Raising retention rates towards achieving vocational and career aspirations in Pacific communities

ABSTRACT

There is a need for culturally relevant and appropriate retention programs within a climate of ever-increasing neo-liberalism that is seeking to change the very nature and underlying rationale of higher education. This article is posited alongside the reflections of past and current university students, who highlight various socio-economic and socio-cultural pressures which affect their ability to maintain engagement within tertiary institutions in which they strive to study. Pressures include the neo-liberal ideology of unfettered individualism within a higher education setting, which seeks to make the university a competitive producer of ‘consumers’ rather than life-long learners who serve and benefit their families and wider communities through knowledge creation and critical application. The article also highlights key factors that may assist in the retention of students from Pacific communities in Australia. This includes the need to create a collective voice, the ability to have staff who exercise culturally appropriate support and understanding, opportunities to develop greater sense of belonging and connection to University spaces that create an engagement within a cultural context, support to manage conflicting expectations and priorities, ability to inspire and effect change in others through maintaining study commitments, and the need to work to still support educational costs and family.

KEYWORDS:

• Pacific communities
• higher education
• widening participation

Acknowledgments

Much appreciation to all the participants in the PATHE research that provided insight into their journey on being involved in higher education whilst striving to improve individual, family and community outcomes. A special thanks to Shannon Said for his research support and writing assistance, the PATHE Project team, and the Office of Widening Participation at Western Sydney University; including Dr Jane Cavanagh, Alan Beckley, Jim Micsko and Losana Ravulo.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jioji Ravulo

Jioji Ravulo is an Associate Professor in Social Work at the University of Wollongong, Australia. He is passionate about meaningfully engaging equity groups in developing vocational and career aspirations towards appropriate pathways to further education and training.