Single adult homeless women’s experiences of skills training and education

Abstract

The skills, education and training needs of homeless adults, as well as the available service provision within the UK is an under researched area (Goodacre &amp; Sumner, 2021; Jones, 2021). Knowledge specifically regarding the needs of single, homeless women is rarer still, as research examining women’s experiences throughout the course of homelessness remain anomalous (Bretherton, 2020). Furthermore, there is little understanding of what single, homeless women themselves think, and their experiential accounts of accessing these services. This paper addresses these knowledge gaps, utilising qualitative methodology and drawing on the transformative paradigm. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to produce three key themes. The analysis points to gendered experiences of socioeconomic marginalisation during homelessness and beyond. It also highlights the importance of forging and maintaining trusting relationships between staff and the women as an instrument of engagement and personal development, and the importance of embedding agency and choice within trauma-informed service education and training provision to reap long-term and transformational rewards beyond gainful employment.  <br/