A Summary Report On The Evaluation of The European Pilot Schools

BBJ BiPeG mbH
S c o n d C n c e S h o o l s
Summary Report on the evaluation of the
European Pilot Schools

P e s e n t e d b y :
Karin Oster (Manager)
Eeva-Kaisa Linna
Jacques Jansen
Roxana Carvalho

October 2000
BBJ BiPeG mbH
CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
BACKGROUND TO THE SECOND CHANCE SCHEME 1
KEY ASPECTS 1
EVALUATION REPORT 2
MAIN RESULTS 4
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7

CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND TO THE SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL INITIATIVE 10
THE IDEA 10
STARTING PROGRAMMES 10
DEFINITION PROBLEMS 12
TARGET GROUP 14
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE 15
GUIDANCE AND MONITORING OF SCS 18

CHAPTER 3: PORTRAITS OF THE SCHOOLS 21
INTRODUCTION 21
TABLES AND PROFILES 22

CHAPTER 4: PARTNERSHIPS 57
INTRODUCTION 57
PARTNERSHIPS 59
LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AUTHORITIES 60
ENTERPRISES 62
PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION 63
EMPLOYMENT AFTER SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL 63
OTHER TYPES OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS 64
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER SECOND CHANCE SCHOOLS 64
CONCLUSIONS 65
RECOMMENDATIONS 66

CHAPTER 5: PEDAGOGY 67
INTRODUCTION 67
RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS AND TUTORS, QUALIFICATIONS AND
CAPACITIES, TEACHER TRAINING AND ROLES IN THE SCHOOL 69
GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING 70
CURRICULA AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES, DISCIPLINES,
INDIVIDUALIZATION 70
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES, ON-THE-JOB LEARNING, LINKS WITH
THE WORLD OF WORK 78
BBJ BiPeG mbH
NEW TECHNOLOGIES 81
CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT OF ACHIEVEMENTS 82
BACKGROUND TO THE SECOND CHANCE SCHEME 84

CHAPTER 6: CLIENT GROUP 86
INTRODUCTION 86
BENEFICIARIES 87
LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD LEARNING 91

CHAPTER 7: SECOND SCHOOL: A EUROPEAN PILOT 95
THE MODEL 95
THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTANTS 96
THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION 97
SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE 99
AN EXCHANGE STRATEGY 99
BUILDING OF BEST PRACTICE 100
THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS/ SERVICES 100

CHAPTER 8: SECOND CHANCE FOR SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL 102
MAINSTREAMING THE PILOT-PHASE 102
ALONG THE EUROPEAN CHALLENGES 103
MULTIPLYING SCS EXPERIENCE 103
LOOKING AT THE FUTURE 103
Second Chance Schools Summary Report Chapter 1
BBJ BiPeG mbH
1
CHAPTER 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND TO THE SECOND CHANCE SCHEME
Member States are facing high rates of unemployment, especially among youths with
low levels of schooling. This employment context, which is locally turning into a social
emergency, contributes to discrimination against people living in conditions of social,
personal and cultural disadvantage. Considering this situation, the Commission has
accorded high priority to the fight against social and economic exclusion. In fact,
combating exclusion has been one of the objectives set in the White Paper Teaching
and Learning towards the Learning Society, adopted by the Commission in 1995. It
is in this White Paper that the Commission proposed to encourage the establishment
of Second Chance Schools that, together with the European Voluntary Service pro-
gramme, were to become one of the two main tools to tackle exclusion.
Member States have been implementing a number of measures meant to offer train-
ing alternatives to weak segments of the population with the aim of to facilitating their
social and economic inclusion. Building on this experience, the Second Chance
School scheme was developed to give youths without those skills or qualifications
demanded by the labour market a new opportunity through education and training,
social involvement and practice (learning through work). Mainstream education has
proved insufficient because it has failed to look at all the factors, which place young
people at risk of educational failure. The Second Chance Schools respond to this gap
in the Member States educational systems by offering dropouts at risk of social ex-
clusion good quality training opportunities that are customized to fit their needs. To
achieve this objective, the projects have paid special attention to the recruitment of
teachers and to pedagogical approaches, they have designed individualized learning
programmes, they have established strong links with the world of work and they have
emphasized the use of information technology.
The Commission backed the development of the Second Chance Schools, support-
ing interested cities in the conceptual development of the projects and with the or-
ganization of seminars and meetings at the European level to promote the develop-
ment of the network. The sites of the Second Chance Schools during the experimen-
tal phase 1997-1999 were decided through consultation with the governments them-
selves. The pilot projects were set up in Marseilles (France), Halle and Cologne
(Germany), Leeds (United Kingdom), Bilbao and Barcelona (Spain), Hmeenlinna
(Finland), Norrkping (Sweden), Catania (Italy), Athens (Greece), Seixal (Portugal),
Heerlen (Netherlands) and Svendborg (Denmark). They were launched gradually
throughout this e pilothase. Some of the projects have already finished their first
training programmes while others are still in the start-up thase.
KEY ASPECTS
The participating cities responded with the development of interesting projects that
attempt to give a concrete answer for the youths in need of an alternative that the
mainstream educational system could not offer. The Second Chance Schools that
BBJ BiPeG mbH
2
have been established are not just another institution offering training programmes;
in drawing up their training and education programmes they have all adopted an in-
tegrated approach that takes factors into consideration, which motivate and encour-
age in a way traditional models do not.
The Second Chance Schools undertaken in the Member States have all adopted a
different approach in their pursuit to provide dropouts with new opportunities to obtain
adequate training and employability. This diversity in the models chosen by the Sec-
ond Chance Schools is the result of local and national circumstances to which the
projects are to respond. Nevertheless, these Schools share a set of common fea-
tures, ones which relate to the rapport with local players, the teaching and counsel-
ling approach, the relationship with the world of work and the context in which they
are implemented.
These features have provided a shared framework for the conceptual development of
the projects. The Commission has defined five main characteristics or principles the
Second Chance Schools should follow:
1. A committed partnership of local authorities, social services and associa-
tions and the private sector, with the latter being a key source of training
places and future jobs;
2. A different teaching and counselling approach focusing on the individuals
needs, wishes and abilities, and stimulating his or her active learning;
3. Flexible modules allowing the acquisition of basic skills (numeracy, literacy,
social skills) to be combined with practical training in and by companies;
4. A central role for the acquisition of skills in and through informatics and
new technologies;
5. Localization in districts where the young people targeted live and gather,
thereby promoting a more integrated strategy for urban regeneration and
opening up new horizons both for the young people and for the urban envi-
ronment in which they live.
As this Report will show, these features have also been interpreted differently by the
individual projects. The importance given to each of these features also differs. Since
each school is influenced by local, regional and national circumstances, the imple-
mentation of the common principles takes on different strategies and training models.
EVALUATION REPORT
This report attempts to synthesize the initial results achieved by the Second Chance
Schools during the first three years of implementation of the scheme (1997-1999)
and to identify their main contributions towards the fight against exclusion.
The European Commission launched an invitation to tender in early 1999 with the
aim of assigning experts the task to carry out an evaluation of the proceedings of the
Schools. The evaluation has been divided into five lots. Lot 1 was launched for draw-
ing up the present Summary Report and a publication. Experts were designated to
carry out three thematic studies on how the projects have been dealing with the three
BBJ BiPeG mbH
3
major challenges facing the Second Chance Schools: the development of strong lo-
cal partnerships, the implementation of educational methods centred on the individ-
ual and the profile of the target group. A fifth lot was designed for the coordination of
the thematic experts work and the writing and publication of the summary report.
The thematic reports prepared by Lots 2, 3 and 4 have provided most of the material
for this paper. The thematic fields dealt by these reports are:
Lot 2: local partnership, with the focus on businesses (ex-
tent and nature of commitment, types of business and training courses, jobs
available, type of agreement concluded with businesses, etc.);
Lot 3: innovation through an individualized, in-
tegrated approach focusing on the individual, with each schools curriculum
being suitably structured and incorporating the new technologies, tying in with
the existing educational and vocational training systems in the country con-
cerned (recognition of qualifications, links with existing systems, added value);
Lot 4: profile (socio-economic and ethnic characteristics, domestic
background, previous educational path, family ties, typologies), identification,
recruitment (strategies, selection criteria, role of third parties, motivation) and
school achievements of the target group.
The Commission's aim with the evaluation was to have a summary report drawn up
that takes stock of the initial results achieved by the Second Chance Schools and the
contributions they make towards combating the social exclusion experienced by un-
skilled young people, considered from the point of view of both theory and methodol-
ogy. Three thematic teams designated by the Commission adopted slightly similar
approaches in their work. The teams followed a six step phasing:
1. collection of background information and data on the Second Chance Schools,
the educational systems of the respective countries, setting up of priorities for the
surveys and the design of questionnaires to support the collection of information
and interviews;
2. visits to the Schools between October 1999 and June 2000 by all the expert
teams. Some of the Schools have been visited twice;
3. processing of data and information;
4. participation in a conference organized by the European Commission dealing with
the Second Chance Schools to discuss the preliminary findings of the evaluation
(March 2000);
5. elaboration of the interim reports based on the feed back gathered in the March
conference, and completing these when needed through additional inquiries, tele-
phone calls and emails;
6. writing the final report.
This Report has been written keeping in mind three groups of readers: school policy
makers, teachers and researchers. The aim is to identify the inputs that seem to have
made a difference in the social and economic insertion of unskilled young people.
The present Report should be viewed primarily as providing a conceptual framework
BBJ BiPeG mbH
4
for further study on the potential of Second Chance Schools as a tool to combat ex-
clusion amongst youths.
In this report, the Second Chance School scheme is described in Chapter 2. Chapter
3 includes a profile of each pilot project. The results of the Thematic Reports are pre-
sented in Chapters 4 to 6. The potential benefits and impact of the Second Chance
Schools are outlined in Chapters 7 and 8.
MAIN RESULTS
It was a good chance for the Second Chance Schools to be implemented as pi-
lot projects with a European dimension. First and foremost, their strength un-
derlies in their innovativeness, in their comprehensive and integrated ap-
proaches and their flexibility to address the versatile needs of the target popu-
lation. In the light of the outcomes of the evaluation, the guidelines and princi-
ples the Commission set for the Schools at their onset have turned out to have
hit it right. The evaluation witnesses the importance of unprejudiced local and
regional partnerships, the meaning of flexible, modular and work-related meth-
ods and the central role of information technology. But it is essential to ensure
the opportunities for a continuing training delivery and development work and
to enlarge the network in the future.
The Thematic Reports have contributed to an understanding of important issues in
the development of the Second Chance Schools and to how important they are in
making the Schools effective tools in combating social exclusion amongst youths.
The study on examines the types of collaboration among the Schools
and the players concerned by the struggle against exclusion - local authorities, social
services, associations, NGOs and enterprises. The findings confirm the key role of
local authorities in the development of the Second Chance Schools. Being strongly
involved in school management, their role goes beyond the provision of funding. Sur-
vival of the Schools now depends largely on setting up new and long lasting agree-
ments for the provision of future funding.
The extent to which the Second Chance Schools have given relevance to partner-
ships with other training organizations or social services varies. The approaches
cover multiple functions besides general education and vocational training pro-
grammes, social involvement and practice (learning through work). Emphasis is also
laid on cultural development and health issues. Assistance in job-search, vocational
guidance and professional counselling are offered in many of the Schools.
The development of relations with employers has taken different patterns. Some
Schools have established agreements with enterprises to be able to offer practical
training in the real work environment with a view to a future job. Other Second
Chance Schools have searched for a deeper commitment from the enterprises and
have involved employer associations in the schools decision-making. Finally, in
some few cases, the enterprises have also played the role of providers of vocational
training. Whatever their role in the project, results show the importance of developing
strong links with the world of work for the Second Chance Schools. Nevertheless, en-
terprises have been mobilised for professional integration and are very little involved
in the financing of the projects.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
5
As to the national educational systems, rather many of the Second Chance Schools
have established close contacts. There may have been the feeling that they needed
to establish their own identity, distinct from mainstream schools, and so provide the
Second Chance students with their own certificates or diplomas. Relationships have
especially been established when the School is offering an option to accomplish and
complete basic education, as is the case in most of the Schools.
Although Second Chance Schools have all developed significant partnerships with
local players, there are some weak elements that emerge from the study that can be
improved. The relations with other organizations combating exclusion and decision-
makers in the field should be emphasized. Stronger links with these organizations will
not only improve the understanding of the Second Chance Schools and their contri-
bution, but also achieve a better implementation of the integrated approach. Another
aspect that should be reinforced is the partnerships with the national educational sys-
tems, even when it is clear that roles are different and the Second Chance Schools
are seen as a transition between compulsory education and vocational integration.
Finally, the Schools have all established links with enterprises but the relation with
the world of work should be strengthened, giving room for a more active participation
of enterprises in management and curriculum development.
The Thematic Report on has organized the study into six ar-
eas, which allows a better understanding of the teaching strategies of the Second
Chance Schools. In the future, if new Second Chance Schools are created, they
should comply with the actual pedagogic requirements for their work in the following
areas:
Recruitment of teachers
Guidance and counselling
Curricula and training programmes
Pedagogical approaches
New technologies
Certification/ assessment

From the analysis of the above areas some common aspects emerge, although each
school is applying an educational method developed to fit their local circumstances.
Almost all Schools have searched for highly motivated teachers experienced with
youths caught in difficult life situations. Qualifications are taken into consideration but
are not the decisive element. Because of the particular characteristics of the target
population, interpersonal and communication skills have been considered an essen-
tial requirement
Social competencies are important and in most Schools the teachers have the dou-
ble role of teacher/tutor. This double role of teachers has proven to be an appropriate
approach and the youths themselves have appreciated the deep dedication of a
grown-up person, something that was often missing in their previous history.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
6
The systems of guidance and counselling of the Second Chance Schools have sup-
ported the social and professional integration of the young people. As the Thematic
Report has found out, Second Chance Schools have often applied a comprehensive
integration of guidance, counselling or mentoring across all activities. Besides, the
staff is always available when they are needed, a factor that gives the students the
feeling that they are not left alone and that they can always count on them.
The analysis of curricula and training programmes shows the concern of Second
Chance Schools in the development of basic skills. All offer, in one form or another,
training in the mother language, mathematics and computing for those students who
lack completed basic schooling. However, the emphasis that is given to these basic
skills varies greatly from school to school, as too does just how the concept of indi-
vidualization is applied.
Although the Second Chance Schools declare to be using individual training pro-
grammes and developing training paths based on the students aspirations and
needs, data collected in the Schools on obligatory hours and subjects does not seem
to confirm this. Where the Schools clearly differ from traditional training is in the
amount of training that takes place outside the traditional classroom, at work or work-
shops. The Schools also count a great deal on informal learning, not through subject
areas laid out in the training programmes, but rather on unusual events or meetings
scheduled on purpose. This would for example cover club-type sessions offering
thematic discussions on matters of civic importance or learning through experiences
in extraordinary settings like wild-life. An important area is learning the life skills and
this is an issue practically all Schools emphasize. The adaptation of the principle that
new technologies should play a central role, both as a subject taught at the School
and a means to learning, varies a lot from school to school. In some Second Chance
Schools the use of information technology is far from satisfactory. The thematic re-
port has found out that this result is mostly due to a lack of suitable hard-
ware/software, a lack of experienced teachers or simply a lack of interest in IT. Nev-
ertheless, as can be seen, some schools are further ahead in information technolo-
gies and have even developed their own software.
Another important aspect that the report analyses is the extent to which the degree of
integration into the formal educational system and the freedom of curricular design
affect the ways the Schools assess the achievements and learning outcomes of their
students.
As the Thematic Report on Educational Method shows, the characteristics of the tar-
get group imply an approach that goes beyond the teaching activity itself. These
youths have very fragile social backgrounds and so it is important to win their trust. If
the Schools are to become effective tools in the fight against exclusion, they have to
offer personal attention and have teachers and tutors capable of building a relation-
ship with the students based on trust and respect.
What the youths attending Second Chance Schools expect of the training pro-
gramme is that at the end they will have gained the skills necessary to get a job. If
the Schools are to motivate and attract these youths, they have to offer a work-
related programme. The Schools are very much aware of this and when looking at
their teaching approaches and methodologies it is possible to see that the emphasis
has been given to work-related methods. The introduction to the world of work at the
earliest possible stage is found in most Schools. However, experimentation with new
BBJ BiPeG mbH
7
teaching methodologies that can strengthen the work-related programmes should be
emphasized.
Like all the work-related methods, collaboration with industry is fundamental and
Second Chance Schools have to broaden and strengthen this collaboration, which al-
though promising but could be expanded.
The evaluation of the is an attempt to profile the students of the Second
Chance Schools as to their socio-economic and ethnic characteristics, domestic
background, previous educational path, family ties, recruitment strategies, selection
criteria, role of third parties, motivation and school achievements. The study has car-
ried out discussions in the Schools with the relevant parties and conducted extensive
questionnaires covering the experiences and opinions of the respective parties in-
volved.
The work has not been easy as all the Schools do not for different reasons like na-
tional legislation and restrictions to protect privacy and confidentiality register all
data that was of interest for the evaluation team.
Defining the characteristics of the participants and featuring the students is a difficult
task. What they share in common across Europe is that their transition from youth to
adulthood and from school into the world of work has been disturbed. The reasons
for this are various, many rising from their backgrounds and childhood, over-
generational unemployment, school problems, school allergy and under-
achievement, delinquency and abuse of substances. But what they also share in
common is their interest to learn through work and in the work itself.
Recruitment also takes many forms and here the third party involvement is often cru-
cial. Employment authorities and social services play an important role in the identifi-
cation of the potential student. But also the participants themselves play an important
role in the recruitment of others as they speak about their experiences in the
Schools, arousing interest in the programme and generating new clients.
The ages of the students range in average from 15 up to 25. The Athens Second
Chance School is an exception, and the programme there is basically geared to ma-
ture students, mostly i n the age range between 30 and 50. The reasons for this
choice are local and pursue the aim of enhancing the labour market prospects of
these people.
The issue of the participation of the two genders is interesting. In some Schools the
share is about even (boys slightly dominating), but two Schools (Halle, Heerlen) de-
liberately only take on males. The reasons for this lies in the experience of the youths
themselves, who in their teenage years often feel uneasy and troubled with their
awakening sexuality and relations with the opposite gender.
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Exclusion as a term has no precise definition, but it is striking and popular, a buzz-
word, an over-generalized expression used so easily today. It may be seen as a
catch-all phrase lacking specificity in its meaning. Certainly, concern about exclusion
BBJ BiPeG mbH
8
is mutual, but its root causes and the means to combat it are the subject of heated
discussion.
Second Chance School is a concept introduced in the White Paper on Education.
Originally, the intent was to set up only 4 to 5 pilots but out of a larger interest grew a
family of 14 Second Chance Schools. Combating exclusion is first and foremost the
responsibility of the Member States and their national, regional and local authorities.
The question is whether it is likely that an initiative like the Second Chance Schools
can serve to alleviate deep-seated forms of exclusion and in doing so intrudes into an
area that is traditionally catered for on national grounds.
The important question is to what extent a European programme can effectively ad-
dress exclusion while operating and taking effect largely at the local level. Is there a
need for a transnational programme, or even a national project when the problems
are local and a local partnership to combat exclusion may be enough? Who then are
the local partners, who has a need for collaboration, what are the interests, who is
the most reluctant counterpart who needs be challenged?
One may also raise questions about the justification of such an initiative. Is it just a
project among the innumerable projects catering for youths threatened by exclusion
and inaction, fulfilling the functions the traditional school (and the society) failed to
execute? On whose values is it created? On what right? Is it a choice for the educa-
tional system or an additional measure and what is it aiming at? An educational entity
taking on the responsibility of upbringing the family home traditionally had? Ex-
pressed in terms of combat of exclusion through education and training - what is the
message? Is it giving a false picture about managing to enter the world of work with-
out nationally accredited vocational qualifications? And the name of the initiative,
Second Chance Schools, does it bear a stigma, one that might label the students or
is it a hint on what the Schools are doing, a political project.

The morals of such an approach may not be answered but there is certainly a good
number of lessons the evaluation of the Second Chance Schools provides us with.
The recommendations that follow are an attempt to contribute to the expansion and
improvement of the Second Chance School Initiative. They are not meant to be ex-
haustive but do intend to facilitate a wider recognition for and to reinforce the impact
of a scheme that has proved itself to be a valid tool in the fight against the social ex-
clusion of youths.
The Commission, as the initiator of the Second Chance Schools, could give
relevant support, and not only directly to the Schools and respective Member
States, but also to the Association of Cities for Second Chance Schools.
The network of partnership already existing within the European Association of Cities
for Second Chance Schools represents an important opportunity to develop the con-
cept and to promote common projects. This network would therefore deserve to be
expanded to include those towns launching initiatives to combat exclusion.
To strengthen the scheme, the participation of the Second Chance Schools in ex-
change programmes for teachers and youths in the framework of existing EC pro-
grammes or specific initiatives should be promoted. The teachers and youths them-
BBJ BiPeG mbH
9
selves could be the means for further exchanging the concrete contents of the entire
endeavour.
Member States, and in particular the Cities involved, should work together with local
players to avoid stigmatisation, promoting the message of Second Chance as one of
a Second Challenge. As the target population of the Second Chance Schools are
youths with a fragile social background who are at risk of social exclusion, measures
should be taken to have the training recognized as high quality training. Many
Schools are working on a certification system, but the commitment of the companies
on this matter is also very important.
Second Chance Schools should emphasize the relation with other bodies com-
bating exclusion and decision-makers in the field. Stronger links with these
bodies will not only improve the understanding of the Second Chance Schools
and their contribution, but also achieve a better implementation of the inte-
grated approach. The Schools should also establish closer links with enter-
prises to strengthen the relation with the world of work, so giving room for a
more active participation by the enterprises in management and curriculum
development.
Finally, but not less important, the characteristics of the target group imply an ap-
proach that goes beyond the teaching activity itself. These youths have very fragile
social backgrounds and it is important to win their trust. If the Schools are to become
effective tools in the fight against exclusion, they have to offer personal attention and
have teachers and tutors capable of building a relationship of trust and respect with
the students.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
10
CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND TO THE SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL
INITIATIVE
THE IDEA
The Second Chance School Initiative was presented for the first time to the public in
a White Paper put out by the European Union, "Teaching and Learning Towards the
Learning Society", published in November 1995. The White Paper defined key objec-
tives in relation to the future need of a learning society:
encourage the acquisition of new skills
bring schools and business closer together
fight against exclusion
proficiency in 3 community languages
treat capital investment and investment in training on an equal basis
The 3
rd
objective is the main aspect of SCS, but they actually also work on objectives
1, 2 and 5. In fact, several hundred thousand young people living in the European
Union, most of them in large metropolitan conurbations, are without access to train-
ing schemes or employment. This situation is unjust. It also threatens the cohesion
of our society and the future of the European social model and represents a waste of
human resources. Two instruments to tackle exclusion were mentioned in the paper:
The Second Chance School Initiative and the European Voluntary Service. Dialogue
and partnership on a local level - between the various economic players, voluntary
and community associations and public authorities - were to play a part in halting this
development. For this to happen, these parties had to accept that they needed to
work together and pool all the human and material resources at their command.
Company sponsoring of schools, recruitment agreements between schools and em-
ployers, and the development of advanced educational technologies were just some
of the ways in which excluded youth could obtain better access to knowledge and so
attain a satisfactory level of qualification within an appropriate teaching environment.
Therefore, the Commission proposed to help catalyse energies in order to get a
number of projects up and running swiftly, and to make sure that they received the
right attention and appreciation. This was done by encouraging the exchange of
good practices and by mobilising the various players concerned within the European
Union.
STARTING PROBLEMS
After the publication of the White Paper, the issue of the Second Chance School Ini-
tiative became controversial. As school education has always been an original com-
petence of Member States, the European Union cannot directly affect their education
policy, even more the EU has no competence. In the EU Treaty, the EU is explicitly
forbidden to influence the content of education. The title of the new initiative was cer-
BBJ BiPeG mbH
11
tainly only one of the reasons why most of the EU countries blocked a wider discus-
sion and financial funding.
The European Commission understood the situation and presented its own action as
an innovative input rather than as a new mainstream approach. The so-called Accel-
erated Schools in the USA and Alyat Hanoar (an institution in Israel specialized in
the education of youngsters exposed to especially acute problems during adoles-
cence) served partially as examples. On the other hand, the Commission was very
well aware of the necessity of using a bottom-up approach to implement such new
pilot schemes.
The question of the competence of education and training led to a further controver-
sial issue. Four main arguments used by the Member States to describe the difficul-
ties both they and experts face are:
that the Member States feared an institutionalisation of the SCSs in their
countries (against the principle of subsidarity);
that the dogma of prevention would dominate that is, there would be no
readiness to admit that prevention doesnt always work;
that the term Second implies stigmatisation and contributes to the forma-
tion of ghetto mentality;
that certain perverse effects are generated the SCSs as a cole pou-
belle.

Apart from the institutional form that these projects would take- whether inside or
outside the conventional educational system-, they needed to be adapted to the
needs and structures of the local training systems. These projects seek to demon-
strate that excluded young people in situations of great difficulty possess inherent
capabilities. In turn, these capabilities could be developed if the proper resources
were concentrated on
projects to reinsert them into society and employment. In fact, the idea of achieving
social and economic reintegration was a crucial point to this concept.
The European Commission pilot idea was based on a two-way strategy:
Experimenting with a new type of educational site;
Linking these new sites in a synergistic fashion with structures already set
up by Member States.

The Pilot projects were intended to show that a second chance must not mean
"ghetto-schools". The task of Second Chance Schools was to improve the access to
knowledge through
employing the best teachers (if necessary paying a higher than normal sal-
ary),
BBJ BiPeG mbH
12
customizing the pace of teaching,
providing new incentives,
arranging in-company training,
using multimedia
and running classes containing fewer pupils.
1

Second Chance Schools were primarily designed for urban areas with districts af-
fected by a large number of social and economic problems. They could serve as
community education centres for the community concerned and they could also play
an integral role in local development projects. Following this concept, the Pilot Pro-
jects were established in cooperation with actors involved on the local level.
The Second Chance School Initiative targeted socially excluded young people. Its
main objective was to reintegrate these young people into social and working life by
offering them a wide range of good-quality training opportunities suited to their indi-
vidual needs. Therefore it was necessary, as a first step, to understand the situation
of these young people, to recognize their attitudes and needs, and to be aware of
their realistic employment prospects within the local labour market.
2

At the beginning of the initiative, the bottom-up approach, which followed the very
different educational systems of the Member States, led to an intensive debate about
the definition of school dropouts.
DEFINITION PROBLEMS
Since the European Member States have different education and training systems,
they also have also different notions and understanding of education. The first phase
of the debate was characterized by controversial positions regarding the preventive
approach of education offers and the demand of a first chance for young people. The
second phase then extended to include a further aspect concerning the definition of
school dropouts. The definitions and approaches of many other international organi-
zations, such as the OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Develop-
ment), are based on an educational understanding. According to these approaches,
school dropouts are defined as young people who have left school without obtaining
a secondary level degree. The philosophy on the Second Chance School of the
European Union is nevertheless based on the problem of social exclusion. It com-
bines the social and employment dimensions with the educational dimension.
3
This
is also confirmed in the Common Principles of Second Chance Schools. The main
objective of SCS has always been the integration of the target group into an educa-
tion and training programme in order to gain employment.

1
European Commission, White Paper "Teaching and Learning. Towards the Learning Society", 1996
2
Guide on how to set up a Second Chance School
3
In both the understanding of these three dimensions as well as in setting priorities, the Member States pursue
differing approaches.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
13
Teaching strategy should cover the pursuit of those qualifications relevant to the lo-
cal labour market.
The OECD has a wide range of studies on this issue. It underlines that education
failure was once seen as an almost inevitable, if regrettable, consequence of
schooling. Today, failure has become a target of policy action in its own right. Efforts
to prevent failure, to boost overall achievement, and to reduce the incidence of
school dropouts are being driven by a range of economic and social concerns. Re-
cent studies show that some 1520% of young people in OECD countries leave sec-
ondary school without the skills and qualifications they need to enter to the labour
market. This shows the urgent need for developing alternative learning concepts in
most of the countries.
4

Both the portraits of each School as well as the findings will show the variety of the
different theoretical bases, including the different educational and social issues
faced.
Since the birth of the SCS Initiative in late 1995 and 1996, a lot of new developments
linked to employment, social and education policy on the European level have taken
place. The European Employment Strategy as well as the agreements reached at
the Lisbon Summit in March 2000 put the SCS even more in line with the efforts un-
dertaken to reach social integration by improving education. Furthermore, the Lisbon
Summit underlined the objective to reduce the target group. It has been recognized
by all EU Member-States that this investment in education and training is more bene-
ficial than social integration or labour market measures.
Following the same concept, another key priority set by the OECD is to be found in
the fact that policy makers should act early in tackling this problem. Once its differ-
ent manifestations have been properly identified, rapid action should be taken to
prevent pupils from failing and as underlined as well in the Employment Guidelines
to prevent long-term unemployment. Moreover, it would also be more efficient to
address the problems early. According to the OECD experts, overcoming failure re-
quires a long-term effort by educational authorities in conjunction with teachers and
parents. In order to mobilize public support and to coordinate the work of the relevant
agencies, clear leadership on the national level is required.
5

The ongoing discussions about the SCS led to a set of common principles. The par-
ticularities of each school would depend to a large extent on local and national cir-
cumstances. However, some characteristics are common to all projects:
a committed partnership between local authorities, social services and as-
sociations, and the private sector, with the latter being the key source of
training places and future jobs,
a different teaching and counselling approach focusing on the individuals
needs, wishes and abilities, and stimulating his or her active learning,
flexible modules allowing the acquisition of basic skills (numeracy, literacy,
social skills) combined with practical training in and by companies,

4
The OECD J obs Study, OECD Publications, Paris, 1994
5 Education Policy Analysis, OECD Publications, Paris, forthcoming 1998
BBJ BiPeG mbH
14
a central role for the acquisition of skills in and through information tech-
nologies,
localization in districts where young targeted people live and gather in or-
der to promote a more integrated strategy for urban regeneration which
would give new perspectives to both the young people and their urban en-
vironment .
TARGET GROUP
The definition of the target group of Second Chance Schools covers a wide range of
persons. On the one hand, it respects the education and school system of each
Member State and, on the other, the chosen bottom-up (local) approach. The target
public consists of socially excluded young people who have dropped out of the edu-
cation system, who are no longer subject to compulsory schooling and who neither
have the qualifications nor the required skills to find a job or to enrol in one of the
existing vocational training programmes.
Allowing such youths and younger adults an entry back into the process of life-long
learning has been set as one of the main goals to be achieved, complemented by
guaranteeing long-term social and vocational integration.
Dropping out of school early, or leaving without any qualifications at all, makes it very
difficult for these persons to find work. Having been more or less cast out by their
families, they earn money through occasional work. They drift from one badly paid,
dead-end job to another and often get sucked into a life of long-term unemployment,
or, worse still, of violence, crime and drugs. The other end of the street shows that
the same young people are interested in life and possess a lot of ability. Thus, the
objective to cultivate such positive attitudes has been set as one principle for every
Second Chance School.
Related to the target group, the OECD speaks of a process which students experi-
ence and which has to be perceived by adults who deal with them. There are three
aspects to be considered:
failure at school itself, when pupils are consistently low-achievers or do not
attain a minimum standard of performance at a given level of schooling
early school leaving, with pupils dropping out of school before the end of
their statutory education period
post-school transition, whereby some young adults have difficulties in inte-
grating into adult life because of their lack of suitable qualifications or skills.
Because of the flexible and bottom-up principle, the number of participants as well as
their age class has been varied from school to school. Some SCS have been work-
ing with a group of 50, others with more than 300. The youngest pupils were 15
years old, the oldest 25 (as an exemption, 59 in Athens).

Table 2.1: Age of Students in Second Chance Schools
BBJ BiPeG mbH
15
Schools Number of
students
Age Majority group
Athens (Gr) 42 21 - 59 +30
Barcelona (Sp) 180 16 25 16 18
Bilbao (Sp) 150 15 22 16 17
Catania (I) 54 16 - 20 -
Cologne (D) 840 16 24 +from 18 on
Halle (D) 24 15 -19 16 - 17
Hmeenlinna (Fi) 184 15 - 25 -
Heerlen (NI) 24 16 - 24 -
Leeds (Uk) 45 16 - 24 18 - 20
Marseilles (F) 220 16 25 18 22
Norrkping (S) 32 16 + -
Seixal (P) 39 16-25 -
Svendborg (DK) 237 16 25 16 20

IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
The whole discussion and the aspects mentioned above have led to a situation
wherein the implementation of SCS has taken place in the following conditions:
the Second Chance School Initiative has not been carried out in an gener-
ally conducive/constructive/good political climate.
the participation of the Member States in the SCS Initiative has not been
obligatory and did not show an equal involvement.
the Second Chance School Initiative has not been implemented under the
condition of an European Programme; all expenditures incurred by the
schools had to be met locally/nationally (cf. Chapter 5: Table Financing of
Second Chance School). In this way the influence upon content by the EU
was reduced greatly, the influence the EU could exert was at the most of a
consulting character.
only for conducting experience exchange and consultancy and monitoring
were financial resources available

The pilot projects were launched in 1996 after publishing a call for accreditation. The
Commission received a total of more than 300 expressions of interest from local au-
thorities between 1996 2000.
In all of the Member States this event took place in close cooperation with the minis-
tries concerned. The site of the SCS was selected by the Member State in question
on behalf of the Commissions proposal. In other countries, working links were estab-
lished directly with the selected towns. The goal of setting up one school per Member
State could not be reached, because Ireland, Luxembourg and Austria decided not
BBJ BiPeG mbH
16
to take part. Belgium, interested from the beginning, withdrew their participation after
it became clear that no direct funding was available for the SCS itself.

Table 2.2: Overview of the Starting Conditions at the Beginning of the
Pilot Projects
France
Portugal
Common acceptance by Commission and member states of Marseilles, Seixal as sole
candidates
Germany
Spain
Nomination by the land or region (Spain) in question on proposal of the Commission,
following Commission proposal based on comparison of various candidates (about five
in both countries)
Netherlands Nomination by the Dutch minister, following a Commission proposal based on com-
parison of two candidates
Greece
Sweden
Finland
Denmark
Minister proposed site to the Commission, no other valid candidates existed
Italy
Great Britain
Various candidates (22 Great Britain, 5 Italy) were analysed by the Commission. Gov-
ernment proposed a site independently of analysis
Luxembourg A SCS being developed. Commission proposed it as pilot, not confirmed by the Lux-
embourg government
Austria
Ireland
Objections to the SCS approach, candidates existed in Ireland, potentially also in Aus-
tria
Belgium No valid candidates that could be discusses with authorities

The pilot projects were not set up at the same time. For different reasons the schools
could not start concurrently. One of the problems is to be found in the fact that the
schools were financed by different financial resources (local, national, and European
resources). The acquisition, as well as the redistribution of the financial resources,
were executed at different times and following different procedures.
The first SCS (Marseilles, France) was established in November 1997, the last one
opened its doors in 2000 in Athens (Greece). The European launch of the pilot pro-
jects took place in Brussels on the 18th and 19th of J une 1997.
Within the SCS Initiative there has been one Pilot School each in Denmark (Svend-
borg), Finland (Hmeenlinna), France (Marseilles), Greece (Athens), Italy (Catania),
Portugal (Seixal), Sweden (Norrkping), the Netherlands (Heerlen), the United King-
dom (Leeds), and two each in Germany (Halle and Cologne) and Spain (Bilbao and
Barcelona). A second pilot was also selected in France in 1999 (Bordeaux), but its
launch ran into political problems at a regional level.

Table 2.3: Creation and opening of the school
BBJ BiPeG mbH
17
School New crea-
tion
Creation of a new
activity within an ex-
isting establishment
Network
model
Re-labelling of
provision
Athens
4 February 1997
Spring 2000
Yes
Barcelona*
13 February 1998
Yes
Bilbao
16 J anuary 1997
November 1997
Yes
Catania*
25 February 1997
February 1999
Yes
Cologne / Tages- und
Abendschule TAS
5 November 1997
Yes
Cologne / Tageskolleg VHS
5 November 1997
Yes
Halle (S.T.E.P.)*
4 J une 1997
1998
Yes, within J ugend-
werkstatt Bauhof as the
S.T.E.P. project

Hmeenlinna*
4 February 1997
October 1997
Yes, more a
concept than
a school

Heerlen*
1 J uly 1997
April 1999
Yes
Leeds*
4 December 1997
March 1998
Yes
Marseilles
December 1996
November 1997
Yes
Norrkping*
19 February 1998
J anuary 1999
Yes, within the Marie-
lund Gymnasium

Seixal
10 April 1997
Spring 2000
Yes
Svendborg
10 November 1999, replac-
ing Ribe from 6 J une 1997
Yes, on the
Svendborg Pro-
duction High
School
*Indicates, that the school is empowered by and maintains firm links to the parent school. This may be that they
have daily intercommunication like attribution of human resources across the schools, access to the localities
and facilities, exchange of material etc.
The experiences gained during the three years working phase has led to a greater
interest and openness towards this new approach by both key players and politi-
cians.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
18
Beside the Pilot projects, the initiative initiated further instruments to strengthen the
debate and exchanges on the subject of SCS. The Commission launched a Euro-
pean network for pooling experience and organized three thematic seminars for the
SCS (November 1997 in Bilbao: Profile of pupils and teachers, October 1998 in Co-
logne/ Heerlen: Role of the new technologies, December 98 in Seixal: Partnership
with employers). Following the conference and in connection with the launch of the
pilot projects hosted in Brussels on the 18th and 19th J une 1997, the Commission
decided to widen the scope of the second-chance schools by proposing to the com-
petent ministries the creation of national networks between associated projects. Cur-
rently, the outlook is good for the creation of national networks in France, the United
Kingdom, Italy and Greece. In the latter country, a specific act introducing the sec-
ond-chance schools into the education system has become law. In Spain, there is a
growing interest in second-chance schools; in particular, some ten large cities have
expressed their interest over the past three years.
In October 1999, the Commission produced a guide aiming to help local authorities
set up a Second Chance School.
GUIDANCE AND MONITORING OF SCS
The Commission has provided each selected city with a consultant whose mission
was to assist the city in the technical and financial construction of the Second-
Chance ST*0.0031. The ro0.0031e of this consultant has been to support the conceptual de-
ve0.0031opment of the proj.0031ect and the identification of financia0.0031 resources. The task in-
cluded a continuous monitoring of the projects in using standard monitoring forms.
This work was provided by individual consultants who were selected through the
public procurement procedure of the European Union. Such a contract with an inde-
pendent consultant has been set up for S. In or to be able to find the ap-
pr opr iate ex per t, the Commission chose the so- called r estr icted tender , which in-
cludes three different phases. Within the first phase an EU-wide call for the expres-
sion of interest was published in the Official J ournal of the EUo addresses
the evaluation of par cipating or anization and ex per basisof their compe-
tence and ex per ience in the field, putting togetherthe so- called short list. Dur ing the
third phase the short-0.0031isted ex per ts, organizations or consortium receive an invitation
to tender, on which basis the best price/qualityatio was chosen.
The terms of references have been differentiated and defined in detail due to the
special Second Chance ST*0.0(. T)-6.4(he f)-9.4(o)-1(l)5(l)5(o)-1(w)15(i)5(ng)9( l)5(i)5(s)2.8(t show)15(s )10(the )10(f)-9.4(i)5(el)5(ds )10(and )10(topi)5(cs )10(i)5(n)-1( )]TJ T*0.0029 Tc-0.0007 Tw[(w)15.1(h)-0.9(i)5.1(c)2.9(h techni)5.1(cal)5.1( assi)5.1(stance had to be del)5.1(i)5.1(v)12.91ered:
financing possibilities and grants
modular training
analy ss tar et gr
traineeship and working periods abroad
employment and training in enterprises and real work places
BBJ BiPeG mbH
19
information science and new technologies in the training of unskilled per-
sons
improvement of individual training plans
co-operation at local, national and European level
development of specific methods for project planning and implementation.

Addressing these tasks, a framework of selection criteria covered issues as:
long-term experience in the work with the target group and deep knowl-
edge of it
knowledge and experience in the field of the SCS concerned following their
specific concept and target group
knowledge of education, social and employment policy and the related sys-
tems of the country concerned
experience in counselling and monitoring of innovative concepts
competence in partnership guidance
network capacities and capabilities
competence in fund raising and financing possibilities.

The monitoring of the projects became the priority of the consultant work after the
single SCS started to operate. This had to be carried out in cooperation with the
Schools and it covered the following activities:
Providing continuous information on the contents and progress of each
project through the use of standardized monitoring forms and regularly up-
dating by the consultant,
Ensuring that the various SCS develop according to the Common Criteria,
helping to solve problems the Schools may encounter in this respect in the
course of their development,
Ensuring that the management of every Second Chance School completes
and updates individual files on every pupil in the school, information has
been collected on the situation and progress of specific pupils. Information
provided had to allow both statistical analysis and the elaboration of more
personalized data of specific individuals, including the education and train-
ing pathways they were following in the SCS.
Providing continuous feedback on press and media coverage of the SCS,
both national and local.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
20

In the framework of their tasks, the consultant provided inputs for the different types
of European cooperation. One has been used for the exchange of experience, stock-
taking and problem-solving meetings, in which reports on the progress and difficulties
faced by each project was provided. As to the thematic seminars, the consultant had
to identify speakers and participants to represent the pilot projects as well as inde-
pendent academic experts or practitioners. A similar contribution has been made by
the consultant in connection with the organization of evaluation seminars.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
21
CHAPTER 3: PORTRAITS OF THE SCHOOLS
INTRODUCTION
One goal of the evaluation of the 13 pilot schools was to compile current data on the
schools, including their dimension (i.e. the number of students, the number of teach-
ers/ counsellors), statements on the students, the overall duration of the schooling
period, the number of hours per week, statements on the content of the curriculum
and financing.
This data is now almost complete and allows us to formulate some quantitative and
qualitative statements.
From the 14 schools - for Cologne two statistical profiles were completed covering
both the TAS and VHS - seven have more than a hundred students, Cologne TAS
even over 500. At the other seven schools between 24 and 54 students are active
(cf. table 3.1 Number of students and teachers/ counsellors).
A second overview (table 3.2 Students per teacher/ counsellor) shows the ratio be-
tween student numbers per teacher/ counsellor. This diagram is to provide only an
overall impression. This ratio is made somewhat unclear by the differing duration of
the schooling periods (between three months and two years).
The table 3.3 Students per computer shows the comparatively good equipping of the
schools with computer technology.
The Curricula Ratio presented (table 3.4 Curriculum Ratio) are of interest, above all
when we consider the background outlined in the previous chapter on the differing
ways of viewing and the emphasis placed on the problematic. Whereas the schools
in Hmeenlinna, Svendborg, Leeds and Heerlen devote between 25% and 47% of
22

Table 3.1:
564
276
237
220
190 184
350
56
40 35
21 25
139
40
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Cologne TAS Cologne VHS Svendborg Marseilles Bilbao Hmeenlinna Barcelona
Number of students and teachers/counsellors
(Schools > 100 students)
Number of teachers/counsellors
Number of students
23

Table 3.1:
54
45
47
39
32
24 24
10
6
17
9 9
5
7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Catania Leeds Athens Seixal Norrkping Heerlen Halle
Number of students and teachers/counsellors
(Schools < 100 students)
Number of teachers/counsellors
Number of students
24

Table 3.2:
C
ologne TA
S
C
ologne VH
S
S
vendborg
M
arseilles
B
ilbao
B
arcelona
Students per teacher/counsellor
10,1
6,9
6,8
10,5
7,6
1,3
8,8
0,0
2,0
4,0
6,0
8,0
10,0
12,0

H
e
e
rle
n
H
a
lle
5,4
7,5
2,8
4,3
3,6
4,8
3,4
0,0
1,0
2,0
3,0
4,0
5,0
6,0
7,0
8,0
26
Table 3.3:
9,0
3,5
2,4
3,7
4,0
13,1
1,6
2,5
1,8
2,3
2,1
3,0
1,8
2,0
0,0
2,0
4,0
6,0
8,0
10,0
12,0
14,0
C
o
l
o
g
n
e

T
A
S
C
o
l
o
g
n
e

V
H
S
S
v
e
n
d
b
o
r
g
M
a
r
s
e
i
l
l
e
s
B
i
l
b
a
o
C
a
t
a
n
i
a
L
e
e
d
s
A
t
h
e
n
s
S
e
i
x
a
l
H
e
e
r
l
e
n
H
a
l
l
e
B
a
r
c
e
l
o
n
a
Students per computer
27
Table 3.4:
Svendborg
Life skills
35%
Foreign
languages
2%
Computer
knowledge
12%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
35%
Basic
knowledge
15%
Curriculum Ratio
Hmeenlinna
Basic
knowledge
6%
Other
41%
Computer
knowledge
1%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
5%
Life skills
47%
Marseilles
Basic
knowledge
60%
Foreign
languages
5%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
25%
Computer
knowledge
10%
Cologne VHS
Vocation-
related
knowledge
50%
Basic
knowledge
30%
Life skills
5%
Computer
knowledge
5%
Foreign
languages
10%
Cologne TAS
Basic
knowledge
40%
Life skills
20%
Vocation-related
knowledge
20%
Foreign
languages
10%
Computer
knowledge
10%
Bilbao
Vocation-
related
knowledge
70%
Foreign
languages
4%
Life skills
7%
Basic
knowledge
14%
Other
4%
Computer
knowledge
1%
28
Table 3.4:
Athens
Basic
knowledge
40%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
10%
Life skills
20%
Foreign
languages
10%
Other
0%
Computer
knowledge
20%
Seixal
Other
0%
Foreign
languages
10%
Life skills
10%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
10%
Basic
knowledge
50%
Computer
knowledge
20%
Leeds
Life skills
26%
Foreign
languages
4%
Computer
knowledge
31%
Basic
knowledge
27%
Vocation-related
knowledge
7%
Other
5%
Norrkping
Computer
knowledge
4%
Foreign
languages
5%
Life skills
12%
Basic
knowledge
16%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
63%
Catania
Foreign
languages
30%
Computer
knowledge
30%
Basic
knowledge
10%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
10%
Life skills
20%
Curriculum Ratio
Halle
Basic
knowledge
20%
Other
15%
Life skills
10%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
50%
Computer
knowledge
5%
Heerlen
Life skills
25%
Computer
knowledge
20%
Foreign
languages
5%
Other
35%
Basic
knowledge
10%
Vocation-
related
knowledge
5%
Second Chance Schools
Sc h o o l Pr o f i l e

29
Second Chance School
Institute for Continuing Adult Education
At h e n s
(Greece)
Mr. Jafirakibis

A. General situation:
Greater Athens is the most significant industrial and commercial area in Greece. It also has
the strongest concentration of population: one third of the national population, with a density
of 7,090 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Young people are particularly hard hit by unemployment, especially those with a low or no
qualifications and low skills. The municipality of Peristeri has an unemployment rate of about
14 %.

B. Legal status:
The Athens Second Chance School is set up within the framework of Ideke, an Institute of
private law.

C. Location:
The actual location is in Peristeri (a town in Greater Athens), where the SCS rents part of a
secondary public school.

D. Dimension:
At the moment the existing target group is up to 50.

E. Duration and stage of implementation:
The start of the Second Chance School was in March, 2000. The students stay for 18
months, two periods of 9 months.

F. Infrastructure, facilities:
The SCS has at its disposal 6 rooms for classes and administration. The SCS is fully
equipped with computers, Internet linked, video, T.V., audio-visual equipment, etc.


30

G. Human resources:
The staff is composed of: 13 teachers, 1 director, 2 psychologists, 1 secretary and one per-
son responsible for links with enterprises.

H. Characteristics of the students:
Young unemployed men and women with a low income looking to improve their social and
working status.

I. Finance:
National and European funding
31
Escuela Segunda Oportunidad
B r c e l o n
(Catalonia Spain)
Contact:

School data:

Curriculum: Financing:

Over the last few years Barcelona has undergone a series of very positive economic trans-
formations, it has become a major service centre, now has a much improved transport and
communications infrastructure, various amenities, and has plugged into the European and
international economy. Nonetheless, transformations have not always been without social
and spatial costs. Serious urban imbalances have arisen and various problem areas have
been created in Barcelona's urban fabric. One of the city's most pressing problems is hous-
ing. The price of houses has more then doubled (122% growth) in the eight years between
1986 and 1994.
This unbalanced transformation has equally affected the local labour market. Of 100 unem-
ployed persons in Catalonia, 25 are in Barcelona. The unemployment rate is 10,4% in the
city. Insufficient education still applies to 136,858 persons, 12,2% of the population. There
are growing imbalances in education level between various districts of Barcelona, with some
areas experimenting a growth in qualifications and other areas. Likewise, the trickle-down
effects of development generated by economic development have not been sufficiently felt in
some areas of the city.

B. Legal status:
The management of the Second Chance School of Barcelona is in the hands of the Munici-
pal Education Institute of Barcelona City (IMEB).
The IMEB is a municipal company with the task of formulating policy in relation to education
and developing vocational training.
The SCS is organized as a network of training centres.

C. Location:
The Second Chance School of Barcelona, that means its resource centre and the secretariat,
is located in Ciutat Vella, the gothic part of the City. This area is one of the five most difficult,
poor and deprived areas of Barcelona. The different professional training centres, in which
students of SCS are placed, are spread all over the city.

32
D. Dimension:
350 students. The students are placed, according to their own choice, in the different training
centres. Every group in the specialized professional training centres consists of 15-20 stu-
dents.

The students generally stay in the Second Chance School for 2 years, but in reality the stay
depends on the chosen profession. Tutors accompany the students progress in the enter-
prises.

The classrooms are equipped with personal computers (one for every two beneficiaries), and
special emphasis is placed on the creation of multimedia materials that facilitate individual-
ized learning.

G. Human resources:
Management team of IMEB- Guarantee Social Programme
Director of the School
20 tutors, in-company tutors
20 trainers, vocational trainers
As expected the average is 10 beneficiaries/tutor or trainer

Only the students located in the Centre are considered part of the SCS. Nevertheless, the
Centre also offers job counselling to other youths.
The target group is youths over the age of 16 who have left the education system. Typically,
these young people find themselves with low levels of basic skills, frequently coupled with
negative experiences of education. With no prospects of improving their social situation, they
risk being caught in an irreversible spiral of marginalisation and exclusion.
Two main criteria:
1. The students are grouped together in the Centre but are students of regular training institu-
tions. This gives the students a context of "normality" since they attend institutions that
are open to everybody. The Diploma does not have the negative value of a special
school.
2. The Centre works with the social services since any unsocial behaviour is reproduced in
their area. The students behave differently in their own area.

I. Finance:
The Second Chance School is financed by the City of Barcelona
33
Escuela Segunda Oportunidad de Bilbao
B l b o
(Biscayan Province Spain)
Contact:

School data:


The overall rate of employment in Bilbao is 52%, which is low in relation to the EU average.
The region's employment rate has worsened due to a decline in traditional industries such as
steel and shipbuilding. At least 25.7% of the active population is unemployed (41,800 in to-
tal), of which 70% has been unemployed for more than a year.
Youth unemployment is 57%. The rate among young women is close to 60%. In the popula-
tion group 15 19, approximately 10% had no primary school diplomas and by the final year
of compulsory education in Bilbao the failure rate is 27 to 30%
Low educational levels characterize the area. It has been estimated that approx. 5% of the
residents are illiterate, 75% reach primary education and only as little as 5% reach secon-
dary education or have a diploma. With regard to the 15 -18-age group, approx. 20% do not
even finish primary education.

B. Legal status:
A three-tier management structure has been set up:
- Firstly, a single public body responsible of the project in dealing with the European au-
thorities: Bilbao City Hall
- Secondly, a municipal company or local development agency dependent on the Employ-
ment Department of Bilbao City Hall, responsible for the operational management of the
project: Lan Ekintza Bilbao, S.A.
- Thirdly, a broad group of players forming a partnership within the project and participating
in its different stages according to their characteristics. This group includes The Bilbao
Metropoli-30 Association, administrative authorities such as the Basque government and
the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Prospektiker (a publicly owned body) and others.

C. Location:
Bilbao la Vieja and the Otxarkoaga areas are perhaps those most hard hit in terms of social,
economic and urban degradation. The SCS will be placed in Bilbao la Vieja, the old harbour
area of Bilbao, which is now characterized by a multitude of urban problems: urban degrada-
tion, pollution, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and so on. The school will be one ele-
34
ment in a broader strategy to rejuvenate the area, the thorough refurbishment of buildings,
development of small enterprises, etc.
D. Dimension:
Class activity started in November 1997 with 150 students. The number progressively grew
up to 400.

The overall duration of the programme is 24 months. The first group of students is at the end
of the programme.

The SCS of Bilbao is located in a former state primary school in the Bilbao La Vieja district,
which has been adapted to suit the needs of the project. It has several workshops for learn-
ing trades, although the beneficiaries are able to use other workshops and facilities at Lan
Ekintza. The classrooms are equipped with personal computers (one for every two benefici-
aries), and special emphasis is placed on the creation of multimedia materials that facilitate
individualized learning.

G. Human resources:
School Principal Personnel from Lan Ekintza (1 Director, 1 Responsible person for peda-
gogic aspects and 1 accountant), 10 teachers responsible for the workshops, 15 tutors.

The majority (70 %) of students in the SCS are between 16 and 17 years old. 77 % are boys
and 23 % girls. Ethnic minorities are mainly Gypsies (22,5 %) and North African (1,5 %).
Educational level: compulsory education completed 42,5 %, not completed 55,5 %. 90 %
quit school in the 6th or 7th grade.
Family situation: 61 % living in two-parent households and 25,5 % in single-parent house-
holds, the remaining in institutions or with relatives. 68 % of the students claim to have a
poor relationship with their parents, and 27 % have run away from home for a period ranging
from two days to a month. The act of running away is a habitual response to family problems
for 12 % of the students.
The income level is classified as low or very low (70%), with both heads of family unem-
ployed or collecting a pension, with an education level that rarely goes beyond primary
schooling.
The family, school and social situation has brought about a high level of social conflict. With
no physical, organized alternatives in leisure and free time, 'hanging out' has become the
main pastime.

I. Finance:
50% ERDF and 50% local co-financing (Municipality of Bilbao, Biscayan Government,
Basque Government and Spanish Government)

35
Scuola della Seconda Opportunit
Scuola Media Statale "Francesco Petrarca"
C t n i
(Sicilian Region Italy)

Youth unemployment: Overall unemployment in the south of Italy is very high, reaching
21%. Youth unemployment is even higher and in the region of Sicily extends up to 30%.
In the City of Catania and its surroundings the situation worsens considerably. Overall
unemployment is 22%, while youth unemployment is almost 50%.
Average level of education: The level of education is low, with 30 % rate of school failure.
Most people who abandon the school system try to follow a vocational education course.
Main local industries: The service sector is the most important in terms of employment.
Although tourism is important for the region of Sicily, Catania does not represent an in-
teresting place from this point of view. Handicrafts are important although employment in
this sector is getting lower due to a lack of interest among the youth to learn from local ar-
tisans.
The SCS of Catania is a special module of the Middle School "Francesco Petrarca. Initially,
the Middle School was only to host the project and not to manage it. But since the City lost
interest and the Middle School Division of the Ministry of Education is to finance the project,
the Principal of the Petrarca School is the only responsible person for management. In fact,
all the funds for the SCS module are channelled through the Petrarca Middle School. In prac-
tice, by operating in the same facilities, it is difficult to distinguish the funds going to the regu-
lar schools from those to the SCS.
The SCS is located in the Trappeto North neighbourhood. It is a depressed peripheral area
of the City hard hit by social, economic and urban degradation.
The SCS started in February 99 with 4 groups of 20 pupils. Although it had a dropout rate of
25% in the first 6 months, the SCS has not filled the vacancies made available by the drop-
outs because its approach does not allow for that flexibility.

36
It has now finished the first two years of operation, the length of the programme.
The infrastructure and facilities are the same of the Petrarca Middle School. Since the school
population of the Petrarca school has grown significantly since the beginning of the initiative,
it is not possible to provide the SCS with a separate area as initially planned. To solve this
space problem, the Principal has organized the class activity of the SCS in the evenings.
Using the same facilities has impeded the Principal to equip classrooms and labs according
to SCS students' needs.
Some of the labs in the multimedia section of the Petrarca Middle School have been recently
equipped with the funds made available by the Ministry of Education.
Since the SCS does not provide any vocational training, the budget originally planned for
equipping vocational training labs has been allocated to pay the fees of the companies that
will provide this specific training. The purpose is to increase the range of training opportuni-
ties and the possibilities for getting a job after the training programme.
There has not been a selection process for the teachers of the SCS. The Regional Educa-
tion Office has assigned them to the Petrarca Middle School. Most of the teachers come
from the "150 hours school" which is a Ministry of Public Education programme aimed at
adults that have not finished compulsory education. Therefore, they all have experience with
adult education. The teachers have no knowledge of multimedia tools, innovative teaching
methods or foreign languages. None of the teachers have been previously involved in a
European project and have no knowledge of European programmes.
The students are between 16-22, are all Italians and 99% of them have finished compulsory
education. They do not present a problematic population. Most of them have strong family
support, have had some work experience and are attending the SCS programme just be-
cause they see the School as a mean to get a job. They are only interested in the vocational
training provided by the enterprises and attend the regular classes because they are obliged
to do so. During the selection process they were asked the type of job they were interested
in. Their choices were very traditional. Close to 90% of males chose mechanics, electrician,
blue-collar work and PC operator, while most of the girls chose hairdressing, beauty expert
and secretarial work.
Since all of them, with only one exception, have the diploma of compulsory education they
are not attending the School to get this diploma. They have declared that they are not inter-
ested in the European dimension of the project and most of them are not willing to travel
abroad to get additional experience or to learn a foreign language.
Financing of the SCS initiative is distributed as follows:
The Ministry of Public Education provides funding for a total amount of Lit. 1.200.000.000
per year (Euro 620.000 approx.). The funds are entirely national and come from law
440/97 whose main objective is to finance projects aimed at increasing education oppor-
tunities for adults in Italy. The funds go to the Petrarca Middle School, responsible for the
SCS project. From the legal point of view, the SCS of Catania is an initiative of the Pet-
rarca School.
The Regional Education Office provides the teachers for basic education.
The remaining funds were supposed to be provided by the city mostly in the form of train-
ing for trainers (never done), school transportation, publicity, organization of a launching
event (never done), and the provision of a psychologist and a social worker (never done).
37
Schule der zweiten Chance
Tages- und Abendschule Kln
K l n
(Germany)

Cologne is the fourth biggest City in Germany with about 1 million inhabitants.
Industry in Cologne has rapidly and fundamentally changed in the nineties: within 5 years
(1992-1997) 20,000 jobs were lost. About 6,700 youngsters between 16 and 25 years old are
unemployed, 45 % of them having a foreign nationality (2nd and 3rd generation of migrant
Ifiction oa
nlly
38

The School is easily accessible by public transport. All kinds of modern infrastructure are
available: computers, video, internet, etc. There is a restaurant for teachers and students.

TAS SCS employs 56 teachers and 20 social-pedagogues.

Most of the participants failed in the normal school system. They take the opportunity af-
forded by a second chance to achieve a secondary school certificate. Most of the students
lack key competencies and social competencies.

The total annual budget is 4,100,000 DM, of which the Federal State (Land North-Rhine
Westphalia) pays 60% of the costs, the City of Cologne 30% and the Employment Agency
10%.
39
Tageskolleg der VHS Kln
K l n
(Germany)
Contact:

Detlef.Heints@stadt-koeln.de

School data:


See Cologne Tages- und Abendschule

B. Legal status:
Tageskolleg SCS is a part (day time college) of the Volkshochschule (Adult Education Col-
lege) Cologne.

C. Location:
Tageskolleg is offering courses in two locations, in the districts Nippes and Mhlheim. The
latter has a high concentration of foreign (mostly Turkish) people. In the district of Nippes the
situation is not that bad, but it is still one of the deprived areas in Cologne.

D. Dimension:
Strictly speaking, the Tageskolleg SCS offers 12 fulltime daytime courses leading to a school
certificate and to integration in the the world of work. Next to these courses, the Tageskolleg
organizes follow-up courses, an Internet caf and a project for language teaching to different
partners in Cologne.

The Tageskolleg SCS is recognized by the state. Its continuity is safeguarded, although
regular innovation and adaptation is necessary.

40
Tageskolleg Nippes is located in the newly built district town hall. The location of Mhlheim
will be renovated until May 2001. Both locations are equipped with workshops and computer
rooms. Tageskolleg has a restaurant. Each course group has its own sitting room and an
office for the teachers and social-pedagogues.

G. Human resources:
Next to the 25 teachers and the 16 social-pedagogues, Tageskolleg SCS employs two so-
cial-pedagogues in the Internet Caf for individual help and advice.

All students are beyond age of compulsory school, but have left school without a certificate.
Most of them have attitude problems and personal difficulties or a lack of life orientation.

I. Finance:
The total annual budget is 5,500,000 DM. The City of Cologne contributes 45 %, the Federal
State North-Rhine Westphalia 15 %, the European Social Fund 15 % and the Employment
Agency 25 %.
41
H l l e
(Germany)
Contact:

Jw-bauhof@gmx.de

School data:


Halle, a town of about 250,000 inhabitants in Eastern Germany, has important concentra-
tions of heavy industry, particularly machinery, railway components, chemical and electronics
industry, etc. In the 1997 statistics, 19,50 % of the working population was unemployed, of
which 3,739 were in the age range 20-25 and 782 younger than 20. School dropout rates
have been climbing over the last years. It is estimated that 100 pupils drop out every year,
mainly because they fail to see the usefulness of education in a situation of rising unem-
ployment. Many of those youngsters are living in negative social and family environments
(alcohol, drugs addiction, debts, divorce, etc.)

The STEP-Project (School/Training European Project) is part of the Franckesche Stiftungen
(Francke Foundation), founded in 1695 by the Theologian August Hermann Francke to serve
as social institutions (orphanage, educational establishment, Latin school, charity school, etc)

The STEP-Project "Bauhof" is located in the centre of the city of Halle, in the middle of other
large buildings belonging to the Franckesche Stiftung.

24 youngsters

The Project S.T.E.P. started in September 1997. In fact, the pilot period is now over, but the
City of Halle, in cooperation with the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt, intends to continue this
project. The duration of a course is 46 weeks, but the average stay of youngsters in the pro-
ject is 12-18 months (60% of the youngsters).

Computer
knowledge
5%
Life
skills
Vocation-related
knowledge
50%
Basic
knowledge
Other
15%
42
The workshops wood and painting are well established with modern instruments and tools.
The students have at their disposal 13 computers, video, T.V. and Internet.

In fulltime equivalent 4 teachers are working in the STEP project.

All youngsters live in bad conditions: no one has left secondary school with a diploma or cer-
tificate and 10 of the 24 have serious health problems. The average age of the students is
17.

The annual budget is 160.000 Euro. 70% is financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs in the
Federal State Saxony-Anhalt, 20% by the City of Halle, 5% own funds and 5 % sponsorship.
43
H m e e n l i n n
(Finland)
Contact:

School data:

44
Since the Hmeenlinna SCS is a hub-web organization, which enables flexible in-take, stud-
ies in different programmes and individual curricula and goal-settings, the duration may vary
from a couple of months up to 2 years.
The hub of the network is the Hmeenlinna Vocational Adult Education Centre, a municipal
institution providing training and education for adult persons. The Centre is one of 47 centres
covering the whole country. The training centres offer includes employment training (target
group unemployed / job seekers, mainly); self-motivated training (target group mainly em-
ployed persons up-grading their skills and knowledge); apprenticeship training; in-service-
training for companies and miscellaneous services. The Centre is authorized to arrange ex-
ams and demonstration tests leading to national vocational qualification (competence-based)
and to organize training preparing trainees to participate in the tests.
Some of the partners of the network are part of the national educational system, such as the
Hmeenlinna Vocational Institute (vocational upper secondary education).
G. Human resources:
The human resources of the network are available to the Hmeenlinna SCS. The number of
vocational teachers and trainers involved with the target group varies according to the train-
ing programme. But all in all, a pool of 20 teachers and 2 counsellors at the main site and
110 teachers and 7 counsellors in the network are available.
The Finnish legislation on person registers and protection of privacy is very strict and, there-
fore, just a few main characteristics about the students may be presented. Most of the stu-
dents have not completed any vocational qualifications, very few have not completed their
compulsory education, very few are immigrants. In some parts of the network, like the Kar-
paasi Group which deals with the very difficult youngsters, the social background is serious:
most come from fragile families, have severe self-inflicted health problems due to drugs and
substance abuse and are living under fragile psychological conditions. The reasons driving
youth into exclusion often stem from the economy and lack of vacancies, the fact that the
youths choose wrongly after the compulsory education and therefore drop off from the voca-
tional studies they have already started and the firm social net Finnish society provides.
I. Finance:
In Finland, the Government and the municipalities finance the initial and further education
and training in most cases. Since the grounds, on which the Second Chance School has
been founded, already were there and thus the School is not a new entity established for this
purpose only, the financing of the training 'comes along with the trainees'. For the education
and training, there are basically six types of sources:
For the employment training / training of unemployed people and job seekers, the money
comes from the employment authority
For self-motivated training, the budget allocation through the provincial governments/
office of education, and actually from the Ministry of Education
For apprenticeship training, from the Ministry of Education
For formal education within the secondary level vocational education, through the nu-
merical control system steering this type of education delivery
Projects like the Youth Workshop, the European Social Fund
Projects like the Karpaasi Group (youth work), Finnish Slot Machine Association
For the management and running cost of the SCS, the City of Hmeenlinna and the Ministry
of Education have both committed themselves to a three-year allocation.
45
H e r l e n
(Netherlands)
Contact:

School data:


Close to the Belgian and German borders, the City of Heerlen, in close cooperation with the
other 7 municipalities in the South-East of the Province Limburg (now called Parkstad Lim-
burg) has been selected to develop the first Second Chance School in the Netherlands.
Parkstad Limburg was a mining area up till the seventies and is now an Objective 2 zone. In
the last five years unemployment rates have fallen very quickly. Nevertheless, a hard core of
unemployed older people and many youngsters with plural difficulties (drug addicts, sexually
abused, homeless, psycho-social problems) still exists.
The Second Chance School Heerlen/ Parkstad Limburg is the result of cooperation between
the professional training centre ARCUS College and MAECON Ltd.. ARCUS College is de-
pendent on the National Ministry of Education. MAECON Ltd. is a privatised institute (by the
8 municipalities), specialized in orientation, counselling and placement of unemployed people
on the employment market.

B. Legal status:
The cooperation between the two institutions ARCUS College and MAECON Ltd. is legally
housed at ARCUS College.
The teachers and tutors are seconded by the two partner organizations.

C. Location:
For the time being the project is conducted at the locations of CBB, a centre for vocational
training (that partly belongs to ARCUS College). In 2001 the Second Chance School will
move to a more permanent location of its own.

D. Dimension:
The first year (1999) has been used for the development of the concept and of the curricu-
lum. A profound evaluation taken in July 2000 has lead to firm progress in the project. For
46
the near future, the Second Chance School project will fit in very well with the national com-
mon policy of the so-called strict, close tackling of young marginalized young people and
bring them back into an educational setting or a job.

60 % of the students stay up to 12 months in the Second Chance School before they can
start a professional diploma-oriented training or get a contract in an enterprise.

As mentioned above, the Second Chance School is housed in a vocational training centre
with all kind of facilities: instruments and tools for training in wood, metal, cleaning, kitchen/
restaurant, gardening. Students have access to 8 computers, TV, video, Internet.

G. Human resources:
5 fulltime equivalent workers are seconded by ARCUS College or MAECON Ltd.: 2,7 fte
teachers and 2,3 fte advisers/counsellors/tutors

Second Chance School Heerlen/ Parkstad has choosen to focus on extremely marginalized
youngsters: lack of motivation, no diploma at all, drug addicts, sexually abused young
women, homeless, etc. This has been made because this target group is not envisaged by
all the other initiatives in the region.
The age of the students: under 23 years.

I. Finance:
The budget for 2000 was fixed at 233.400 Euro. 50 % is financed by the 8 municipalities
forming Parkstad Limburg, 20 % by the Province of Limburg, 20% by the European Social
Fund and 10 % by the partner organizations ARCUS College and MAECON Ltd.
47
East Leeds Family Learning Centre
Le e d s
(England Great Britain)
Contact:

School data:


Leeds, a city in the North of Europe, is presently benefiting from the upturn of the British
economy. However, the effects are not equally distributed and certain areas are experiencing
considerable social and economic difficulties. Numerous families are on low or unstable in-
comes and are in council accommodation. In this population more than 40 % women are
inactive, and 34 % of people are experiencing long term illness. More than a quarter of the
children belongs to single parent families and account for almost 10 % of the population.
There is high level of neighbourhood delinquency and young people don't believe they are
living in a 'successful' city. The City of Leeds has 800,000 and the target area of East Leeds
has 20,000 households.
Unemployment among people experiencing major economic problems, for the 16 to 60 age
range, in some areas is over 25% while the city average is only 4%.
The date for setting up the Leeds SCS was 5 March 1998 and its headquarters are situated
in the East Leeds Family Learning Centre. The person in charge for the political questions is
Mr Paul Forbes at the Leeds City Council / Training Department. The responsibility of run-
ning the project lies with Mr Chris Peat. The Leeds SCS has the Further Education College
'Thomas Danby' as a connected partner. The Leeds College of Art and Design and the
Leeds College of Technology also supply tutors to the Second School. Thomas Dunby is a
generic college, with specialist areas in catering and care. LCAD is a Specialist College with
national reputation in the world of art and design.

The Second Chance School is situated at the East Leeds Family Learning Centre, which has
been created through changing the function of what was formerly a high school for 1,500
students. It is itself an innovative project; over 2,000 learners from some of the most disad-
vantaged communities attend a wide range of programmes at the Centre. This varies from a
full-time training programme to attendance at a two-hour information technology course.
Second Chance School students have access to all the education provision at the site, once
they themselves have acquired the necessary basis and key skills to be able to get the most
benefit from the training and education that is on offer.
48

Class activity started in March 1998 with 5 students. The number progressively grew up to 50
in 1999 and is expected to reach 100 by December 2000.

The overall duration of the programme is 1 year.

The SCS of Leeds is located in East Leeds Family Learning Centre and comprises of 1 inter-
view room; 1 workshop/classroom; 1 multi-media suite; pc's and multi-media pc's in the multi-
media room. All pc's have access to the Internet.

2 managers, 1 full-time student support worker; 4 part-time tutors, 1 part-time administrator.

Students entering the SCS are between 16 and 24 years old, the majority of them being be-
tween 18 and 20. Ethnic minorities are Asian and Afro-Caribbean (2 % each).
Educational level: compulsory education completed 61 %, not completed 39 %.
Family situation: the majority (53 %) living independently, 20 % in two-parent households and
23 % in single-parent households.
Social level: Working class coming from semi-skilled/unskilled, many are 2
nd
generation un-
employed.
Types of problems: Homelessness, suicide, broken homes resulting in extended families -
stepparents and brothers/sisters. Abuse as children -physical/emotional/sexual. Drug abuse
and alcohol abuse. Lost parents through illness and early death - cancer/heart disease as
result of poverty, poor diet etc. Many live independently because of broken-down relationship
with parents and stepparents - need support emotionally and financially.

The primary source to funding for the Schools is European Social Fund Objective 3. For the
last two years a funding application has been approved by the Yorkshire and Humberside
Government Office who administer the European Social Funds in this region on behalf of the
Government. This funding is matched primarily by the City Council who contributes staff time;
the building and other costs, and other partners to also make a contribution.
The Second Chance School is however now included in the City Council's budget.

49
Ecole le la Deuxime Chance
M r s e i l l e
(Region ProvenceAlpesCte dAzur
France)
Contact:

School data:


In July 1996 the City of Marseilles counted 72,000 unemployed people, of which 14,400
youths are in the age group 16-25 (20%). Moreover, one third of all youths do not have any
diploma or certificate.
In some districts of Marseilles, unemployment has reached 33% in the 15th arrondissement
and 50% in the 16th arrondissement.
Young people in these "difficult districts" are rapidly fall into a situation of social exclusion.
The difficulties are of a plural nature: multicultural problems, split families, growing up in a
single parent situation, unemployment, etc.
The Marseilles Second Chance School was set up in 1996 at the instigation of the European
Commission.
Key words: Accompaniment, autonomy, rights and obligations, training by the job, training-
on-the-job, alternation, individualization and an overall comprehensive methodology.

B. Legal status:
Association after the French Law 1901. The fouding members are: the City of Marseilles, the
Region Provence Alpes Cte dAzur, the County (Dpartement) Bouches du Rhne, the
Community of Municipalities Marseille Provence Mtropole and the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry.

C. Location:
For the time being: Bgude.
The Second Chance School will move early 2001 to the locality of Saint-Louis.


50
D. Dimension:
The Bgude building: 1500 m
Saint-Louis: 9000 m, with a gymnasium, a sports ground, accommodation, a theatre, multi-
media rooms.

The Second Chance School officially started in November 1997. The average stay in the
school is 24 months (80% of the students).

See D

G. Human resources:
The teachers (21) have a double role: they are at the same time the individual tutors of the
students. Parallel to the pedagogical team, the "enterprise team" is working on contacting
enterprises and organizing the accompaniment of the youths in the world of work.

A large majority of the students have a so-called migrant background, although most of them
have the French nationality (Algerian parents). All have left school without a recognized di-
ploma or certificate, some of them have language problems.

I. Finance:
The Second Chance School Marseilles is financed by:
The City of Marseilles: 40 %
The Region Provence Alpes 28 %
The County Bouches du Rhone 12 %
The Community of Municipalities 15 %
The European Social Fund 5 %
Second Chance Sc hools
51
Marielunds gymnasiet
No r r k p i n g
(Sweden)
Contact:

School data:


General situation:
The city of Norrkping has a population of 124,000 inhabitants. The old industrial structures,
characterized by mechanical industries mainly within the textile sector, disappeared com-
pletely during the seventies. This represented a severe blow to a town which depended on
textiles for 80% of its industrial capacity.
The changes in the economic foundations have had a negative effect on the labour market.
They have caused imbalance in urban growth, further aggravated by the influx of immigrants,
particularly refugees who have fled the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. This has increased
the non-native population of the town by 3 % up to 20 % of the total population over a period
of 12 months in 1994.
The city is experiencing rising rates in youth unemployment, school dropouts, juvenile delin-
quency and drugs abuse. From an almost non-existent unemployment at the beginning of the
decade, statistics show today that the city as a whole has a rate of unemployment of 10 % in
1998 (9 % in 1999). The figures for young people (20-24 age) are almost double (18, 6 % in
May 1998 against 14 % in October 1999). One aspect which has contributed to the social
exclusion of these young persons is the reluctance of employers to recruit people without
formal education or with a different ethnic background coming from the deprived areas.
Educational level of the population
Norrkping Sweden
Compulsory school 30 % 28 %
Upper secondary school 48 % 46 %
Higher education 20 % 24 %
A. Legal status:
In Sweden, the legislation is passed by the Parliament, which also decides on Government
appropriations to the education. The Government issues the ordinances as well as general
guidelines applying to various types of education and decides on the distribution of Govern-
ment funds. For the school system, the Government also lays down the curricula and syllabi.
Practically all public education in Sweden below university level is operated by local authori-

Second Chance Sc hools
52
ties. The local authorities (the municipalities) are bound by law and regulations to provide a
number of basic services. In addition, every school has to draw up a work plan based on the
curriculum and local priorities. The organization of administration within a municipality, such
as the inclusion of one or more schools in a headmaster's school management district or the
allocation of responsibilities and financing, varies from one municipality to another.
B. Location:
The Marielundsgymnasiet is located in an old building in a deprived area in Norrkping,
within a walking distance from the City centre.
C. Dimension:
The School was opened in January 1999 and 30 students have been given the opportunity to
take part in the SCS project during 1999.
D. Duration and stage of implementation:
30 students were admitted to the SCS in January 1999. The estimated duration for most of
the students is 10 to 18 months.
E. Infrastructure, facilities:
Marielundsgymnasiet is easy to reach by bus or tram. The school is an old building with all
modem facilities including restaurant with free lunch for the students.
F. Human resources:
The human resources of Marielundsgymnasiet are available for the Norrkping SCS. The
number of the staff directly involved with the target group of the SCS students during the
year has been: 12 teachers, 6 career counsellors and 7 social workers. About 25 companies
with mentors and trainers has taken an active part in the project.
G. Characteristics of the students:
The overwhelming majority (87 %) of students in the SCS are between 16 and 19 years old,
70 % are boys and 30 % girls.
Ethnic minorities constitute 43 % of the students, the major parts being Romany (24 %),
Bosnian (13 %) and Chilean (7 %).
Educational level: compulsory education completed 13 %, not completed 87 %. 100 %
have no vocational qualifications.
Family situation: 60 % living in two-parent households and 37 % in single-parent households,
the remaining 3 % in institutions or with relatives.
Major problems:
- Lack of basic skills
- Social problems
- Severe learning problems
- Lack of self-confidence
- Major personal difficulties, physical and/or psychological problems.
H. Finance:
In Sweden, general government grants and the municipalities finance the initial and further
education and training. Following this pattern, the students of the Second Chance School are
included in the Swedish school financial system. Some of the money comes from the Euro-
pean Social Fund Objective 3, and is allocated to the in-company mentors, which form an
essential part of the School's methodology and the introduction to the world of work.
53
S i x l
(Portugal)

Contact:

School data:


Seixal, located on the Setubal Peninsula, has 150,000 inhabitants and forms with 8 other
municipalities the South-Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
Economically South-Lisbon Metropolitan Area is superior to the rest of Portugal. But the rate
of unemployment is also above the national average (about 17,5 %, 52 % of them are long
term unemployed, 1998). A major part of the unemployed only have 4 to 6 years of educa-
tion. They are young and in many cases out of the education system.
In this context, the Second Chance School aims to achieve the social and professional inte-
gration of young people between 16 and 25 years.

B. Legal status:
Recently a Municipality enterprise was created: 51 % of the shares are owned by the City of
Seixal, 49 % is owned by enterprises

C. Location:
The same as referred above.

D. Dimension:
The Second Chance School has 39 students (three groups of 13 students).

Three periods of 28 weeks each. Beginning November 1999; Ending December 2001.

54
3 classrooms, 1 IT room (13 computers); 1 auditorium (50 seats); 2 televisions; 2 videotapes;
2 tape recorders; 1 restroom; 1 bar, telephone and fax.

G. Human resources:
1 director, 4 teachers, five technical trainers

H. Characteristics of the students
A large majority of the students come from fragile family backgrounds; more than 50% have
severe self-inflicted health problems, like drug and substance abuse, bad eating habits, bad
dental care, bad hygiene.

I. Finance:
First stage 75% EU and 25% Seixal municipality
Second stage 100% Seixal municipality
55
Produktionshjskolen i Svendborg
S e n d b o r g
(Denmark)
Contact:

School data:


The city of Svendborg is situated on the isle of Funen, south of the capital Copenhagen. The
city has a population of 43, 000 inhabitants. Youth unemployment is 5.5%. Svendborg is in-
dustrialized and has direct access to the sea.
Svendborg has no schools of higher education. There are, however, several schools for vo-
cational education or training and special training providers, like sea training schools, marine
engineering schools, and navigation schools.

B. Legal status:
Produktionshjskolen in Svendborg was appointed as the Danish pilot school within the Sec-
ond Chance School Initiative on the 27
th
October, 1999 by the Danish Ministry of Education.
Consequently, the school is only now implementing the various fields of efforts covered by
the programme. The Second Chance School in Svendborg is due to this Ministry approval
identical with Produktionshjskolen in Svendborg, the biggest of the 108 Danish Production
Schools. The school was established in 1984.

C. Location:
Produktionshjskolen in Svendborg has two locations in the city of Svendborg:
Iglemosegrden and MedieFronten.

D. Dimension:
At present, 237 students (134 boys, 103 girls) are learning at the Svendborg Second Chance
School.

56
The Danish production schools exercise a principle of free entry free exit. 30 per cent of the
students stay at the school for less than 3 months, 60 per cent from 3 to 12 months and
some 10 per cent more than 12 months.

occupies 9 workshops, including the production workshops: Office,
Food/Kitchen, Metal, Textile, and Carpenter/Joiner - and the pedagogic workshops: Theatre,
Music, Nature/Outdoor Work, and Kindergarten Training.
is located directly next to the sea, close to the city centre and it has the follow-
ing workshops: Video/Photo, Multimedia, Radio/Journalist, Graphic Design, Technology
(Computer Upkeep), and Kitchen/Culture.

G. Human resources:
u Tj 6 0 TD -0.0921 Tc -(lors)) Tj 2755 0 TD 0 Tc -0.1275 Tw ( ) Tj -142075 -14.75 TD /
H phanracer ntrics f the tudents
BBJ BiPeG mbH
57
CHAPTER 4: PARTNERSHIPS
INTRODUCTION
In its declaration on Combating Exclusion through Education and Training, the Com-
mission announced an anti-exclusion project. Judging as unjust the situation wherein
several hundred thousand young people living in the European Union, most of them
in large metropolitan conurbation, are totally without access to training schemes or
employment, the Commission started calling for committed partnerships.
Dialogue and partnership at a local level - between the various economic players,
voluntary and community associations and public authorities were expected to play
a part in halting this development. For this to happen, these parties had to accept the
need to work together and pool all the human and material resources at their com-
mand. Company sponsoring of schools, recruitment agreements between schools
and employers, and the development of advanced educational technologies were just
some of the ways in which excluded youth would be able to obtain better access to
know-how and a satisfactory level of qualification within an appropriate teaching envi-
ronment.
The Commission proposed to catalyse energies in this field in order to get a number
of projects up and running swiftly, and to make sure they receive the attention and
appreciation which they merit, in particular by encouraging the exchange of good
practices and by mobilizing the various players concerned within the European Un-
ion.
At the Launching Conference of the Second Chance Schools (June 1997), one of the
sessions was entitled Al-
ready then, the Commission started to form a Second Chance Schools Family, one
which would be brought together now and than to share their experiences and best
practices, and to learn in a dynamic context. For this purpose, the following discus-
sion points were brought before the Conference audience:
How to reach and activate young people and enterprises for the course of
the Second Chance Schools?
What is the exact role of social and neighbourhood services in creating
awareness of and interest in the scheme?
How to identify the course participants from amongst the broader group of
young excluded people lacking basic skills and qualifications?
Which criteria can be used for the identification of these course participants
and what is the role of enterprises in the selection process?
How exactly does the matching of individual course participants to avail-
able job-profiles operate in practice?
BBJ BiPeG mbH
58
How to ensure true commitment of employers to that matching process:
which conditions need to be satisfied for enterprises to earmark jobs for
the course participants?
What form of agreement is to be reached with the enterprises?
How to let enterprises see the advantages of the Second Chance School
scheme?
These were some of the issues concerned with partnership that were to direct the
Schools in conceptualizing the local models. They were also points that were often
discussed in the meetings, seminars and conferences organized for the Schools by
the Commission, and especially in the seminar entitled
organized by the City of Seixal in December 1998.
The seminar panels touched upon collaboration with SMEs, large undertakings and
the public sector, and furthermore, company involvement in the choice of syllabuses,
methodologies and student recruitment.
In assigning the evaluation and thematic monitoring of the Second Chance Schools
pilot projects, the European Commission divided the task into five lots, three of them
making a specific contribution towards the conceptual development of the Schools.
One of them, the lot 2, dealt with the Partnership, a field the Commission defined in
the following way:
Local partnership, with the focus on businesses (extent and nature of commitment,
types of businesses and training courses/ jobs available, type of agreement con-
cluded with businesses etc.).
One of the overriding principles of the Commissions concept, but also a necessity for
the Second Chance Schools, is to put into place and to develop a long lasting part-
nership with all players concerned with the struggle against youth exclusion. These
are the local authorities, social services and associations, NGOs, enterprises and
businesses.
The main objective of the partnership is to improve the effectiveness of the under-
taken activities. It allows
The participation of new players in projects and activities
The strengthening of the concept of Second Chance Schools
The sharing and development of existing resources and competencies
The inclusion of the project into their local community

It must be understood that the partnership is a process that relies on a diversity of
players and decision makers, persons coming from different sectors who are unified
in the goal to be achieved and pursue the objective of reaching a common agree-
ment.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
59
A partnership is constructed on competencies and roles that can contribute to the
project:
The contribution in the reflection on the social and professional inclusion of
the youths
The local support of the project
The use of existing institutional networks
The use of multiple skills or abilities

Consequently the partnership will be constructed on
A shared knowledge of the problem
An acceptance by all the partners of the final aim (we will all work to-
wards). It is the confirmation of this principle which identifies and facilitates
the values of the group to be united.
The objective or objectives of what we are trying to do, which define the
expected results and will determine the actions enlisted to produce a com-
mon strategy.

This complex process is based on principles, precise and accepted by all. It is put
into operation with some support systems and a clearly defined action plan, one
which must produce results and provide an added value to the project.
In this way, each project, in its context and its social, socio-economic and cultural
environment, will produce and construct its own partnership in order to become as
effective as possible.
Starting from the unique concept of Second Chance Schools and the diversity it sets
off, the objective of the evaluation is to make the different partnerships clear and
comprehensive, to enhance the value of its innovative aspects and to indicate ele-
ments of good practice.
PARTNERSHIPS
Building a partnership of diverse local players was one of the main pillars the Second
Chance School pilot projects were built on. The European Commission, in accor-
dance with the respective Ministries of Education, selected the pilots in cities or re-
gions where such a close partnership could be guaranteed. The following table indi-
cates the extent and the frequency of the partnerships among different types of part-
ner organizations.

BBJ BiPeG mbH
60

Frequency of structured interaction of the organiza-
tions in the partnership

Strong pres-
ence in part-
nership
Weaker
presence in
partnership

More than
twice a
month
Once per 1-3
months
Once per 3-6
months
Less fre-
quent or on
ad hoc basis
Type of the partner organi-
zation

Local authorities 13 2 4 4 3
Associations, NGO's 2 11 2 11
Enterprises 10 3 2 2 9
Parents 11 2 1 12
Health sector 13 13
National education system 13 2 3 8
(Figures in the table indicate the number of schools, 13 in total)

LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
As to the political backing and the financial support by the local (and sometimes re-
gional) authorities, the findings of the evaluation are obvious: the local authorities
play a central role. For many of the Second Chance Schools the contribution of local
and regional authorities represents up to 40% of all funds (like Tageskolleg in Co-
logne, Marseilles, Bilbao, Norrkping, Heerlen). In Marseilles the city, the county and
the regional council provide more than 75% of the budget necessary for the schools
functioning. Differences can be observed. The towns of Catania and Svendborg bring
in a moderate financial contribution (less than 5 %), but for these schools the state
contribution is massive
1
.
The involvement of local authorities constitutes an important evolution, particularly in
the southern countries of Europe, where they traditionally do not have major respon-
sibility in the field of education. This is the way communities want to attest their politi-
cal will to fight the social exclusion of youth and to tackle the weakening of the social
systems. It is obvious that the involvement implies a transfer of competencies from
the state to the local communities. In this context it is worth mentioning the Pactes
de confiance (Trust Pact) which after the Amsterdam and Luxembourg Summits em-
phasized the importance of actions taken by local authorities.
The portion of Community funding is extremely variable, but may reach up to 20 to 30
per cent of the running costs of some Schools. Mostly the Schools located in the Ob-
jective 1 and Objective 2 regions received substantial financial help from the Euro-
pean Funds, the European Social Funds and the European Regional Development
fund. These are Schools in the South, like Bilbao, Seixal, and Athens but also Heer-
len and Leeds may financially benefit from their status. The significant fund amounts
provided to these schools by the Community witnesses the importance of European

1
The disparities in municipal versus state financing can be largely explained through the linkages of
the Second Chance School to the national educational structure and the funding mechanism of educ a-
tion in the respective country.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
61
financial support. European financial help comes in the first instance from the Social
Fund and sometimes from the Regional Fund (for equipment and buildings). It proved
to be essential for starting-up the projects and for constructing premises in Mar-
seilles, Seixal and Bilbao.
European educational programmes such as Connect, Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates,
Youth made it possible to realize staff and student exchanges between the Schools.
Financial contributions to the schools are mostly allocated on an annual basis. This
system, when looking at the duration of the youths training (2 years on average), the
number of students enrolled and the number of contracted teachers, results in a frag-
ile situation. The situation varies greatly between the Schools created to implement
solely the Second Chance School concept (new creations) and the Schools which
already existed (re-organization of activities, network model or re-labelling of provi-
sion). For the latter, basic financing and functioning are already ensured as they are
often integrated into the national school system. Supplementary financing made it
possible to reinforce and to improve the teaching conditions (customization) and to
develop a local network of partners.
Survival of the Schools created for this special purpose depends on the agreements
between the various financing institutions. It is clear that these agreements should
not be renegotiated every year.
Contrary to the local, regional and national authorities, enterprises did not realize the
benefit to be gained from financial participation in the education of disadvantaged
youths.

Hmeenlinna: Please see in Chapter 4 in the profile Hmeenlinna under the point I Financing
30%
60%
10%
45%
15%
15%
25%
1%
86%
13%
55%
28%
5%
12%
50%
50%
5%
95%
0%
43%
10%
2%
45%
35%
65%
25%
75%
100%
50%
20%
20%
10%
20%
70%
5%
5%
100%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
C
o
lo
g
n
e

T
A
S
C
o
lo
g
n
e

V
H
S
S
v
e
n
d
b
o
r
g
M
a
r
s
e
ille
s
B
ilb
a
o
C
a
t
a
n
ia
L
e
e
d
s
A
t
h
e
n
s
S
e
ix
a
l
H
e
e
r
le
n
H
a
lle
B
a
r
c
e
l
o
n
a
Other
EU
Private
State
Municipality
BBJ BiPeG mbH
62

3.717
10.189
9.500
9.091
4.745
5.000
11.477
8.010
5.235
11.026
4.000
9.725
6.667
6.352
0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
C
o
l
o
g
n
e

T
A
S
C
o
l
o
g
n
e

V
H
S
S
v
e
n
d
b
o
r
g
M
a
r
s
e
i
l
l
e
s
B
i
l
b
a
o
C
a
t
a
n
i
a
L
e
e
d
s
A
t
h
e
n
s
S
e
i
x
a
l
H
e
e
r
l
e
n
H
a
lle
B
a
r
c
e
l
o
n
a

ENTERPRISES
At the beginning of the pilot period (1997), enterprises (or better, employers) were
seen as close partners for the Second Chance Schools. They were needed for the
occupational integration of the youths, to smoothen the transition form education to
work. The main idea was that the employers should have a direct influence on the
curriculum design of the professional training: what kind of knowledge, which skills,
and what kind of social competencies were needed?
In the majority of cases the relations between the Schools and the enterprises are
formalized by protocols or conventions. The placement of the youths is organized
from case to case according to their individual interests and aspirations.
Many of the Schools have good contacts with large enterprises. However, placement
and employment are usually looked for in small companies, in micro firms and with
craftsmen. It seems rather difficult to find placement in larger companies. The
schools have noticed that some partnerships are offering less and less job perspec-
tives. Job-hunting happens case by case and craftsmen, for instance, can only take
on a few students. For this reason, some of the Schools have created a special unit
for job hunting, combined with the follow-up and monitoring of the youths while they
are engaged in the enterprises. This is for instance the case in Catania where two
psychologists are active in this unit. In Marseilles, the Ple entreprise involves eight
persons and is a kind of interface between the companies and the School.
Relations and forms of collaboration between the Schools and the companies
change rapidly. Categorizing the way Second Chance Schools have organized their
relations with the enterprises gives the following typology:
Tripartite conventions
Marseilles, Norrkping, Catania, Athens
BBJ BiPeG mbH
63
Leading partners in the Second Chance Schools
MAECON Ltd. (Heerlen) and Lan Ekintza (Bilbao) are responsible in their
respective Schools for the relations with the world of work and all kinds of
placements (job training in enterprises, subsidised jobs, jobs under
contract, etc.)
Contracts with big enterprises
Leeds has constituted a major flagship project
Looser, ad hoc co-operation, networking in the region
Cologne, Hmeenlinna
PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION
It is too early to draw conclusions about the students' professional integration, as
many of them have not yet completed their curriculum in the Second Chance School.
One available example however is the Bilbao School where 75% of the youngsters
who completed the Second Chance School have found a job.
An attempt to compile data on the Schools as to occupation after school exit in 1999
showed that the statements provided by the Schools are to a larger part incomplete
and in any case cannot be compared due to their differing structures.
EMPLOYMENT AFTER SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL
Generally speaking, the youths occupy positions as employees mostly in the service
sector (hotels, restaurants, catering), in craft trades (car manufacturing, electricity,
and plumbing) and in the sales sector (wholesale and retail). Some students have
managed to find employment in the IT sector: the MediaFronten in Svendborg trains
professionals in marketing videos and website design and a few youths in Leeds
have found jobs or started their own business in the multimedia design industry. Col-
laboration with an architect office occurs in Marseille and with a dress designer in
Catania.

Craft works 16%
Industrial work 4%
Informatics / multimedia industry 6%
Commerce and Food 11%
Construction 10%
Animal care / horticulture 2%
Health / Care 9%
Sports 2%
Other commercial 28%
Other non-profit 12%
Total 100%

BBJ BiPeG mbH
64
OTHER TYPES OF COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
The students perceive the Second Chance Schools as one entity, and its versatile
functions like training, preparing for employment, cultural development, catering for
social, health and dwelling problems are seen as one. The global and uniform con-
cept of the Second Chance Schools is in this sense accepted by the target audience.
Unfortunately, the Second Chance Schools often have rather weak links with other
organizations, which welcome the same public, with some exceptions. Some Schools
have developed collaboration, particularly in the provision of vocational training. Bar-
celona and Hmeenlinna are based on network models, which exploit the educa-
tional capacity in each city. Leeds has firm links to two FE colleges and the Family
Learning Centre, Heerlen School is located in the premises of the Arcus College but
collaborates with another school. The school in Marseille started up a partnership
with six organizations specializing in vocational teaching and having complementary
pedagogical tools, and the Norrkping Second Chance School is based within the
Marielund Gymnasium. In Catania, the School premises are open to the benefit of
other users after school hours.
The two schools in Cologne constitute the spearhead of the city policy in combating
youth social exclusion. Heerlen has a similar role. The Second Chance School is one
partner in a large working group for school dropouts, constituted by directors of dif-
ferent schools, the police, municipalities and social workers. The Hmeenlinna
model, the School without walls, constitutes a network comprised of training provid-
ers, social and youth workers, the parish, the City Hall and active NGOs.
Bilbao is a good example for an intense relationship with social workers, who create
an indispensable link between the school (in particular the tutors), certain families,
the youths and the district. They were associated with the creation of the pilot project
and ensure, in particular, the liaison with a local commission on social exclusion. In
addition, they participate within the educational team of the School. Some Social
Centres (intermediary enterprises for the care of elderly people) are suppliers of ser-
vices to the School.
From its very beginning, the school established in Marseilles maintains contact with
the Mission Locale. In Leeds, close cooperation exists with GIPSIL (Gipson Single
Independent Living Scheme in Leeds), an association helping youths to seek dwell-
ings.
Finally, the schools often open themselves up to their social surroundings, such as
other youths and adults. They can come and make use of the sporting and cultural
equipment at the School, as is the case in Catania and in the Cologne Tageskolleg,
where an Internet Caf is available for all the youngsters in the neighbourhood. This
opening to the environment makes it easier for the Schools to establish and maintain
good relations with local inhabitants.
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER SECOND CHANCE SCHOOLS
Throughout the piloting of the Second Chance School and especially with the support
of the Commission, the Schools have managed to become a European Second
Chance Schools Family. The meetings have been numerous and have taken many
BBJ BiPeG mbH
65
forms: coordination meetings of the school directors and other staff, thematic semi-
nars and conferences, all of which offered a forum for the exchange of ideas, good
practices and innovations. The Schools have developed their concepts in tact with
this process, paying respect to the guidelines and principles set by the Commission
and the reflection on the experiences collected by their colleagues. Nevertheless,
local, regional and national needs and circumstances have been the grounds on
which the Schools have been established.
These meetings have also accelerated other types of collaboration: bilateral and mul-
tilateral projects and exchanges within the frameworks of Leonardo da Vinci, Socra-
tes and Connect and private funding of the Schools and their upkeepers (cities, mu-
nicipalities, governments).
These means have enabled collaboration at the grass-root level: development pro-
jects between the pedagogical teams and exchanges of staff and students. A link has
been established to strengthen the network. The Association of the Cities for Second
Chance Schools was set up, not only to manage the common projects but also to
cater for the communication and information between the Schools (and the Commis-
sion) and to affirm the position of the Schools as the main weapon in combating
youth exclusion.
The exchanges and sports / multicultural events have provided one way of bringing
the target audience, the youth, together. It is obvious that the annual European gath-
erings organized in Cologne (1998), Hmeenlinna (1999) and Catania (2000) played
a key role in setting up a Second Chance School identity and a feeling for being part
of a united Europe. For youths who have failed in so many things, such occasions
constitute an opportunity to build their personality, self-esteem and understanding of
the world around them.
CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation of partnerships established within the Second Chance Schools re-
vealed their extent and their influence on the functioning of and the results achieved
by the Schools. Partnerships have been rather extensively established and signifi-
cant actions have been undertaken through versatile forms of collaboration. Second
Chance Schools have found their own place in combating exclusion. They have
managed to occupy a unique position within their environment and are becoming well
known among decision-makers.
The Schools have managed to involve new players, particularly from local communi-
ties and companies. The role played by local and regional authorities appears essen-
tial for the Schools development, and not only financially. Exclusion problems are
tackled locally and regionally and this creates solidarity networks linking local initia-
tives with the world of work. More collaboration and intensified actions are, however,
needed for example in the fields of health care and housing problems.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
66
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Second Chance Schools can be considered as a means to smoothen the transi-
tion from education to employment. They also are a place where youths can work on
restructuring their personality, gaining knowledge and achieving vocational qualifica-
tions. In order to enable the obtaining of diplomas and formal qualifications, which
can be seen as gate-openers to permanent employment or further education, the
Second Chance Schools should enlarge and formalize their relations with the educa-
tion system.
The Second Chance Schools are a link between schools and enterprises, between
training and work. A partnership, in particular with companies, representatives of the
different professional sectors, professional organizations and trade unions, would
make it possible to conceive a better training scheme, one that would be based on
real work situations and would better able to focus on vocational skills.
Problems expressed by the youths themselves sometimes go beyond just job hunting
or vocational training. They can have problems with establishing their personal goal
in life, finding their place in society, of dealing properly with themselves as citizens. It
could be useful to involve specialists in the field of social integration, health, housing
etc. A multiple approach around the youths' problems would make it possible to
tackle exclusion more efficiently, considering the extent of the problems they face.
The Second Chance Schools should place more emphasis on the role a youth plays
as a citizen, within society and not only within the functioning of the School. It is also
important to particularly stress the European dimension of this active citizenship.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
67
CHAPTER 5: PEDAGOGY
INTRODUCTION
In its declaration on Combating Exclusion through Education and Training, the
Commission announced an anti-exclusion project. This initiative was to mobilise the
full range of local players and to provide high quality educational resources in order
to raise the employment opportunities afforded to young people who would otherwise
have no chance of entering the labour market. Complementing the measures
introduced by individual Member States, this should provide a new opportunity on the
basis of education and training. Paying respect to the diversity in the area of
education in the respective Member States, the Commission pointed out that the
particularities of each Second Chance School would depend to a large extent on
local and national circumstances, but that some characteristics are to be pertinent.
Out of the five aspects the Commission raised, three dealt with pedagogical issues:
a different teaching and counselling approach focused on the individuals
needs, wishes and abilities;
flexible modules allowing a combination of basic skills development
(numeracy, literacy, social skills) with practical training in and by enterprises;
a central role for the acquisition of skills in informatic and new technologies.

At the Launching Conference of the Second Chance Schools (June 1997), one of the
sessions was entitled
Already then, the Commission started to form a Second Chance
Schools family, one which would be brought together now and again to share their
experiences and best practices, and to learn in a dynamic context. For this purpose,
the following discussion points were brought before the Conference audience:
How to recruit first-rate teachers for Second Chance Schools?
How to teach and motivate?
What to do differently in a second chance in comparison to the first?
What role for languages?
What role for new technologies?
What role for sports and culture?
How to individualize modules and yet to work with groups and operate as a
school?
What role for on-the-job and in-the-field learning?
BBJ BiPeG mbH
68
How are psychological subjects such as self-respect, respect for others,
confidence, perseverance and ambition taught?
To what extent would the schools ambition go in situating the course
participants in a new, motivating framework of kinship and role-models?

These were the pedagogical issues that were to direct the Schools in conceptualizing
their local models. They were also points that were often discussed in the meetings,
seminars and conferences organized for the Schools by the Commission. The
pedagogical approaches in their broad sense were also the topic of the teacher
meetings held in conjunction with the Youth Meetings in 1998/ Cologne, 1999/
Hmeenlinna and 2000/ Catania.
pilot projects, the European Commission divided the task into five lots, three of them
One of them, the lot 3, dealt with the Educational Methods, for which the
Commission defined the field in the following way:
Innovation through an individualized, integrated approach focusing on the individual,
with each schools curriculum being suitably structured and incorporating the new
technologies, tying in with the educational and vocational training system in the
country concerned (recognition of qualifications, links with existing systems, added
value).
The Commissions assignment defined the aims, guidelines and principles of the
evaluation in a rather pragmatic way. The work of the evaluators of lot 3 on teaching
methodologies was specified to monitor, observe, identify and take stake the school's
functions, their best practices and innovations, and their strengths and weaknesses.
The thematic monitoring and evaluation of the educational methods was undertaken
by visits to the Schools, discussions and interviews, all of which took place with the
teachers, tutors, counsellors, administrative staff, students, parents, researchers,
local, regional and national civil servants, politicians, and representatives from
companies and NGOs. The schools provided the evaluators with relevant written
material and, in addition, they used the material and information collected by the
Commission. The report reflected mainly on six themes assessed as most essential
for the thematic lot 3 on teaching methodologies and the objectives of the monitoring.
These were
1. recruitment of teachers and tutors
2. guidance and counselling
3. curricula and training programmes
4. pedagogical approaches
5. new technologies and
6. certification / assessment
BBJ BiPeG mbH
69
In the following, the most essential findings and features assessed to be typical for a
school catering for problematic youth are presented.
RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS AND TUTORS, QUALIFICATIONS AND CAPACITIES, TEACHER
TRAINING AND ROLES IN THE SCHOOL
The various Second Chance Schools have different practices in their use of the
words teacher and tutor. In this report, the word teacher used when the role is
primarily aimed at the (cognitive) learning process. A distinction is made between a
teacher and a tutor as this clearly refers to their differentiated role
1
and where the
latter is more aimed at issues dealing with attitudes, behaviour, human relations and
the solving of personal problems. This function is more evident when the students
are younger and is more frequent in southern Europe. In almost all Second Chance
Schools, the teachers are mostly recruited from schools of formal education and, with
a few exceptions, are paid a salary that is the standard in the formal schools system.
What is characteristic for the teachers is that they are very experienced, especially in
dealing with youths who find themselves in difficult life situations. Many have a
background as special teachers, they have undertaken studies in special education,
psychology, pedagogy, social-pedagogy / pastoral care. Concerning the
requirements for formal general or vocational qualifications, the Schools are more
strict with the teachers than the counsellors. Academic or vocational degrees are
required in almost all Schools for the teaching staff and most of them also have
formal teacher qualifications. As to the counsellors (or tutors), the requirements are
not quite as strict but often this segment of the personnel has studies in social
sciences and pastoral care. For them, formal teacher qualifications appear to be less
common. Dual roles of teachers and counsellors (integrating teaching and
counselling) are common, such as teachers working in small teams or pairs, either
with another teacher or an educated counsellor. Professional counselling is provided
on request in many of the Schools but this function is mostly outsourced.
But there are also schools who stress that the formal qualifications are not that
essential, instead it is more important is to be a good worker and to have big heart
for the youngsters in difficulties. Actually all schools stress the importance of high
level interpersonal skills and former experience with the target audience.
Three main criteria were emphasized in the schools to form the basis of the teacher
qualifications and competence:
to be well qualified in a specific discipline or vocation (academic or vocational
degree)
excellent social competencies (character, patience, communication skills,
strong personality, open-mindedness, rapport)
a big heart for this target group

1
Though, it should be mentioned that e.g. Leeds Second Chance School uses the word tutor and not teacher
as they want to avoid the undesirable connotation the word teacher has among the students who failed in a
school staffed with teachers. Also, FE (further education) staff in the UK are called tutors. Consequently,
classrooms are called workshops. In Bilbao, a teacher and a tutor had different roles. There, a teacher would
deliver academic tuition and a tutor run the workshops.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
70

Special teacher training designed solely for the Second Chance School teachers was
organized only in Bilbao (in collaboration with a university and the onset of the
School/ extensive programme), Hmeenlinna (in collaboration with a vocational
teacher training institution solely for the local network) and Heerlen and Seixal (social
skills and team building). Others trusted on the external training offer.
GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
Second Chance Schools aim at the social and professional integration of the affected
young people. The systems of guidance and counselling implied in the Schools
support the development of both of these aspects. In Leeds, the objective of
guidance and counselling is expressed in the following way:
To allow the students to try alternatives and to understand different lifestyles, to raise
their awareness about accessible ways to live through small steps, to comprehend
that they are not alone, that there is always help. And that there is hope. And that
these things are achievable through lifelong learning.
Supporting the personal growth of the youths is an utmost important part of guidance.
In some schools the teachers have a double role. They work guiding individuals and
groups of students throughout their learning process (as a teacher of English for
example), and at the same time are counsellor to one or more individuals assisting
their growth as human beings. They may also assist in solving practical problems of
every day life (like housing, money, and health). Some schools split the roles
between the tutors of learning (teacher) and the individual tutors (orientated on
attitudes, behaviour, human relations in groups, and solving individual problems). For
example, Marseilles and Svendborg speak for the double role. In Bilbao the teachers
deal with academic disciplines and the tutors have a different background, often as
social assistants and in pastoral care / student support. In some schools like
Cologne, there is a special service to cater for the employment aspects, taken care of
by people specialized in this field.
Typical to all Second Chance Schools seems to be a comprehensive offer and
integration of guidance, counselling or mentoring into all activities. Individual
assistance is available as well as help in groups. Tracking is a continuous function of
all the staff; they want to be available when they are really needed. Big heart and
being present seem to be invisibly written into the guidebooks of the Schools.
CURRICULA AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES, DISCIPLINES, INDIVIDUALIZATION
Although pilot Second Chance Schools aim to be an alternative to the traditional
schools (which are believed to have partly caused the dropout situation of so many
youths in Europe), they are at the same time, in different ways, linked to the national
school system. In most of the schools, the provision is often a mix of formal or partly
formal, non-formal and informal education.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
71
The division of education is based on the definition of the researchers of
lifelong learning and the approaches observed in the Second Chance Schools. In this
context, formal education and formal learning refer to nationally accredited education,
which is based on curricula or core curricula recognized nationally. Non-formal
education is organized outside the formal educational structures and not aiming at
formal qualifications, diplomas or recognition. Informal learning takes place outside
structured tuition of the classrooms, in workshops, project works, in homes, leisure,
and the world of work. Informal learning is often incidental. In the Second Chance
Schools, informal learning plays a central role and may be goal-orientated and very
intensive.

SCHOOL FORMAL EDUCATION NON-FORMAL
EDUCATION
INFORMAL
EDUCATION
Athens Education towards national
recognized qualifications. Diplomas
similar to the formal ones awarded
by the school.

Barcelona In existing professional training
schools.
Accreditation of participation in
the Second Chance studies,
done by the Board for
Professional and Occupational
Training

Bilbao No Vocational education, following
the curriculum designed solely
for the school

Catania In the first part of the programme:
programme leading to middle
school level (scuola media)
A major part of the training takes
place in the companies and is
not based on curricula leading to
formal qualifications.
The school issues three types of
certificates
1) certificate of attendance,
issued by the school, links
to the Ministry of Education
2) vocational certificate, issued
by the regional authority
3) curriculum CV detailing the
tasks which took place in
the company

Cologne/ Tages-
und
Abendschule
TAS
All education is geared to formal
qualifications.
Three possibilities for young people
who are out of work:
1) secondary school leaving
certificate lower level
(Hauptschulabschluss)
2) school leaving certificate
medium level (Mittlere Reife)
3) both if they stay at least for two
years in the school

Cologne/
Tageskolleg VHS
Certificates of secondary education
(lower level) Sekundarabschluss I =
Hauptschulabschluss nach Klasse
10 (general education school-
leaving qualification)
Vocational training, key
qualifications through practical
phases, social learning
Excursions, short
trips abroad,
leisure activities
BBJ BiPeG mbH
72
SCHOOL FORMAL EDUCATION NON-FORMAL
EDUCATION
INFORMAL
EDUCATION
leaving qualification)
Halle Tuition available in connection to
the S.T.E.P. to accomplish the
obligatory schooling with
Schulabschluss (general education
school-leaving qualification). Tuition
is given by teachers of the general
education and paid for by the
municipality.
Vocational preparation in two
workshops, Malerei (painting)
and Tischlerei (carpentry)
Excursions, short
trips abroad,
leisure activities to
encourage
personality and
team building.
Hmeenlinna Tuition available, depending on
individual needs and objectives. For
some students the aim is to
accomplish the obligatory schooling
with peruskoulun ptttodistus
(leaving certificate of the 9-year
compulsory education).
Vocational education may be
delivered through adult training in
modules. The skills achieved may
be demonstrated in examinations
and will qualify for vocational
qualifications (ammatillinen
perustutkinto).
Most of the courses available
are preparing vocationally but
non-formally. This is in order to
achieve social integration and to
enter the labour market or an
education / training. Certificates
of attendance, detailing duration
and contents of the course are
issued by the school.
Especially the
Youth Workshop
and the Karpaasi
Group training are
based on informal
learning. The aim
is more on self-
confidence and
team building,
lifeskills and
employability.

Heerlen No Certificates are under
construction; students are
supported to make a new choice
(= following a course in the
Regional Training Centre in
order to obtain a qualification)
In workshops,
practical job. Out -
door activities.
The aim is more
on self-confidence
and team building,
lifeskills and
employability
Leeds All strive for nationally recognised
qualifications, which are broken into
modules. The following
qualifications are available
1) CGSE
2) Certificate in employment skills
and career development
3) Employment award
In workshops,
practical job. Out -
door activities.
The aim is more
on self-confidence
and team building,
lifeskills and
employability
Marseilles Students are helped to achieve
obligatory educational level
(national standards)
The Second Chance School has
developed its own system of
recognition of progress. The
model has an analogy to the
Judo belts.

Norrkping To accomplish obligatory education
if insufficient
Leaving certificate of compulsory
education (9 years) slutbetyg frn
grundskolan
Part of the tuition is organised
outside the school, in and by the
companies
In the companies,
in team work
sessions, project
works
Seixal To accomplish lower secondary
level of compulsory education (9
years) Diploma de Estudos
Secundrios

Svendborg Tuition is available to accomplish
obligatory education, if insufficient,
delivered by external teachers.
Afgangsbevis fra Folkeskolen
(certificate awarded after
completion of compulsory
education)
The activities must comprise both
practical work and production
and related theory.
No certificate, but the school
issues a statement on course
attendance.
Very much in the
workshops and
outside workshop
hours, excursions,
preparation of
outdoor activities for
the local community
(like children).
BBJ BiPeG mbH
73
DISCIPLINES
When the Second Chance Schools design their curricula and educational
programmes, they raise questions like should the training and education be more
general or more vocational, should it prepare the students for specific jobs or should
it be more focused on broader career development, including skills for lifelong
learning, employability and cognitive skills?. The way a curriculum is built-up, the
choice for disciplines, etc. is often based on the objective to let the young people
achieve a recognized certificate (which they often lack mostly from the obligatory
schooling already).
The different schools seem to have not so much in common when it comes to the
selection of disciplines. This has more to do with the linking to the national education
system and the aim to achieve nationally recognized qualifications. Something the
schools share: their concern about the knowledge of basic skills. Therefore, all
schools seem to offer tuition in one form or another in the mother language and
mathematics, sometimes also in the first foreign language, which is often English and
computing and information technology. Craft-related teaching differs very much and
has its origins mostly in what the school traditionally had on offer (before becoming a
Second Chance School).
To study the educational and training programmes in the Second Chance Schools,
their curriculum offer were split into six areas:
1. basic skills (knowledge within reading, writing and arithmetic)
2. vocational skills
3. core skills/ life skills (lifelong learning, learning to learn, cooperation and teamk5 - w8.2cor7132ciionzy rechoict f-0.2569 ,083 Tw (corriting 3346 Tc 0 Tw (3.) Tj 9.75 0 TD 0 it 7al ed Tw ( ) Tj -215.25 -23.25 4TD 0.246 Tc 0 Tw (2.) Tj 9.75 0 TD 0 Tc -0.336 Tw ( 0 TDc Tc (e4 TD 0.0217 Tc 1.185IT.2569 Tw (v121ational skills) Tj 82.5 0 TD 0 Tc3obs o Tw ( ) Tj -215.25 -23.25 5TD 0.246 Tc 0 Tw (2.) Tj 9.75 0 TD 0 Tc -0.336 Tw 5435.25 -23.25 l0.225 90.336 Tw (64) Tj 46.5 71 TD 0.1her in2569 Tw (v69ional skills) Tj 82.5 0 TD 0 TTw ( Tw ( ) Tj -341.25 -24 6TD 0.246 Tc 0 Tw (3.) Tj 9.75 0 TD 0 Tc -0.336 Tw 099 Tj 8.25 30 TD 0.m or a skikeTc ltur-0.c -0.2235713port ,0ammdicrmat ,0art ,0mus writing 328ational skills) Tj 82.5 0 TD 0 T37-0.33631n and team1 ) Tj 82.46 TD 0.0tion groupTc 1w535ao haatimisin2tructures, etc. igo-0. 0..27a9 Tc 0.y in what tr (before becoming a 4535.25 ch 09 TD 0.0objhis.111 Tc -0 1.9282599 Tc59 Tcaining programmes in the brTc -lum ott so mu0j -132 -64.5 0 TD 0 er language and )135.25 -23.25 c -0.2ting a in common wh Tw (s) Tu 6 0 TD 0.078 Tc 1(T) Tj ang6623.25 l02.0eslsoTD 0.258ational sg a )57 tgnisches,co96 ned tdlly e.9282 weredw0.00TD 0 er language and 21
BBJ BiPeG mbH
74
SCHOOL Basic Vocation Life IT Language Other
Cologne / TAS 40 20 20 10 10
Cologne / VHS 30 50 5 5 10
Halle 20 50 10 5 15
Hmeenlinna Karpaasi
2
10 10 80
Hmeenlinna Workshop
3
2 81 15 2
Heerlen 10 5 25 20 5 35
Leeds 27 7 26 31 4 5
Marseilles 60 25 10 5
Norrkping 16 63 12 4 5
Seixal 50 10 10 20 10
Svendborg 15 35 35 12 2 1

The readers shall bear in mind that this presentation is only indicative. Most of the
schools offer individualized programmes and run parallel training programmes (with
different contents) and only a few follow curricula, which would be the same for all. In
some schools, like Heerlen for example, the subjects are not taught as stand-alone
skill areas or disciplines but integrated into everything the students do throughout
their day, in the workshops and numerous projects.
As a result of the individualization of the training programmes, a mean curriculum
cannot be presented. The ratios indicated in the table differ to a large extent between
the students, the phase of the studies (a first year would be more loaded with theory,
a second year with practical training), the individual needs and aspirations, the
workshop the student is i nclined to, etc.
LIFE SKILLS
Even though many of the schools have firm links to the national educational
structures and nationally accredited studies, they most often exercise programmes
specific to the target audience and the special needs the excluded youth has.
Teaching and integrating life skills are recognized as an important supplement to the
curriculum offer. The students are often the socially handicapped from the local area,
persons who sometimes cannot even cope with a situation with their peer students
over a shared lunch, nor deal with the authorities. Health problems and malnutrition
are increasing, as too the danger of addiction (alcohol and drugs). Many are
aggressive or inhibited and withdrawn as a result of whatever they experienced in
their childhood/ youth/ previous schools and are therefore puzzling in their behaviour.
Hygiene problems occur. Learning life skills is often integrated into different activities
but it may also be part of more informal procedures. An example is the crafts club in
Leeds where, over handwork sessions, thematic discussions about important matters
of life may take place.

2 The Hmeenlinna Second Chance School is a network where the various parts are very different. The Karpaasi
Group deals with the most difficult youth. They would be drug and alcohol abusers, perhaps mishandled youth
who first of all need to get back into the routine of a daily life.
3 The Youth Workshop within the Hmeenlinna Second Chance School offers young unemployed chances to up-
date their working and life skills.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
75
The school in Norrkping has embedded the course for life skills into the curriculum
and this is offered to all Second Chance students. Life skills as a subject covers
learning social competencies (time management, consideration, ethics, consumer
education, dealing with banks, invoices, taking out loans, paying taxes etc.). Health
and healthy food, sex and living with another person would be important issues,
smoking, early motherhood, abortions, drugs, poor diet, too little sleep. As a result of
an initiative from the local employers, good manners and behaviour are included into
the subject. Job search is practised. Housing issues are dealt with. Living in a
democracy is discussed. In Norrkping, life skills are taught for two hours every
second Monday and Tuesday afternoons.
INDIVIDUALIZATION
Almost all the Second Chance Schools speak out for individualization. In general,
they intend to provide individual training programmes. The Schools seem to stress
the point that an individualized or personalized training pathway is also important
because it makes the student the protagonist / the main player of their lives.
Sometimes, individualization is not only making a personal programme when the
training is started but it also means adjusting the pathway throughout the process.
However, the form, level and degree of individualization in the Schools are hard to
identify. First of all, it seems to be difficult to agree on a good, clear and operational
definition of individualization. What does the individualization of learning programmes
mean? The schools seem to look at very different aspects of personalized training
and education. Is it possible for any student to enrol in a Second Chance School at
any time? Does this mean the increased flexibility of operations at the schools? Does
it mean that students have a completely individual learning path with his/her own
individual speed of achievement and his/her own individual rhythm and tempo, but
with the aim to achieve a common goal, fixed for all? Or does it mean that the
students can work, at their own pace, towards a level that has been adapted to their
individual history, former experience, qualifications and capacities? One educational
aspect of the individualization is motivational (to do only what is essential for my
personal needs) and another the aim to raise freedom, commitment and
responsibility.
The schools have different conceptions on what they actually refer to when they are
speaking about individualization. According to the researchers, individualization could
be based on the following definition.
Individualized learning combines the needs, which rise from the society, world of
work and national core curricula with the interests, aspirations, needs and former
learning of individuals. A personal learning programme individualizes learning and
teaching in such a way that prior learning and former work experience will be taken
into consideration. A personal learning programme shall describe the goals and
objectives of the studies and the (best) means and methodology to reach these. It
also links the personal programme with the curriculum of the training organization.
The progress shall be monitored and followed up and the plan shall be re-assessed
when needed. This approach gives the individualized learning the nature of a
process rather than that of a document drafted once and for all. A personal learning
programme shall be prepared in interaction between a teacher and a student.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
76
The reasons for an individualized learning programme are
to define personal learning needs in a more precise way
to make the learning more flexible
the students have a better command of their studies when they are given a
chance to plan it already from the very beginning
to support the commitment of the students
to further profound learning
to enarni counselling a more individual learning

An individualized learning programme could answer the following questions:
starting level: preparedness, learning skills, attitudes, motivation, reasons for
seeking schooling, other options available
goals and objectives: learning outcomes and knowledge pursued and needed,
chances the schooling will offer, suitability of schooling, contents of the training
programme, means to achieve the goals
organization of learning: matching work, family, studies and leisure time,
possibilities for planning and timing the learning, needs and ways for
guidance, learning individually and/or in a group
learning: abilities and styles, readiness to study independently, matters
supporting self-dependent learning
assessment: how feedback is organized, how often, what is assessed, how it
is assessed

In general, the Second Chance Schools intend to provide individual training
programmes. The schools seem to stress the point that the individualized or
personalized training pathway is also important because it makes the student the
protagonist / the main player of their lives. Sometimes, individualization is not only
making a personal programme when training is started, but it also means adjusting
the pathway throughout the process.
In the evaluation, the Schools were asked to fill in a questionnaire with questions like
(i) tuition ratio outside class/ in class (ii) percentage of obligatory hours (iii) number or
ratio of obligatory subjects (iv) number of optional subject and (v) option for different
educational levels/ individual needs. The questions rather reflected the flexibility of
the training delivery than the forms and levels of individualization of the training
programmes. The answers were very diversified and did not too well support the idea
of freedom of choice as the curriculum offer and the execution of studies appears
rather rigid.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
77
Therefore, another exercise concerned with the call for individualization has been
carried out in discussions with the Schools. Then, the following aspects were looked
at:
1. recognition of former education and experience
2. personal needs and aspirations
3. starting level, preparedness, abilities, attitudes, motivation and learning
styles
4. setting personal goals and objectives, contents of learning
5. organization of training, modes, independence of time and space, individual
versus group
6. guidance and counselling
7. assessment of learning outcomes and performance.

Recognition of former education and experience is respected in those Second
Chance Schools, which offer education leading to national accreditation.
Personal needs and aspirations are respected practically in all schools. It is a
fundamental idea of the Second Chance Schools to build and design the training
programmes to meet the individuals requirements. The students so often failed in the
traditional school, which for many reasons could not take into consideration all
persons as individuals but were expected to make progress with their peer group, in
tact, with the same interests. This often ruined motivation and now, in the Second
Chance School, this is to be rebuilt.
Starting level, preparedness, and abilities, attitudes, motivation and learning styles
are also most often respected - but perhaps not always in a systematic way. Often
the teaching staff or tutors / counsellors interview the potential students and these
questions are touched upon. Some of the schools do testing of aptitudes or learning
styles and bring the results into the learning process.
Setting personal goals and objectives and the contents of learning is realized only in
part of the schools. Personal aspirations are rather well respected, but when we for
example look at the ratio of obligatory subjects, the idea of setting up personalized
contents of learning is not supported.
Organization of training modes, independence of time and space, individual versus
group - these are questions where we can see that the schools do respect
individualization. In some schools, students may have a choice of how to learn, they
are not pushed into just sitting down and listening to lectures and lessons. Moreover,
they are encouraged to find extraordinary ways, like researching information on the
net. Schools also seek to integrate theory and practice, knowledge needed to
accomplish a practical task may be embedded in the workshop sessions and
delivered to the students when they need it.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
78
Guidance and counselling are functions that are emphasized in the Second Chance
Schools. In many of them, guidance and counselling are almost continuously
available and the students may step in to ask for help, advice and support when they
are in need. Often, guidance, counselling and tutoring are the functions of the
teaching staff. One great benefit, for example, is that the problems faced by the
students may be dealt with in a comprehensive way; and difficulties encountered in
studies may be seen as directly linked to problems in personal life.
Assessment of learning outcomes and performance, as an issue of individualized
approach, is not that central in the Second Chance Schools. Most of the schools
have developed models for following up the activities (log books, diaries), but if there
are no set individual goals, attainment of which could be measured, the assessment
of outcomes cannot be personalized.
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES, ON-THE-JOB LEARNING, LINKS WITH THE WORLD OF WORK
At the start of the European Pilot of Second Chance Schools, some principles were
globally acknowledged and recognized; the following dealt especially with
pedagogical issues:
A different teaching and counselling approach focusing on the individuals
needs, wishes and abilities, and stimulating his or her active learning
Flexible modules allowing the acquisition of basic skills (numeracy, literacy,
social skills) to be combined with practical training in and by companies
A central role for the acquisition of skills in and through informatics and new
technologies

On-the-job learning and work-related learning methodologies were emphasized in the
talks about conceptual development, as in the discussion about the companies role
in the training delivery. The relation between the Second Chance School and the
enterprise is an issue philosophically, pedagogically and didactically. It is always
the local working conditions that lay down the terms for the collaboration between the
Schools and the world of work. Many of the Second Chance Schools have been
established on something that already existed. And sometimes, it has not been the
primary task of education to smoothen the transition from school to working life. Here
the companies are required to participate more in the training of young persons so as
to make their transition into the world of work easier.
In their pedagogical approaches, the Second Chance Schools are very different.
Some features could be summed up:
most are trainee-centred and follow adult pedagogical approaches
students are throughout respected as individuals and not as a mass
theory is mostly not offered as separate disciplines or through isolated lessons
but rather through integration
BBJ BiPeG mbH
79
traditional tuition is often replaced through group work, project work and
thematic approaches
learning through work is respected comprehensively, workshops offer options
to train hands-on and to produce real products
on-the-job periods are offered, sometimes to introduce the world of work
through small tasters but also as a method to complete the training

Many of the Schools have developed interesting pedagogical approaches and they
would deserve to be described more thoroughly. The extent of the report only allows
one School to be presented as an example of innovation that comes very close to the
principles the Commission set for the Second Chance Schools. This is the School in
Sweden, Norrkping, a middle-sized city, which was earlier highly industrialized, but
today faces major unemployment and difficulties as a result of factory shut-downs.
The School has designed a 2+3 model where the students go to school 2 days of the
week and work in the partnership companies for 3 days. Through a mentoring
scheme and a contracting system, the companies are committed to conduct part of
the training delivery.
NORRKPING
The Norrkping Second Chance School is an example of re-orientation in school
activities. There, the Second Chance is a small unit split into two groups, 15 students
and 2 teachers in each, within a larger community of the Marielund Gymnasium.
Already previously the Gymnasium had conceived a small shelter, the basklass
(basic education) for those who were socially the most handicapped. The
Gymnasium also occupied a hatchery for immigrants, entitled Ruddam. And among
the normal students of the Gymnasium (which already itself offers programmes for
those at the real risk of exclusion), a group of grey-zone (great difficulties) students
resided. Recruitment into the Second Chance School was open for all, but to be
selected certain criteria had to be met.
Time management
No actual drug abuse nor crime
Will to invest in a job and to sign a contract, which binds them to complete any
course of training they have started

The interest was quite remarkable although the school tried to stress that this is not
an easy choice. The youths should be prepared to work! The school week is divided
into theory and practice and normally the student would come to the school on
Mondays Tuesdays and go to work on Wednesdays Fridays. The school has built
a comprehensive programme around the work practice with the funds they receive
from the European Social Fund. Every student has a real job and a personal mentor
who is an employer of the undertaking. A contract is signed between the different
parties (school, student, and employer) and it defines both the tasks the student has
to learn at work and the subject area the school has to cover.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
80
The pedagogical approach of the school, where the guidance and counselling are
embedded into the roles of the teachers, is also interesting. It gives an impression of
a big family where the students, when they start, are like vulnerable babies in a
cradle, teachers caring for them like parents. But at the same time, from the moment
the relationship between the teacher and the student is born, the process to cut the
umbilical cord starts. The door is open to go into the world the bond between the
teachers and the students must not be seen as permanent.
The Norrkping Second Chance School has formulated a written statement on their
working methodology. Their starting point is that the students are able and they want
to learn. But they need assistance to get started and that they need to be followed up
to stand firm. All this requires
Flexible methodology and unconventional working methods, capability to
empathise with the group and the individual
Small tasks within easy-reach milestones. Start-up with simple, practical
assignments and things familiar to the students, progressive aims, more
creative and independent study
Clear and simple ways to present the results and progression. Weekly duties,
which are assessed on Fridays. Other tests and assignments, which
demonstrate the performance of the students.
Peace in the classroom, which is achieved through rules and sanctions.

The students all have similar problems, based on their previous experience. They
lack endurance and patience. They have fears and are excluded, as a result of
previous failures have no self-confidence. They have a narrow and prejudiced
worldview. To battle with this situation, the school relies on
High tempo
Fast changing assignments
Short, concrete duties and tasks

As methods, following are used
Debates on news, appreciation and ethics
Getting acquainted with the world, other countries and their lifestyles
Democratic approaches are favoured.

The aim of the school is
To create a positive climate
BBJ BiPeG mbH
81
To create an atmosphere of solidarity and togetherness
To let the students achieve success

The school finds essential
To meet the youths where they are
Equality
Mutual respect
Importance of having a good relationship
To mediate a feeling that there is an adult who is there for them
To start the disengagement process from the students the day they start at the
school

NEW TECHNOLOGIES
One of the original guidelines and principals for setting up a Second Chance School
is

This point has been understood in all the Second Chance. However, the adaptation
of this principle varies a lot from school to school. The use of computers is in the
heart of learning in most of the schools. PCs, multimedia and Internet create the
possibility to learn the skills needed in the world of work of today and to become a
member of the information society.
The information technology is exploited in different ways, in some schools it is taught
as a subject, in others PCs are a tool for learning through the use of different
software for learning the basic skills. Off-the-shelve packages seem to be available in
mother tongue, foreign languages and mathematics in most of the countries. The
Bilbao Second Chance School has designed its own software for this purpose. And
often, information technology is used to do some research work on the Internet, for
information retrieval or just to do some surfing around. Some schools provide email
addresses for their students, and occasionally these are even used for more than
sending a message to a fellow student.
If the use of information technology is under-developed, this maybe, for example,
due to the following reasons:
lack of suitable hardware,
lack of good software (adapted to the target group);
BBJ BiPeG mbH
82
lack of experienced teachers;
lack of interest in IT, no insight on its benefits and usage.

Some Second Chance Schools are further ahead in information technology than the
others. To give some examples:
Leeds provides two labs, one for Internet and one for multimedia. Teachers
come from the College of Art and Design, a partner in the local network.
Students are encouraged to use the Internet for research;
Svendborg has a site dedicated only to information technology and
communication. MedieFronten educates experts of different areas and in
some of them, like web design, the school is bidding for tenders on the open
market.
Marseilles is developing a smart card (carte puce) to give it the function of
portfolio of competencies. Together with other Second Chance Schools,
Marseilles wishes to develop a European standard, a kind of diploma of
informatics; the minimum a student of a Second Chance School should
master.
Cologne has an Internet Caf open for the students and also for the people of
the neighbourhood
Bilbao has developed a CD-ROM to teach basic skills

Some schools have developed or want to develop their own multimedia products for
their specific target group. Most of them have expressed their wish to co-operate in
European projects (Socrates, Leonardo). PCs, multimedia and Internet encourage
communication across boarders between Second Chance Schools, teachers and
students and assist students to accept and even practice different languages and
engage with different cultures. In most of the schools the students made it clear that
learning computing and IT, computer based learning, Internet etc. is an important
element in building up the motivation for learning.
CERTIFICATION - ASSESSMENT OF ACHIEVEMENTS
The ways the Second Chance Schools in different countries assess the
achievements and learning outcomes of their students is often the consequence of
the degree of integration into the formal educational structure and the freedom of
curricular design the School exercises. Importance of national qualifications and
formal certificates is different in different countries. For example in Germany and
Finland, where a person can hardly get a job without a formal qualification, in Italy
and Greece a job is on offer for those who have the right skills. Portugal offers rather
well paid casual work, a situation where motivation for education may be difficult to
gain.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
83
The Second Chance Schools try to answer the question about what is important in
future. A diploma recognized by the national educational bodies or new ways to
assess competencies, which the world of work would validate? In the Second
Chance Schools two extremes can be identified. At one end there is the Svendborg
Second Chance School, originally a production (high) school, and from January 1
2000 on part of the educational structure. As a result of the in
Denmark, the school does not exercise any exams or certificates. And the Marseilles
Second Chance School, in the attorney of a new institute created for this specific
target group, is not too tightly linked to the traditional national school system. They
have developed their own system of recognition of progress in the form of belts (like
in sports, Judo). No examinations that count, but the progress of the individual
student shows what he/she is aiming at. This kind of individual evaluation is seen as
an important aspect of individualized learning. Marseilles is looking for a European
standardized, accepted method of recognition of progress. The actual tool is a
, a logbook, partly filled in by the student himself and partly by the student
and the teacher/tutor together.
At the other end we have the schools like the Tages- und Abendschule in Cologne,
following the national examinations and preparing the students for a leaving
certificate. The school is, as a matter of fact, part of the education structure. Another
example is Leeds, where everybody striK strlp85;2 the Ta6 Tc (43) Tj 25.5 002 TD 0.301 904 0.5691 p85rucloprewithologne, 55.j -12.75 -14.25 44 -0.063827c 1.093atiow (marUKstrlp85;2 the Ta6the educr own bd prproglinked e. The a two ndousividual) Tj 0 Tc 0.414 Tw ( ) Tj 0 -13 0 TTf -0.13.3157 1.9852 tha methoer thnew w thied we hann tucatiati Tttornee. The'sss. oftnal atio(like darunle prtstemads,as4 Tecogureividual certi3 cert4dgitiohod rdly filpartifof the 3 424Tj -160.5 - 0 T5g cert4 71 Tj -42 -14.25 T35g1i
gtinal atios. oftnal atio atdone partly twoand the nt s w lwayrseilles81
BBJ BiPeG mbH
84
work demonstration and assignments
accounts, report, logbooks, diaries and possibly tests
project results
portfolios
peer assessment
RECOMMENDATIONS
What really matters in dealing with the youth at risk of exclusion is the relationship
between the student and the teachers and tutors. Most of the Second Chance School
students are dropouts from the ordinary schools and have unfortunate experience
and failures behind them. Their social background is often very fragile,
homelessness, suicide, and broken homes resulting in extended families
stepparents and brothers/sisters. Some have experienced abuse as children
physical/emotional/sexual. Drug abuse and alcohol abuse is common. Many live
independently because of broken relationship with parents and stepparents. They
need also support emotionally and financially, not only in terms of education and civil
behaviour.
The goal must be to win the trust of these youths. It is important to show an interest
in the students and not to stop, for example with the 4
th
letter. Most of the students
have a lot of experience about providers of social aid. And have had enough of it.
The role of the school personnel is rather demanding. It often combines the functions
of traditional teaching and pastoral care / student support / counselling. The role of
the teacher is changing, expanding. Recruitment of teachers from the regular system
is a challenge, most often they are trained to teach from the traditional curriculum but
the Second Chance Schools require more. A wider training and a broader role are
required. And even more, more staff is needed. The more personal attention the
students can have, the better the chances are to combat exclusion. Certainly, it has a
price but if this is the way to better results, the society is obliged to bear the costs.
A remark should be made concerning the teaching methodologies and especially the
role of learning through work. At the onset of the Second Chance Schools, the
European Commission suggested new approaches and among these were the on-
the-job learning, learning in the field and the training in a company and by a
company. The schools have taken this initiative into consideration on a large scale
and when looking at the teaching approaches and methodologies in the schools,
virtually all of them report of a successful utilization of work-related methods.
The work-centred approaches are diversified and actually none of the schools is
exclusively sticking to the traditional classroom pedagogy, based solely on lessons
and lectures. The main idea seems to be the introduction to the world of work at the
earliest stage, be it inside or outside the school, in the workshops or in the
companies. The spectrum of approaches varies from Athens, where the students are
sent to companies after the first 6-month period (at the school) to a job placement to
Svendborg, where practically all learning is geared to workshops and the production
of goods and where theory is integrated into these sessions. The Second Chance
BBJ BiPeG mbH
85
students are often the school failures who have had enough with traditional schools
and their one line teacher student pedagogy, often only emphasizing theory.
The students themselves, when interviewed on the issue of work-related learning,
expressed their interest and wish to go for something practical and real work. An
example is the Norrkping School where the students went through an application
procedure before they were accepted to the Second Chance School. In this process,
they were introduced to the selection criteria. Among other factors, they had to prove
a will to invest in a job and to sign a contract, one which binds them to complete any
course of training they had started. In Norrkping the 2+3 model (2 days at the
school + 3 days in the companies) is actually the point that fascinates the youths; the
chance to quickly enter the world of work and possibly to have a real job. This is seen
as the way to independent living and the management of one's own life.
Guidance and counselling, both vocational and general, need to be paid careful
attention to. All-inclusive, integrated approaches need to be developed. The target
group of the Second Chance Schools is very heterogeneous and their problems
diverse. The function of the Schools cannot be solely training-related nor job-search/
employment-related. Nor can they be solely an external force, rather the target; the
students themselves need to become active subjects. Traditional, standardized
models need to be expanded to cover more broadly based approaches, which would
have their starting point in the general life situation of the youths. There the
deficiency is often not only educational or related to deficient work experience but
also to social, socio-economic, psychic, mental, family or health-related factors and
the like. The under-utilized capacity has to be treated in a holistic way so as to
facilitate the transition from youth to adulthood and from education to the world of
work. For this, the Schools have to become more visible and open to various kinds of
partnerships, ones which will ensure sustainable development.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
86
CHAPTER 6: CLIENT GROUP
INTRODUCTION
Today several hundred thousand young people living in the European Union, most of
them in large metropolitan conurbation, are totally without access to training schemes
or employment. This situation is unjust. It also threatens the cohesion of our society
and the future of the European social model and represents a tremendous waste of
our most precious asset, our human resources. Therefore, in its declaration on
Combating Exclusion through Education and Training, the Commission announced
an anti-exclusion project.
This initiative was to mobilise the full range of local players and to provide high
quality educational resources in order to raise the employment opportunities afforded
to those young people who would otherwise have no chance of entering the labour
market. Complementing the measures introduced by individual Member States, this
should provide new opportunities through education and training.
At the Launching Conference of the Second Chance Schools (June 1997), the
Commission began to form a Second Chance Schools Family, one which would be
brought together now and again to share their experiences and best practices, and to
learn in a dynamic context. Already there, local needs for such a School, the profiles
of the target group and the means to identify potential students and how to recruit
them were discussed. All agreed on the promotion of equal opportunities and
European solidarity, but the needs appeared diversified. No one party denied the
existence of such a problem but the scope of the problem differed to a great extent.
There were cities like Bilbao who claimed a global unemployment rate of 24 percent,
but 57 per cent among youth. Marseilles announced that the unemployed youths
between 16 to 25 years of age to total 55,000 in the City. The more northern
countries announced more modest problems but agreed that they wished to learn
from the experience gained by the others.
The Commissions original definition of the target-group was young people who
are no longer of statutory school age
are between 15 and 25 years of age
have no qualifications
have for whatever reason failed to complete their schooling or training

pilot projects, the European Commission divided the task into five lots, three of which
One of them, the lot 4, dealt with the student profiles, for which the Commission
defined the field in the following way:
BBJ BiPeG mbH
87
Profile (socio-economic and ethnic characteristics, domestic background, previous
educational path, family ties, typologies), identification, recruitment (strategies,
selection criteria, role of third parties, motivation) and school achievements of the
target group.
The evaluation was conducted in the Second Chance Schools through intensive
discussions with the various parties (school representatives, students, parents,
employers, local authorities involved in the school management and provision of
education). The parties also filled out an extensive questionnaire, either individually
or with the evaluators. The evaluation has been rather laborious to carry out. The
Schools and the student profiles are manifold, the Schools run in different tacts,
individual intake and programmes bring about asynchronous scheduling of the
studies and exits, statistics are not entirely up to date, national restrictions and
legislation on registering matters threaten privacy and confidentiality.
BENEFICIARIES
The somewhat loose definition of the target group set by the Commission has lead to
a situation where the Schools have sometimes had to really consider who their
clients are. Exclusion as a phenomenon is also rather complex and different in
various countries.
The question is about who is to be defined as excluded. Is exclusion educational or
social? Exclusion takes many forms (economic, social, political, cultural, that rising
from physical of mental disability and is sometimes deeply rooted). Exclusion is for
many being not part of something: work, housing, friends, care, cultural capacity and
means to influence. (Social) exclusion is a multidimensional phenomenon, more than
just a low income. It includes equal access to education, employment, health care,
judicial system, rights, decision-making and participation.
Often, those who drop out of formal education lack the fundamental skills needed to
find employment. They may have received no form of vocational training and are
therefore likely to have difficulty in finding a job. At the same time, the number of jobs
requiring no formal training is decreasing, especially in industrial countries with highly
developed service sectors. In addition, young people without a complete education
may experience difficulties with regard to social integration and active participation in
a democratic society.
Defining the characteristics of those participating in the project and featuring the
students is a difficult task. What they share in common across Europe is that their
transition from youth to adulthood and from school to the world of work has been
disturbed. The group outside education and the world of work is very heterogeneous,
and their problems are often related to non-existent/insufficient education and a lack
of employment experience (in a formal waged economy), social background and
injured life control. The following list includes most of those reasons which may have
marginalised the clients of the Second Chance Schools
Uncompleted basic education
No vocational education
BBJ BiPeG mbH
88
No motivation, biased stand towards education/ work, school allergy
School problems, learning problems, school leavers
Egoism and selfishness, faulty social skills
Ethnic background
Living under poverty line, financial problems, living under income support
Fragile psychological condition
Health problems
Fragile families
Unemployment, long-term unemployment
Over-generational unemployment
Lack of vacancies, uncertainty of employment
Housing problems
Crime
Delinquency behind them but an avoidance of taking employment as hence
liable for damages and a major part of the earnings would be deducted
Drugs and alcohol abuse
Fallen into the social security system, target of passivating measures, living
in a welfare economy
Very often interested in work though the society stigmatises the other way
round
A conclusion to be reached after considering the heterogeneous target audience is
that the schools receiving the potential students should not fall into the trap of
assessing them through stereotype thinking. Tests, assessments and interviews are
needed and genuine individual approaches called for.
Recruitment of students takes many forms in different countries. In some countries
the employment authority may provide the Schools with accurate information about
potential students, sometimes the City Social Service may do this work. There are
cities where the school workers (perhaps along with the city social workers) go to the
streets to look for youth that might benefit from a second chance. Some Schools do
marketing of various kinds, advertise in the papers and neighbourhoods, and send
letters and the African telephone/ word of mouth has turned out to be a very useful
means of recruitment.
Local circumstances have a strong influence on the recruitment, e.g. in Leeds the
local Job Centre was unable to provide any unemployed young people. Some
Schools avoided taking difficult students and preferred to help easier, less risky
BBJ BiPeG mbH
89
ones who would find employment quickly (e.g. Seixal, Athens). A good awareness of
the environment is certainly the asset the Second Chance Schools possess in order
to recruit effectively.
According to the definition of the target audience given by the Commission, the
Second Chance students are supposed to be over the statutory school age,
otherwise the Second Chance School might be seen as an alternative to the ordinary
schools. The school-leaving age is lower in Portugal, Spain and Italy than in the other
countries involved. Halle admits younger people who are unable to make progress in
compulsory schooling. Other schools may accept students still of statutory school
age because of individual circumstances they may be refugees, immigrants,
disabled, suffering from long-term illness, etc.
As for an upper limit, young could mean up to 24, 26 or even 30 years old. Age gaps
of six to eight years are significant at these levels. Most Second Chance School use
adult teaching methods and avoid terminology such as classroom and pupil
(replacing the latter by student or participant).
Athens (35 students) is totally different, ages vary from 23 to 52, with only 17% of the
audience being under 30. This age-range can be explained through local needs and
does make sense when thought of in the context of lifelong learning. Furthermore,
Athens is apparently intending to take in younger people in the future.
The question can be raised about an optimum age to start in a Second Chance
School. There seems to be two answers. A Second Chance School can take in
students as soon as they leave the statutory system (as in Barcelona and Catania),
or they can allow the youngsters time to recognize the problems of being dropouts
(e.g. Marseilles, which insists on a one-year gap after leaving school). There are
advantages to both approaches, and certainly every case has to be treated on the
basis of the individual circumstances of each student. Some of the most difficult
cases are those who have been out of any learning environment for several years. It
is probably true that a students chronological age is less relevant than his or her
personal experience of school and training for work.
The questionnaires indicate a good deal of variation in the students attitudes towards
growing up and entering the adult world. These attitudes sometimes differ sharply
from those of the teachers and parents involved, especially with regard to urgency
and wasting time.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
90

Table 6.1: Number of students (as per February 2000)
* Barcelona: no data about the division between boys and girls.

Second Chance Schools -- Students
276
181
134
120
146
116
288
95
103
100 44
68
350
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Cologne
TAS
Cologne
VHS
Svendborg Marseilles Bilbao Hmeenlinna Barcelona
Girls
Boys
Second Chance Schools -- Students
36
23
14
17
23
22
24
18
22
33
22
9
2
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Catania Leeds Athens Seixal Norrkping Heerlen Halle
Girls
Boys
BBJ BiPeG mbH
91
The issue about the participation of the two genders is interesting. One might
assume that the roughly equal shares would be present in the Second Chance
Schools. This is not always the case. In Cologne - although there is a slight majority
of females on one site -, numbers are approximately equal, in spite of a large number
of mainly foreign unemployed young women locally. In Svendborg, equality of
genders is almost present, and equal opportunities are available for all. In
Norrkping, there are ten girls out of a total of 30 students. The school has
expressed its disappointment in these numbers. As in Marseilles and Leeds,
pregnancies have been one factor in the numbers of girls abandoning their Second
Chance School education. Leeds was overwhelmed at first by young men and the
resulting macho atmosphere, and has since made an attempt to select equal
numbers of young men and women. It still seems to be difficult everywhere for young
women to achieve a balance between school and family life. In Bilbao only 23% are
female. Halle and Heerlen have no girls and this is a result of careful consideration
by the School management. The decision is based on the experience of the
youngsters who in their teenage years often feel uneasy and troubled with their
awakening sexuality and relations with the opposite gender. Especially in Heerlen
one of the reasons not to mix girls with boys was that many females in the target
group in this region have experienced sexual harassment and therefore find
themselves extremely fragile, scared and frightened if there are males around.
The evaluation has revealed that some of the Second Chance Schools have set
some requirements concerning the level of general education, skills and aptitudes for
the entry. Some examples are
1) Svendborg adopts a radically open approach as to the abilities of its potential
students and is open to all, literate or not.
2) Norrkping tries to find work for students whatever the level they start from, and
then on need provides the services of teachers of Swedish as a foreign
language, and of specialists in dyslexia and literacy.
3) Marseilles accepts only those who are literate.
4) Leeds sets no minimum standards and takes care not to accept students of too
high a level who might benefit from attending courses elsewhere.
5) Some schools, e.g. Cologne, use entry tests and interviews. Sometimes those
rejected may be offered a place later.
LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING
Most students in the Second Chance Schools have experienced failure in their
previous school life, and it is difficult to measure the level they have attained. The
choices they took have often turned out badly and they are worried about making
new choices.
At first young people often find it difficult to speak about their previous schooling.
Once they get over this, however, they are often difficult to stop, pouring out their
failures, their unhappiness, their boredom, even their hatred of school. As students of
former schools, some have had bad experiences (such as nobody helped me - I
BBJ BiPeG mbH
92
couldnt do anything right, the teachers told me), others recognize that they had
really been helped, and even some of the rebels admitted that their teachers had
occasionally been right.
The attitudes to learning can be put into three groups and three types of students are
apparent.
1) Those who learn slowly, with difficulty, but are often willing to stick doggedly at
learning basic skills
2) Rebels who do not like rules or advice, who admit their present position may be
partly their own fault, but who still need to be convinced that they have to take
responsibility for their own future
3) Those who have suffered badly from poverty, family breakdown, or other
multiple problems and who have to develop their desire to learn.
These three categories are found in varying degrees in all schools; what matters is
that the educators are able to take these different types of learners into account.
Norrkping explicitly uses the three categories in its recruitment.
STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED A VARIETY OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS, AND THE
CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF THESE IS WHAT HOLDS THEM BACK.
These problems are well known to professionals, and most schools offer social
workers and other professionals to help young people. The reasons for the need of
professional help include of some of the following: personal and family problems
often starting in early childhood, abuse and cruelty, break-up of families, absence of
cultural and moral values due to war or migration, poverty, hunger, loneliness,
together with the effects of illness, alcohol, drugs, prostitution and early pregnancy.
The students often have difficulties in speaking about their background. There is a
danger to misinterpret the hints they give about their past. But the realities are there.
Almost all the Halle students were extremely deprived. In Leeds signs of bad health,
poor diet, inadequate clothing, no sense of a future were all evident, and it takes time
to persuade students there to attend regularly and to win their confidence in the
possibility of future employment. Even the students in the affluent society of Heerlen
were dropouts. In Bilbao a young woman could not believe training given by adults
would not include abuse and rape. In Hmeenlinna recruitment is carried out in the
streets at night, since young people will not come to the schools of their own
initiative.
In Heerlen, where in spite of excellent social services young people still slip through
the safety net, tutors need much patience and perseverance to make contact with
highly deprived youngsters who have no spirit, nor desire to improve their lives.
The number of seriously disturbed students varies from almost none to almost all in
any one school. None of the factors listed above works in isolation: it is their
cumulative effect which risks producing an irreversible downward spiral. A successful
social teaching strategy puts the student in the centre of the frame, tries to reduce
the effect of each type of disadvantage, and above all aims at encouraging students
to take responsibility for their own future.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
93

Table 6.2: Social background of the students (as per February 2000)
74%78%
0%
36%
78%
0%
0%
11%
33%
13%
26%
38%
63%
21%
0% 18%
0%
46%
28%
63%
42%
22%
89%
15%
77%
78%
100%
100%
0%
4%
0%
23% 41%
29%
0%
Social background of SCS students
10%
9%
3%
50%
0%
14%
20%
33%
23%
100%
11%
11%
20%
20%
22%
60%
6%
18%
40%
45%
44%
65%
26%
24%
44%
35%
8%
70%
0%
2%
Social background of SCS students
BBJ BiPeG mbH
94
Four types of school according to the type of student selected
The Second Chance Schools can be grouped into four according to the entry
requirements and forms of recruitment. These categories are of course
generalizations, and there are plenty of exceptions in every school.
1) Heerlen, Leeds, Halle, and one part of Hmeenlinna - these schools take very
deprived young people, and often go out to where the students are in order to
recruit them.
2) Marseilles, Cologne, Bilbao and Norrkping - these take students who have
overcome many of their past problems and can write their own applications and
show commitment.
3) Catania, Seixal, Barcelona - these deal with students with a low level of
education but who benefit from far more support and a more recent, if shorter,
experience of education than those in groups 1 and 2. Athens mainly takes
working adults who are seeking training so as to improve their employment
prospects.
4) Svendborg takes absolutely anyone, disadvantaged or not, in need of training of
any kind.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
95
CHAPTER 7: SECOND CHANCE SCHOOL: A EUROPEAN PILOT
The pilot design has some features that are worth going through and giving some
thought on their potential for this initiative and for others that may be developed in the fu-
ture. These features have determined a particular approach that the Directorate - Gen-
eral of Education and Culture applied in the management of the SCS scheme. They re-
fer to the SCS model, to the use of national consultants and the promotion of activities to
give the initiative a European dimension. What follows are some thoughts on these three
features. Nevertheless, the debate remains open, hoping for a more active participation
by an ever larger number of cities.
THE MODEL
The previous chapters illustrated how the Second Chance School Initiative has been
translated into 14 interesting projects, all of them following the same ultimate aim - to
combat the socio-economic exclusion of youths.
These projects, although adopting the approach of dealing with all the problems faced
by young people, have all chosen different strategies and implemented different training
models. Each SCS pilot project has developed its own strategy in its search to best
mobilise local forces for offering a high quality, innovative learning opportunity to young
people. Why has a single initiative given birth to such different projects?
To understand this diversity, one has to go back to the starting point of this European
scheme. It is well known that all Member States have been implementing a number of
measures to promote inclusion of weak segments of the population long before the SCS
initiative. Many of these initiatives emphasized the need to fill a gap in their educational
systems and so provide a real alternative for those youths who could not benefit from the
opportunities given by mainstream schools.
Accordingly, the SCS scheme was meant to build on previously gained experience to
provide dropouts a real alternative outside the traditional education system. Being initia-
tives born locally, the character of the SCSs was expected to be heavily dependent on
local/national conditions. In this context, so as to create a common ground to work to-
gether the EC defined a set of principles that constituted a general framework for the ini-
tiative.
The SCSs were expected to be based on these common principles. However, the defi-
nition of these principles was not as straightforward as it seemed during the launch of
the initiative, giving room for a wide range of interpretations as the thematic studies
have shown. This is not necessarily a negative or a weak factor in the scheme because
it was necessary to give flexibility to the cities so as to allow them to develop the most
appropriate project for each one specific context.
The subsequent development of the SCS projects across Europe followed the pattern
that was shown in the previous chapters. The results of the thematic studies on the
teaching methods and the characteristics of the target population and the partnerships
confirm the existence of substantial differences. Furthermore, additional data on the
BBJ BiPeG mbH
96
SCSs structure, management and links with the education system only bring other fac-
tors of diversity into play.
This heterogeneity in the typology of the projects was intensified by two factors. One is
the lack of direct funding of the schools themselves from the EC. Not having a budget
line, the SCS initiative could not be part of a programme and so the control over the
SCSs remained completely at the national/local level. The other important factor was the
projects links with the countrys education system. In general, those projects that could
develop without the constraints imposed by the education system had much more flexi-
bility. These SCSs, although following the established principles, were able to adapt
them in such a way that they were able to respond better to local needs and did not have
to work within a framework of constraints determined by the national requirements.
To summarize, the source of funding and the relationship with the national education
systems determined the degree of freedom with which the cities could work in the de-
velopment of their projects and whom they were to target. This in turn determined how
they were able to adapt to the local context and how they allocated their available re-
sources.
Would it have been better to provide for a strict set of guidelines so as to have a more
standardized model of SCSs? The argument is that the flexibility found in the definition
of the principles for the SCS initiative was the best strategy and that it should have been
followed even if the projects had been funded by the Directorate - General of Education
and Culture. In fact, the strength of the SCS initiative lies in its flexibility. It allowed the
most innovative schools to apply the approach most suitable to their local environment
and make best use of local resources. Their experience and knowledge can now be
shared with less innovative schools to help them improve their effectiveness and rein-
force local efforts in their fight against exclusion. Nevertheless, this diversity brought
about some weaknesses. Communication was not easy, and the exchange of knowl-
edge and experience is only in its first stages.
THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTANTS
An interesting aspect of the EC strategy was the assignment of a national consultant to
each pilot project with a view to promote their development. The consultants provided
technical assistance during the pilot phase, one that in general lasted a year. The assis-
tance provided by the consultants included the search for adequate funding for the run-
ning of the project during its pilot phase. But the role of the consultants went well beyond
that since it was through them that the SCSs started to network, forming the basis for a
bigger impact.
Even though the Schools were not involved in the appointment, most of the consultants
were able to establish a good rapport with the Schools and, in many cases, the consult-
ants involvement was crucial to the development of the initiative. Nevertheless, their role
remained limited. Some of the schools saw the consultants as a mechanism of control
from the EC and this may have created some problems, in particular when the Director-
ate - General of Education and Culture was asking for their collaboration in the gathering
of information. During the pilot phase, the European coordinator prepared a set of moni-
BBJ BiPeG mbH
97
toring fiches to collect information on project implementation. Most consultants encoun-
tered problems in having the SCSs fill out the fiches and keeping them up to date.
As monitoring is a function of management, each SCS had its own monitoring system. It
would have probably been easier had the projects been involved in the development of
the fiches. The SCSs could have included them in their monitoring systems and the
fiches would have became part of their management system and not seen as something
imposed by an outsider.
As shown above, there was no special financing of the pilot projects by The Directorate -
General of Education and Culture. Nevertheless, one third of the projects developed un-
der European aid, mostly the European Social Fund. Since most of the projects were fi-
nanced with State or local funds, the supervisory authority remained in the country and
the influence of the Commission and the consultants was limited. In this context, the na-
tional consultants role, after the start-up phase, concentrated mostly on the development
of the European dimension of the project. The limited influence of the Commission
should not be seen as a negative factor because it strengthened the bottom-up ap-
proach. It is important to mention that the SCS were born as a result of a local interest in
the initiative and that the Cities are the main promoters. The Directorate - General of
Education and Culture continued to play a key role in the promotion and development of
the Second Chance initiative by organizing and financing a number of activities aimed
at the sharing of experience and the dissemination of the results.
An alternative to this approach could have been to pool consultants and to call on the
competencies for all schools requiring assistance. However, this approach would not
have allowed developing the personal rapport that facilitated the work and brought the
SCSs to collaborate with the development of the initiative.
THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION
To facilitate the development of the European dimension of the SCS initiative and to
promote the development of a network, the Directorate - General of Education and Cul-
ture appointed a consultant firm with the responsibility of coordinating the activities at
the European level. Nevertheless, the Directorate - General of Education and Culture
continued to be very active and had a decisive role in the promotion of all the activities
that were organized. These activities were not only meant to be meeting opportunities
for the exchanging experience, but moreover they were to bring about debate on the dif-
ferent aspects of the SCS initiative and on how to better organize joint activities.
At the beginning, these activities were limited to 2/3 coordination meetings per year,
with the participation of the Directorate - General of Education and Culture, the Euro-
pean coordinator and the national consultants. These meetings allowed a first sharing of
experience. The national consultants had the opportunity to get to know how the other
projects were being developed and shared this information with the SCSs. Subse-
quently, the schools started participating at the coordination meetings.
Later on, the activities included the organization of conferences, thematic seminars, the
promotion of joint projects and the organization of sports events. In particular, the follow-
ing activities were programmed:
BBJ BiPeG mbH
98
Launch conference 1997
Second Pillar conference 1998
Rome Seminar on the SCS experience 1998
Thematic Seminars: Bilbao (profile and recruitment of teachers and pupils),
Cologne (ICT), Seixal (employer partnerships)
Sports events Cologne, Hmeenlinna, Catania combined with Teachers
Summits

These events and other activities promoted by The Directorate - General of Education
and Culture during the pilot phase contributed to an acceptance that the EU had a role in
the initiative. Second Chance Schools recognized that without the commitment of The
Directorate - General of Education and Culture the initiative would not have developed a
European dimension and the projects would have remained isolated form each other.
The establishment of the Association of SCSs cities was an important step forward in
the promotion of Europeanism. It is this Association that now has the important and not
easy task of keeping the SCS network alive, by promoting joint activities and the ex-
change of teachers/tutors.
Nevertheless, these efforts have not brought about satisfactory results. The meetings, al-
though good first steps, have lacked continuation and, in general, once the meeting
ended, contact also finished. They lacked active participation by the schools, who often
asked national consultants to represent them. Sharing experience should go beyond this
practice.
Also the network, after the failure of the ISPO project for the creation of an INTRANET, is
weak and future efforts are needed to reinforce it. The transfer of experience is essential
for the development of a strong European dimension and the identification of critical
points so as to bring about an increase of efficiency in the individual projects.
Since the SCS initiative was launched in 1997, special emphasis has been put on pro-
moting the transfer of learning. The efforts and commitment of the Commission were
clear. The first results are now concretely in place, although the road to build on best
practice is still long. Some exchange has already taken place amongst the projects, giv-
ing the schools the sense of being part of a European Initiative. The schools more open
to innovation are already participating in other European projects and are so gaining fur-
ther experience with new teaching methods.
During the visits to the SCSs it emerged that they worked mostly isolated from the other
projects, in particular during the pilot phase. Difficulties due to insufficient funds, organ-
izational problems and a lack of experience with European projects may have rendered
it hard for them to actively participate in joint activities. It is here that the meetings organ-
ized by The Directorate - General of Education and Culture had a significant contribu-
tion. If had not been for these opportunities to get together with the other SCSs, the most
troublesome projects would have remained isolated.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
99
During the pilot phase, each SCS was much too involved on the development and im-
plementation of its own project to organize joint activities with the other schools and it
was therefore important that the Directorate - General of Education and Culture took the
lead. Only now, when most of the projects are well underway or have finished their first
educational and training programmes, has the time come for a more active transfer of
knowledge. The Second Chance Schools should now work on strengthening the network
to achieve a broader impact and to gain European wide recognition. Here again the role
of the Association of Cities will be fundamental.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
As the present study has shown, the SCS projects are all very different from each other.
Each has been developed in a particular context to give an answer to a local problem. In
fact, the thematic experts have encountered great differences not only in the economic,
social and political context but also in the educational projects themselves. But despite
the difficulties that the SCSs need to overcome, this diversity can generate a very rich
exchange.
The sports events that have been organised have turned to be an excellent meeting op-
portunity to establish first contact among teachers and students of the SCSs. Personal
contacts are important in making communication easier in a multi-cultural and multi-
lingual context. Besides, the language of sport is the same for everybody, allowing
SCSs pupils to have a stimulating European experience.
The Association of Cities can now take the leadership in the identification of opportuni-
ties for exchange and in the search for financial support. If the INTRANET system is re-
activated, the organization of joint activities and the exchange of learning can be facili-
tated.
AN EXCHANGE STRATEGY
Every SCS has some knowledge of the models that the other cities are implementing.
Representatives from the SCSs have participated in meetings organized in Brussels, in
the thematic seminars and in the sports events. During these activities they have had the
opportunity to get to know the other projects, to learn about teaching techniques and to
become familiar with some products being developed in the context of an individual ini-
tiative. While participants have gathered lots of information, not enough follow-up has
been given to this exchange.
This unsatisfactory result can be the consequence of a number of factors, factors not
necessarily all happening at the same time and not affecting all the projects. But these
factors have been present at least once and some of them are correlated to each other.
Among them we could mention:
phasing of the projects unequal learning curves
the lack of real understanding of the other projects. It is not possible to grasp
a good understanding of the projects in just a few meetings when in many
BBJ BiPeG mbH
100
cases the participants are not even familiar with the national/local context in
which the projects are being implemented;
the participants have not necessarily been those directly involved;
the lack of experience in European projects;
language problems.

A good starting point to rectify this could be the organization of study visits in which
school administrators and teachers get the opportunity to see on-site how other SCSs
are working. Having a good comprehension of the models developed by the other SCSs
can increase their interest in establishing a fruitful exchange.
BUILDING ON BEST PRACTICE
In a context of great diversity, talking of Best Practice may not be an appropriate ap-
proach. It implies the definition of criteria that will probably prove not to be relevant for all
the different environments. Comparisons in this case are not meaningful and caution is
necessary when putting forward proposals of Best Practice since they may not be suit-
able in a context different to the one it was conceived for. Each SCS project has been
developed to fit into a specific environment and its success has to be evaluated in ac-
cordance with the results obtained in that particular situation. Models cannot be easily
exported. In some cases they can be modified to fit a different environment. In other
cases this is not even plausible.
Nevertheless, SCSs can build on the experience of the other initiatives. It is important
though to individualize topics in which the possibilities of exchange are greater and
where there is a real interest coming from the SCSs.
The need for an exchange of experts and expertise between the SCSs is evident. Issues
like teacher training, guidance and counselling could be a good basis for exchange.
THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS/ SERVICES
In those cities in which the Second Chance Schools have set up strong partnerships with
local players, the role of governments/ services in promoting the introduction of change
can be significant.
The participation of social workers and social centres can facilitate diffusion and in-
crease participation. An ever-increasing interest in the initiative will induce policy mak-
ers to revise their strategy to combat social exclusion of youths and promote a further
development of the SCS scheme.
Continuity is also a main issue to be considered. Some schools are working regularly,
whereas others are uncertain if they will continue to exist. After all this mobilization of re-
sources and the positive and encouraging results that some schools have obtained, it
BBJ BiPeG mbH
101
will be unfortunate if the initiatives do not go beyond the pilot phase. To help keep alive
the SCS scheme, the EC could promote the participation of SCSs in other initiatives,
like Connect, in which the Schools have demonstrated great interest. Three very
interesting projects have been co-financed within the Connect Initiative: European
Association of Cities for Second Chance Schools, SNOW Simulation for New
Opportunities of Work and Carte a Puce. The sharing of experience with projects that
implement very innovative teaching approaches aimed at the same target group as the
SCSs can only reinforce the effects of the initiative as a tool to combat youth social
exclusion. In the case of the SNOW project, the Marseilles SCS is participating and its
experience could be very useful to other SCSs. These kinds of experiences need to be
shared with the other SCSs projects so as to broaden the impact of the whole scheme
and promote its recognition at a European level.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
102
CHAPTER 8: SECOND CHANCE FOR SECOND CHANCE
SCHOOLS
Pilot projects and pilot-phases are successful if policy-makers and experts are able to
and display enough will to take advantage of their positive results and experiences
and use these for future long-term political concepts and implementation. Main-
streaming the output of innovative projects to suit commonly defined needs is what
this process is called.
Although the SCS had to face a controversial climate when they were first proposed,
they are now gaining acceptance and their prospects are much more encouraging.
The need for reform in education and training systems, especially to achieve a reduc-
tion in the number of dropouts, has been stated quiet a lot during the past years in
the Member States as well as at the European Level. The European Council Summit
of March 2000 in Lisbon went a step further in concluding that investment in educa-
tion and training is a top priority policy: prevention (education and training) responds
clearly to sound financial management criteria, more so than repairing measures do
(labour market and social policy). Since Lisbon, the Second Chance School, some-
times the subject of heated and controversial discussion, has gained its political role
and its innovative value is recognized.
SCS experiences, results and output provide the ground for the future common edu-
cation and training actions against exclusion at a European level, actions facilitated
by the establishment of the new open co-ordination method as agreed in Lisbon.
The implementation of the strategic goal to reduce school failure and the number of
dropout youths will be undertaken by spreading best practice models and striving for
greater convergence towards the main EU goals. This method, which has been de-
signed to support Member States to progressively develop their own policies, in-
cludes the following activities:
fixing guidelines for the Union combined with specific timetables for achiev-
ing the goals which they set in the short, medium and long terms,
establishing, where appropriate, quantitative and qualitative indicators and
benchmarks against the best in the world and tailored to the needs of dif-
ferent Member States and sectors as a means of comparing best practice,
translating these European guidelines into national and regional policies by
setting specific targets and adopting measures, taking into account national
and regional differences,
periodic monitoring, evaluation and peer review organized as mutual learn-
ing processes.
The defined decentralized approach will be applied in line with the principle of sub-
sidiary and involve, besides the responsible Ministries for Education and Training of
the Member States, the regional and local level, social partners, companies and
NGOs.
BBJ BiPeG mbH
103
The European Commission has adopted the European Employment Strategy, in exis-
tence since 1997. The proposed Employment Guidelines for 2001 adopted the Lis-
bon outcome and refers to the need of reducing the phenomenon of social exclusion.
Guideline No 4 states the need to improve the Member States education and training
systems, with the aim to eradicate illiteracy and substantially reduce the number of
young people who drop out of the school system early. The particular focus is to set
up the appropriate support for young people with learning difficulties: to reduce by
half the number of 18 to 24 years old with lower-secondary level education until
2010.
Social inclusion should as mentioned in Guideline 8 be guaranteed through the
development of pathways consisting of effective and active policy measures to pro-
mote the vocational integration of those groups and individuals who are at risk or dis-
advantaged. And furthermore, the local dimension of employment and vocational in-
tegration has been taken on in the political employment agenda.
Likewise, the significant rise of Accelerated Schools of all different forms in the
United States after the end of their pilot period, has opened the door in Europe for
setting up all kinds of projects and initiatives applying the SCSs main principles. The
political willingness is stated, the need within the EU and the Accession Countries
obvious and the money is available.
The EU has a number of financing opportunities, which aim at the target group of the
SCS. The Structural Funds have been reformed to address the new challenges. This
applies especially to the European Social Funds and the Community Initiative
EQUAL. In fact, they focus better on preventing social exclusion and guaranteeing
equal access to Training and Employment.
The new Grundvig action of the EU Education programme SOCRATES as well as
LEONARDO da Vinci (Vocational Training) support new approaches and methods,
ones which allow young persons an entry back into life long learning. These pro-
grammes promote, as one priority, the exchange and further distribution of new con-
cepts and experiences to all those players involved in attaining the goals set out in
Lisbon for the next ten years.
Continuity is a main issue to be considered. Some schools are working regularly but
others are uncertain if they will continue to exist. After all this mobilization of re-
sources and the positive and encouraging results that some schools have obtained, it
will be unfortunate if the initiatives do not go beyond the pilot phase. To help keep the
SCS scheme alive, the Association of Cities of Second Chance Schools could pro-
mote the participation of SCS in initiatives such as Connect, an initiative for which the
Schools have demonstrated great interest. In fact, the EC has co-financed three very
BBJ BiPeG mbH
104
interesting projects within the Connect Initiative: European Association of Cities for
Second Chance Schools, SNOW Simulation for New Opportunities of Work and
Carte a Puce. Now that the political climate is favourable and the EC has put into
place a number of financial instruments that can be accessed by SCSs the future
looks very encouraging.
The CONNECT-project of the European Association of Cities for Second Chance
Schools consists of two parts. Firstly, the setting up of a full-service secretariat for
the European Association. Secondly, a methodology-transfer programme for Second
Chance Schools.
Within the CONNECT framework a start will be made with the exchange of method-
ology and best practices concerning three specific themes: life skills (health), social
skills (Goldstein training) and guidance into the field of work (instructors training). In
coming EU programmes, other parts of the methodology approaches and concepts of
restraining countries will be exchanged. These three parts will be gathered in a
handbook for Second Chance Schools in Europe. The handbook will be developed
as a loose-leaf book that will be supplemented with the subjects to be developed
within coming EU programmes. The final goal is to develop a common European
framework for Second Chance Schools.
In the case of the SNOW project, the SCSs of Marseilles and Heerlen are participat-
ing with other training institutions in Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. The participa-
tion of these SCSs in the SNOW network could be very useful to other SCSs. The
main project aim is to experiment with the simulated enterprises methodologies so as
to narrow the gap between training and the world of work. These kinds of experi-
ences need to be shared with the other SCS projects to broaden the impact of the
whole scheme and to promote its recognition at the European level. The sharing of
experience with projects that implement very innovative teaching approaches aimed
at the same target group as the SCS can only reinforce the effects of the initiative as
a tool to combat youth social exclusion.

Finally it can be said that it was a good chance for the Second Chance Schools to be
implemented as a pilot project with an European dimension. But it is important to
enlarge the network and to give the schools these opportunities as well in the future.

A Summary Report On The Evaluation of The European Pilot Schools

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

A Summary Report On The Evaluation of The European Pilot Schools

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

BBJ BiPeG mbH

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen