have come together to bridge the gaps my son and many others feel. - Parent
[My Daughter] is just committed to go to D&D program. Something that she always looks forward to. Thank you for creating this program. - Parent
How is it good that D&D is free?
It allows me to participate in a social gathering with like minded individuals, while also allowing me to immerse myself in a fictional setting that all participating parties enjoy.
How does the program help me?
It helps provide an environment where I can socialize with like minded individuals and be social in a more comfortable setting. This program is fun and helps give me a sense of community as well as multiple opportunities to allow me to connect with others and form friendships. We have lots of laughs, and we even share a bit of our lives with each other every now and then which allows us to connect and deepen our friendships with others. - Participant
Last Updated June 2025