UNITED for brighter futures – Youth Futures Education Fund
As a child growing up on Haida Gwaii, Kiarah knew what she wanted to study – psychology! Fast forward a decade and that is exactly what she is doing at the University of Victoria, and she is very much enjoying the pursuit of her bachelor’s degree thanks to the support of a provincial tuition waiver and United Way BC’s Youth Futures Education Fund (YFEF).
“I came from a small and rural place where it was challenging to find like-minded people. The…foremost aspect of the university that stood out to me was the community and being surrounded by others going through…the same thing,” Kiarah says.
“You belong to a group and identify with this group that has a similar understanding of not only the struggles and adversities we face as students but also the importance of interests and goals and our successes relative to this, which I have found personally to be quite comforting.”
Financial impact
Finding a community of people and networking are just a couple of the many benefits of post-secondary education that serve students not only while they are in college or university but also later in their careers. Without the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education, former youth in government care can be at a disadvantage.
“Post-secondary education isn’t just about being in a classroom—for youth who’ve been in government care, it’s a launching pad to stability, self-sufficiency, building positive relationships, and working towards a future they get to shape on their own terms,” says Trisha Dulku, Strategic Initiatives Manager, Community Impact and Investment at United Way BC.
One of the challenges of getting a post-secondary education is financing. As a former youth in care, Kiarah is on a provincial tuition waiver, but schooling (especially for those also raising a child) is expensive.
“No matter what, it always seems something has to be sacrificed,” Kiarah says. “Trying to maintain a healthy balance of housing and food stability on top of your child’s care, and your and your kids’ mental and physical well-being… It’s easy to become overwhelmed, and often, students find themselves experiencing burnout, which can be detrimental to both your social and academic facets of life.”
Thanks to support from United Way BC YFEF, which provides low-barrier access to funds for basic living expenses like food, rent, technology, childcare, and more, Kiarah is moving forward with confidence.
“This funding has helped me mitigate many of the stressors that come with being a student and allowed me to focus on the more essential things in life, such as school and time with my daughter, without worrying so much about sacrificing time towards one to excel with the other. I would not have seen the same prosperity had I not received it,” she says.
Creating equal educational opportunities
Since 2015, Youth Futures Education Fund South Vancouver Island post-secondary partner institutions Camosun College, Royal Roads University and the University of Victoria have disbursed almost $600,000 to almost 400 students.
“In 2019, more than 30 UVic students were supported by the UVic Tuition Award and the Provincial Tuition Waiver program. I am thrilled to say that in 2024/25 that number exceeded 80! These students are the definition of hard work and determination, and it is incredibly rewarding to see so many of them graduating or having already graduated,” says Aly Landman, Financial Aid Officer, University of Victoria.
“Witnessing their academic achievements after financial hurdles have been removed is a powerful reminder of the difference we can achieve together through the Youth Futures Education Fund.”
“Our partnership with United Way BC is helping create opportunities for so many! It is an honour to be able to support and stand alongside these remarkable UVic students as they chase their dreams for a bright and successful future!”
Changing lives
Almost 4,300 students attending college or university on a tuition waiver have received nearly $4.5 million in Youth Futures Education Fund support since the fund was first established in 2014. Seventy-one percent of these students graduate.
In 2023/24, thanks to United Way BC donors, the Youth Futures Education Fund provided almost $700,000 in barrier-free funds, our highest disbursement to date, to 580 former youth in care like Kiarah so they could study with greater peace of mind.
“Knowing we have these donors supporting our academic success brings similar feelings to how parents work quietly behind the scenes to ensure opportunities to thrive,” Kiarah says.
“They support and invest in our futures and provide financial aid, encouragement, and belief (that indeed does go a long way) in our potential…the support is someone seeing value in our journey. They believe in our ability to succeed and, in turn, play a significant role in making that success possible.”
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