A team of researchers in Atlantic Canada is examining the impact of tuition waiver programs for youth who have spent time in foster care.
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The project, led by researchers at AV俱乐部 and Mount Saint Vincent University, which both offer the waivers, will be based on interviews with current and past participants in Atlantic Canadian university and college tuition waiver programs. People will be asked which elements of the programs are effective and which could be improved.
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鈥淭alking to people who received tuition waivers is essential because they can tell us what鈥檚 working and what鈥檚 not. Evaluating tuition waiver programs as we go will help all the partner organizations improve program design and delivery,鈥� says co-investigator Margaret Robinson, the Canada Research Chair in Reconciliation, Gender and Identity and an assistant professor in Dal's departments of English and Sociology and Social Anthropology. 听
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The team was awarded funding from Research Nova Scotia to support a collaborative evaluation of tuition waiver programs.鈥疉nyone who has received a waiver at an Atlantic Canadian institution and would like to participate is encouraged to contact Jasmine Tang.
Related reading: Dal launches new tuition waiver program for former youth in care
Moving toward equity in access
There is a growing national interest in understanding how interventions, such as tuition waiver programs, can reduce structural barriers experienced by former youth in care in accessing post-secondary education.
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More institutions are offering such programs across Canada, yet there is little data on how tuition waivers in Nova Scotia are affecting recipients. This project will involve partners at multiple Atlantic post-secondary institutions, government departments and community agencies from across the Atlantic provinces.
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鈥淚鈥檓 excited to be involved in the tuition waiver project,鈥� says Dr. Robinson. 鈥淚ndigenous youth are over-represented in care, as are sexual and gender minority youth. Those groups jump so many hurdles to make their educational dreams a reality. Tuition waivers are one way we can move toward equity in access to education.鈥�
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AV俱乐部 launched its program last year and offered waivers to 10 former youth in care for undergraduate studies at the university, enabling them to attend the school free of tuition charges.
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The program also provides tailored institutional supports, such as advising and counselling, as part of a holistic approach to minimizing systemic barriers that disproportionately affect youth with a past in care.
鈥淭uition waivers are a good start, but former youth in case may need other supports as well,鈥� Dr. Robinson said.
Identifying potential improvements
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It's estimated there are more than 50,000 children in foster care in Canada, with many experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage due to poverty, racism, sexism and legacies of colonialism. 听
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鈥淭his research offers a unique opportunity to determine how tuition waiver programs in the Atlantic region are meeting the needs of recipients,鈥� said study lead Dr. Jacquie Gahagan, Associate Vice-President of Research at Mount Saint Vincent University.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to identify potential program improvements toward further addressing barriers to post-secondary education among former youth in care.鈥�
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There is no age limit for the program and applicants must have spent at least one year in care to be eligible. Individuals awarded a spot in the program can pursue a certificate, diploma or degree program at the undergraduate level.
To learn more about AV俱乐部鈥檚 tuition waiver or if you are interested in applying, please contact Kristen Sutherland, the associate registrar and director of Student Recruitment and Undergraduate Admissions, at kristen.sutherland@dal.ca