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United Way to support the Learning Disabilities Assoc. of Lambton County and two Child and Youth Worker programsFebruary 22, 2006
Laura Black, Chair of the Community Investment Committee, is pleased to announce today that the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton has provided Venture Grant funding to the Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County and a Child and Youth Worker program at both North Lambton Secondary School and S.C.I.T.S.
The United Way of Sarnia-Lambton will provide a $30,000 grant to the Learning Disabilities Association of Lambton County for program staffing. Children with extraordinary needs require more time to learn than their more able peers. While barriers to success for the learning disabled individual are significant in and of themselves, co-existing conditions add to the burden for this segment of the population. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, oppositional defiance disorder and conduct disorder are much more prevalent among the learning disabled than the general population.
The programs to be offered by this grant are:
1. Learning to Learn Differently Project - a tutoring program that matches at-risk SK and Grade One students with tutors.
2. Kids Positive Program - an after-school program that runs year-round for children between the ages of 6 and 13 who are experiencing problems with their social skills and/or self esteem.
3. JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies) - an after-school math program that runs year-round for children in Grades 3-8. This program also runs sessions in Petrolia.
4. Study Start Program - an after-school study skills program for students in Grades 6-9 which teaches time management and organizational skills necessary in order to become a good student.
The United Way of Sarnia-Lambton will also provide a $30,000 grant for a Child and Youth Worker program at North Lambton Secondary School and $30,000 for a Child and Youth Worker program at S.C.I.T.S. "The Child and Youth Worker program is designed to have a professionally trained adult available to intervene whenever a student's behaviour in class is deemed counterproductive to him or herself, and to the class", said Black. This adult (Child and Youth Worker) will remove the student, problem-solve the situation, counsel more appropriate choices, and then return the student to class. A similar program in the district has resulted in a reduction of school suspensions by nearly 35%, and other disciplinary activities by over 70%. This is a one year, one time grant and it is believed that future funding will be received from the provincial government if the program is successful. These Child and Youth Worker programs are modeled after a very successful, similar program in Brooke Central Public School which received Venture Grant funding to pilot it six years ago. After a successful pilot in this school, the program is now offered in several elementary schools across Lambton County with provincial funding.
The United Way of Sarnia-Lambton Board of Directors approved the above two grants from its Venture Grant program. The Venture Grant program has approximately $110,000 available each year to fund new and innovative programs to meet a need in our community.
The United Way's Funding priorities are Youth with Physical, Mental or Social Challenges, Poverty and Working Poor Families, Seniors, Medical Programs and Services or Rural Programs. Applications for Venture Grant funding are accepted on a year round basis.
For more information, please contact;
Laura Black, Volunteer Community Investment Chair at 541-1332 or
Pamela Bodkin, Community Investment & Finance Director, United Way of Sarnia-Lambton, (519) 336-5452 Ext. 5
Dave Doey, LKDSB, 336-1500
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