Bringing College Classrooms to the Community - Promoting Post-Secondary Access for Low-Income Adults Through Neighbourhood-Based College Courses

Oct 15, 2026

Interview data examines how a college–community partnership delivers tuition-free, for-credit courses to low-income adults in neighbourhood-based settings. The study analyzes how individual and structural barriers shape students’ educational readiness, while the program strengthens participants’ confidence and self-belief. Findings also show that embedding post-secondary capacity and resources in low-income communities supports engagement, community integration, and social inclusion, informing institutions’ outreach strategies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

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Literature Review

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 49, No. 1, 2019, pages 159-175 Bringing College Classrooms to the Community: Promoting Post-Secondary Access for Low-Income Adults Through Neighbourhood-Based College Courses Alan Bourke, James Vanderveken, Emily Ecker, Natalie Shearer, & Jeremy Atkinson Mohawk College Abstract In this paper we utilize interview data to explore the workings of a college– community partnership program that delivers tuition-free, for-credit courses to low-income adult students in neighbourhood-based settings. Addressing the interplay of individual and structural barriers on the educational readiness of students, our findings explore how the program builds participants’confidence and self-belief, and how the neighbourhood-based delivery model encourages their engagement with post-secondary education (PSE) . We find that the value of embedding PSE capacity and resources in low-income communities lies not only in its potential to engage adult learners, but also in how it nurtures a greater sense of community integration and social inclusion. We conclude by suggesting that our study provides a useful foundation for institutions elsewhere aiming to recalibrate and extend their community outreach strategies when seeking to promote post-secondary access and engagement for low-income populations. Résumé Dans le présent rapport, nous utilisons des données d’entrevues pour étudier lefonctionnementd’un partenariat collège–communauté qui offregratuitementdes cours à unités dans des établissements d’enseignement du voisinage à des étudiants adultes ayant un faible revenu. S’intéressant aux interactions entre CJHE / RCES Volume 49, No. 1, 2019 Bringing College to the Community /A. Bourke, J. Vanderveken, E. Ecker, N. Shearer, & J. Atkinson 160 les facteurs personnels et structurels qui ont une incidence sur le degré de préparation scolaire des étudiants, nos résultats montrent que le programme permet de développerl’assurance et la confiance en soi chez les participants et que le modèle communautairede prestation des cours encourage les étudiants à poursuivre des études postsecondaires (EPS) . Il ressort que la valeurd’intégrer des capacités et des ressources d’enseignement postsecondairedans les quartiers à faible revenu réside dans la capacité du programme non seulement d’engager les apprenants adultes, mais aussi d’accroître leur inclusion sociale et leur intégration communautaire. En conclusion, nous suggérons que notre étude pose une assise probante pour les établissements d’enseignement d’ailleurs qui souhaitent revoir leurs stratégies d’approche communautaire et en étendre la portée afin de promouvoir l’accessibilité et l’attrait des études postsecondaires auprès des adultes à faible revenu. Introduction In Ontario, and across Canada, there is a pressing need to increase the post-secondary education (PSE) participation rate of under-represented groups, including adults from low-income communities, in light of shifting labour market demands and the growing need for educational qualifications (Anisef, Brown, & Robson, 2013; Stonefish, Craig, & O’Neill, 2015) . Despite significant growth in the diversity of student populations attending Canadian post-secondary institutions (Michalski, Cunningham, & Henry, 2017, p. 76), adults from low-income communities remain under-represented (Frempong, Ma, & Mensah, 2012; Lange, Chovanec, Cardinal, Kajner, & Smith Acuña, 2015; Pollock, 2012) . Although a growing body of scholarship has emerged to document how low-income individuals face a wide range of financial and non-financial barriers affecting the accessibility of PSE (see, e.g., Lange et al., 2015; McMullen, 2011; Mueller, 2008; Robson, Anisef, & Brown, 2014), there is a lack of research exploring the specific needs of low-income adults when it comes to encouraging their engagement with higher education (Flynn, Brown, Johnson, & Rodger, 2011; H

FAQs

What program does the paper analyze?

It analyzes a college–community partnership that offers tuition-free, for-credit courses to low-income adult learners delivered in neighbourhood-based settings.

How does the study explain students’ educational readiness?

It examines how individual and structural barriers affect educational readiness, and how the program builds participants’ confidence and self-belief.

Why does neighbourhood-based delivery matter for post-secondary engagement?

The findings indicate that embedding post-secondary capacity and resources in low-income communities encourages engagement, while also promoting community integration and social inclusion.

Oct 15, 2026

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