Hanna’s Story

“It helps that they actually understand the struggles you are going through. I felt myself get over barriers. Without the program, I would have struggled a lot more with reading and writing.”

- Hanna, ELF Sage Youth Program Alumni

“It’s not always easy to get through everyday life when you’re dyslexic.” Hanna is calm and confident when she describes her challenges with reading—probably because it’s something that she’s had to explain many times.

“Sometimes, when I was in high school, I’d forget how to spell the word ‘the’,” she laughs. “It takes me 20 minutes to read something that other people would read in five minutes. I know everyone has their struggles and challenges. But everything in life involves reading and numbers!”

Hanna came to our program in her last two years of high school. The support she received set her up for success. She recently graduated from college and is working in a field that she loves—health care.

Hanna stayed motivated because of the leaps she was making in reading and spelling. She also kept coming back because of how she was treated. “The tutors invest themselves in you. You’re always being greeted. They always take the time to see how your day’s going and show that they care.”

How many young people like Hanna give up when they don’t receive the support they need? How many of them make up Canada’s 17% ‘very low literacy’ rate?[1] People with different ways of learning can grow up to be full participants in our economy and society, given the right tools and encouragement.

What is Hanna’s wish for children that face the same challenges she did?

“I hope that they have the opportunities I had to better themselves for the world.”

This is our hope and vision too! And we are actively working towards it, together with our volunteers and community partners across Canada.

[1] Adults with Level 1 literacy or below. Statistics Canada. 2013. Skills in Canada - First Results from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-555-x/89-555-x2013001-eng.pdf