Future of Yukon College's All-Girls Science Club up in the air

The future of a Yukon College program aimed at steering girls into the sciences is uncertain, after funding for a key staff position was cut.

The All-Girls Science Club has been run annually, for girls in grades five to seven. The program allows girls to conduct experiments, explore scientific questions, and learn from women working in science and engineering.

Jacqueline Bedard, director of college relations at the Whitehorse campus, says a part-time coordinator position was funded by a federal program, but that funding is no longer available. 

"Like any organization, we need resources in order to run a program. And if the resources aren't there, then we need to re-examine how we can proceed," Bedard said.

She says without the assistance of a part-time coordinator, the program leader decided not to apply to the Youth Investment Fund, which has been the main funder of the program in years past.

"They felt that they couldn't manage running the girls' science club on their own," Bedard said.

The All-Girls Science Club has been operating at the college's Whitehorse campus since 2008. Each year, the program focuses on a different area of research and study, such as health, food and climate change. Registration in the last program, held in January and focused on transportation, was full. 

Bedard says the college is considering a program to bring visiting scientists into classrooms.