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Contents

INTRODUCTION

IL PICCOLO PRINCIPE - THE FREE SCHOOL "THE LITTLE PRINCE" (Reggio Calabria, Italy)
Introduction
The context
The beneficiaries
The activities of the school
The innovative aspect
The results achieved
Conclusions

THE TRANSIT EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME OF THE PRODUCTIVE SCHOOL IN PÉCS (Hungary)
Introduction
Operational System
The operation of the transit programme
After the programme - indicators of success
Future
Conclusions
Sources

STEP - TERRITORIAL SCHOOL FOR EMERGENT ARTISTS (Palermo, Italy)
Introduction
Framework and context
The activities
Achievements
Conclusion

ESCOLA TÉCNICA PSICOSSOCIAL DE LISBOA - PSYCHOSOCIAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL OF LISBON (Portugal)
Introduction
The background of etpl and its activity
Pedagogic model
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix

DRAMA WORKSHOP - PÔLE DE MOBILISATION PROFESSIONNELLE DE L'EST PARISIEN (France)
Introduction
Framework and context
Activities
Achievements
Conclusion

RUMO, A SOCIAL SOLIDARITY COOPERATIVE (Portugal)
Introduction
The background of rumo ant its activity
The supported employment model
Practise characterisation innovative
Final considerations
Bibliography
Appendix

KID PROGRAMME IN HUNGARY
Introduction
The background
Activities and methodology
Results
Conclusions
Sources

EPICEA METHOD - P.E.R.I.S.C.O.P. EQUAL PROJECT (France)
Introduction
Framework and context
Activities
Achievements
Conclusion
References

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Introduction

The case studies presented in this book were shared and compiled in an international cooperative programme, the so-called SS-K-EE - Soft skills Key to Employment in Europe, which was established within the Equal European Social Fund Community Initiative by four partnerships of the European Union. All four partnerships deal with youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds with the aim of helping them somehow or other to find their positions in the labour market, and in conjunction with this, in society as well. Due to space constraints, all the activities and projects of these four partnerships cannot be discussed here in detail, nor can we talk about their member organisations, because each of them relies on various professionals of different institutes in their work, so we can only briefly introduce them to the reader so that they can get some insight into the background of this cooperation.

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The age of their target group is similar and their experiments and the implementation of improving soft skills are common in the four institutes and their programmes, and that is the basis of their cooperation, even reflected in the name SS-K-EE - SOFT SKILLS-KEY TO EMPLOYMENT IN EUROPE. In this book eight case studies are published on the topic, all of which show a different method of integrating disadvantaged youngsters.

We also would like to demonstrate with our selection that there is not one ideal model as a solution to help the disadvantaged. Societies and labour markets are different, as well as those who need help, and the institutes whose purpose it is to help them, and these differences are felt not only on a national level, but also within one county, sometimes even within one town or village, because students will all have different problems, from those who drop out of school, or the locals who get along with their fluent knowledge of the country's language to those who are immigrants. The aim cannot be the same in the case of those who live in big cities, as it is in the case of those who live in villages, partially because they acquired their social skills in a different environment, and partially because they have different opportunities in the labour market, but we could easily highlight the significance of their social and cultural backgrounds, or the importance of their age.

This diversity is reflected in these case studies, which all include solutions for education and training related issues, services which help the participants to study, to continue their studies or to enter the labour market. It is also a common element in all these programmes and organisations that even if they principally concentrate on current issues which require immediate solution, they are always aware that these solutions should also work in the longer run, if they enable integration of their clients into society.

The first five case studies can be regarded as experimental schools or training centres. The majority of them are not typical schools in the sense of being a part of the educational system of a country as others schools are. The only exception is perhaps the Psychosocial Technical School of Lisbon, the others have educating activities which are mainly non formal, meaning that they provide a second chance for those youngsters who finish their formal education (having attained qualifications or not), but for some reasons without the necessary competences and knowledge they should have in the labour market and helps them to acquire them.

Motivating the participants is a high priority in these schools, because they recognise that learning a profession or a trade which is in demand in the labour market, and acquiring the competences which are vital for employment, by themselves are not motivating enough for those youngsters who, owing to their series of failures in their academic career, do not really find future employment attractive enough or feel that a satisfactory outcome of their studies in the very far future would be a very uncertain conclusion.

As for methodology, various different solutions can be observed. There are schools where production is emphasised (e.g. in the Hungarian Transit), others focus on productive activities realised in school environment (e.g. Il Piccolo Principe). These methodologies are both to motivate participants, and to develop their technical skills and social competences, because productive activities are carried out in a community environment, even if they are done individually by the participants. There are also some examples where common activity and its character building effects are the principles of the programme (e.g. the Drama workshop of CNA-CEFAG). Due to the characteristics of these programmes, they are mostly implemented in the form of training rather than in terms of traditional teaching methods.

Many institutes recognised that the socially disadvantaged, not very motivated youngsters should be offered knowledge, which matches the attributes the media continually transfers to them, so it is not surprising that ICT tools are incorporated into their methods, or even the profession they teach is connected to this world (e.g. STEP).

Almost all of these experimental schools (because they are pilot initiatives rather than widely spread methods) rely on active participants in the labour market, because they understand that educating in a "sterile" environment would not help their students to get familiar with the complexity of labour, which should be vital for those who, unlike their luckier peers, could not acquire the necessary life patterns due to the lack of role models at home.

Another common feature of the institutes is that they know their limitations that they are not able to fulfil successfully all the tasks on their own, so they have to cooperate with various local or regional institutes, so that each institute can contribute to success with their expertise.

Whether declared or not, providing mental help is part of the programmes. In some cases this function is designated as a separate department of their institutes, in other cases it is part of the tools which are used to increase self-esteem. The necessity of this sort of aid is supported by the recognition that their young clients have suffered bigger-smaller mental injuries, and without treating them, they would not be able to successfully cope with the difficulties of studying, and later, of the hurdles they would meet when they try to adapt to the requirements of the labour market.

Many programmes have some sort of career guidance elements. This is partially because it is vital for successful motivation, and partially because that is how they can reduce the chances of possible future professional failures, which originates from lack of competences.

There are two examples among the educational solutions in this book (KID, RUMO), which draw attention to the fact that it is possible to improve and support formal school performance of youngsters with learning problems without establishing separate costly institutions for this task. We can even learn from the case study of RUMO that providing a "second" chance is not necessary for everybody, if, with support and help, the first chance can be beneficial enough for the client.

The eighth case study is significantly different from the others. It discusses a software programme, which provides help in career guidance, drawing attention to the fact that not only is providing the necessary competences and skills for the labour market necessary, but also, in many cases, it is enough just to discover and consciously use the existing acquired competences.

Our book will provide first information and guidance on some case studies aimed at developing soft skills. Those who might become interested in one of the methodologies and wish to implement it in their practices. They should directly contact the institute of the programme they are interested in, and get in-depth information and guidance to adapt the methodology to their local needs. That is what we would like to contribute to with this book of case studies.

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