By Peter Walker | National Fundraising Event Manager
Thanks to our wonderful donors and national partners, we are helping kids every day through programs like Power Up!
The Power Up! program allows children aged six to 12 to try new things, develop important life and learning skills and most importantly, have fun!
For many of us, reading and writing are basic skills we take for granted. But for some young people, literacy and comprehension can be a real challenge.
Fortunately, help is available at Boys and Girls Clubs, where children and youth get the extra support they need to succeed academically through the dynamic academic enrichment program, Power Up!
Supported by Fidelity Investments for over 10 years, Power Up! provides the tools and environment necessary for young people to develop positive study habits, set and achieve academic goals and receive homework help from volunteer tutors and mentors.
The program’s impact on the young people in Thunder Bay (ON), for example, has been huge.
“We have seen a significant increase in children’s reading and writing skills…. Their confidence level goes up when they are able to tell us they can read a book from start to finish or even do something as simple as recite their phone number,”
Boys and Girls Club of Thunder Bay’s Program Director Lee-Ann Skirving said.
“We had one child in Grade 5 who had extreme difficulty with reading, writing and comprehension. He was very ashamed and did not want us (Club staff) to know. We have worked hard with him to strengthen these skills and now he is in Grade 9 and able to write his own resume to get into the workforce. I believe Power Up! made a real difference in the life of this particular youth and continues to do so for many more.”
It’s a similar story across the country.
For Dieppe Boys and Girls Club (NB), the introduction of Power Up! enhanced the learning modules already in place, by helping children to set and achieve goals, said staff member Ray LeBlanc.
“We know that this program works because the children like the activities, they are learning—even if they don’t always know it.”
Boys and Girls Club of Charlottetown (PE) Interim Director Jessica Mackenzie said the Power Up! program enabled the Club to run a free mentoring and tutoring program called “Boost” for youth who needed assistance with their homework and reading.
“The program provided one-on-one support weekly for up to 40 children and was extremely well-received,” said Jessica. “We saw growth in each child participating, especially in their attitudes toward homework and school in general. The volunteers were so excited to share the improvements of the children as the program went on.”
Club member Alex, 10, said he loved coming to the Club to complete his homework.
“Sometimes, I am a slower learner and it takes me a long time to get it done at home—so here (at the Club) I can get it done, get help and I don’t feel as frustrated,” he said. “I am happier at school because I have done it too.”
THANK YOU for your support of programs that provide homework help to children and youth across Canada!
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