The impact of tertiary-level humanities education for homeless and marginalised people

In Sydney, tertiary-level education in the humanities is offered to homeless and other marginalised people in the form of two courses: the 'Clemente' course and the 'Catalyst' course. These courses are provided for the purpose of building the capacities of marginalised people, with the aim of assisting them to exit the cycles of poverty and homelessness. It is hypothesised that humanities education can empower these people to reflect on their circumstances, realise their capacities, and then re-engage with their communities. The present paper discusses the results of research into the impact of the courses on their students. This discussion focuses on perceived changes in self-efficacy, social connectedness, and interpersonal relating. The paper also critically examines the nature and purpose of the courses, and future directions for research into education programs for disadvantaged people.

Keywords: Education for marginalised people