Page 66 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

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

Other measures have sought to improve the overall school environment to
promote participation and engagement. In Finland, a national action programme
has been introduced to promote wellbeing in schools; school mediation services
and staff training are used in Belgium to advise on how to deal with violence in
schools.
Limited information is available on the impact of many of the programmes
and campaigns mentioned. However, an evaluation of the Olweus programme
demonstrates that its activities (identifying the forms of bullying, effective
supervision during recesses, discussion groups involving pupils, parents and
school staff, and discussions between victims and bullies) usually result in a
30 % to 50 % reduction in the level of bullying (Conference on school bullying
and violence, 2004). Marked reductions have also been seen in student reports
of general anti-social behaviour and improvements in the social climate in
classroom have been reported. The programme has also resulted in more
positive attitudes toward schoolwork and school.
For these reasons, while anti-bullying and anti-discrimination programmes
are not strictly ‘guidance’ oriented, they provide an important form of support for
those children and young people whose education experience is negatively
affected either by bullying or discrimination, or both.

4.2.7. Comprehensive national policies
Many of these approaches aim either to support a young person at a specific
time in their life, to address a particular problem or to provide targeted support for
specific groups of students by strengthening elements of education or training
systems. This means that some of the responses are time-bound, project-based
measures or targeted to address a specific concern, as opposed to operating
within a joined up framework, both strategically and operationally.
A single school, training provider, authority or organisation cannot deliver
everything that a young person needs. When projects, actions and programmes
are developed within a strategic framework which takes a systematic approach to
guidance and support, young people can be supported in their learning journey in
a comprehensive manner. Such approaches also maximise synergies with other
initiatives and external partners and allow for greater flexibility and
responsiveness.
Several study countries have adopted a comprehensive policy framework to
support school completion. These range from approaches based on improving
the quality of the education system as a whole, to frameworks targeting specific
geographical areas or groups of young people.

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