Facilitating LD Support Across Northern Ontario

In 2016, The Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury was successful in obtaining a Grow Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to establish the Northern Ontario Centre for Learning Differences (NOCLD). This Northeastern Ontario initiative, which has provided direct support over the last three years to more than 2,500 students, and an additional 1,833 parents and guardians, is at risk of closing without continued funding.
 
The NOCLD, based in Greater Sudbury, is an organization that provides resources and supports across the north for families of students identified with an exceptionality, such as a learning disability. Satellite offices in North Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Timmins offer innovative programs and support to learners and their families. Our team of Resource Facilitators support and advocate for parents of students with learning differences, and help to facilitate positive working relationships between home and school.

A video conferencing parent support group, established in 2016, offered a monthly schedule of virtual forums. By adopting video conferencing technology to convene these support groups, NOCLD was able to connect large numbers of parents from across the north with experts in the field of education and learning disabilities. The result was an informative and educational experience that fosters empathy and encouragement for parents, while providing valuable access to specific parenting skills related to learning differences, research-based information, and expertise that would not otherwise be available to them. The sessions were proven extremely successful in generating discussion and practical learning opportunities; giving parents the right tools for working together with educators, schools and community-based agencies; and to also support enhanced success for their children in school, at home, and in the community.

To ensure successful outcomes in the classroom the NOCLD has built strong relationships with all of the eight English school boards across Northern Ontario. Members of each school board now have representatives who sit on the NOCLD Board of Directors and/or the Community Advisory Committees in each city. Their involvement ensures support of our programs across the north, and also offers educators the chance to share their first-hand experiences and in-class knowledge, while suggesting programming and workshops that may be of great benefit to the students with exceptionalities, whom they interact with regularly.

Without a commitment of funding, these crucial support programs will come to an end in North Bay, Sault Ste Marie and Timmins on June 28, 2019. For start up again in September, we need to raise $200,000 to continue our mission in these communities. These funds will ensure the continuation of these services which support parents and enhance learning outcomes for children and youth with learning differences in northeastern Ontario while we continue to search for sustainable funding.

If you are able, please support this worthy campaign. Your generosity will make a difference in the lives of students with learning disabilities and their families.

Thank you so much!