Online youth support for kids with dyslexia, ADHD + learning differences
“You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change.”
- Tim Cook
Why are we called Shift Your Thinking and what exactly are we trying to change or SHIFT?
We have seen first-hand, in classrooms, in schools, in homes and in the community, the negative effect on children who learn differently when they are not well understood.
Differences are seen as deficits
Strengths are masked or not valued
Kids not well understood
High levels of shame and stigma
When a child deals with learning challenges in a setting that doesn't understand or place value on their unique way of learning, it can impact their emotional and mental health and their self-perception.
This NEEDS to SHIFT.
We need to educate. We need to advocate. We need to provide support.
One of the key areas where we have identified a gap in service is structured programming to support adolescents with learning differences directly.
We are aiming to provide resources to our youth via live calls with various guest experts and counselling specialists to ensure that kids with learning differences receive emotional support in a safe online space to talk about what they are facing and to see that they are not alone.
Did you know that many children with learning disabilities end up dealing with issues such as anxiety, low confidence, and high drop-out rates? We think that this is unacceptable and believe in proactive approaches to these problems.
The program we are developing for youth will:
1) Provide access to live calls with guest experts that we have chosen, on topics related to their learning, confidence, leadership potential and strengths development.
2) Provide a chance for youth to come together virtually for support and to be with other youth who may be experiencing similar struggles.
3) Provide opportunities for Q&A to allow a greater understanding of their diagnosis, needs, personal struggles, feelings, and goals.
However, we need support to do this. We are a registered charitable organization that relies on grants and donations. We cannot do this alone.
We have big plans to help SHIFT how people view and approach learning differences (and we will!) but until we can make greater societal and institutional shifts, we need to support the emotional and mental health of our children RIGHT NOW.
We have launched a GoFundMe Campaign to ask YOU, our community, to help us run these very important programs. Help us make that ripple to make change happen.
Please support this campaign by clicking HERE to donate so that we have the resources to support the mental and emotional health of our youth with learning differences. And share...if you know someone who may be willing to support us, we would love for you to share this post!
Every donation, no matter how big or small, is like a pebble in the water. Let the ripple begin...