Using principles of trust to engage support with students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. A Practice Report

Abstract

Stemming from a review of higher education in Australia, there has been renewed emphasis on increasing the participation rates of people from low socioeconomic backgrounds (LSES) in tertiary study.  While Student Services’ departments are designed to build the personal resources of students aiding in their retention and subsequent success in higher education, LSES students may have complex social, economic, and cultural factors that may affect the institution’s capacity to support them effectively.  Selected findings will be shared from a grounded theory doctoral study that has generated a model for how to engage students from LSES in non-academic support services throughout their tertiary studies.  The research showed that LSES students use principles of trust to navigate the tertiary environment and the students’ network is key to their success.  Discussion focussed on how to apply these principles in practice and implications for service delivery.