The goal of this fund is to match my donation of $5000 a year, which provides scholarships of $2500 a year to two social work students whose parents did not attend university, in their third and fourth years of the bachelor of social work program.

With your help, we could support more first generation university students in becoming social workers. If my donation is matched, we can support two additional students. If we can collaboratively raise $30 000, then we can establish a sustainable endowment fund.

Social work is a practical profession, and so can be an opportunity for people to break cycles of intergenerational poverty. Investment in a person on this bold journey causes exponential change, for the individual, communities, as well as within the profession of social work. Social work needs diverse knowledge, particularly knowledge that extends beyond how upper and middle class people experience the world.

Social work would be better informed, if we supported and valued the knowledge of people who have directly experienced the trauma of intergenerational poverty, and working for, or being entitled to, a wage which is inadequate for covering basic needs.

As professionals dedicated to the pursuit of social justice, we should start with ourselves in terms of not pulling the ladder of privilege up behind us. I think we can all see different ways that privilege and community supports helped us in our journey to becoming professionals.

This fund is an opportunity for community members to support the next generation during the years of the BSW where they are learning through unpaid practicum.

Social workers have all experienced how difficult it can be working for free, while also being in full time school, additionally often engaging in paid work in order to pay for basic needs for ourselves and our families. This is a time when money for childcare, counselling or tuition can make a huge difference in supporting students in graduating.

As a social worker, a first generation graduate student, and the child of two first generation university students, I created this fund by donating a percentage of my income to support the next generation.

My donation was matched by my sister, as well as by my friend who is a Paramedic. Two friends with MSWs, and a friend who is receiving student funding, also generously contributed, as this inequality is close to their hearts.

I want first generation university students to experience the community support resulting from us walking our talk when it comes to redistributing wealth, recognizing the oppression of class divisions, making university accessible, and challenging the validity of meritocracy.

Will you be part of providing this community care?

 - Anonymous Donor

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