Page 86 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 86
-of-school activities has been linked to several other outcomes that are
also related to academic achievement and school success, such as emotion-
al regulation (Larson & Brown, 2007) and structured positive and prosocial
peer relations (Barber, Stone, Hunt, & Eccles, 2005, in Kiely Muller, Lewin
Bizan, & Brown Urban, 2011). The community activities differ from school
by providing challenge and motivation to develop their skills. The commu-
nity context gives youth critical opportunities to work towards a real-world
goal, exert control over projects and learn skills that may engage their en-
ergy and attention (Ramey & Rose-Krasnor, 2012). For instance, youth liv-
ing in communities with greater opportunities to participate in structured
activities may experience better overall development than do youth in less
well-organised communities (Scales, Benson, Leffert, & Blyth, 2000), indi-
cating the important role the local community plays in positive youth de-
velopment and ESL prevention.
Practical implications
In order to promote positive development and, within it, promote devel-
opment of a positive self-concept and prevent ESL, Eccles and Gootman
(2002) suggest eight community programme characteristics are important:
(a) physical and psychological safety; (b) an appropriate structure; (c) sup-
portive relationships; (d) opportunities to belong; (e) positive social norms;
(f) support for efficacy and mastering; (g) opportunities for building skills;
and (h) integration of family, school and community efforts. In a shorter
version, these have been condensed to three: (a) positive and sustained pro-
grammes (lasting at least a year); (b) including youth life skills building ac-
tivities; (c) activities led by youth and the inclusion of activities holding a
high value for youth. Participation in such programmes has been linked to
positive outcomes, among others to higher grades and a positive self-con-
cept (Kiely Mueller et al., 2011). When the community setting offers op-
portunities for meaningful participation and broad commitment in ways
that extend to interests outside the self, such as citizenship and volunteer-
ing, youth respond in ways that impel growth and positive youth develop-
ment (Ramey & Rose-Krasnor, 2012).1 In addition, the programmes that
are aimed at boosting the self-concept show a notable improvement in a
1 For example, a specific, well-organised programme which helps to build a strong
self-concept in connection to educational attainment is the PLYA programme in
Slovenia (Dobrovoljc et al., 2003): Project learning for young adults, which is a pub-
licly accredited informal education programme intended for the unemployed aged
between 15 to 25 years with the intention to either encourage young people to return
86
also related to academic achievement and school success, such as emotion-
al regulation (Larson & Brown, 2007) and structured positive and prosocial
peer relations (Barber, Stone, Hunt, & Eccles, 2005, in Kiely Muller, Lewin
Bizan, & Brown Urban, 2011). The community activities differ from school
by providing challenge and motivation to develop their skills. The commu-
nity context gives youth critical opportunities to work towards a real-world
goal, exert control over projects and learn skills that may engage their en-
ergy and attention (Ramey & Rose-Krasnor, 2012). For instance, youth liv-
ing in communities with greater opportunities to participate in structured
activities may experience better overall development than do youth in less
well-organised communities (Scales, Benson, Leffert, & Blyth, 2000), indi-
cating the important role the local community plays in positive youth de-
velopment and ESL prevention.
Practical implications
In order to promote positive development and, within it, promote devel-
opment of a positive self-concept and prevent ESL, Eccles and Gootman
(2002) suggest eight community programme characteristics are important:
(a) physical and psychological safety; (b) an appropriate structure; (c) sup-
portive relationships; (d) opportunities to belong; (e) positive social norms;
(f) support for efficacy and mastering; (g) opportunities for building skills;
and (h) integration of family, school and community efforts. In a shorter
version, these have been condensed to three: (a) positive and sustained pro-
grammes (lasting at least a year); (b) including youth life skills building ac-
tivities; (c) activities led by youth and the inclusion of activities holding a
high value for youth. Participation in such programmes has been linked to
positive outcomes, among others to higher grades and a positive self-con-
cept (Kiely Mueller et al., 2011). When the community setting offers op-
portunities for meaningful participation and broad commitment in ways
that extend to interests outside the self, such as citizenship and volunteer-
ing, youth respond in ways that impel growth and positive youth develop-
ment (Ramey & Rose-Krasnor, 2012).1 In addition, the programmes that
are aimed at boosting the self-concept show a notable improvement in a
1 For example, a specific, well-organised programme which helps to build a strong
self-concept in connection to educational attainment is the PLYA programme in
Slovenia (Dobrovoljc et al., 2003): Project learning for young adults, which is a pub-
licly accredited informal education programme intended for the unemployed aged
between 15 to 25 years with the intention to either encourage young people to return
86
