It is interesting that when pressed to identify the most important factors and to make choices between what is critical and what is not, youth tended not to mention factors that are often considered important.

 

For example, lack of motivation, working long hours and learning-related issues such as uninteresting or not relevant curriculum, high expectations, insufficient one-on-one time with teachers, and teaching styles not matching students’ learning styles were rarely mentioned as key causal factors for dropping out.

 

Symposium participants told us that leaving school before completion is a process that’s heavily determined by the youth’s home environment and the impact it has on his or her emotional and physical well-being. When youth can’t cope with issues
at home, or don’t feel supported by their parents or others, behavioural problems such as low self-esteem, anger or substance abuse, may appear; or, the youth may identify with peers in similar situations rather than with more positive role models. These problems are exacerbated when youth perceive schools as uncaring, unwelcoming and unsafe, and feel that they don’t have access to the emotional and social supports (e.g., peer counseling, counselors, social workers or psychologists) that they need. Youth look towards school to find help when such supports are lacking at home and, if schools don‘t offer that environment, they leave.

 

At the Symposium, this video, Listen Up, was shared.  Check it out and let us know what you think!