Tiana was stressed and couldn’t get organized. She was able to regain control of her schoolwork and rebuild her self-confidence, thanks to the support of a community agency.
Tiana is 16. She is a bright, disciplined and motivated student. Grade 10 is smooth sailing for her. But it wasn’t always so. “I was anxious. I wanted to do well, but I didn’t know where to start. I was disorganized,” she says.
In Quebec, 20% of high school students have an anxiety disorder.
In Grade 8, she felt she was losing her footing, although she was getting good marks. Her homework was piling up, she was juggling different subjects, performance anxiety was setting in. If she encountered an obstacle, she would set the assignment aside, start on something else, and never come back to it.
It was at this point that she started going to a local community agency that offers free, individualized help with schoolwork. There she found a well-organized space, a calm atmosphere and people who listened. “Everyone works quietly there. There are no distractions. If you run into a problem, you raise your hand and a tutor comes to help you.”
This supportive environment transformed her learning style. Two evenings a week, Tiana comes to do her homework, ask questions and improve her understanding of the material. The agency has helped her learn how to prioritize the subjects, manage her time and do things in the right order. At last, she feels she can come up for air. “Now I work efficiently, and when I go home, I can relax,” she says.
“The support I received helped me become more organized—and to believe in myself. What I’ve learned will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Comprehensive services
And the centre isn’t just a place to do homework. At 5:30 p.m., food is served to kids who don’t have time to go home. There are sports such as judo and basketball to give the students a chance to be physically active and bond. In the run-up to exams, the agency offers practical stress-reduction strategies such as breathing techniques and prioritization to help students plan their studying for the tests.
“They also gave us a study schedule, which may not seem like a big deal, but it makes all the difference,” says Tiana.
Today, Tiana is drawing on what she’s learned in her new role as a peer helper at the agency. She welcomes newcomers, helps them with their homework and answers their questions. It’s her way of giving back—and she’s happy that she can.
“I feel proud,” she says. “It’s wonderful to be able to help others as I was helped. In the future, I’d like to study science or medicine. All the things I’ve learned here will help me for the rest of my life.”
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