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B.C.’s former youth-in-care tuition-waiver program sees massive success

Program usage has increased by 443 per cent since it was first introduced
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Former youth-in-care are eligible for a provincial tuition waiver. (via Shutterstock)

Former youth-in-care are accessing a program that opens doors to post-secondary education, as more than 1,100 of them are now using the province’s tuition waiver program.

That is a 443 per cent increase in the number of students using the program since it was first introduced in 2017, when only 206 students accessed the waiver.

"Like many youth in and from care, I found myself having to navigate multiple barriers as I worked to set goals related to my future,” says Natasha Santerre, a student in Douglas College's Youth Justice program, in a news release.

“The Tuition Waiver Program allows youth to access post-secondary education and trades without the added burden of figuring out how to cover the costs associated with their education goals. The removal of not having to stress about how to fund my education has created space for me to dream and create a future for myself that isn't defined by being a 'foster kid.' "

As of Sept. 30, 2019, 6,724 children and youth are in the care of the province or on youth agreements, where Indigenous youth are overrepresented.

Every year, 750 to 1,000 of those youth age out of care, often turning to income assistance or the Agreements with Young Adults (AYA) program.

"The tuition waiver program is a game-changing investment for former youth in care who are writing a new chapter in their lives and walking through the doors of post-secondary education in B.C.," says Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training in the same release.

"This program is providing young people who haven't had the right supports to now have a fighting chance at success. The fact that 1,119 students are benefiting from this opportunity speaks volumes about the resilience and determination of these young people. I am so proud to be part of a government that recognizes young people are our greatest asset, and lifting them up is the best legacy we can leave behind."

Since it was introduced in the fall of 2017, 1,119 individual students have accessed the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program, available at 25 public post-secondary institutions, Native Education College and 10 union training providers.

"We're changing the way we support youth as they transition out of government care and into adulthood," said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development in the release as well.

"We have expanded and enhanced the Agreements with Young Adults program, which complements the tuition waiver program, by providing an extra $250 per month for the full 12 months of the year, and have also extended eligibility by one year."

Former youth in care accessing the waiver are enrolled in a range of programs, including social work, teaching, nursing, flight training, trades, business administration and graphic design.

You can learn more about the provincial tuition waiver program, if you are eligible, and how to apply online.