Abstract:

The reality of homelessness is complex and changing, impacting thousands of people who do not have access to a decent and stable home, and is often linked to a series of issues related to discrimination, economic precariousness, social isolation…

In recent years, a significant change has been observed in the profile of homeless people. In contrast to the traditional image of an older man with a prolonged trajectory of exclusion, there are now younger profiles arising, also of women. These are people who, due to several reasons linked to homelessness, have had to abandon their studies at a very early age, and are interested in resuming them, but they don’t have their own educational barriers beyond those produced by their own process of their homelessness becoming chronic. Many of them have interest in resuming it as a means for their persona development, but also as a way of coming out from their situation of exclusion, but find many barriers to do so due to the instability and precariousness of their situation.

However, teachers who are focused on adult education do not have the necessary tools nor approaches to give full attention to the homeless, to successfully finish an educational process that requires more than goodwill on their part: it requires training, commitment, understanding of social rights, and an attitude of listening and respect that will be dealt with throughout this course. Therefore, specific training is necessary for teachers who are going to train this type of group, to establish mechanisms and methodologies that empower them to address these obstacles and overcome them.

In this context, within the framework of the Erasmus+ project “Reconnecting education with homeless people” we have developed an innovative methodology that effectively promotes the social, personal, and labor inclusion of homeless people through their reintegration into the regulated education system through adult education.

One of the main results of this methodology has been the creation of the VIRTUAL TRAINING COURSE FOR TEACHERS AND TRAINERS for the specific training of homeless people. This course was created to respond to this situation, providing educational staff with theoretical and practical resources that allow them to intervene with greater knowledge, sensitivity, and effectiveness in these contexts. Key issues are addressed, such as the different structural barriers that cause the loss of a stable home, the impact that this situation has on a person's educational processes, the barriers that these people face when accessing education, and the pedagogical strategies for the inclusion of these profiles.

This course aims to be a first step towards the comprehensive training of trainers who work or wish to work with adults in a situation of homelessness. More than the transmission of content, this training seeks to open a space for the critical reflection, collective dialogue, and professional transformation. It is based on the premise that education can and should play an essential role in social inclusion, and that for this, it is necessary to have teachers who are aware of and equipped with specific tools.

Acknowledgement:
This work has been developed within the framework of the Erasmus+ project “Reconnecting education with homeless people: walking towards inclusion through adult education adapted to the reality of homelessness”, co-funded by the EU in 2024.

Keywords:

Education, homeless, reconnecting, methodology, strategy.