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.