Tanya’s Story
In early 2023, Tanya came to the United Way-supported education agency feeling like she was starting over. She had no stable place to live, was separated from her daughter and her husband had been arrested. She felt alone and hopeless and was seeking a fresh start.
The agency offers personalised, self-paced programming for adults, covering everything from GED preparation and adult high school credits to money management, digital literacy, and first aid. Program facilitator Janelle explains that “They often have a desire to finish their GED or adult high school graduation… but it’s so much more than that. It’s really a self-pacing kind of program which is really flexible for them.”
Tanya began working closely with Janelle, and, shortly after her intake, her pride and confidence in herself were reignited. Tanya passed two GED exams and, with encouragement, switched to the Adult High School Diploma program — moving quickly through credits with one-on-one coaching support. Beyond academics, she received domestic violence support and her first laptop, all at no cost.
Tanya found a community, rebuilt her self-esteem, and discovered new goals. The agency's incentives and wrap-around supports — designed to reduce individual barriers to success — helped her see a future she hadn't been able to imagine when she first walked through the door.
Now preparing to apply to a PSW program, Tanya says she wouldn’t have made it without the support she received. The day her transcript was sent, she finally felt proud, capable, and ready for what’s next.
This is just one example of the many lives that are changed thanks to the generosity of United Way donors.
