Page 42 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

Guiding at-risk youth through learning to work
Lessons from across Europe

project funding; this study has looked into both mainstream and project-based
examples of preventive approaches.
The study has focussed on examining specific guidance-oriented
approaches to prevent early school leaving. A range of different guidance-
oriented policies, projects and programmes have been introduced to increase
school completion. Investment in guidance and counselling services is seen as
one of the key preventive strategies to reduce rates of school drop-out because
policies with strong guidance elements can motivate learners, help them to
overcome problems, and prove effective in raising aspirations. Guidance can also
help young learners to find their place in increasingly complex learning systems
and can provide them with relevant information to inform future career choices.
Therefore, guidance, support and counselling can have a significant impact on
young people’s decision-making and can reduce the possibility that they will
make premature or ill-informed decisions that could lead to drop-out.
Guidance-oriented approaches to supporting school completion are
discussed, followed by an analysis of the factors that can help to make these
policies successful. There is some degree of overlap between approaches and it
must be taken into consideration that the role of guidance is stronger and more
apparent in some cases than others.

4.2. Types of guidance-oriented approaches

Guidance-oriented approaches introduced with the aim of reducing early school
leaving have been divided into seven categories in this study. These range from

Figure 3. Types of preventive guidance-oriented approach

Source: GHK Consulting, 2009.

36