BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY FOR STUDENTS

BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY FOR STUDENTS

Basic Needs Insecurity for Students

How Student Basic Needs Insecurity Relate to Higher Education

In most of the universities and colleges, homelessness and food insecurity are the major problems facing most students. (NASPA, 2020) To most people, it might be challenging to know whether there are homeless students. Most of the homeless students and those that suffer from food insecurity aspire to achieve higher education since they see education as their key to a good life. The thought of having a good experience in the future makes these students persevere the hardships that come along their way.

NASPA carried out a study in California. The study showed that in California, there are twenty-three institutions of higher education. In the twenty-three universities, the total number of students is four hundred and eight three. If this number is divided among the twenty-three universities, it will be right to say that each university is equivalent to a small city. (NASPA, 2020) In this number, there are students from all places; students that come from all kinds of backgrounds. In the issues concerning food insecurity, a student can be insecure because they have little food and some don’t have any amount of food.

Consistency in the number of students that are insecure in terms of food shows there is a need for addressing this issue. Homelessness also affects a significant number of students. Those students that live with others, the ones that live in hotels, car parks and those that live in temporary shelters are homeless. (NASPA, 2020) Due to economic differences, most of the students undergo homelessness as well as food insecurity. While students partaking their higher education goes through the uncertainties mentioned above, they are most likely going to have a lot of difficulties with finishing school.

New Insights Gained as a Result of the Webinar

The webinar raised some insights into the basic needs of the students. One of the ideas from the webinar talk is, because a particular student is taking all the meals does not mean he or she has food security.  I have understood that there can be an instance where a student can be having all three meals, but he or she is going through a hard time to get that type of food. Maybe a student takes an unbalanced diet because there is no other choice. (NASPA, 2020) The second thing I have understood is that just because a student sleeps in a hotel or a friend’s house does hotel mean that he or she has a home. Homeless students are those that don’t have a place they can call their home. Foreign students are among homeless students.

What Questions Emerged During The Webinar?

During the Webinar session, some questions emerged. The first question was asking what the universities were doing to address the issue of food insecurity and homelessness. Secondly, there was a question about what universities were doing to cover for the international student’s home issues and food issues, and the last question was about what basic needs meant apart from the home and food security. (NASPA, 2020) The answers were provided and to the first question, about covering food and home security, the universities are coming up with investment programs for students that are suffering homelessness as well as those that do not have food security. To the question of international students, universities are providing residential places for the students that are unable to meet the home and food issue. Lastly, basic needs were explained to be the general well-being of the students.

How This New Insights Influence Higher Hoe Education Think About The Future Work On A College Campus?

The new insights make me conclude that universities should chip in and help in the issue of housing and food. It is not a difficult task. If various universities conduct welfare research to all students, it is easy to know the students that require assistance either in terms of housing or in terms of food. After the university knows which students require assistance, they should come up with a way to assist them. Those that require housing should be given houses, and in terms of food, the universities should come up with feeding programs.

Reference

NASPA. (2020). Register.gotowebinar.com. Retrieved 5 April 2020, from https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/viewRecording/7659223693632793357/8070345385068341763/cwalk007@odu.edu?registrantKey=414121564866095885&type=ATTENDEEEMAILRECORDINGLINK.