Yukon College could welcome a Syrian refugee student as early as next September.

Gabriel Ellis, the college’s adult basic education co-ordinator, said this morning both college staff and students have been receptive to his proposal that the college sponsor a refugee student through the World University Service of Canada program.

Ellis became familiar with the program when he worked with the organization on another program in Malawi.

He wasn’t working directly on the refugee student program. During his time there, however, he visited a refugee camp, where he met some of the students who were getting the opportunity to pursue studies in Canada under the program.

“I really saw the situation in the camps,” he said, noting the “big wide smiles” on the faces of those who were set to take part in the program.

“You realized how important this was,” Ellis said, noting that without such programs, the refugees could “live and die” in the refugee camps.

Knowing about the program and seeing the Syrian refugee crisis in the news, Ellis proposed the sponsorship possibility to administration at the college. Work soon began with a committee of five staff and students working on it.

The committee includes Ellis along with instructor Martha Burkle, student engagement co-ordinator Allison Furniss and students Ulrich Trachsel and Matthew Landry.

They are spearheading the fundraising, making the formal application and will provide ongoing support to the student in Whitehorse.

As it’s described on the World University Service of Canada’s website: “For over 35 years, our Student Refugee Program (SRP) and its partners have been responding to the needs of disadvantaged and displaced youth around the world.

“Our partner universities, colleges and CEGEPs (Quebec’s junior college system) support the program by providing knowledgeable and skilled young students with a safe space to learn and achieve their educational goals.

“Our student-led local committees engage in active fundraising for the program on their campuses and provide SRP students with the social support required to adjust to life in Canada.”

Students in the program must be between the ages of 18 and 25.

Under the initiative, the Yukon College student would be supported for 12 months with accommodations, living expenses and tuition (with the college already agreeing to waive tuition).

The school’s student union has already committed to providing $5,000 to the cause with the employee’s union also committing to funding support, though it’s not clear yet how much that would be.

It’s estimated it would cost $24,000 to support the student for one academic year, with approximately $10,000 raised or committed to so far.

Work is continuing on the paperwork involved with the hope of bringing a student to the territory by next September.

“Under the program, WUSC works with the Government of Canada, the UN Refugee Agency and overseas partners to assist with immigration screening, process applications, select students and prepare them for life in Canada,” the college said in a statement.

“From hundreds of applications, an average of 60 students between the ages of 18 and 25 are selected annually.”

Given that this is a pilot project for the college, Ellis said it would bring an individual student with no dependents.

After potential applicants are screened through the UN, federal government and by overseas partners, the college would be provided with a list of five to 10 students to select from.

“It will be difficult,” Ellis said of choosing just one student.

As he noted in a statement, though “it may not seem like much, helping one person out of so many, but for that individual it will make a huge difference.”

It’s not expected the college program would receive funding from the Yukon government that two other groups looking at sponsoring refugee families may.

Education Minister Doug Graham told the Star this morning the territory is committed to matching funds raised by groups that are working to sponsor refugee families coming to the territory, up to $37,000.

With two groups now at work to sponsor families, the government has committed $18,500 to each group.

He said it was his understanding that the college program would bring a student for just one year.

While Graham noted “we’re open to talk about anything”, he said the government recognizes that support for refugees settling in the territory is required for a minimum of one year and, likely, up to two or three years.

“It’s not a small commitment,” he said, adding the territory is looking at supporting groups that are committed to more long-term commitments.

There are a number of issues that have to be taken into consideration, the minister added. They include education (which may include English as a second language), health care and other needs that have to be met.

Graham said he was pleased to learn, speaking directly with federal Immigration Minister John McCallum, that the federal government will be reinstating a program that saw Ottawa cover health care for the first year a refugee is in the country.

After that, should a refugee who has settled in the territory remain here, he or she would be covered under the Yukon health care system.

“That’s a big thing,” Graham said of Ottawa reinstating a year of health care coverage to refugees.

Graham continued to stress the long-term commitment needed to support refugees who may settle in the territory and ensure their needs are met.