Centre for Diverse Learners

What Centre for Diverse Learners does

Centre for Diverse Learners (CDL) is a registered Canadian charity (BN 119010387RR0001) headquartered at the Rotary Youth Centre in Burlington, Ontario, founded in 1967. It delivers specialized educational and social-emotional programs to neurodiverse children, youth, and adults in the Halton and Hamilton regions, with primary focus on learners with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, ADHD, Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder, non-verbal learning disabilities, and mental health issues affecting learning. The organization explicitly does not receive government funding and is funded through a combination of charitable donations, foundation and corporate grants, program fees, and a $50 CAD annual membership.

The service portfolio is built on evidence-based instructional methodologies, principally Orton-Gillingham structured literacy, multi-sensory mathematics, the Science of Reading and OHRC Right to Read recommendations, and trauma-informed, strengths-based approaches. Core programs include Individualized Intensive Support (1:1 tutoring with hourly fees of $70-85), Orton-Gillingham Literacy Tutoring, Individual Intensive Math Tutoring, group programs (Leaps in Literacy, Mastering Mathematics, Social Skills, Friendship Club, Executive Functioning, Homework Health), the Ready, Set, School! 5-day summer program ($300), Community Training workshops, and Resource Facilitation for families. Programs are delivered in person at community venues including Burlington's Rotary Youth Centre and ROCK Hub, Hamilton's Central and Terryberry Libraries, Oakville Public Library branches, Milton Community & Resource Centre, and Halton Hills Public Library, with virtual delivery via Microsoft Teams.

The operating model is community-led, with a small core staff of 5 (Executive Director Carolyn Boutin, Office Manager Wajeeha Ansari, Manager of Social Engagement Jordan Handley-Passalacqua, Academic Program Manager Samantha Sweet, Social-Emotional Program Manager Olivia Fong) supported by a Board of Directors chaired by Thealzel Lee, employed or contracted educators, certified tutors, and a volunteer base. Many programs (Social Skills, Leaps in Literacy, Mastering Mathematics, Homework Health, Executive Functioning for Hamilton residents) are free to participants due to grant funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation, Halton Region, TD Ready Commitment, Hamilton Community Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada, United Way, RBC, Hamilton District Society for Disabled Children, Ontario Psychological Association, and Public Safety Canada. Distribution is direct to families, with no resellers; marketing is primarily community-based via the website (diverselearners.ca), social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, community workshops, peer-to-peer parent calls, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Name

Centre for Diverse Learners

Legal name

Centre for Diverse Learners

Website

https://diverselearners.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre for Diverse Learners is a registered Canadian charity (founded 1967, Burlington, Ontario) that delivers evidence-based literacy, math, social-emotional, and executive functioning programs to neurodiverse children, youth, and families across the Halton and Hamilton regions, funded by donations, grants, and program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Support Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Multisensory Learning Programs & Curriculum for Dyslexia/LD (EDAKAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Learning Support (Dyslexia/LD Coaching, Assistive Strategies) (EDAJALAJ), Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAB), Special Education & Learning Differences Learning Centers (Dyslexia/ADHD/IEP Support) (EDANAHAJ), Autism Spectrum (ASD) Academic & Social-Communication Support Tutoring (EDANAFAD), Special Education & Learning Differences Virtual Tutoring Platforms (EDANAGAJ)

Keywords

• Special education tutoring
• Neurodiverse learning support
• Orton-Gillingham literacy
• Executive functioning coaching
• Learning disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership: Annual membership at $50 CAD providing access to Individual Intensive Tutoring, priority enrollment, exclusive newsletters, and discounts on services.
2. Fee-for-Service Tutoring: Hourly tutoring services at $70-85/hour depending on grade level and program type (Elementary, Secondary, OG Instruction). Revenue from individualized 1:1 tutoring sessions.
3. Program Fees: Program registration fees such as Ready, Set, School! at $300 for the 5-day summer program.
4. Donations and Grants: Charitable donations from individuals and corporations, plus grant funding from organizations including Ontario Trillium Foundation, Halton Region, TD Ready Commitment, Hamilton Community Foundation, RBC, United Way, and Community Foundations of Canada. CDL is a registered charity (119010387RR0001) that does not receive government funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Centre for Diverse Learners provides evidence-based educational support programs for neurodiverse learners (children, teens, and adults) with learning disabilities, ADHD, Level 1 ASD, and learning-affecting mental health issues. Core offerings include 1:1 individualized intensive tutoring (with specialized Orton-Gillingham literacy and multi-sensory math streams), small-group programs (Leaps in Literacy, Mastering Mathematics, Ready Set School!, Social Skills, Friendship Club, Executive Functioning, Homework Health), family membership, resource facilitation, and customized community training workshops.

Product overview

Centre for Diverse Learners is a registered charitable organization offering a portfolio of educational support programs for neurodiverse learners (those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, Level 1 ASD, and mental health issues affecting learning). The organization operates as a service provider rather than a software product company. The core offerings include Individualized Intensive Support (1:1 tutoring with specialized streams for Orton-Gillingham literacy and math), group programs (Ready, Set, School!, Social Skills, Friendship Club, Executive Functioning, Leaps in Literacy, Mastering Mathematics), and Homework Health. These programs are delivered in-person at locations across Halton and Hamilton, Ontario, with virtual options for some programs. Additional services include membership access, community training, and resource facilitation for families navigating the education system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individualized Intensive Support One-on-one tutoring program pairing neurodiverse students with experienced tutors, offering customized instruction in literacy (Orton-Gillingham), mathematics, and other subjects based on individual assessment and academic goals. Requires annual membership. Priced at $70-85/hour depending on grade level and program type.
• Ready, Set, School! A 5-day, small-group summer program for students in Grades 3-12 that prepares students to return to the classroom with strategies for organization, time management, study habits, and social-emotional skills. Priced at $300 for the 5-day program.
• Social Skills: Friendships & Relationships Interactive, game-based program supporting children experiencing challenges with emotional regulation, social interactions, and building healthy friendships, designed for children with ADHD, Autism, APD, or behavioral struggles. Free to participants via grant funding.
• Friendship Club Semi-structured summer program developing social skills including conversation, active listening, making friends, and conflict resolution through small group activities led by volunteers.
• Executive Functioning Program 9-week program helping middle and high school students with suspected or diagnosed learning disabilities build practical strategies for planning, organization, time management, and academic success. Free for Hamilton residents via grant funding.
• Orton-Gillingham Literacy Tutoring Research-based, structured, multi-sensory 1:1 reading approach specifically designed for children with dyslexia diagnosis, explicitly teaching language rules to build decoding skills. Priced at $85/session with a minimum 2 sessions/week requirement for the 2026-2027 school year.
• Individual Intensive Math Tutoring Highly individualized math tutoring program for neurodiverse learners providing personalized planning, targeted instruction, homework help, and foundational math concept breakdown. Priced at $70/hour (Grades 1-8) or $85/hour (Grades 9-12).
• Leaps in Literacy Free 8-week multisensory early intervention literacy program for students 6-12 years old based on science of reading and OHRC Right to Read recommendations, teaching phonemic awareness, decoding, and encoding skills.
• Mastering Mathematics Multi-sensory mathematics program for children and youth with learning disabilities, offering small group (3-4 students) remedial tutoring twice weekly for 9 weeks, focusing on number sense, numeration, patterning, and algebra. Free to participants via grant funding.
• Homework Health Free drop-in program providing accessible tutoring and mental health support specifically tailored for neurodiverse teens in Grade 9-12 in the Halton-Hamilton area.
• Annual Membership Annual membership ($50 CAD/year) providing access to Individual Intensive Tutoring, priority enrollment, exclusive newsletters, and discounts on services and workshops.
• Community Training Customized workplace workshops empowering organizations to support neurodiverse clients and staff, covering understanding neurodiversity, management strategies, and accommodations.
• Resource Facilitation Navigation support service helping families understand learning disabilities documents, advocate at school meetings, and connect with community partners. Includes parent support appointments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Post-program assessments conducted to measure individual and cohort progress; reports provided to parents with recommended next steps
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ROCK (Reach Out Centre for Kids)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing space at ROCK Hub locations for Homework Health program delivery. Also referral partner for neurodiverse youth support services.
• Hamilton Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing program space at Central Library and Terryberry Library locations for Leaps in Literacy and Mastering Mathematics programs.
• Oakville Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing space at White Oaks Branch for Homework Health and other programs.
• Milton Community & Resource CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing space for Leaps in Literacy and Mastering Mathematics programs.
• Halton Hills Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing space for Mastering Mathematics program delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Geneva Centre for Autism: Toronto-based charity providing autism services including social-skills programming, family support, and training. Comparable in mission (serving neurodiverse learners in Ontario) and charity structure, though autism-specific rather than LD-focused.

Direct peers

• The Reading Clinic: Canadian organization specializing in evidence-based reading instruction for students with dyslexia and learning disabilities, including Orton-Gillingham-trained tutors. Closely comparable to CDL on methodology (structured literacy) and target learner.
• Oxford Learning: Canadian supplemental education franchise offering tutoring across literacy, math, and study skills for K-12 students. Comparable in the fee-for-service tutoring model and Canadian footprint, though broader in scope than CDL's neurodiversity specialization.
• Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes: US-based provider of research-validated literacy and language instruction for students with dyslexia and learning disabilities. Highly comparable on instructional methodology (sensory-cognitive tutoring for LD) and learner profile, though operating at greater scale.
• Learning Disabilities Association of York Region: Canadian registered charity delivering tutoring, advocacy, and social-emotional programs for children and youth with learning disabilities in York Region. Highly comparable to CDL in mission, charitable structure, service mix, and Ontario geographic footprint.

Others

• Dyslexia Canada: Canadian charity focused on awareness, advocacy, and resources for the dyslexia community. Comparable in mission alignment (dyslexia and structured literacy) and charity structure, though more advocacy- and content-oriented than service-delivery.
• Learning Disabilities Association of Canada: National umbrella organization advocating for Canadians with learning disabilities and supporting provincial chapters. Comparable as an LD-focused nonprofit in Canada, though primarily advocacy and information rather than direct service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Sylvan Learning: Large North American tutoring franchise offering personalized instruction across subjects including reading and math. Overlaps with CDL on supplemental tutoring for struggling learners but serves a much broader population and is not neurodiversity-specialized.
• Kumon: Global supplemental education franchise focused on math and reading worksheets. Comparable as a community-based learning services franchise, but operates a standardized, less individualized model than CDL's neurodiversity-specific tutoring.
• Tutor Doctor: Canadian-founded in-home and online tutoring franchise serving K-12 and adult learners. Comparable in the personalized 1:1 tutoring model, though broader in scope and not specialized in learning disabilities or structured literacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LearnDiverse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/learning-disabilities-association-of-halton
• Instagraminstagram.com/LearnDiverse
• Xx.com/LearnDiverse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Diverse Learners