Reconnecta’t
Title
Reconnecta’t
Affiliation(s)/ Institution
Fundació El Llindar
Email addresses
aulataller@elllindar.org
Project funded by
Diputació de Barcelona Ajuntament de Cornellà de Llobregat Direcció General d’Atenció a la Infància i Adolescència de la Generalitat de Catalunya (DGAIA) Càritas Diocesana Finançament propi
Promoter name and country
Fundació El Llindar (Spain)
Type of provider
private
Area of implementation
- urban
- local
Context and motivation of the project - legislative background/obligations, institutional policy, institutional structures
Spain and Catalonia are among the worst regions in the European Union for youth unemployment (45%), dropping out of school (22% of young people aged 18 to 24 are not studying and their highest academic qualification is a secondary school diploma; 25% leave compulsory secondary education without attaining a diploma). These data mean there are many young people who are not well prepared to enter the job market. Therefore, in order to do this, there is a need to return to formal education. Surprisingly, there are no other similar professional training programmes anywhere else in the region. Given this situation, there are six issues that need to be addressed: 1. Building personalised pathways. 2. Building training pathways better suited to teenagers and young people who have dropped out of school and have few qualifications. 3. Offering time and spaces for learning in which students feel comfortable enough to learn. 4. Creating spaces for subjective support. 5. Transitioning through different levels of education and obtaining certifications. 6. The return to the education system. To respond to these needs, El Llindar works as a Second Chance School.
Aims of the project
Combat school failure by promoting the return to education or work, facilitating educational and training opportunities for young people who have been excluded.
Target group
- students
- ESL
Description of the target group
Teenagers and young people aged 16 to 25 who are alienated and not involved in any training or education pathways. They have issues in common such as school failure and personal vulnerability. It is necessary to provide constant support. Most of the young people are referred by basic social care teams and social services specialising in children and teenagers, or local secondary schools.
Staff (selection, evaluation, training, promotion)
The programme is carried out by a multidisciplinary team of professionals from the area of education (teaching, social education and psychology) and professionals from different trades. Work is done on a joint basis, reserving spaces for working together as a team to rethink the methodology and come up with strategies and actions for each young person. In addition, each group of young people has its own educator who is often present in their other classes, creating an educational pairing with the other trade professional. In total, approximately 15 to 20 people are associated with the programme, depending on the year, either directly or indirectly.
Methodological approach, activities implemented
The combination of the experience, culture and values of El Llindar over these 10 years have shaped and determined our approach to educational action, based on which we have designed the programme’s architecture and methodology. One of the key characteristics and starting points is the specific way of approaching the issue of school leaving and failure. It is a humanistic and singular approach based more on creation than shortcomings. We consider questions such as how to tackle school leaving that is affected by external personal difficulties: young people who cannot bear being anonymous or not having a future. The methodology includes the what, the why and above all how to tackle the problem. Another of the model’s key points – one that allows us to continue evolving and adapting to teenagers and young people – is related to the methodology and the position and responsibility that we give to the teenagers. They must be the focus of all our actions; we have to listen to them and design specific actions for each one. The aim is not only to offer a response in terms of training, but also to tackle extremely vulnerable personal situations that stop young people from thinking about their future. In El Llindar’s Educational Development and Innovation Area, we are constantly researching and questioning the difficulties young people have in tolerating education and being students. Our project is a work in progress in which we learn by doing. Aspects: - Educational policy: subjective support, personalised education, spaces and time for support, training for trainers. - The concept of the pathway (the courses are not the ultimate objective). - Customised dual training (alternating between training and work). - Skills-based learning. - Official, certified training. - Partnerships. Joint work, transfer of knowledge, etc. There are two main activities: VENTALLers and Accés a Mida (Customised Access). The first involves a large range of professional workshops that allow participants to obtain the personal and professional skills they need to access the job market or continue with their training. The second focuses on returning young people to education and preparing them for intermediate-level vocational training entrance examinations. At the same time, there is support and personal, educational and professional guidance across all areas.
Results and impact - data of program internal/ external evaluation, beneficiary satisfaction, the impact of the didactical practices at individual and institutional level
It is difficult to evaluate a programme of this type as most of the results are qualitative. In any case, on a quantitative level: - Young people who have taken part since 2008: 240 - Young people who have completed the activities: 80%-90% - Young people who have successfully completed the training: 70%-80% - Young people who have continued studying: 60%-70% Furthermore, from a qualitative point of view, we must highlight that most of the young people have been able to reflect on their personal situation and break away from a pattern of failure. They are aware of their abilities and difficulties, and they have found responses taking into account their own responsibilities, in order to ultimately take control of their lives. Finally, they have an individual work plan that includes the objectives and activities they must develop to begin to build a realistic future in terms of personal, educational and professional prospects.
Conclusions, lessons learned
The need for a programme of this type for young people, and to implement it within the model of a Second Chance School: longer (as a opposed to erratic), personalised pathways, alternating between training and work, and subjective support.
Directions of further development/ Transferability, replicability
Work is being done on an impact assessment system to improve the programme and develop the key elements for its transferability, always within the framework of a Second Chance School, without which a programme of this type would not be as effective.
Type of ESL (early school leaving) practice
- Compensation
Web references (url, social media presence)
Parameters on which the practice is applicable (check those appropriate)
- Governance and coordination
- Methodologies of provision
- Objectives and needs