Giving Hope to Vulnerable Communities Through Education
In the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown area, Shelter U is giving hope to individuals experiencing homelessness. Designed to empower people in high priority communities through education, Shelter U creates a pathway for unhoused individuals to explore the desire for learning.
Shelter U adapts this powerful idea for the modern era, aiming to reach vulnerable individuals in shelters across Winnipeg’s downtown area. Unlike existing programs, Shelter U bridges the educational gap between post-secondary institutions and community agencies like homeless shelters.
The Salvation Army Centre of Hope will host the program, providing a dedicated learning space with support staff. Each student will be given access to a computer they are able to keep until completion of the course. Professors will deliver the course on site, once a week. It is important to highlight, they are not simply delivering lectures—they are facilitating learning, walking alongside the students, meeting them where they are, and helping them break down the emotional and social barriers to learning.
“By professors coming to them, to their environment… what I found really was unique,” shared Prof. Klassen when highlighting the accessibility component of the program. “[Shelters are] more supportive for those student clients than bringing them onto campus.”
Furthermore, Mark Stewart, executive director for the Winnipeg Centre of Hope emphasized the importance of equitable access to not only post-secondary education but also resources that would help participants succeed in the long run. “The most important thing for me was that [our program participants] were students. They get the same exact treatment that any university student would get,” said Stewart.
The beauty of this program lies in its holistic approach. Instead of focusing solely on utilitarian outcomes, like job placement, Shelter U aims to cultivate a “desire for learning” in its participants, according to Prof. Klassen. The goal is not just to teach a course, but to encourage a passion for education that leads to healing and empowerment. The pilot features a Music Sociology course, which Prof. Klassen believes “combines musical appreciation with a critical reflection.”
Shelter U is a reminder that hope can be found everywhere and supported by strategic institutional-community collaboration. By investing in education and believing in the potential of every individual, we can give people the tools to break free from the cycle of poverty and create a better future for themselves. It’s a message of hope that resonates deeply in a world where so many are struggling to overcome barriers—proving that with the right support, education has the power to change lives.
By Ivan Nunez-Gamez
