Our Story
Our work to improve the education system for children and youth has brought us into contact with thousands of parents/guardians and young people. We have worked with families to help them tell their story and to find help for their children. We are passionate about helping families and believe that schools should be places where children and youth learn in a safe and caring environment.
Our Approach
No child or youth goes to school wanting to have a bad day. As adults, it is our job to determine what their struggles are telling us and to find solutions so that they learn effectively. Current research tells us that if we focus on a person's deficits and spend most of our energy fixing them, we don't get very far. We need to support a child or youth with what they find challenging but focus our energy on how they learn best.
We work directly with the family and the young person that is struggling to understand what they need, explore the options and build an effective advocacy plan. This plan is used as a guide in all contact with the school and education staff, and will help create a positive partnership with the school.
The plan also will help you understand how you can support your child or youth at home, and if there are any other professionals that should get involved. (Note: we believe hiring a tutor is a last resort as the school system has many strategies and resources for making sure your child or youth learns!)
Principal Advocate:
Cathy Dandy has been dedicated to the work of improving lives for children and youth – both in public education and child and youth mental health – for the past 20 years. For 11 of those years, she led Ontario’s largest child and youth mental health agency in the development and implementation of excellent stakeholder engagement practices. Cathy’s reputation as a leader in the child and youth field also comes from two decades worth of service in education as a community advocate and then school board Trustee.
Cathy has three children who graduated from the public school system.
Cathy Dandy
Cathy Dandy is an Education Coach and Advocate
Our Associates
Each child is unique and we have Associates in the Education and Mental Health fields that can provide additional expertise to support the work. This could be anything from psychological assessments to support in working with your teen. We have the expertise to create solutions.
Next Steps...
Contact us and take advantage of the free half hour consultation to find out if we can help you. You don't have to do this alone.