Methodology for Early Warning detection of risk for Early School Leaving (ESL) Erasmus Project

Project Title

Methodology for Early Warning detection of risk for Early School Leaving (ESL)

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Early School Leaving / combating failure in education

Project Summary

5.6 million young people (18-24) in Europe are early school leavers, and they are at heightened risk of poor participation in the labour market and social exclusion over their entire life course.
Exposing 13.5% of all young people in this age group to this increased risk is not only an immense waste of the individual potential of young people, but also has serious social and economic consequences for our societies.

According to the research, preventative emphasis is recommended, because it would be more effective than actions needed after drop out or when the process towards ESL has proceeded far. Schools can however decrease the number of young pupils who are to enter the risk group.

The project aimed to address the role and responsibility of school in relation to the problem of Early School Leaver (ESL). The specific goal of proposed project was elaboration an early warning mechanism or methodological tool with training materials, which would enable schools to detect pupils at risk at as early stage as possible and take proper actions to prevent ESL.

The project consortium consisted of 7 partners with the following profiles:
1. Folkuniversitetet (FU) is a national Adult Education Association which offers a wide range of VET and adult education training courses throughout Sweden and in several European countries. Folkuniversitetet as a non-profit foundation also operates eight (8) upper secondary schools all over Sweden with approximately 1250 students.
2. USR Veneto represents one of the regional branches of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. USRV is divided into 3 departments performing tasks at regional level and 5 local branches.
3. Revalento is a consultancy that offers services on the cross roads of training, education, labour market and organization. In its work the core focus is on the development of learning organisations, specifically working with groups like unemployed, immigrants, early school leavers, and handicapped persons.
4. Saxion University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the Netherlands, with close to 27,000 students
5. DOCUMENTA is a non-profit organisation working in the field of “applied social research”, whose main aim is the introduction of a model of sustainable local development in Intelligent Territories.
6. IES Hermanos Machado is a state high school of secondary education and VET depending on the Regional Educational Authority in Andalucía and located in Seville. The institution comprises Compulsory Secondary School, Upper Secondary School and a VET institution.
7. Semper Avanti is a youth organisation based in Wrocław, Lower Silesia region, Poland. The association was established in 2001 and has since then grown to become a big, innovative and dynamic NGO.

The main activities undertaken were:
Activity 1 – Project coordination
Activity 2 – The attitude and experiences of school staff towards ESL – detection and preventive action (research on present perception and practices in partner countries)
Activity 3 – Feedback seminar for school staff and other stakeholders on the research
Activity 4 – Elaboration of methodological handbook and related training materials for school staff in ESL initiatives and training materials
Activity 5 – Dissemination and valorisation
Activity 6 – Quality control and monitoring and evaluation

Through these activities the following results were attained:
1. The partnership developed a Quick Scan – the tool that helps a school detect the early risk factors and school’s areas for improvement.
2. The developed methodological guidelines enable the schools to build their proactive approach to ESL by building an early warning system designed to use accurate data for targeted interventions in the educational process within each school’s areas for improvement.
3. The elaborated training material aims to assist schools in creating a long-term plan to detect and prevent Early School Leaving (ESL). The plan helps to select ESL-prevention policy, strategy and activities that address the particular needs of the school.

The project activities have also generated multiple impacts on different target groups:
1) The outcomes of the project had immeasurable impact on the partner organisations, changing their methods of working with the problem of ESL within their organisations.
2) Multiple target groups were informed (research, feedback seminars, dissemination activities) or even thoroughly educated (pilot activities) in the project outcomes. The guidelines and training material were reported to significantly help to detect ESL at the earlier stage, as well as elaborate and implement effective preventive and supportive actions.
3) Students were affected in a way that they could be identified at an early stage, so the school could provide support and guidance to them
4) The project affected the local and regional school authorities by sensitising them to the problem of ESL.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 406901 Eur

Project Coordinator

STIFTELSEN KURSVERKSAMHETEN VID U-AUNIVERSITET & Country: SE

Project Partners

• IES Hermanos Machado
• SEMPER AVANTI
• VAN DE WINKEL CONSULTANCY BV
• STICHTING SAXION
• UFFICIO SCOLASTICO REGIONALE PER IL VENETO
• ASOCIACIÓN INSTITUTO EUROPEO DE ESTUDIOS PARA LA FORMACIÓN Y EL DESARROLLO