RETURNING TO EDUCATION AND YOUNG EARLY SCHOOL LEAVERS

I must acknowledged that there are many different types of people who return to education and indeed they return to education for many different reasons.  However, the purpose of this blog and presentation is to explore the options available to early school leavers up to age  of  around twenty who want to return to education.  Before a young person returns to education by must have left it in the first place    Therefore, I believe it is important to know why young people leave school early and the affect early school leaving has on their lives. 

Youthreach is a programme many young people enter into which brings them back to education and training and allows them to lead full and active lives which they otherwise may not have been able to do.

Read on to find out about early school leavers and what Youthreach has to offer them.

YOUTHREACH - What's it all about?

Despite the interventions and initiatives early school leaving still remains problematic.   In order to bring teenagers back into the system YOUTHREACH was introduced by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and FAS in 1989.

 This initiative aims to provide education, training and work experience to young people aged 15-20 who have left second level schooling with no qualifications. It is an inter-Departmental initiative for early school leavers that operate through a number of different strands – YOUTHREACH centres, funded by the Department of Education and Science and managed by VECs; Community Training Workshops funded by FAS; and Justice Workshops funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and FÁS.

 Programmes are provided in an out-of school setting, and feature: integrated personal development, literacy, numeracy, ICT and communications, counselling, guidance and psychological services, and a range of vocational options and work experience.

Trainees are paid a training allowance. Guidance and counselling and childcare services are available for participants. Youthreach, the Senior Traveller Training Centres and the FAS funded Community Training Workshops form part of a joint early school leavers programme catering for over 7,000 participants in over 130 centres (30 Traveller centres, some 77 Youthreach centres, both provided by the VECs, and a network of 35-40 Community Training Workshops provided by FAS.).

YOUTHREACH - What they do

Structure is important when working with young people who live in unstable situations.  While providing a safe and listening experience and environment participants are also challenged and encouraged.  The first principle of the programme is to start with the learner.  The programme focuses on a holistic development of the individual.  Participants are facilitated in setting personal and educational goals that increase their self-esteem, skill and knowledge base and employability.

The programme itself is structured into three phases:

Firstly participants go through an Engagement/Gateway Phase in which the young person’s needs are identified and an individual learning plan is negotiated, within the framework of the centre or workshop’s capacity.

The next phase is the Foundation Phase where the participants are helped to overcome learning difficulties, develop self confidence and gain a range of competencies essential for further learning.

A Progression Phase follows, this phase provides for more specific development through a range of education, training and work experience options.

Basic skills training, practical work training and general education are features of the programme, and the application of new technology is integrated into all aspects of programme content.  The programme provides a strong emphasis on personal development, on the core skills of literacy and numeracy, communications and IT, along with a choice of vocational options such as Catering, Hairdressing, computers, Woodwork, Photography, Video, Sports, Art and Craft and a work experience programme.  Over 79% of participants progress to the labour market or further education and training.

YOUTHREACH - LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!



Youthreach, Harmonstown



During my research I visited two Youthreach centres.  One in Harmonstown, the other in Bonnybrook, Coolock.  I did my research, I had not spoken to anyone involved in Youthreach, I knew of a few of our students who tried it out and didn't 'like it', I knew of other students who had succeeded in Youthreach, overall I did not know what to expect. So I expected the unexpected.

 

My first impression was shock when I saw the buildings, both of them!!  One was a disused factory, the other seemed to be a converted hall.  After the shock of the aesthetics what I encountered were very vibrant centres with friendly atmospheres.  Staff are obviously very concerned about and relate well to the participants.  The participants eyed me up with suspicion but once this initial ritual was over they chatted and told me about their experiences in Youthreach.  Coping with everyday issues underpins many activities in Youthreach.  Students learn to cook, improve their communication skills.  Numeracy and literacy skills improvement have a high priority.  The staff and particpants were on first name terms, the interactions were very different to what I experience in  school.  On the surface they appear to be on  more equal terms, however, discipline is an important and  has to be kept and maintained in the centres., which can lead to frustrations by the participants .





Youthreach, Bonnybrook, Coolock



For many of the male participants the first job of the tutors is to encourage to take their hoods down while in the centres! This can take time and effort, but all I saw was two or three hoods up during my visits, so they are obviously successful in this regard. Overall the centres were safe, caring units where young people could attend and develop skills which would reengage them into a society that many feel disenfranchised from.

Youthreach Centres and Community Training Centres are mainly located in disadvantaged areas and reflect the needs of the local community.

AFFECTS OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING

Young people who leave school will face a myriad of problems in later life, unless of course they get lucky and end up like Bill Cullen.  There are, as we know, very few Bill Cullens around!

o   Early school leavers are 3 to 4 times more likely to be unemployed than their more educated peers.

o   The majority of Irish prisoners have never sat s State exam with over half having left school before the age of 15.

o   Early school leavers are more likely to report poorer health, long term illness, experience depression and are 4 times more likely to be in receipt of a medical care.

o   Early school leavers are also likely to suffer from low self-esteem, may abuse some substance, have family conflict and experience poverty at some stage in their lives.

Read more about educational disadvantage and how it impacts on peoples live by clicking on the Barnardo’s Logo above.

WHY DO YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY?

                            

Each year approximately 15% of students leave school after the Junior Cert.  An estimated 1,000 children do not transfer from primary to secondary school annually.  This amounts to about 9,000 students and this number has remained relatively stable since the mid 1990s despite numerous interventions being put in place.

There are many reasons why young people leave school early, however what is disturbing is the extent to which social class is so strongly related to the participation and performance of a student within the Irish education system.  Early school leavers differ markedly by social class background with much higher levels among young people from working-class and unemployed households.  Working-class young men are particularly likely to leave school early.  Early school leaving has also been found to have its roots in early experiences of educational failure and struggle with schoolwork, ogten as far back as primary level.  Furthermore, dropout rates tend to be higher in schools with a high concentration of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. (Byrne & Smyth, 2010, No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving)

MAIN REASONS FOR EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING

Many reports and studies point to the same factors as contributing to young people leaving school before completion of the Leaving Certificate examination.  In his report, Prevention of Early School Leaving – Irish National Report (2004), Art O’Suilleabhain identified the following issues as being the main casues of early school leaving in the group of students he investigates:

·         Progression from primary to second level schools

·         A familial history

·         Family circumstances

·         Poverty

·         Socio-economic circumstances

·         Work

·         Teenage pregnancy

·         Rural living

·         Stress, anxiety and discomfort in school

·         Traveller culture and education

                                                           

SCHOOL SUPPORTS FOR THOSE MOST AT RISK

http://www.kent.police.uk/advice/personal/young_people/bme
_young_people/BME%20groups.html

A number of government departments are responsible for policy responses to improve the wellbeing of children including.  The Department of Education and Skills have provided and funded schemes specifically designed to enhance school attendance and reduce early school leaving.  Included in the schemes are such initiatives as:

• Dssadvantaged Areas Scheme
• Book Grant Scheme
• Educational Psychological Services
• School Meals Programme
• The School Completion Programme
• Education of Non-nationals
• Special Needs
• Support Teachers Project
• The Learning Support Teacher Scheme

Defining the early school leaver

The legal definition of early school leaving refers to non-participation in school before reaching the age of 16 years or before completing 3 years post-primary education, whichever is later. A more specific definition of early school leavers is those who leave the education system without a minimum of 5 passes in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualification. Young people who leave education without recognised qualifications are at a disadvantage in the labour market and are at increased risk of poverty and social exclusion.

For those people who have already left school and would like to further their education and training, there are a number of schemes in place. These are non-formal education facilities that aim to provide high quality, relevant and efficient education and training opportunities outside the mainstream education setting.

The Annual Survey of School Leavers Stopped

 

In January 2009 it was announced that due to Budget restrictions, the Annual Survey of School Leavers carried out by the ESRI was been halted.  It has been undertaken for the last thirty years.  This was an important survey and its need is now greater than ever due to the economic downturn.  It gave valuable insight into the factors shaping the educational pathways and attainments of all school leaversl.

The data gathered in each survey was used in a broad range of Irish and international research studies, it examined  issues such as school attendance and participation in programmes such as the Leaving Certificate Applied and Transition Year. The information has  also been used in studies on the impact of participation in Post Leaving Certificate courses.

The  School Leavers' Survey 2006 found there had been no improvement in school completion levels since the early 1990s. It showed:

• more than 18% of people who left second level education in 2003 and 2004 had not reached the Leaving Certificate, a higher figure than in 1993 (almost one in five).
• the highest number in 10 years of people who left school without reaching Junior Certificate - at 4% of school leavers.       

The annual survey has given important insights into why young people disengage  from the system and has helped shape policy with regard to developing appropriate educational and training measures which were put in place to help retention. 

In such recessionary times this information is needed now more than ever to help to encourage young people to return to education.

WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION!!

Disadvantaged and many working class children and teens usually find themselves in the domain of a middle class system when they attend school.  Because of this, working class children can start out life at a disadvantage. Their educational experience may be hindered for several reasons, including influences from their parents, the schools they attend, and their expectations and attitudes, all of which are strongly affected by previous generations.  Thus for many of these young people school is not an easy place.  Often when they reach the second level all they want is out. The pressure of trying to conform to the rigid rules and regulations imposed by predominantly working class people often proves too much and they feel driven out of the system.  I think the Pink Floyd hit describes the situation well for these young people.

                            ...Hey teacher...leave them kids alone...

Another Brick In The Wall

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave them kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

Our early school leavers hit hardest by rising job losses

According to an article in the Irish Independent of 22 September 2010 early school leavers are facing a tough time in the jobs market, and it's going to get worse for them. Figures released recently from the CSO show that early school leavers are finding it hard to hold onto jobs in the current economic climate.  Read the full article:

http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/our-early-school-leavers-hit-hardest-by-rising-job-losses-2347714.html