Collaborative Study on Housing-Insecurity and Early Literacy Development in Ohio: Lessons from Community Experts

• In Event: Literacy Everywhere!: Designing Supports for Early Literacy and Awareness for Families Experiencing Housing Instability

Abstract

In this paper we present findings from group meetings and individual interviews with Community Experts (CE) consulted to inform a human-centered development of early literacy (EL) and housing support materials to better support housing and literacy outcomes for vulnerable families with young children. Using the human centered approach, the research team worked collaboratively with CE serving target populations to ensure transparency, and trust between the research team and study participants. CE represented a range of expertise, interests, and unique perspectives in the fields of literacy, housing, public schools, and related fields. They included academics, state and local level government agencies and non-profit organizations. Leveraging multiple local and state partnerships helped to improve the relevance and usefulness of research, minimize unintended harm and enabled collective and reflective learning throughout the research project. About seventy-five community experts were gathered to partner on this project. Data was collected using a cyclical and iterative process. Data was collected using community expert meetings and individual interviews either face to-face or using virtual platforms such as zoom or Microsoft Teams. The meetings lasted for an hour and they were recorded. Transcribed data were uploaded into NVivo 14 and iteratively analyzed using thematic analysis. A deductive and inductive organizing framework was used to organize the data and to develop codes and themes. Themes were determined by the content of the topics discussed during meetings with an inductive development of codes as they emerged from the data. Four primary findings were identified in the data analyses: 1) grassroots outreach and peer-to-peer interventions seems effective in bridging the gaps and addressing community trust issues when there appear to be disconnects/misunderstandings between formal state/fed influenced "professional" agencies and families experiencing housing insecurity; 2) families with young children living in under-resourced neighborhoods are at increased risk of poor housing and early literacy outcomes. Outreach to under-resourced neighborhoods is a necessity to reach the most vulnerable to encourage use of resources by people they trust; 3) libraries, museums, and parks play a crucial role in vulnerable families’ lives. What can be done to support these types of programs for 0-5 families in at-risk neighborhoods?; and 4) Comprehensive and holistic approaches to housing and literacy development enable families to access services and resources e.g. meals, transportation, children’s books in a seamless manner compared to discrete models which exacerbate families’ vulnerabilities and stressors.
Embedded within participants’ lived experiences, the human centered research approach enhances the social value of the research. Community expert relationships with vulnerable families with young children are vitally important to learning directly from parents with young children at the intersection of H/HI and early literacy living in under-resourced neighborhoods. Researchers can learn from parents who are well-resourced facing H/HI and from parents who have no access to resources who are experiencing H/HI. The findings point to a need for effective collaborations among partners involved in housing and literacy to provide seamless services and resources for families with children experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.

Authors

• Heather Murphy Sloane Cleary, University of Toledo

• Busisiwe Nkosi, University of Toledo