Funding outcome

Postsecondary education is linked with increased employment opportunities and income, and improved health outcomes, like decreased stress. However, gender inequality in higher education is common across rural towns in Canada. With just half of women residents completing education beyond high school, Drayton Valley is one such town. To address this inequality and increase access to postsecondary education, the Town of Drayton Valley implemented zero-fee postsecondary education (ZFPE) in 2020-the only initiative of its kind in Canada. ZFPE enables any resident, no matter their financial circumstances, to attain postsecondary education without having to leave their community. Though ZFPE has been running for a year, initial impacts, including those related to health, remain unknown. I will fill this knowledge gap by using multiple qualitative and quantitative methods to answer the question, 'What are initial health outcomes of ZFPE for young women aged 18-30?' I am particularly interested in how ZFPE is taken up by women who may be marginalized along lines of class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, and immigration status. Over one year, I will interview and survey diverse women pre- and post-ZFPE programming to explore their experiences, including the impacts of ZFPE on their health. I will also co-create a Young Women's Education Committee with research participants to collectively interpret, integrate, and present findings to key stakeholders in Drayton Valley like Town Council. Results will be shared as actionable information about how ZFPE may improve health outcomes for young women in rural communities in Alberta and beyond.