Beyond Bridging: The Prospects for Porosity in Parental Engagement Initiatives

Citation

Peace-Hughes T, Marchbank J & Mckendrick JH (2021) Beyond Bridging: The Prospects for Porosity in Parental Engagement Initiatives. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 23 (2), pp. 82-103. https://doi.org/10.5456/WPLL.23.2.82

Abstract
This paper explores the prospect of porosity in widening participation work with parents/carers from multiply deprived communities. Porosity offers a conceptual lens through which spaces can be viewed as interconnected and fluid, and not as bounded entities. The paper draws upon an evaluation of a pilot widening participation project. We reflect on the experiences of parents and the course coordinator as the participants move between social realms-the university campus and the home environment/local community-appraising the extent to which understandings of both change as a result of project participation. We conclude that widening participation programmes may offer porosity-with changes often experienced by parents in their home environments. However, concerns are expressed over whether these changes can be sustained in the long-term and the lack of change in participating Higher Education institutions. A process of mutual co-creation of widening participation programmes is advocated, which could allow for greater porosity with the potential to further break down structural barriers.

Keywords
Widening participation; Widening access; Deprived areas; Parental engagement; Higher Education; Scotland

Journal
Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning: Volume 23, Issue 2

• Beyond-Bridging Peace-HughesEtAl FINAL