Ben Williamson, a formerly homeless 18-year-old, has fulfilled his dream of studying at Carleton after a professor started a crowdfunding campaign on his behalf.
Williamson said he battled homelessness for months after leaving his home in February due to issues at home. The teen has cerebral palsy and said Carleton was an accessible choice.
“Well, I had to choose Carleton. They had a unique support program that wasn’t available at any other university,” Williamson said. “This is my dream school.”
Although Williamson was accepted into the Enriched Support Program (ESP)—an initiative that offers high school, college, or mature students with grades too low to meet Carleton’s admission averages a chance to prove themselves—and awarded $3,000 in scholarships, he was still short $5,000 to cover his tuition.
When Williamson’s case was referred to the ESP co-ordinator, Susan Burhoe, she started a GoFundMe page to raise the funds for him to attend Carleton. Burhoe said she has had experience with children in difficult situations as she had previously worked on the committee for Youth in Care, an advocacy group for children in underprivileged circumstances.
“I’ve seen students really struggle to make ends meet getting through an education. Ben’s was one of those examples of someone facing barriers on multiple fronts,” Burhoe said. “I wish cases like Ben’s were more rare and I wish there were more resources for students to pay for mobility expenses and tuition because you’re going to need both if you’re going to be a student.”
Ben’s story was covered by CBC News and donations began to flood in: $20,000 was raised within 24 hours and Williamson’s GoFundMe page has now surpassed $45,000 in donations. The largest individual donation was $13,500 and positive comments such as “go get em! You’re an inspiration” fill up the page.
“. . . Having people responding to Ben’s story in that way, it makes me feel like there is still good people in the world. There are people out there with their values in the right place,” Burhoe said. “I had people calling me asking what would it cost to get Ben through all of university. Just really heartening response from people.”
Williamson said he has just started taking courses in law and child studies.
“I hope to be a practicing lawyer, advocating for children and youth. I think they need a voice,” he said.
“I don’t know what poverty is like in a third world country but I do know what it’s like in Canada,” Williamson added. “My battle with homelessness, it took nine months for myself to find a sensible place to live. I don’t think that is reasonable in 2017.”
He said he lived off $330 a month and had to choose between food or his medical expenses, such as physiotherapy.
“Homelessness isn’t a choice or a desire. People ask me, ‘why are you so open about it?’ It’s not something that I’m going to deny, because it’s part of my identity,” Williamson explained.
Burhoe said Williamson’s academic goals are driven by a desire to advocate for the underprivileged.
“. . . He wants to make a difference in those areas. His story is powerful because he has experienced the shortcomings of the system,” she said.
Graphic by Manoj Thayalan
