Just ask

We are here to help

ASK is a Geneva-based, non-profit organisation and an NGO founded by Joy Tong in 2003 in direct response to the needs of parents, their children, teenagers and young adults with learning differences and special educational needs. ASK provides a welcoming, caring, nurturing environment, whether you’ve just arrived in Switzerland or have lived here all your life. Our work is guided by the following four core values: C.A.R.E: Community – Assistance – Resource – Enrichment

Our Mission

ASK is dedicated to offering a range of programmes and services to fulfil these core values, driven by the needs of parents, their children, young adults, and professionals.

Support families and their children and young adults with learning differences and special educational needs.
Raise both public and professional awareness of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) and the need for early detection, proper diagnosis, appropriate recommendations and specialist support.
Increase parental and professional awareness of services within the community.
Bridge the gap between parents, educators, and specialists, finding the best solution for each individual – both academically and socially.
ASK is committed to establishing meaningful social experiences for individuals with learning differences.
ASK is committed to offering training opportunities for community partners and professionals to build awareness and support meaningful inclusion for all individuals with differential learning needs.

Our Team

Dr Jennifer Holloway is the new CEO of ASK and the Director of the ACCESS program. Dr. Holloway is a Chartered Psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has worked with children and adults with differential learning needs for over 25years, as a clinician and researcher. Jennifer has specific expertise in designing evidence-based practices to teach socially significant goals for individuals. She has spent many years supporting families and other professionals through delivering training courses and workshops. Jennifer is dedicated to advancing ASK to provide a range of services and supports to meet the needs of the individual with differential diagnoses, their families, and community partners.

Dr. Lorna Barry is a Chartered Psychologist working across ASK programs and is the ACCESS Program Supervisor. She is a Chartered Behavioural Psychologist and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, and obtained her MSc. in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. She has extensive experience working with children and young adults, helping them to build social and independent skills within their homes and communities. Lorna is passionate about improving the lives of people with differential learning abilities.

Nadine has over 15 years of banking operational experience and holds an MBA from Boston University. She is an advocate for humanitarian causes and is active in the Geneva fundraising scene for various NGO’s. She was born in Lebanon and grew up in the US and the Middle East, and now lives in Geneva. She brings her fundraising know-how and humanitarian network to the team

An Anglo-Swiss national, Jacqueline spent 14 years working in offshore fund management and fund research in London before moving to Geneva in 2010. After several years volunteering as Office Manager at ASK, Jacqueline is now Chair of ASK’s Fundraising Committee. She is also a Board member of GRSA – No Strings Attached and Association des Femmes de la Planète and a voluntary trainer at the Association Sportive des Schtroumpfs.

Digital designer specialised in attending small businesses. Fine Art Photographer. After volunteering at its fundraising events and working as Office Manager at ASK, Renata is now the Communications Officer with primary responsibilities with ASK to lead, support, and develop ASK and ACCESS branding and effective communications on programs and services for the benefit of the team and key stakeholders.

Our Board

Our board strives to ensure ASK is best supporting children with learning differences and special educational needs throughout Switzerland.

Elaine Curry

Board Member

Elaine first became involved with ASK in 2003 when her son took part in a number of its programs. Experiencing first hand the positive difference ASK makes, Elaine became more involved in the organisation and was appointed to the Board in 2008. She was a Director at Merrill Lynch Banque Suisse for 13 years before moving to the US.

Charles Firmenich

Chairman

Charles worked for 38 years in the family company in Finance, general management and ultimately as Chairman of the family holding company. His work took him to the USA, Latin America, the UK and finally back to Switzerland. He has 2 children and 4 grandchildren, one of whom motivated him to accept the ASK-All Special Kids Chairman post and gave him the determination to make a difference to the lives of children and young adults with special educational needs.

Anne-Lise Mumenthaler Muller

Board Member

Anne-Lise has worked as a Project Manager for 20 years in a family-owned staffing company based in Geneva. Her elder son was diagnosed with dyslexia and is currently studying Engineering at EPFL, Lausanne, after receiving the support he needed.

Augustine Agyeman-Duah

Treasurer

Augustine, Audit Manager at the Global Fund, is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Forensic Auditor with 15 years’ experience in Finance, governance, auditing and risk management in the public and private sectors. He also serves on the Board of the African Investment Program for Innovation and Finance in Bern and Maxim Nyansa IT Solutions in Ghana.

We love to hear from our parents and partners!

Comments From Parents and Partners

School administrator
March 2, 2019
“When you walk around ASK Summer Camp for the first time, you recognize all the signs of a great camp: colors, music, laughs, excited kids and even more excited staff. A closer look at the very specific set of activities make you realize that you have reached a place in which learning is back to its roots, the freeing of the learner.”
Karen Davies Brace
February 28, 2019
I cannot say enough about ASK, Joy and all those involved with this amazing organization. We were in such desperation to find help for our children. One needed an assessment for dyslexia and the other for autism spectrum disorder. It was so difficult to get connected to professionals qualified to conduct these assessments (and in their Mother tongue). Joy was able to help us with both. We were connected to a psychologist who assessed our son for dyslexia. From there we were able to get Social, Play and Occupational therapy as well as therapy with a Psychomotricienne. For our dyslexic child, Joy introduced us to Oak Hill which completely changed him from being a non-reader to fluent reader and we saw his self-esteem increase tremendously within a mere three weeks at Oak Hill. In addition we discovered he is extremely strong in math which was hidden from us during all his struggles with reading. We cannot forget the wonderful homework club too. The boys enjoyed and benefited very much from them. The teachers and the program are amazing. Thx you Joy and all staff at ASK. We are forever grateful!