Succeeding after dropping out of school: the HOP! course

8% of 18-24 year olds drop out of school

In France today, 8% of young people aged 18 to 24 have dropped out of school, i.e. are no longer enrolled in training and have no qualifications such as a baccalaureate or equivalent. From the age of 19 onwards, French law no longer considers it compulsory for these young people to undergo training or enter the workforce, often leaving them outside the system. Although various structures and associations exist to help school drop-outs, these resources remain little-known by their potential beneficiaries.

Most current programs to help school drop-outs aim to reintegrate young people into the traditional education system to obtain a diploma equivalent to the baccalauréat. However, a study¹ reveals that many dropouts reject the traditional school form. Their reasons for dropping out vary, ranging from rejection of the school form to academic difficulties, an attraction to working life, discouragement or personal problems. 

In addition to the traditional public school route, young people aged 16 to 25 who have left the school system and are not in employment also have the option of joining a Second Chance School (E2C), which is designed to enable them to return to school. However, these schools are not designed to get people back into school: a return to the "classic" classroom is often a very abrupt experience for students, and the risk of dropping out again is high². Their risk of leaving the school system early and without qualifications is therefore always high, and no alternative is offered to these dropouts, who find themselves once again at high risk of unemployment.

HOP! program: supporting a return to employment or an entrepreneurial project

Ultimately, there are few solutions outside the prospect of returning to school for these young people, or an eventual entry into the job market, where activities and contracts are often precarious and working conditions difficult. However, scientific studies indicate that contributing to the development of soft skills among young people and people who are far from employment encourages professional reintegration and success in employment.

The "HOP!" (Hashtag Objectif Pro) scheme, which started in March 2022, has been trialed in three territories in France: the Île-de-France region (IDF), the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (AURA) and the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region (PACA). It offers an innovative alternative to support people without jobs, qualifications, or training (NEET), thanks to an individual and collective pathway which has been the subject of action research. The support program lasts six months for people wishing to find a job, and one year for those with an entrepreneurial project.

Learning conditions that foster self-confidence

Young adults who have left the school system, or older adults returning to school, are looking for an equal relationship with the trainer, one that doesn't infantilize them and changes the relationship between learner and learner found in conventional education. This means they don't feel inferior, and they can see themselves as learners with knowledge and skills they can share. Moving away from the traditional school setting therefore enables us to move away from the relationship between the knower and the learner, and move towards a relationship of equality and shared knowledge. This observation is shared by studies of back-to-work schemes such as second-chance schools, where the teacher/student relationship is totally different from traditional teaching, and seems to be better suited to the students enrolled in this type of establishment².

The premises in which the proposed workshops take place are also important. For example, for participants from Ile-de-France, part of the workshops take place at the Learning Planet Institute, a 7000m_² in the heart of Paris, in atypical premises welcoming a population of researchers, professionals, academics and students. They thus rub shoulders with a world to which they had never before had access, and which enables them to develop a better self-esteem, as one of the participants, D; 23, from Paris, explains: "I've never studied, never been to university, I thought it wasn't for me, that I didn't have the level. Here, I feel a bit like I'm in higher education, and I'm finally coming to college, I'm happy to be here".

Developing soft skills rather than filling academic gaps

Offering an innovative pedagogical approach in a setting that fosters interdisciplinary research, the HOP! course encourages participants to develop their self-esteem, helps them regain their self-confidence and reflect on their personal and professional projects. The project's workshops focus on developing practical skills, such as creating a CV or simulating job interviews, and 21st century skills such as creativity, or collaboration, fundamental for tomorrow's work according to the International Labor Organization³, rather than filling academic gaps.

Taking part in a month of face-to-face workshops in small groups enables participants to forge links and receive more personalized support. In this way, the program encourages group cohesion and brings together participants with diverse profiles, promoting the sharing of experiences. Outdoor excursions, as well as visits to MakerLabs (see Make ICI Marseille), also enable talented participants to disconnect from their daily lives and stimulate their creativity.

Positive initial results

The initial results of the action-research carried out on this scheme are positive, and show that participants are discovering and developing psychosocial skills: increased self-confidence, greater control over their personal and professional projects, a renewed sense of purpose in their projects, a direction better suited to their desires and profile thanks to the acquisition of new skills.

References:

¹Bernard, P., & Michaut, C. (2014). "Fed up with school": reasons for dropping out. ResearchGate.

²Senate information report. (2022). Preventing juvenile delinquency - Avoiding recidivism. (p.55-56)

³InternationalLabour Organization, ILO. (2021). Global framework on core skills for life and work in the 21st century.