About The Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon (lday)

2008 was the 35th anniversary of the Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon. Like most LDAs, the road towards the creation of the Yukon Association began with parents. In 1973, Doreen Kronick, then President of the Canadian Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, was invited to the Yukon to speak to a large crowd of parents and professionals. As a result of this meeting, a committee was formed and what was then known as the Yukon Association for Children with Learning Disabilities (YACLD) was incorporated in 1973.

The Association shared office space, staff and resources with the Yukon Association for Community Living. The first objective of the Association was to inform the Yukon Department of Education of the need to educate teachers in all aspects of learning disabilities. Over the years, special education speakers and training sessions for teachers have been a top priority.

The Yukon Department of Education asked the Association to sponsor a Remedial Tutor program in 1976. An annual scholarship of $500.00 was granted to Yukon teachers who wanted to further their education in the area of learning disabilities.

In 1983, YACLD became the Yukon Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities and continued its affiliation with the umbrella group, Yukon Association for Special Needs People (YASNP). The Yukon Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities once again changed its name, in 1987, to become the Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon. The Yukon Government Department of Health and Human Resources contributed a large part of the Association’s operating expenses for the first time in 1987. In 1988 LDAY broke its ties with the YASNP, though it still maintained close ties with the Yukon Association for Community Living and Yukon Special Olympics, elected its own executive, and moved to its own offices with its own full-time staff person. Planning was of primary importance and the new executive created a mission statement and established goals for the next five years. A Professional Advisory Board was established.

Services to children were expanded to include arts and crafts programs, recreation activities, sports skills training and a summer camp. Work Orientation Workshops, programs for youth at risk, were sponsored by LDAY and legal professionals were given workshops on learning disabilities. Adult outreach activities were initiated at Yukon College. Public Awareness and advocacy remained a high priority, and the LDAY’s first publication, Learning Disabilities in the Classroom, an “Ideas” Handbook for Teachers, was widely distributed.

For the last 15 years, LDAY has concentrated on direct client services, support for families and direct advocacy support for clients. These continue to be priorities for the organization. LDAY has also seen success in advocating for multi-sensory language instruction throughout Yukon. The Yukon Department of Education, in partnership with LDAY, fully adopted the Wilson Language System to support students with language-based learning disabilities. This has resulted in Yukon students having access to unprecedented remedial supports.

In 2008 LDAY initiated a strategic planning process that sought to validate and examine the history of the organization and use this knowledge to look forward five years to anticipate and plan to address current and emerging challenges faced by Yukoners with learning disabilities and their families. This process was highly valuable and yielded a very visual strategic “path” for the organization looking forward to 2013.

As of 2008/2009 year, LDAY offers a wide range of services, some with core funding support, others supported as part of short term projects.  These services include:

• Tutoring program
• Tutor training services for Whitehorse and rural communities
• Access to diagnostic services
• Summer and Winter Camps for children and youth
• Youth Leadership Camp
• Various professional development workshops for educators,
• A comprehensive community outreach service to rural Yukon communities
  (initiated formally in 2008)
• Resource library
• Family and individual support and informal counselling
• Advocacy support
• Information and referrals
• Information and support with assistive technology

Many Yukoners are credited with the success of the Association over the years. Dorothy Lattin, Joan Branigan, Sandra Nickolson, Iris Warner, Colleen Emery, Joan Craig, Arlene Kemp, Micki Deuling, Sonya Gay, Margaret Stenzig, Helen Weigel, Elinore Frederickson, Catalina Colaci, Barb Bergsma, Vanessa Grant and Pat Logue were a few of the many dedicated volunteers. Special appreciation goes to staff persons Lorraine Young, Donna Floyd, Joan Stanton, Carolyn Hedmann Cohen and Susan Walker, Elaine Thompson, George Green, Sophia Brown, and Colm Cairns who helped the Association realize its many goals. Most important were the thousands of Yukoners who gave their time, financial support, and encouragement for the benefit of people with learning disabilities.

© 2009 Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon
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About Learning Disabilities Association of Yukon

Come join us “on Yukon Time” for Minds of Gold, the
17th National Conference on Learning Disabilities to take place in Whitehorse, Yukon
on September 24 – 26, 2009 at the Yukon Convention Centre/High Country Inn.