Page 97 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

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

difficulties – Stokes, 2000) it is important to find an alternative way for them to
learn, which fills gaps in their knowledge and is appropriate to their interests and
plans for the future. Where they have dropped out for personal or contextual
reasons, these need to be taken into account in the learning process and
appropriate guidance and support provided.
A person-centred approach is adopted in a number of the examples
reviewed and commences with personal assessment to help the young person to
reflect on what they want to achieve and how they can do this. The Irish
Youthreach initiative, for example, shows how the development of individual
action plans ensures the programme is based on the needs of the young person,
their interests and strengths, as well as presenting a route to achieving their
identified goals. It is then the role of the key worker or mentor to monitor progress
against the young person’s plan and help them to ensure they are able to meet
their goals. This role should be supportive but it is also important to challenge the
young person and provide them with objectives to work towards (Stokes, 2000).

5.3.4. Celebrating achievement
Early school leavers tend to have a lack of confidence in their own abilities and a
sense of failure because of their negative experience of formal education
(Stokes, 2000). An important part of a person-centred approach is to enable the
young person to experience success, giving them opportunities where they can
succeed. The focus of reintegration measures should be on achievement, rather
than failure.
In the UK, NotSchool.net has a system of informal and formal accreditation,
enabling young people to experience success from the start of their participation
in the programme. Informal awards granted by the project are not recognised
nationally but they help to raise the self-esteem of young people and encourage
them to work towards nationally recognised qualifications. The awards enable
them to see their progress and, for many participants, this will have been the first
time they have received any recognition of their learning. This will give them a
confidence boost and demonstrates to them that hard work leads to positive
rewards. They will then feel more confident to start work towards formal
qualifications.
The Youthreach programme promotes achievements by giving responsibility
to young people, allocating tasks and acknowledging achievements, for example
through award nights, trips away and inhouse certifications.

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