Support Helps Student Graduate from University

NOTE: The following is a feature story about university graduate Tiffani Woodington of Antigonish and the support she has received.

As Tiffani Woodington crosses the stage for her degree in child and youth studies at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, a proud foster mother and social worker are in the audience as her special guests.

Alice Hiltz, of Antigonish, welcomed Tiffani into her home when she was a 10-month-old baby, just as she has done for more than 120 other infants.

"Nanny is more of a mother to me than I ever could have imagined. Without her I would not be where I am or have the values that I have today," Tiffani said of Ms. Hiltz. "I want her to be part of my life forever."

Matthew Beson was the social worker who motivated Tiffani to apply herself at school when she was a disengaged teenager. His support and encouragement continued during high school and after she moved to Truro from Antigonish for a child and youth care program at the Nova Scotia Community College.

"I called him crying one time from Truro. I was upset over a mark on an assignment. He came to see me and we had dinner and talked it through. He told me that I could do this and encouraged me to talk to my professors."

Being accepted in the program made her feel more confident and she started to open up about her circumstances.

"Growing up, I never told anybody that I was in a foster home. But there was no judgment, my classmates wanted to hear my story. I felt like I could be open about growing up in care. It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders, that my friends really knew who I was."

Tiffani did well in the program, graduating with her diploma, and great marks. This enabled her to successfully transfer her credits toward a degree at Mount Saint Vincent University. The Department of Community Services helped her by extending support for accommodations and living expenses while she was a full-time student.

"I have a learning disability as well and I wanted to prove I could do this just with hard work," she said. "I'm dedicated, I put in lots of 12 hour days and was in the library all the time."

Whenever possible, she would add an overnight shift at a residential facility for children in care in metro. While working, she met a 12-year-old girl who was deeply upset that her biological mother stopped keeping in touch without any explanation.

"She was bawling and confided to me, 'nobody understands me' and 'nobody cares about me,'" said Tiffani.

"And I talked to her and said I grew up in care too and I know what it's like and I do care about you. And then I told her about some of the benefits of being a ward of the court like being able to go to university and make something of your life. Now she wants to prove that she can be something in life like me, she can prove the stereotypes wrong. It's really touching."

Tiffani appreciates the challenge and rewards of working with children in care and hopes to focus on this in future.