Volunteer Spotlight - Katie Leitch
“LDAM is a place where people are embraced without judgement and given help and hope to reach their goals in life.”
I was working a booth for another organization at the Faculty of Social Work's Field Info Day in 2021, where, as fate would have it, LDAM was in the booth right next to ours.
Field Info Day is where students learn about organizations they can join for their field placements to gain hands-on experience. I was immediately drawn to LDAM’s mission to destigmatize learning disabilities (LDs) and ensure everyone has the opportunity to succeed. I applied to do my final placement at LDAM that day.
By the end of my field placement, I’d fallen completely in love with LDAM and decided to stay on as a volunteer. That's how it all started, and now I can't imagine my life without a connection to LDAM!
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing, creative, intelligent, and spirited people I have ever met. I’ve learned so much about the social and systemic barriers that people living with learning disabilities and ADHD face every day and I can see that much more education is needed to raise awareness and help people understand how to better support people with disabilities.
I’m currently facilitating My FRIENDS Youth, a program that empowers students with LDs by teaching them skills like relationship-building. I’ve seen amazing improvement in participants’ self-esteem as they realize LDAM is a safe space where they won’t be shamed or punished for getting distracted. They relax and become comfortable working as a team while gaining confidence and learning new skills.
As a social worker, I know how important it is to create safe and inclusive spaces. LDAM is a place where people feel more than welcomed - they are embraced without judgement and given help and hope to reach their goals in life, be they personal, school or work. I even uncovered what I suspect is my own undiagnosed LD. LDAM has empowered me to not feel ashamed and showed me where I can find information and support. I hope many more children, youth and adults with LDs and ADHD will connect with LDAM, where they too will be seen as important and valued.
I would love to see a world that is more accessible for everyone, and where people with LDs are celebrated for the unique abilities they have to offer. I bet you would too.
LDAM needs support from the community to grow its programming and outreach and help more people who are struggling because of their learning disability. Will you help by spreading the word in your community of friends, family and colleagues? Or might you be able to support LDAM with a donation? Maybe you’d consider supporting LDAM by volunteering, like me.
Check out how you can help: Volunteer Donate
- Katie
After acquiring a Master of Arts degree, Katie decided she wanted to dedicate her life to helping others and joined the Faculty of Social Work at the U of M. She graduated last October, and we’re thrilled she’s on the LDAM team!