Page 56 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

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

The review of transition support programmes identified a number of
supplementary, usually highly targeted, guidance-oriented initiatives aiming to
raise the aspirations of under-represented groups. Typically this takes place
either through collaborations between upper secondary establishments and HEIs
or even more frequently through role model and mentoring activities.
In France for instance, links have been created between secondary schools
from disadvantaged areas and reputable higher education establishments
(grandes ecoles). The schools organise preparatory classes for higher education
and they have an agreement allowing secondary schools in disadvantaged areas
to send pupils to study certain subjects through a non-standard and highly
selective channel, and to arrange tutorship by business and industry
professionals.
Role model and mentoring schemes usually aim to raise the attainment and
aspiration levels of selected groups of pupils. This is normally achieved with the
help of carefully selected under- or post-graduate students who act as role
models and provide either group tutoring and one-to-one mentoring to those
students who are either unmotivated and in danger of underachieving or
generally under-represented in higher education. Numerous role model projects
target ethnic minority groups (e.g. black and Asian minority groups in the UK and
Roma students in the Czech Republic, Spain and Hungary) and many of these
initiatives are either jointly funded and/or coordinated by NGOs or individuals
HEIs with funding from education authorities.
However, few nationwide examples were found. One of these is the UK
Aimhigher programme. Aimhigher partnerships receive government funding to
break down the barriers which institutions and systems can unwittingly create for
disadvantaged learners. Target groups include young people from
neighbourhoods with lower than average HE participation, those from lower
socioeconomic groups, and people from families with no previous experience of
HE. Aimhigher is a means for collaborative working across the schools, further
education and HE sectors. Activities include summer schools to give school
pupils a taste of university life, taster days, master classes, visits to HE providers
and one-to-one mentoring programmes.
Although parents and children should take every opportunity to get to know
the next school level, these examples show how schools and authorities, as well
as training providers and higher education institutes, also play a role in aiding the
passage from one school level to another, particularly for young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds.

50