The following is being distributed at the request of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation:

NLHC donates office space to Learning Disabilities Association

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) is providing a contribution by way of office space to the Learning Disabilities Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (LDANL). Joan Burke, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC), made this announcement today. The association will be located at 58 Oregon Drive, Stephenville, in the corporation�s regional office building.

�We are delighted to be in a position to partner with an organization that contributes so much to our communities,� said Minister Burke. �Given its social mandate, NLHC is always open to working in partnership with community groups that can contribute to an enhanced quality of life for the people of our province. Current statistics indicate that 10-15 per cent of our province�s population have learning disabilities. Without doubt, providing this office space will prove to be an invaluable resource for many people.�

This opportunity will enable the LDANL to establish Destination Employment, a program which addresses the employment needs of adults with learning disabilities. The goal of Destination Employment is to enhance the employability of adults with learning disabilities by providing targeted employment preparation training. The program also makes employers more aware and sensitive to the vast pool of talented adults who, while they have learning disabilities, are able to make valuable contributions.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing and promoting education, employment, social development, legal rights and the general well being of people with learning disabilities. They are a provincial chapter of the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC), a national non-profit organization founded in 1963. A Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) is located in every province and two territories of the country, and a network of community-based chapters exists in approximately 90 communities nation wide. Destination Employment is offered in partnership by the LDAC and LDANL, and is funded through the federal Opportunities Fund Social Development.

On the west coast, NLHC also provides in-kind office space to two other social partners, the Laubach Literacy Association who also occupy offices at 58 Oregon Drive, and the Community Education Network and Community Action Committee for Southwestern Newfoundland, who operate a family resource centre in Port au Port and one in Port aux Basques. Each of these groups provides tremendous support for the communities they serve.

Media contact: Jenny Bowring, NLHC, (709) 724-3055

2005 08 16                           11:30 a.m.