{"id":2504,"date":"2022-06-28T21:08:03","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T21:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ca\/ontario\/the-salvation-army-bethany-hope-centre-celebrates-learning-coach-program-graduates\/"},"modified":"2025-05-28T08:50:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T08:50:49","slug":"the-salvation-army-bethany-hope-centre-celebrates-learning-coach-program-graduates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ca\/ontario\/2022\/06\/the-salvation-army-bethany-hope-centre-celebrates-learning-coach-program-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"The Salvation Army Bethany Hope Centre Celebrates Learning Coach Program Graduates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Young parents are reaching their educational and employment goals with the support of the Bethany Hope Centre Learning Coach Program in Ottawa.<\/p>\n

The program helps young parents finish high school and continue to post-secondary education or explore career options, while providing wrap around services to enable their success.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s graduation ceremony held on June 28th<\/sup>, 2022, at Bethany Hope Centre celebrated two young women. Marcella Miron received her high school diploma and Farah Dridi, a former graduate, received the Hariot Munro Community Spirit Award this year. The ceremony also celebrates the achievements and hard work of all participants in the program.<\/p>\n

Program participants can achieve their accreditation in a variety of ways, through supportive school boards such as Quinte Adult Education, Ottawa Carlton District School Board and ILC online out of Toronto.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe encourage the participants to come in and use our computers with Wi-Fi if they wish and get the support they need,\u201d said Leah Barrie, Bethany Hope Centre\u2019s Independent Learning Coach. \u201cWe have tutors on-site that provide assistance and encouragement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leah explains there are many barriers for young parents trying to complete their education. Some of the program participants do not have the means for childcare and do not have access to internet and technology at home. Many young parents are not able to attend a full-time day school because they have children to care for.\u00a0 This is where Bethany Hope Centre\u2019s wrap around services are able to support parents while they reach their goals.<\/p>\n

While studying in the Learning Coach computer room, parents can leave their children in the care of Bethany Hope Centre playroom staff where they know their children will be cared for.\u00a0 They also have access to a free hot lunch three days a week. The Bethany Hope Centre also offers free non-clinical counselling services, pre-natal and parenting classes, a food share program and cooking classes to support the whole family.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a high school diploma gives young parents a sense of accomplishment and pride and opens doors to so many opportunities that will help provide for their families,\u201d said Leah.<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s Learning Coach Program high school graduate Marcella Miron, now 28, joined the program in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been such a struggle for me to get my diploma especially since my 8-year-old son has a weakened immune system, so I had to put my education on hold during the pandemic while I home schooled him,\u201d said Marcella. \u201cBut I\u2019m just over the moon having completed high school and I am a ball of emotions! I did it for my son; he is my biggest motivation. I also wanted to prove it to myself and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marcella says the Learning Coach Team helped keep her motivated.<\/p>\n

\u201cFormer teacher Phil Wakeford pushed me to keep going and he knew when I needed encouragement and when I didn\u2019t.\u00a0 Leah was such a positive support and always reminded me that I could do it and that I deserved to be successful,\u201d said Marcella. \u201cMy family, my best friend and fianc\u00e9, have supported me too and they were at my graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marcella says the playroom and the hot lunches were a big help for both her and her son while she was studying.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of trust issues, but I always knew I didn\u2019t have to worry about leaving my son with the Bethany Hope Centre staff.\u00a0 I knew I could study and if there was a problem they would come and get me. My son was always happy when I picked him up. The lunches were also really convenient, especially if I forgot my lunch when I was rushing to pack everything for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a new parent, Marcella says she also participated in counselling programs and parenting classes.\u00a0 \u201cThe staff made me feel comfortable to talk with them.\u00a0 They make you feel like it\u2019s okay to have problems and they make you feel cared for. They reassured me that I was doing things right and that I\u2019m a good mom,\u201d said Marcella. \u201cI have never met a group of people so caring and supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the future, Marcella is now looking at applying to Algonquin College and studying social work.\u00a0 \u201cI want to be a counsellor and help troubled youth,\u201d said Marcella, who is now looking forward to a bright future for herself and her family.<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s winner of the Hariot Munro Community Spirit Award is 19-year-old Farah Dridi, who is also a former graduate of the Learning Coach Program.<\/p>\n

The award was presented at Bethany Hope Centre Learning Coach Program graduation in memory of the late Hariot Munro, who volunteered for many years at Bethany Hope Centre, developing life-skills and post-natal parenting programs.<\/p>\n

The Hariot Munro Community Spirit award is given annually to a Bethany Hope Centre participant who is compassionate and has a general spirit of giving just as Hariot did.<\/p>\n

Farah first came to Bethany Hope Centre in 2019 when she was pregnant with her now 2-year-old son.\u00a0 As a single mom she came to Bethany Hope Centre to get help finishing high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like I was being left out at my high school because I was the only pregnant student. I was very distracted from my studies because I was worried that everyone was judging me,\u201d said Farah. \u201cThe staff at Bethany Hope Centre Learning Coach Program were very accepting and encouraging and they helped me focus on my work.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the help from the Learning Coach Program\u2019s, former teacher Phil Wakeford, Farah was able to complete 15 credits in 2 months.\u00a0 Farah continued to follow the curriculum at her high school but was doing the work at home and through The Learning Coach Program.\u00a0 While she was studying at Bethany Hope Center her son spent time in the playroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I would get distracted Phil and I would go for a walk and we would take the microscope because I was very interested in biology,\u201d said Farah.\u00a0 \u201cHe was a great teacher and very encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Farah also participated in a number of other programs including cooking, parenting and pre-natal classes.<\/p>\n

Farah graduated from high school last December and started at Algonquin College in January 2022, where she was studying Police Foundations. She recently switched to Early Childhood Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy time at Bethany Hope Centre was always amazing, and I can still go back there to use the computers and for support,\u201d said Farah.<\/p>\n

For more information about the Bethany Hope Centre please visit www.bethanyhopecentre.org<\/a> or to donate visit www.salvationarmy.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

By: Caroline Franks<\/p>\n