Introduction

1. Guiding at risk youth through learning to work: lessons from across EuropeAnne-Mari Nevala and Pat Irving

2. Introduction • Identify and examine guidance measures that support • School completion (preventative) • Reintegration of early school leavers (corrective) • The transition process from education to work • Identify good practice, provide recommendations for future action • Method, timescale • EU27, IS, NO with examples from FYROM, HR, TR provided by ETF • Young people at risk - diverse group • Interpretation of ‘guidance’

3. Prevention - school completion • Economic and social rationale to support preventative approaches • Responses: system and / or individual approaches • Seven types of policy responses (not always mutually exclusive): • Comprehensive policies e.g. Drive to reduce dropout rates (Aanval op Schooluitval) NL • Tackling truancy and well being at school • Focus on teachers • Support at key transition points e.g. Ambition to Succeed (Ambition Réussite) FR, Transition Year Programme IE • Community participation e.g. Learning Communities ES • Support for recently arrived immigrant communities • Mentoring / peer support e.g. RISE CPH DK, Scholarship and mentoring projects HU, Nightingale SE

4. Corrective - reintegration measures • Disengage – first challenge is to find and re-engage young people • Six types of policy responses • Tracking measures, linked to targeted support (DK) • (Timebound), specialist support e.g. Relay classes (Classes Relais) FR • Holistic interventions e.g. Youth Schools (Jaunimo Mokyklos) LT, Youthreach IE • On-line learning and support platforms e.g. NotSchool.net UK • Second chance measures e.g. Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences PT • Access to employment e.g. Competence Agencies (Kompetenzagenturen) DE

5. Working life familiarisation

6. Some general conclusions • Effective practice • Joined-up, multi-agency, professional approach • Front-line guidance staff (formal and non-formal) appropriately selected, trained, co-ordinated and supported on an on-going basis • Outreach work to engage • Personalised guidance - high quality, multi-dimensional and impartial • Person-centred with parental involvement • Appear to be making a difference but… lack co-ordination, ‘real’ partnership working, strategic overview and long-term funding

7. Prevention - What works? • Early interventions most effective • Long-term view • Investment vs cost • Trust based relationship between young person and guidance staff • Raising aspirations • Ensuring support in transition points • Additional stakeholders, NGOs, communities and parents • Evidence based

8. Reintegration – what works? • Reintegration is a six step journey, including: • Re-engagement, assessment of personal and career needs & aspirations, on-going review of progression and importantly after care • Guidance is a continuum which provides support for the passage from disengagement to re-engagement. • Elements that make reintegration successful not ‘rocket science’, i.e.: • Finding ways to stimulate ‘appetite’ to participation and learning • Strengthening ability to deal with problems and setbacks • Paying attention to the learning environment • Celebrating achievement • Using alternative teaching methods • Placing young people in the centre of the process and involving them in the project design too.

9. Education to work transitions – what works? • Development of career management skills can shorten the transition • In the context of the changes in the nature of world of work, proliferation of information sources and expansion in career & education opportunities. • Transformation and expansion of guidance delivery mechanisms • Specific needs of at-risk youth • Providing working life familiarisation opportunities important for all young people but can be particularly important for some disengaged youth who may prefer a kinaesthetic approach to learning

10. Recommendations I • Guidance should be an integral part of any approach addressing the issue of early school leaving and not limited to a specific point in life • Guidance needs to move from an implicit to an explicit policy response • Guidance should be embedded in preventative, corrective and transitional management • Guidance provided through informal and non-formal means can prove vital in the absence of professional guidance, but access to formal guidance should be available to all, especially those at risk

11. Recommendations II • Essential to make sure those in greatest need are aware of guidance on offer and understand how it can help them • Need to invest in outreach work and engaging hardest to help groups • Approach to the delivery of guidance for young people at-risk should take into consideration: • Empowerment through focus on ‘untapped potential’ • Promote high expectations • The guidance relationship based on mutual trust and respect

12. Recommendations III • Sufficient resources required to make a real impact: • The crisis has heightened the need for guidance for at risk youth • Bespoke solutions require time and resources • Ensure monies for area based approaches are not spread too thinly • Real partnership working “doesn’t happen overnight” • Don’t underestimate the resources needed for transition support and after-care – area for future investment • Investments in working life familiarisation promoted as a two-way process: benefits for young people and employers • Essential to invest in recruitment, retention and supporting of talented and committed individuals to guidance roles • Can we afford not to invest?

13. Recommendations IV • Increase the quality of the guidance offer on IVET routes • CMS required for all pupils/students – embedded in mainstream E&T system, IVET and alternative curricular for at risk groups. • Policy dialogue with young people

14. Contacts • Anne-Mari Nevala and Pat Irving / GHK • T: +44 (0) 121 233 8923 • E: anne-mari.nevala@ghkint.com • Mika Launikari / Cedefop • E: Mika.Launikari@cedefop.europa.eu