PERSONAL INTERVIEW SAMPLE - FEMALE NPS

Compared with the male NPs, the female group had a higher level of education and were younger. Their ages ranged from 19 years to 51 years. All eight women were single. Seven of them were mothers and six of them still had children at home. In this group, two were from the Vancouver location, the remaining six were from small towns. Five of them were born in or had lived in other provinces. Three of these five had come back to their hometowns when their marriages broke up in order to be closer to their families. All three had dependent children.

The reasons for quitting school originally were varied: two women became pregnant at age 15; three quit because they had to go out to work to help their families in time of crisis; one quit because she was a "know-it-all" and wanted to leave “the pit” [the town]; one quit because she had “a problem with my Dad” and went to live with her boyfriend; the youngest woman in the group had gone to Grade 12, but had had difficulties in school.

Five of these women mentioned daycare as a problem and a deterrent to returning to school. The availability and affordability were both issues. Three of them relied on family members to baby-sit, but indicated that daycare would be a problem if they moved away to another centre.

All these women were on some kind of income assistance. Only two of the women were working and being "topped up". One of these women best exhibited some of the traits of the male NP group - spunky character and independently minded. The most common kinds of jobs these people had were as waitresses, or working in stores. One had had a stint as a hairdresser, but had developed allergies and quit. She then worked in a hospital setting in a unionized job with benefits. She thus had a point of reference for her present situation and said, "Single women and parents cannot afford part-time jobs, because there are no benefits."