Page 67 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

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

In countries such as the Czech Republic, Finland, Malta, Norway and
Sweden, the policy frameworks are focused on the principle of improving the
quality of the education system as a whole. This means that fewer specific
measures are aimed at potential school leavers or those at risk; interventions are
instead more often focused on mainstream guidance and counselling measures,
IVET reforms and the provision of access to continuing training for teachers.
A selection of EU countries, including Ireland, Spain, France, Cyprus and the
Netherlands, are using programmes to combat early school leaving that adopt an
area-based approach, with a particular focus on guidance and individualised
support. These programmes provide additional funding to enable schools to
devote extra time and resources to young people at risk of dropping out. For
example, in the Netherlands the Drive to reduce drop-out rates (Aanval op
schooluitval) policy framework offers secondary schools financial incentives to
introduce activities that support school completion. The activities are decided by
each municipality with a cluster of local partners and they centre on guidance,
early identification of at-risk groups, and alternative learning opportunities.
The example shows that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
using preemptive measures aimed at raising educational achievement early on.
The policy is supported by various research studies. For example, the

Drive to reduce drop-out rates (Aanval op Schooluitval), the Netherlands
(http://www.voortijdigschoolverlaten.nl)
One of the priorities of the Dutch education system is to make sure that all young people achieve
at least a basic qualification. Therefore, the Government has set an objective to halve the annual
number of new early school leavers between 2002 and 2012; from 71 000 in 2002 to 35 000 by
2012. Reducing early school leaving has been a priority on the Dutch government’s political
agenda since the early nineties. There was a focus on institutions, systems and processes until
2006, when the government announced new, ground-breaking set of practical measures to
reduce the number of drop-outs.

Aanval op schooluitval (drive to reduce drop-out rates) is the framework for policy developments
in this field. Among other activities, it makes additional funds available for secondary schools
which are subject to a host of different but interrelated problems (increased risk of truancy, early
school leaving, criminality and/or behavioural problems) to maximise school performance and
help deliver bespoke support. Cooperation between key stakeholders (the state, municipalities,
schools, youth services, business community, parents, social workers, police and judicial
authorities) is encouraged. The policy targets two particular groups of young people: young men
and ethnic minorities. The key activities include the following:

• extension of compulsory education and training obligation: the school leaving age has been
raised to 18 and young people are obliged to attend a training course that leads to a basic
qualification;

• student registration: an improved student registration system has been introduced, offering
complete, reliable and up-to-date figures nationally, regionally and for each municipality and
district. The new, improved system ensures that national authorities have regular and reliable
information on the level of early school leaving. It also allows them to assess the
effectiveness of new practices;

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