Youthreach

Eligibility Criteria

• The programme targets unqualified early school leavers, mainly aged 15-20 years.
• The programme also provides training for the staff that work with the young people.

Objectives

• Personal and social development and increased self-esteem.
• Second-chance education and introductory level training.
• Promoting independence, personal autonomy and a pattern of lifelong learning.
• Integration into further education and training opportunities and the labour market.
• Social inclusion.

Essential Course Elements

• Personal and Social development
• Vocational Skills
• Communications Skills

The Foundation Phases programme is constructed as a curricular matrix incorporating these elements. This approach is also found in the certification offered by FETAC.

Methods

YOUTHREACH is a trans-disciplinary education and training programme. It is learner-centred and experiential. There is a strong emphasis on achievement and on developing the capacities of participants. The programme promotes the participants sense of self-worth and identity, as well as pride in their abilities and work. It is an integrated experience‚ personal, communications and vocational skills are integrated in a curricular and experiential matrix.

Good practice standards

In the experience of YOUTHREACH, the key features of successful interventions with early school leavers are as follows:

1. A focus on the holistic development of the individual;
2. A learning environment which is safe, structured and challenging - programmes must focus on independence and integration;
3. A process which is both participant-centred and participant-led - there should be open and honest feedback between trainer and participants;
4. A team approach ‚ programmes are most effective if organised on the basis of a curricular matrix in which each teacher or trainer is implementing a range of trans-disciplinary curricular objectives (such as communications skills development, health and safety awareness, etc);
5. Staff who facilitate and animate and are themselves open to learning. Ideally, teams should be multi-disciplinary. The maintenance and in-career development of staff involved is a priority;
6. A methodology/pedagogy which begins with the young person;
7. A general emphasis on achievement rather than failure;
8. Appropriate assessment and certification;
9. Flexibility (at all levels ‚ management, relationships, curriculum);
10. Programme duration based on need rather than time.

YOUTHREACH adopts a credit approach, as opposed to a therapeutic approach. The young people are not approached on the basis of perceived deficits. Rather, they are regarded as equals (as adults). The essential question is:

• What do you think are your strengths and how can we help you to maximise them?
• What do you think are your weaknesses and how can we help you to address them?

Within this overall approach, each centre develops a statement of mission, internal review mechanisms and a range of policies and approaches appropriate to the particular group and environment they work with and within.

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