She thought everyone hated her. The teachers. Other students. The world. So she skipped classes. And her grades plummeted. Elizabeth Rozek admits she was a lousy student. "I didn't go to most of my Grade 10 classes. I didn't bother to go to school. I didn't want to be there." But at the time, school was the least of her worries.
Her home life was a train wreck. She became a Crown ward with the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Hamilton. Her self-esteem was at rock bottom. Her future bleak. If it had been 10 years earlier, it's likely Elizabeth's education would have ended there. She would probably have dropped out. Continued a cycle begun by her parents.
In the 2004-05 academic year, the CCAS had just two wards go on to post-secondary education. But, just in time for Elizabeth, the society began making higher education a priority. It started to look at ways to encourage and guide its youth into universities and colleges. It hooked up with the boards of education and private partners and sent a clear message to troubled and weary kids who saw no point in going further in school:
You can do it
Elizabeth moved to a foster home in Barrie. Barrie, because
there were no openings here. It was a fresh start. At a counsellor's
behest, she began keeping journals. She wrote of her problems. An art
teacher took an interest in her and Elizabeth spent her lunch hours in
the art room, drawing and painting. The turning point came when a girl
with Down syndrome chose the seat next to her in art class. The two had
an instant connection. Soon, the girl relied on Elizabeth. "I felt like
I was helping someone who had less advantage than I did," Elizabeth
says.
This month, Elizabeth graduated with an A average from the developmental service worker program at Loyalist College. And she starts the Child and Youth Worker program at Humber College. She's thinking of going to university after that for social work.
Elizabeth's tuition has been paid for by the Hamilton CCAS. Though her Crown wardship ended when she was 18, she signed an extended care maintenance agreement, meaning she is still under the care of the society -- and receives its funding -- until she turns 21. Elizabeth is now 20. She's not sure how she'll pay for school after her birthday. Her foster parents are generous and her birth parents try to help out. But that may not be enough. The province has introduced a new policy that will -- eventually -- address that very problem.
The plan, announced in April, is to have children's aid societies take the $100 a month from Ottawa's Universal Child-Care Benefit plan that goes to children under the age of six, and invest those funds in a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) on behalf of the child. If a child is a CAS ward from birth through to six, her RESP plus matching funds from the federal government could amount to $23,000 by age 18. The CAS will manage the account until the child attends post-secondary school or turns 25. Tracking children who leave CAS care may be the greatest challenge.
About 40 per cent of youth in the general population attend post-secondary school, but in Ontario only about 21 per cent of CAS youth pursue a higher education.
The Hamilton CCAS now sends 34 per cent of its eligible children on to college or university. This year, 19 of its wards went on to post-secondary education, three at university, 16 at college. Along with Elizabeth's graduation, there is also a young man graduating from computer studies and math at the University of Waterloo.
"We see education as a means to opening the door for the future and break the cycle of poverty," says Ersilia DiNardo, CCAS executive director. "The kids know now that there is an expectation that we want them to finish high school." To encourage continuing education, the CCAS:
Hires experts to perform "psychoeducational assessments" of students to better understand their academic troubles.
Celebrates graduations from Grade 8, high school, college and university by having staff at the ceremony and giving the child a gift.
Has a bursary program for post-secondary students.
Has life skills program to teach youth banking and budgeting.
Has tutoring programs for elementary students.
At the Children's Aid Society of Hamilton, executive director Dominic Verticchio also reports a steady rise in the number of children going on to higher education. He estimates each year between seven and 15 eligible youth enrol at college, university or trade school.
One youth, he says, overcame a drug addiction and is now at community college. Another has finished his first year of engineering at McMaster University. "We take a lot of pride in these youths," he says, "the way a family would take pride in their own children ... There is a new road being forged."
Susan Clairmont
18 June 2008
