Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2019
Degree Type
Capstone - Open Access
Degree Name
Master of Education (MEd)
Instructor/Advisor
John Giordano
Abstract
The purpose of this research study is to explore the barriers and needs of Bahamian single mothers to obtaining higher education. A needs assessment survey was administered via social media and 78 single mothers responded. Human services and educational institutions practitioners were also interviewed to understand their perspective of the needs and to map the resources currently available for single mothers in the Bahamas. The research assume that limited financial resources, lack of child care, lack of transportation, limited access to resources and lack of family support would have been the main barriers found. Nevertheless, the results showed that Bahamian single mother’s main barriers to education is that they are not able to afford the cost of higher education and lack of child care. The interviewed organizations stated that most single mothers that are assisted are in need of gainful employment. The results also indicated that there are free, under certain conditions, resources available to Bahamians in general, however, single mothers failed to identify several of the resources available. It is recommended that community and educational institutions need to conceive better ways to reach single mothers regarding the opportunities available to them.
Recommended Citation
Russell, Philadenrin, "Why we gatta be da poorest?: Disrupting the Cycle of Poverty for Single Mothers in the Bahamas by the Assessment of their Needs and the Mapping of Community and Educational Institutions Resources" (2019). Community Engagement Student Work. 17.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/soe_student_ce/17