Background
Who are We?
- registered charitable organization organized on 3 levels: national, provincial and local. There are 10 provincial (2 territorial) L.D.As. In Ontario there are, at the time of writing 34 chapters and satellites.
- volunteer parents, professionals and interested individuals.
- dedicated to meeting the educational, social, emotional, recreational and employment needs of L.D. children, adolescents and adults.
How and Why Did L.D.A. Start?
- In 1963, four Toronto residents, Doreen Kronick, Harry Wineberg, Robert Shannon and Alan Howarth decided to form the Ontario LDA. Articles of Incorporation were issued in 1964. This was the beginning of LDA in Canada, and parallelled the formation of LDA in the United States.
- Initial publicity brought in calls and letters from around the world.
- Until 1971, when LDA Canada was formed, this Toronto-based group provided leadership in the formation of local chapters and provincial branches, and dissemination of information for the whole country.
- There are approximately 7,000 members in Canada, 3,000 in Ontario.
- Local chapters in the provinces are now affiliated with the provincial and national level
Who Are Our Members?
- the majority are parents with L.D. kids.
- some are L.D. adults.
- many are professionals in the field of learning disabilities.
- some are interested persons, neither L.D. themselves or having L.D. children.
- members can be members of all 3 levels or just provincial and national.
L.D.A. Halton
- grass roots strengths-formed in 1967
- provides direct service in the form of "Camp Triumph"
- relates to local government and agencies
- has members on both local school board Special Education Advisory Committees
- provides support to the learning disabled and their families
- provides speakers for other groups in the community
- undertakes local special projects
- operates a resource room, maintains a library of up to date information
- holds a minimum of 4 free, open public meetings per year on the subject of learning disabilities
- publicity at local level
- parent support and resourcing
- sets local policy
- raises own funds
- elects L.D.A.O. Board and subject to L.D.A.O. by-laws, helps set policy for province
L.D.A. Ontario
- incorporation 1964
- relates to provincial government and provincial agencies
- holds annual provincial conference
- operates a resource library
- provides literature, information services and parent support
- does training workshops for chapters at Annual General Meeting
- chapter Charters devolve from provincial letters patent, so sets policy for chapter formation and retention of Charters
- published quarterly newsletter
- sends monthly newsletter to chapters
- undertakes special projects of provincial scope e.g. "Still Putting the Pieces Together"
- operates speaker bureau
- publicity on provincial level
- must raise own funds
- elects 2 directors to L.D.A.C. Board
L.D.A. Canada
- formed in 1971
- relates to federal government
- puts on annual national conference
- national clearing house information
- sets national policy
- some measure of co-ordination among provinces
- publicity on national level to generate awareness of national issues
- raises own funds
- publishes quarterly newsletter
July 2001