The intersectionality of disadvantage: navigating complicated pathways

When it comes to helping disadvantaged young people, for us it’s less about statistics, and more about the individuals

Elena* was 16 years old when war broke out in Ukraine, and her family had to flee the country. She arrived in the UK as a refugee and was faced with immense disadvantage from the get go: a significant language barrier, balancing education with caregiving responsibilities at home, and the trauma of having fled her home country.

Mariam*’s family had been impacted by modern slavery. Her goal was to study law, but she and her sisters were already facing extreme adversity, and with the need for academic support on top of that, the task seemed impossible.

These are just two examples of students Tutorfair Foundation has worked with. We have seen first hand how difficult school and studies can be for disadvantaged young people - especially because disadvantage is such a complicated issue.

Disadvantage is intersectional - more so than we might think

The topic of disadvantage currently looms large in the news and, amongst the worrying figures and grim headlines, we find that it’s a far more nuanced issue than we might think. 

The Milburn report published in May brought with it the news that over one million young Brits are currently out of work, education or training. Just over half (52%) face the additional disadvantages of childhood poverty and family adversity - which includes substance abuse, incarceration, mental health problems, and separation. Around 4 million children live in poverty in the UK, 1.9 million of those in deep material poverty - meaning their families are unable to afford basics like heating, adequate clothing and fresh food.

Last month’s Crossing Paths research from the Sutton Trust dives deeper, highlighting the ways in which different disadvantages can intersect. Students eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), vary greatly in terms of academic attainment and future earning prospects - and, as the report shows, depending on their ethnicity, gender, and location, the scale of that disadvantage also varies enormously.

An independent inquiry from Educational Outcomes, also published last month, examines the “broad recognition of White working-class underachievement,” showing that poor experiences of the school system; coupled with difficulties in the primary-secondary transition; put these young people at a significant disadvantage from a very young age.

The above findings highlight just how complex the issue is. For educational charities like us, this is a real challenge. How do figures like this inform our work, not only on a broad scale, but in terms of our approach, treating students as individuals?

The complications of disadvantage

First of all, these kinds of studies highlight the complications we as an organisation might face in tailoring our support. A student of ours is already likely to be living with the disadvantage of childhood poverty. Depending on their ethnicity, they may also face lower odds of academic achievement. White and Black Caribbean students, according to the Sutton Trust, currently struggle the most in this area. 

Girls may score higher than boys in some cases, but often face lower earning potential - and despite being home to the largest number of disadvantaged students, living in London is actually likely to be an advantage (the so-called “London effect”). Peers in other locations, however, may not be so lucky.

Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Because it is. The studies highlight the fact that students are individuals and must be treated as such, with academic support carefully tailored to consider individual needs and experiences. 

The problem of personalisation vs scale

The infinite intersections we see in these reports also highlight the problem of personalisation and reach. The question may ultimately come down to whether an organisation wants to help the most disadvantaged students (i.e. those most at risk), or the most disadvantaged students. Support on a broader scale might reach more young people, but lose sight of the individuals. By adopting a “one to one” approach, helping one student at a time, organisations can separate them from the statistics.

How we’re navigating the pathways

At Tutorfair Foundation, we’ve realised that adopting a “one size fits all” approach might achieve greater reach, but loses sight of what really matters - that all-important personalised approach. It’s exactly that approach that makes us who we are.

We’ve worked hard to design programmes based on personalised tutoring sessions for individuals, or small groups. We do this by working with highly skilled volunteer tutors, with a wealth of relevant experience and genuine passion for their subjects. Working “one-to-one”, not only navigates individual needs and considers the specific disadvantages faced by our students, it helps us see which students engage and benefit most from the support - and ensure they are given more! This creates a more profound impact on an individual level. It helps increase confidence in school, and facilitates connection with a vibrant community of professionals, to help inspire young people to have confidence in their futures, too.

By accepting the fact that disadvantage by its very nature is intersectional, it is possible to combat educational inequality and unlock opportunity for disadvantaged young people. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. One student at a time.

For more information on how we’re helping more than 10,000 disadvantaged young learners, follow our LinkedIn for updates. 

And Elena and Mariam? Click on their names to read about how their stories turned out.