Page 227 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 227
what can we learn from second-chance education programmes for adults ...
take the class in an alternative setting. Recently, there have been several
European Commission projects (e.g. PROSA in Austria, LION 28 in Italy)
(ROBIN project, 2016) that specifically aimed to connect second-chance
education programmes with social work institutions, community work,
housing corporations, municipalities, educational institutions and busi-
nesses and welfare institutions. Project reports (Opportunity House,
2010; ROBIN project, 2016; Youth Chance High School, 2016) confirm
that effective practices supported different opportunities for young peo-
ple (e.g. deliberately-focused placements at potential employers, cultural
activities, targeted learning support, remedial education groups, individ-
ual tuition, student-student guidance etc.) and also teachers (mobility ex-
periences for trainers, tools and training for teachers etc.). Such cooper-
ation of second-chance education programmes with the environment is
vital because students who are enrolled in second-chance education pro-
grammes often need support and advice from different experts (European
Commission, 2001).
In the case of fighting ESL, the role of employers is also pivotal since
they show young people that a job requires skills, including basic skills.
By offering work experience, employers assist youth in acquiring qualifi-
cations in demand on the labour market and also enable youngsters to set
clear expectations and goals for the future (Kollas & Halkia, 2014; Lange &
Sletten, 1995).
Implications for mainstream education
Different authors (e.g. Black et al., 2012; Hill & Jepsen, 2007) state that,
despite many good studies of practices, little systematic research and ev-
idence examines the engagement of ESLers in second-chance education
programmes on the national level. In their studies, they confirmed that
the time of an individual’s re-engagement with study is an important point
when considering ESL. For youth, the rates of re-engagement were strong-
ly falling during the period since they left school, with the highest rates of
re-engagement being in the first year out, after which they dropped dra-
matically up until year 4. Such findings point to the importance of the
early re-engagement of ESLers in education and therefore the availabil-
ity of second-chance education programmes that enable and encourage
such inclusion. Further, it is important to encourage the integration of sec-
ond-chance education principles already in mainstream education in or-
der to prevent ESL.
227
take the class in an alternative setting. Recently, there have been several
European Commission projects (e.g. PROSA in Austria, LION 28 in Italy)
(ROBIN project, 2016) that specifically aimed to connect second-chance
education programmes with social work institutions, community work,
housing corporations, municipalities, educational institutions and busi-
nesses and welfare institutions. Project reports (Opportunity House,
2010; ROBIN project, 2016; Youth Chance High School, 2016) confirm
that effective practices supported different opportunities for young peo-
ple (e.g. deliberately-focused placements at potential employers, cultural
activities, targeted learning support, remedial education groups, individ-
ual tuition, student-student guidance etc.) and also teachers (mobility ex-
periences for trainers, tools and training for teachers etc.). Such cooper-
ation of second-chance education programmes with the environment is
vital because students who are enrolled in second-chance education pro-
grammes often need support and advice from different experts (European
Commission, 2001).
In the case of fighting ESL, the role of employers is also pivotal since
they show young people that a job requires skills, including basic skills.
By offering work experience, employers assist youth in acquiring qualifi-
cations in demand on the labour market and also enable youngsters to set
clear expectations and goals for the future (Kollas & Halkia, 2014; Lange &
Sletten, 1995).
Implications for mainstream education
Different authors (e.g. Black et al., 2012; Hill & Jepsen, 2007) state that,
despite many good studies of practices, little systematic research and ev-
idence examines the engagement of ESLers in second-chance education
programmes on the national level. In their studies, they confirmed that
the time of an individual’s re-engagement with study is an important point
when considering ESL. For youth, the rates of re-engagement were strong-
ly falling during the period since they left school, with the highest rates of
re-engagement being in the first year out, after which they dropped dra-
matically up until year 4. Such findings point to the importance of the
early re-engagement of ESLers in education and therefore the availabil-
ity of second-chance education programmes that enable and encourage
such inclusion. Further, it is important to encourage the integration of sec-
ond-chance education principles already in mainstream education in or-
der to prevent ESL.
227
