This is a personal perspective on one of the most enduring challenges facing those of us working to widen university participation (WP). My involvement in this subject dates back to 2007. That year, as Aimhigher East Midlands’ projects manager, I oversaw the launch of an initiative aimed at identifying and seeking to address the barriers to HE progression faced of young white men from working class backgrounds.
The project combined a commitment to conduct research with compiling a repository of good practice and hosting a national conference. It was motivated by a recognition that these young men were among those from non-traditional backgrounds least likely to go onto university-level study.
Little seems to have changed in the intervening period. Seven years later, in 2014, a national UCU survey of young people’s perceptions of post-18 education revealed that young men from lower socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to state an intention to progress than their more affluent peers, or women from the same background as them. Participation figures reflected these reservations. Fast forward to 2017, and the challenge of addressing low progression rates amongst this group of young people was highlighted in a set of interviewees with outreach practitioners.
The very same sentiments were captured in a survey reported by Atherton and Mazhari two years later. In both instances, raising HE participation rates amongst white working class males was judged to be amongst the most daunting challenges faced by WP practitioners. The most recent set of figures suggest the participation gap remains.
