New association grows learning disability supports

For about a decade now, local families dealing with learning disabilities have been able to turn to the programs and services provided by the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury.

But the organization has always received calls from parents in other northeastern Ontario cities saying they wish they had access to similar services in their communities.

Thanks to the creation of the Northern Ontario Centre for Learning Differences, those families will no longer be disappointed.

The organization, officially launched at an April 6 press conference, expands on the work of the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury to provide services in other areas of the north.

“For years, we've been wanting to spread further into Northern Ontario and make our very limited programs and services available to students and their families in Northern Ontario,” said Liz Brett-Dickie, chair of the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury.

“We are the only learning disabilities association still viable here (in the north). We have exemplary programs and services here we wanted to share with those in other areas, and help those students.”

The Northern Ontario Centre for Learning Differences was able to launch thanks to a three-year, $600,000 grow grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The goal is to make the organization self-sustaining at the end of three years.

Full-time resource facilitators have already been hired in North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, and a part-time resource facilitator will be hired later this month in Timmins.

“Our outcomes for the Ontario Trillium Foundation are to reach 1,050 children and youth with learning differences, and also 1,050 parents,” said Mary-Liz Warwick, executive director of the learning disabilities centre.

“So it's going to have a big impact across Northeastern Ontario.”

The program is being run out of Huntington University, a federated university located on Laurentian University's campus.

Huntington president Kevin McCormick said when he heard about the Northern Ontario Centre for Learning Differences, he knew he wanted to do all he could to help. He's even the program's first board chair.

Students with learning differences also need to navigate university, and McCormick said he wants to lay the groundwork for them to succeed. “It's important to create opportunities,” he said.