Selkirk College: Challenging Past and Hopeful Future for Former Youth in Care Student

Dec 10 2018

Rose Rollier-Spencer finds beauty in the ancient past, even the most unsavory elements that make many people uncomfortable.

“I’m a Medieval fanatic,” says the 20-year-old, who is currently a Textiles Studio student in Kootenay Studio Arts (KSA) at Selkirk College. “I love the clothes, the food and the armour, but also the more unpleasant parts like torture and battle tactics.”

Rollier-Spencer enroled in KSA’s Blacksmithing Studio and Bronze Casting Studio in September, 2017 after graduating from Grand Forks Secondary School with the aim of exploring her passion for the past through an artistic outlet. Starting in September, 2018 she moved on to the Textiles Studio to continue her education that focuses on hand-crafted garments where she is once again taking inspiration from the Middle Ages.
Overcoming the Struggles of High School

A former youth in care, Rollier-Spencer’s pathway to post-secondary has not been easy. She entered the foster care system when she was nine and it took until her third placement to find a stable environment. By the time she arrived to the foster parents in Grand Forks that would end up raising her through middle school and high school, Rollier-Spencer had huge gaps in her learning because of three tumultuous years where proper education was hit-and-miss.

“When I arrived to school in Grand Forks, I could not really read, write or do math,” she says. “By the time I was in Grade 5, I couldn’t catch up because of all the missed pages of my education that I wasn’t able to fill in.”

When she moved onto middle school, the struggles escalated. The continued challenges in school and the emotional scars of her past were combined with bullying from classmates who had no idea how difficult her earlier life had been. Though she hid her internal grief from her foster parents, by the time she reached Grade 9, Rollier-Spencer says she was depressed and suicidal.

“It’s dangerous when a kid gets to the point of ‘I don’t care’ because that is the point where they can easily get tipped over the edge,” says Rollier-Spencer. “It’s the feeling of: I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, I’m not quick enough, I’m not strong enough, I’m not big enough. After a while, it really builds up.”

In high school, Rollier-Spencer started to grow her passion for history and spent a lot of time alone her room with books. Focused on the Medieval period, she put her academic energy into learning more and discovering a world full of imperfection. Bravely pushing through ongoing struggles that always made her feel like an outsider, Rollier-Spencer managed to graduate with As and Bs.

For young people in foster care, the accomplishment of graduating from high school is only the beginning. Faced with an uncertain future without a solid family foundation, many former youth in care struggle once they are no longer in the provincial government system.

In 2017, Premier John Horgan and Minister of Advanced Education, Skills & Training Melanie Mark announced that tuition for former youth in care would be waived at all 25 public post-secondary institutions for young people between the ages of 19 and 26 who had been in care for a minimum of 24 months. It was part of the government’s strategy of providing a more comprehensive program for the vulnerable population.

Though uncertain about pursuing post-secondary and still not confident that she had the academic wherewithal to continue, Rollier-Spencer decided that “floating around in the abyss” was not going to lead to a positive outcome. That’s when she made the decision to attend KSA and delve further into her understanding of the past through hands-on creativity.

“Selkirk College has helped me develop the skills of communication and confidence, but it’s still hard to communicate because I think that people are looking at me like I’m an idiot,” she says. “Selkirk College has made me realize my limits. I can push myself to a certain point, but I can’t push past that point. If I push myself past that point, I am useless to the college and myself.”

Healthy Campus Advisor Leslie Comrie is a former social worker who started her post-secondary career at Selkirk College as an instructor in the School of Health & Human Services. One of those charged with helping support former youth in care who attend Selkirk College, Comrie says the supports in place are not a definitive answer.

“Removing financial barriers such as tuition is a positive step towards supporting former youth in care,” says Comrie, who spent 30 years in the social work field working with youth and families prior to arriving to Selkirk College. “But, it is important to realize that creating a supportive environment for these students involves understanding that those who have made it to the point of being admitted to post-secondary education are demonstrating a kind of strength that comes at great personal cost.”

Rollier-Spencer continues to find the courage to take on the challenges that face her on a daily basis, but admits that it’s a struggle. The enjoyment of her studies cannot fully lift the heavy burden she carries from an upbringing she says young people from a stable environment would not be able to survive.

“People should keep in mind that youth in care come from very traumatizing pasts,” Rollier-Spencer says. “Communication is something that a lot of youth in care really struggle with because they are moving around so much or are isolated. They are afraid to hang out with people because they are afraid to be judged on their past. Just because someone doesn’t understand what you are saying, doesn’t mean they are not smart. Just because certain things make them upset, doesn’t mean they are not strong.”

Rollier-Spencer plans on continuing to explore her passion for the past through the Ceramics Studio and Jewelry Studio at KSA in the coming years. Combining her Indigenous roots in the creations she produces, Rollier-Spencer is building the skills needed for a future career and more promising future.

NT5