“The barriers and challenges for homeless adults to access and complete formal education in Canada”

This qualitative research study shows barriers and challenges for adults experiencing homelessness when accessing and completing formal education in Canada. Given the persistent rise of people experiencing homelessness, most of them adults (18+), utilizing education to address this crisis becomes a significant consideration. The present narrative, based on open-ended interviews, describes the opinions, points of views and lived experiences of 48 participants: 29 key informants and 19 individuals with homeless lived experiences from multiple cities across Canada, including Kamloops, to understand the barriers, challenges and experiences those adults face to access or while they are studying in Canada, and what are the actions needed to support them on that journey. An exploratory research through a document analysis of each province was conducted to complement the information given by the participants and discover the supports that the government of Canada offers to those adults experiencing homelessness to access and/or complete their education. The research outcomes substantiate numerous insights delineated in the literature review. Significantly, the findings also illuminate a wealth of supplementary information, an imperative augmentation attributable to the limited extant studies within the Canadian context, particularly those with sample sizes comparable to the present study. The scarcity of prior investigations in this specific domain within the Canadian milieu underscores the unique contribution of this research, providing nuanced perspectives and enriching the overall comprehension of the subject matter. Specifically, the main value added of this research study is showing the lack and need of coordination among the Government of Canada, the educational institutions and the organizations that provide services to the adult homeless population. Additionally, the results of the study reveal that some individuals from that group are studying or had completed a formal education program in Canada. However, despite existing government support, that are not being properly communicated, many barriers and challenges confront them. Suggestions are presented as part of the action plan. There are many actions needed from the Canadian government, the educational institutions and the organizations that provide services to the adult homeless population, to facilitate them access and complete their formal education.