See The PERSON,
Not The DisABILITY
Live & Learn
The Live & Learn Centre is committed to strengthening the community and fostering independence for individuals with developmental disabilities in order to help improve their overall quality of life.
Live & Learn provides a dynamic and supportive environment, while offering programs designed to assist participants in developing new skills and reaching their full potential. Our programs provide enriched learning experiences that facilitate growth, independence, self-esteem, life skills, peer-interactions, and encourage community involvement.
We believe in…
- Giving individuals of all abilities the opportunity to work towards their full potential
- Building positive, nurturing relationships that encourage growth and development
- Using community partnerships to create effective and powerful opportunities
- Making quality services and support our number one priority
- Innovation as a mindset
- Giving back to the community
The Live & Learn Centre is a multi-service business offering a full spectrum of programming including:
- An educational day program
- Get Connected! evening programs and social events
- Cottage Getaways
- Summer Excursion day programs
- Volunteering opportunities
- GiftABLES Entrepreneurial program
Andrea Kretz and Jason Dudgeon met while working for the Upper Grand District School Board, where they began collaborating on programs and social opportunities for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities at John F. Ross High School.
With the help of their colleagues at John F. Ross, Andrea and Jason started the tradition of an annual prom for high school students with developmental disabilities and a Special Olympics pep rally. Their mantra was, “Those that have the ability to create change, have a responsibility to take action!”
Community Of Hearts
After these initial experiences, Andrea and Jason began to recognize that once individuals aged out of the school system, their social and educational needs remained the same — and few opportunities existed. As a result, they developed a program that would address the obstacles faced by those with intellectual/developmental disabilities in the Guelph community!
In 2012, Andrea and Jason co-founded their first not-for-profit organization, Community of Hearts, dedicated to providing a unique program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Throughout their four years with Community of Hearts, Andrea and Jason helped the organization grow from a small grassroots initiative, which ran out of their home, to an established not-for-profit organization.
The Live & Learn Centre
In 2016, Andrea and Jason decided to take the next step in their journey and establish a business, The Live & Learn Centre, founded on the motto: “See The PERSON, Not The DisABILITY.” Through collaboration with the community of Guelph, Live & Learn has been able to innovate in a way that others cannot — accessing resources, businesses, and services to provide new opportunities to participants.
Andrea and Jason share the belief that the participants at Live & Learn can make a significant contribution to the Guelph community. They aspire to transform Guelph into a space that is inclusive of persons with disabilities and value their differences. Thanks to their combined experience and desire for excellence, Andrea and Jason have been able to find amazing opportunities for Live & Learn participants and consistently deliver effective programming.