FAQs

Functional literacy is the ability to interpret and decode written words and symbols to carry out daily living activities needed to secure and maintain a home and employment, and manage one’s health conditions (Grajo & Gutman, 2019).

In any given night, approximately 554,000 people are homeless in the United States (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2018; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2017).

A study by St Mungo’s Broadway found that 51% of 139 homeless clients lacked basic skills in written English (Kanndoo, 2018).

Several government funded programs are in place to help unhoused individuals with their literacy skills (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg; 2017).

Neuro-navigation wants to educate, advocate and empower young individuals and their families in their plight to get a basic education while they are still young and ultimately reduce the illiteracy rate that often results in experiencing a life of living on the streets.

References:

Grajo L., Gutman S. A. (2019). The role of occupational therapy in functional literacy. Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 7(1), Article 13.

National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2018). State of homelessness. Retrieved from https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-report/

“The Literacy Crisis in the Homeless Population.” Kanndoo, www.kanndoo.org/news/the-literacy-crisis-in-the-homeless-population.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2017). 2017 annual homeless assessment report (AHAR) to congress. Retrieved from https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf

Wlodkowski R. J., Ginsberg M. B. (2017). Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley.

At Neuro Navigation, "equity" in education means fairness, impartiality, and justice in providing educational opportunities and resources to everyone, regardless of their background or abilities. We aim to address systemic barriers and create an inclusive, supportive learning environment. We promote equity by sharing our experiences and providing tools and resources to advocate for those who often fall through the cracks in the education system.

Kelly's experience showed that without visible disabilities, she often didn't receive the help she needed in school. She was passed from year to year, and by age 14, she still couldn't read or write her name. (Read her memoir for the full story!)

Yes, Kelly is delighted to share her incredible journey. Visit our service page to learn how to book her for your event.