Who We Are
LIFE Centre is a non-profit organization that offers special education to persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental diagnoses. We are presently governed by a Board of five Directors (all voluntary). LIFE Centre was incorporated in 1999 and was granted charitable status by the Ministry of Finance in 2001. We have been registered with the Ministry of Education since 2006 and are active members of the Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ASTT); The Private Special Schools Association of Trinidad and Tobago (PSSATT); and the Consortium of Disability Organizations (CODO).
Most of our students experience profound challenges with social communication and emotional regulation and generally cannot cope in the traditional education setting or many of the educational settings that are available for special needs students. Indeed, it can be argued that our unique school provides a safe space unparalleled to many in the educational landscape of Trinidad and Tobago.
LIFE Centre aims at following best practices and global standards. As such, experience shows that for students with profound challenges a teacher to child ratio varying between 1:1 and 1:3 is necessary. This greatly increases our annual budget and the cost of educating a child is unaffordable for most parents. Without the aid of Government funding, a number of benefactors and kind supporters we could not continue to provide the service we do.
Our Valued Supporters: Strengthening Our Mission Together
The LIFE Centre depends heavily on volunteerism and on corporate donations to ensure the sustainability of its operations and improvement of its facilities. We receive a partial subvention from the Government to assist with operating expenses. Some grant funding has also been received and our benefactors include:
- Republic Bank
- Digicel Foundation
- National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago
- United Way
- IGT
- Royal Bank Education Foundation
- Caribbbean Kids & Families Therapy Organization
- Atlantic LNG
- Scotia Bank Foundation
- Massy Foundation
- ANSA McAL Foundation
- SAGICOR
- National Lotteries Control Board
- Unit Trust Corporation
- RBTT Asset Management
- Foundation for the Enhancement & Enrichment of Life
- Women in Action for the Needy and Destitute Foundation
- Syrian- Lebanese Women's Association
- ANSA McAL Chemicals
- Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago
- Unilever Trinidad
- Marubeni Power
- Recruitment Xperts
- Ink Stop
- Purity Waters
- Berment Caterers
- EOG Resources
- Foundation for Human Development
