Success Stories
National Child Benefit –Ontario Success Story 2002
As a teenage mother, Michelle has faced many challenges trying to raise her son. Through the support she receives through Ontario’s Learning, Earning and Parenting program (LEAP) – a National Child Benefit reinvestment program - she has been able to take care of her son and go back to school.
LEAP provides teenage parents who have not completed high school, with practical supports to ensure they, along with their children, have every opportunity for a healthy, well-adjusted life. Whether it’s school supplies, child care, transportation, tutoring, on the job training or parenting advice, LEAP helps remove the obstacles that young Ontario Works parents face on the road to self-sufficiency.
“After the birth of my son came unexpected surprises,” Michelle says. “He was diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome and had to undergo open heart surgery when he was 5 months old – none of which I was prepared for. The LEAP program helped me find resources to educate myself about Down’s Syndrome. LEAP also provided me with the transportation and accommodation I needed to take my son to the out-of-town hospitals he needed to go to.”
After her son’s surgery, Michelle felt hesitant returning back to school full-time and putting her son into child care. “My LEAP counsellor suggested that I try summer school and place my son in licensed private home care so that I could get back into the school routine and see how my son would be able to handle day care. Through paying for my transportation costs, LEAP made it possible for me to attend summer school at the scheduled times."
After Michelle successfully completed her summer school course and realized how much her son was benefiting from the interaction he was receiving, she felt confident enough to return back to school as a full-time student. “My LEAP counsellor helped me co-ordinate my school schedule and my child care,which made it easier for me to go back to school.”
After going back to school full-time, Michelle was on the honour roll the first semester. These achievements gave her the motivation to participate in extra- curricular activities such as a “Leader in Training” program which allows her to do a voluntary summer placement assisting camp counsellors at recreational parks.
Michelle is looking forward to her graduation and intends to continue
her education at the post-secondary level. “I would like to study
psychology and eventually work with special needs children. LEAP has
made it possible for me to overcome certain obstacles in my life. It
really is a beneficial program for those who choose to better themselves.”
Learn about Ontario's NCB programs