Globally, 7% of refugees have access to higher education. This is far below the average of 40% among those who are not refugees. For four decades, WUSC has been promoting access to higher education for refugees, and mobilizing the Canadian postsecondary education community to offer complementary education pathways for refugees. Through the Student Refugee Program,…

This summer, postsecondary campuses were abuzz with graduating students preparing to turn the page on the next chapter in their lives.  For many members of the Class of 2024, their postsecondary studies began in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. These graduating students overcame many unique obstacles and demonstrated perseverance and resilience to reach…

The world is watching: the 2024 Paris Olympics are starting this week. On this exciting occasion, we caught up with Paulo Amotun Lokoro, athlete, recent graduate in social work from Sheridan College, and alum of the Student Refugee Program. Paulo is a track and field athlete who has competed in many elite sporting events as…

In celebration of World Refugee Awareness Month, we align with UNHCR’s theme of solidarity with refugees, highlighting that “solidarity means keeping our doors open, celebrating their strengths and achievements, and reflecting on the challenges they face.” The theme of solidarity resonates with one of WUSC’s campaigns, Building Welcoming Communities, as our Local Committee members, volunteers and colleagues play…

This year, World Refugee Day focuses on solidarity with refugees – for a world where all refugees are welcomed.  Durable solutions to forced displacement and welcoming communities for refugees are needed more than ever. And everyone has a role to play. Governments, NGOs, community organizations, post-secondary institutions, businesses, and refugees themselves are all essential to…

Refugee youth have the talent, energy, and potential to positively impact their communities. Yet, they are often excluded from the spaces where decisions are made. WUSC is committed to advancing refugee leadership and creating opportunities for refugee youth to grow and develop skills they can use to advocate for what matters most to them and…

Results of the 2021 – 2023 Partner Innovation Fund Cohort With more than 120 million people forcibly displaced around the world, all organizations, institutions, and businesses need to examine how they can better integrate refugees and other displaced people into their programs and services. Stand alone initiatives for refugees are no longer sufficient to enable…

As social innovators and funders from across Canada gather for the Social Finance Forum in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, WUSC is pleased to announce one of our own most recent social impact investments.  WUSC’s agenda has grown over the years as we have matured as an organization and young people’s needs and opportunities have evolved.…

Canada’s commitment to expanding durable solutions for refugees through new complementary pathways has been demonstrated through initiatives like the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), offering skilled refugees a chance to immigrate to Canada while also enabling Canadian employers to access a new pool of qualified candidates to fill job openings. At the Global Refugee Forum,…

Results of the 2021 – 2023 Partner Innovation Fund Cohort Our current climate crisis is something that deeply affects everyone around the world. There is an urgent and unmet need for solutions at the local level that, together, can have a global impact. Yet not everyone has the same access to the resources that would…