Storwell Bursary Program

The Storwell Foster Children Bursary Program

Educational Challenges & Financial Barriers

According to a study done in 2017 by the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, youth in care have a very difficult time completing high school, with 56% of Ontario Crown Wards dropping out of high school. This struggle with education continues as former foster children and youth in care who do graduate from high school try to transition into post-secondary school. For every 1,000 youths in Canadian foster care, only eight go on to graduate with a post-secondary education. One of the largest barriers to entry for children in foster care is the financial burden that comes along with post-secondary education.

Storwell’s Initiative

In response to the growing number of foster children and youth in care that struggle to afford post-secondary studies, Storwell has developed the Storwell Foster Children Bursary Program. Along with providing secure and affordable self storage units, Storwell is also devoted to helping out the local community through various charitable causes and social initiatives. The aim of the bursary program is to provide foster children with resources and opportunities that might be otherwise unavailable to them. With the proper tools, these students can work towards building a better life for themselves through the pursuit of higher education.

Combating Stigma

Another hurdle that foster children must overcome in their pursuit of post-secondary education is the stigma associated with growing up in the foster care system, which stops many students from reaching out and asking for the assistance that they require. Hopefully, as more initiatives like the Storwell Foster Children Bursary become available and education about foster care becomes more widespread, this stigma will begin to dissipate and foster children and youth in care will be able to receive the attention and support that they deserve.

A Decade of Support & Application Process

For over a decade, Storwell has been running the bursary program for students who were part of the foster care system, to help them attend post-secondary school. The bursary program has helped numerous students across Canada achieve their educational goals. Storwell offers an annual bursary of $2,000 to help foster children attend post-secondary schools and to offer a hand up as they make their way forward in life. Eligibility requirements and access to the application form can be found at: Storwell Bursary Application