United Way, Emera Launch Pilot Program For Post-Secondary Students

United Way Saint John, Kings & Charlotte and Emera New Brunswick have founded the United By Success Awards, a pilot project helping students facing barriers to achieve their post-secondary education goals.

Executive Director of United Way Saint John, Kings & Charlotte, Alexya Heelis, says through talking with their funded partners and living amidst the pandemic, they realized there are still gaps and barriers preventing people from moving out of poverty.

“We know that to get people to move out of poverty is a complex issue, it’s not one solution, it’s often multiple solutions with multiple organizations,” said Heelis. “We know that education is one of the big factors in getting people to break that cycle of generational poverty, but in order to access that education, there are a lot of barriers.”

The United for Success Awards will provide up to $2,000 per student. The awards will be hosted in the pilot stage by three United Way Funded Partners: The Teen Resource Centre, First Steps and The Learning Exchange.

“It was an easy option for us and the United Way to work with them as a means for having the students matched up with this program,” says Emera New Brunswick General Manager, Ryan O’Hara, adding the partners’ “boots on the ground” approach and working with clients every day is crucial to understanding what resources and support is most needed.

The awards will help students struggling with the costs associated with post-secondary education.  Barriers faced by students include access to supplies, the required technology, a bus pass, childcare, or even food.

“It’s ultimately helping students maintain their sense of independence and helping them get over these hurdles that that, as you said, may be seemingly small, but can prevent these students from continuing on,” he said.

Funds will be dispersed by the organizations directly to the individuals, and each award recipient will be paired with a case manager to provide ongoing support in working towards their goals.

Twelve awards, valued at $15,000, have been provided to students since this summer.

“The bigger goal is making sure that people are going to have all the things in place that they need to be successful and to complete that post-secondary education,” said Heelis.  “We’re hoping that these awards are going to help address some of those barriers that previously would have maybe held people back.”