Is university for me? : Bridging the gap : equity students journey to university through an enabling program

Individuals face unique challenges as they embark on the journey of re-engaging with formal education through an Enabling program. This thesis asserts that education, while a fundamental right for all individuals, can contribute to the problem of access by functioning as a gatekeeper. This gatekeeping process, particularly for those experiencing equity issues, has the potential to worsen and perpetuate poverty and disadvantage. The research primarily focuses on the experiences of equity students who participate in an Enabling program. These programs aim to bridge the gap and provide opportunities for students to enter higher education. Case study methodology (Merriam, 1998) provides a rich and complex depiction of the student experience and deeper theoretical insights are developed using a Bourdieusian theoretical lens of social reproduction.
This thesis introduces the ‘Peregrination of Belonging’ model, which explicates how students navigate barriers and a sense of uncertainty when undertaking an Enabling program. The model portrays their journey from feeling like ‘outsiders’ to ultimately becoming ‘insiders’ within the field of higher education. It delineates three significant phases: ‘learning about place’, ‘adapting to place’, and ‘belonging to place’, signifying the students’ progress throughout the Enabling program. The research identifies key factors that can empower or hinder students’ progress in the Enabling program. Students’ strong sense of ‘determined hope’ emerges as a driving force, empowering them to overcome exclusionary structures and transform their agency. However, there are challenges that can disrupt students’ momentum and through understanding and addressing these factors, educators and institutions can create a supportive and continuous learning environment that maximises students’ potential for success in the Enabling program