COURAGE

Handbook 2018

How to Integrate education, youth

work, sports and other leisure activ-
ities to combat the social exclusion
of young men and women
eucourage.eu
 Disclaimer:

The European Commission support for the production of

this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the
contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use The COURAGE Project 2016 - 2018
which may be made of the information contained therein.

The COURAGE project is a 3 year programme of
The COURAGE PROJECT - Handbook 2018 research and development undertaken by partner
institutions in five different European countries.
Edited by Gert Larsen Each partner works in youth services, education,
Layout: Glostrup Albertslund Production School / Nikolaj Theilgaard & Maria Malling or both. The project addresses the exclusion of
Printing: Albertslund Municipality Printing House young people from the social, educational, cultural
and economic opportunities associated with full
citizenship in a modern European society. We aim
to identify, analyse, and disseminate best practice
across the European area in integrating educational,
youth, sports and other leisure activities to “bring
young people back in”.

ISBN 978-87-983751-9-7
1. Udgave, 1. oplag
2018
Introduction CONTENTS

The Courage Project p.6

Tina Jensen Gamers. surfers and social media users: The role of interest to prevent droput p.10
Project Coordinator
Albertslund, Denmark
Denmark
The COURAGE project is a 3-year programme of research and development undertaken
by partnership of five institutions integrating educational, youth, sports and other leisure
activities in Denmark, Portugal ,Ireland, Lithuania and Norway. Denmark p. 14
Case Study 1: “The Game workshop at Glostrup Albertslund Production school“ p. 18
It addresses the exclusion of young people from social, educational, cultural and economic
opportunities associated with full citizenship a serious issue across Europe.
Ireland
The immediate target groups for our findings and products are youth and community
workers, school leaders and teachers, trainers, and coaches, working with young people in
varying degrees of co-operation with related agencies and with varying and often inade- Ireland p. 22
quate resources for training and support. Our ultimate beneficiaries are the many hundreds Case Study 1: “Developing more effective outdoor work” p. 28
and thousands of young people whose life-chances will benefit during and after the lifetime Case Study 2: “The Clare Sports Partnership Health and Fitness programme “ p. 32
of the project from our target groups’ enhanced knowledge and competence. Case Study 3: “Personal and Social Development Group Work Programme (DGW)” p. 36

Preliminary needs analysis with our immediate target groups shows a crucial need for
Lithuania
more specific training and support directed particularly towards developing and sharing
best practice for more effective inter-agency collaboration Currently, even those initiatives
which seem most successful have often been developed on a largely ad hoc and “top-down”
basis which has not encompassed a wide range of related practitioners and professionals Lithuania p. 40
from other agencies who typically have limited opportunities to share their experience and Case Study 1: “Folk studio “Rūta”” p. 44
make more effective, collaborative intervention.
Norway
All of our findings, conclusions, analyses, reports, films and resource packs will be dissem-
inated through our freely accessible public website sustainable after the project’s lifetime;
through publications and presentations in the academic and professional literature; and
through a European conference for practitioners delivered at the end of the project. Norway p. 48
Case Study 1: “MOT” p. 52
We believe that the most effective exploration and dissemination of “What works, where, Case Study 2: “Getting active” p. 54
and why” in this field, producing a core of best practice transferable to all European coun-
tries, must be based upon transnational analysis of practitioners’ experience of similar Portugal
problems and strategies in a variety of different European settings.

Our partners are from contrasting regions of five different countries from North, West, East
and Southern Europe. Each one has a variety of local and regional networks of related agen- Portugal p. 56
cies in education, youth and community work, sport and leisure. Their staff is drawn from Case Study 1: “Orquestra Geração (OG)” p. 62
both educational and youth work backgrounds and all have specific and varied experience Case Study 2: “Para ti Se não faltares(For you if you don’t miss school)” p. 66
of working with different types of disadvantaged learners from marginalized communities
in different European contexts, many with a migrant background.
The COURAGE project
Dr. Stephen Molloy (B.Sc.(Soc); Ph.D),
Visiting Research Fellow,
University of Leeds
UK
The partnership is co-ordinated in Denmark and
includes partners from Portugal. Ireland, Lithuania,
and Norway.
2 partners are associated with autonomous munici-
palities in the Greater Copenhagen area. Albertslund
Youth Centre offers full-time and part-time educa-
tional, professional and personal development for
young people who have completed non-compulsory
education but may not have realized their full poten-
tial or become clear about their future education and
employment. Albertslund and Glostrup Production
School provides informal education and practical
workshop-based training for young people disen-
gaged from more conventional schooling.
Alytus is a town of 60,000 people in South East Lith-
uania, not far from the borders with Poland, Bela-
rus, and Kalingrad. Alytus Youth Centre supports
the professional and personal development of over
1000 children, young people, and adults through a
wide range of non-formal educational and recrea-
tional activities. These include ICT training, foreign
language learning, music, dance, theatre and film
production, handicrafts and sports.
In County Clare, Ireland, Clare Youth Service aims to
assist the holistic development of young people and
those who work with them. CYS trains and supports
professional and voluntary youth workers and lead-
ers to provide an integrated, individually-focussed
service for young people, especially those in need
of particular care and attention. Specific initiatives
include: alcohol and drugs counselling; information
provision; education, training and personal devel-
opment; youth justice work; youth leadership and
mentoring programmes; work-based training for the
long-term unemployed; combatting social exclusion
and rural isolation.
6 | The COURAGE Project
Carlos Gargaté School Cluster is a complex of two
schools located in Almada, a suburban municipality
within Greater Lisbon, 20 kilometers south of the
city itself. Escola Básica Carlos Gargaté is a Basic
School for students aged between 6 to 15. It also has a
vocational course related to civil protection. It has 80
teachers and about 700 students in 27 classes. Escola
Básica Louro Artur (EBLA) has a kindergarten and
primary school with about 370 students in 15 classes.
Carlos Cargate has been working closely for several
years with business and community initiatives, such
as those associated with the Benfica Foundation,
directed towards the educational and social re-en-
gagement of disaffected young people through a
range of leisure, recreational, and cultural activities.
Haugaland Upper Secondary School is located in the
shipping and industrial port of Haugesund on the
South West coast of Norway. It has approximately
800 students and 170 staff focusing on practical,
vocational education. It offers a wide and success-
ful range of innovative and “alternative” provision,
including off-campus, work-based learning centres,
for students disengaged from more conventional
schooling. The School has 100 apprenticeship stu-
dents, and is also responsible for prison education
in Haugesund.
Aims and Rationale
Current research across all European societies indi-
cates a number of key features concerning the sit-
uation of young people disengaged or potentially
disengaged from mainstream educational and em-
ployment opportunities. This is particularly impor-
tant for younger people characterized as “NEETS”
– (Not in Employment, Education or Training),
and those at risk of becoming NEETs through Early
School Leaving (ESL) and their more general disen-
gagement from wider, socially inclusive networks.
Studies suggest that:
a) within the broad range of life-skills needed
to exercise full citizenship, the development
of social skills, self-confidence and positive
self-esteem is very important for young people
b) sporting activities, non-formal types of educa-
tion, and community activity such as drama,
dance, music and multi-media workshops can be
very effective in engaging or re-engaging young
people in wider social and educational net-
works, raising self-confidence and self-esteem,
developing social skills and team-working and
thus combating social and economic exclusion
c) particularly effective initiatives have often been
“spear-headed” and supported by prestigious
sporting and other organizations such as those
our partners have worked with, e.g. those initia-
tives associated with leading football teams, such
as the Benfica Foundation in Portugal.
In relation to these issues , the COURAGE partner-
ship aims to explore and disseminate best practice
in collaborations between educational organisations,
youth services, and sports and other recreational
associations working together to combat the social
exclusion of young men and women.
The immediate target groups for our findings and
products are youth and community workers, school
leaders and teachers, and trainers, coaches and lead-
ers working with young people in a variety of relat-
ed agencies. Community and voluntary agencies and
workers have varying and often inadequate resources
for training and support which can be optimized
through these sorts of collaboration. The project’s
ultimate beneficiaries are the many hundreds and
thousands of young people whose life-chances we
aim to enhance during and after the lifetime of the
project by enhancing the knowledge and compe-
tence of our immediate target groups.
Preliminary needs analysis with these groups of
youth workers, teachers and leaders shows a crucial
need for more training and support directed specif-
ically towards developing and sharing best practice
for more effective inter-agency collaboration Cur-
rently, even those initiatives which seem most suc-
cessful have often been developed on a largely ad hoc
and “top-down” basis which has not encompassed a
wide range of related practitioners and professionals
from other agencies. Whether they are professionals
or volunteers, these key practitioners typically have
limited opportunities to share their experience and
build upon within training situations to produce
more effective, collaborative interventions.
We aim to help meet these needs by bringing togeth-
er partners with considerable but differing types and
levels of inter-agency working to combat youth dis-
engagement. We identify and explore best practice
in our different national and socio-economic con-
texts in order to develop and disseminate a range
of innovative training and support materials and
resources to meet the needs of our target groups.
Specifically, we aim to produce detailed analysis and
reports and filmed presenations of “best practice”
in 5 partner countries. These are major products in
their own right but also form the basis of the resource
packs we are for producing for the training and sup-
port of our target groups. These include a self-fi-
nancing training course and associated COURAGE
handbook, both of which are adaptable for distance
or residential learning in all European countries,
and sustainable by practitioners after the project’s
lifetime.
All of our findings, conclusions, analyses, reports,
films and resource packs are being disseminated
through a freely accessible public website (www.
eucourage.eu) which is also sustainable after the
The COURAGE Project | 7
project’s lifetime; through publications and pres-
entations in the academic and professional literature;
and through a European conference for practitioners
at the end of the project.
We believe that the most effective exploration and
dissemination of “What works, where, and why”, in
order to produce a core of best practice transfera-
ble to all European countries, must be based upon
transnational analysis of practitioners’ experience of
similar problems and strategies in a variety of differ-
ent European settings. Each of our partners is en-
gaged in local, regional and national networks of
related agencies in education, youth and community
work, sport and leisure. Their staff in general, and
those who are working directly on the COURAGE
project, are drawn from both educational and youth
work backgrounds. They all have specific and var-
ied experience of working with different types of
disadvantaged learners from marginalized commu-
nities in different European countries and contexts,
many of which have significant migrant or itinerant
populations.
The Partnership At Work
The project’s work is divided into roughly equal
“work packages” related to its major products and
outcomes. These are: initial “state of the art” reports;
case-study analysis and reports on best practice ;
case-study films; learning, teaching and training ac-
tivities; and dissemination activities. Each partner
accepts responsibility for the oversight of one “work
package” and for their own contributions to that and
the other work packages.
Each partner sends 2 or 3 delegates to a formal meet-
ing of the Project Management Board 5 or 6 times
during the lifetime of the project. Progress since the
last meeting is reviewed, and agreement is reached
on what needs to be done before the next meeting.
The first meeting was hosted in Albertslund and Co-
penhagen by the project co-ordinators in November
2015. The second, third, and fourth meetings were
hosted by our Irish, Portuguese, and Norwegian
partners respectively in Lisbon (April 2016), Ennis
(October 2016), and Haugesund (April 2017). Each
8 | The COURAGE Project
board meeting is the core of a wider symposium.
Delegates visit educational and cultural institutions
in each region, make and hear presentations, and
discuss the project’s work and their own experience
in relation to that of their hosts. Summaries of meet-
ings and presentations are available on the COUR-
AGE website.
Two types of LTT activity (Learning, Training, and
Teaching) are also delivered by the project’s teams.
Usually in parallel with a board meeting, three of the
partners organize and runs a training programme of
up to five days for members of their own staff and for
delegates from each of the partner institutions who
are not themselves board members. These courses al-
low wider circles of participants within each partner
institution to share and enhance their experience of
COURAGE work in different European social and
educational contexts. LTT programmes are summa-
rized in the COURAGE website.
The second type of LTT activity relates to the COUR-
AGE training course referred to above. Project fund-
ing covers the partners’ preparation and production
of the course and its hand book. The course is self-fi-
nancing from delegates’ fees paid by their EU nation-
al agencies. One course was scheduled to run in Por-
tugal in September 2017 and one in Ireland in April
2018. These operate as pilots for the final course and
handbook to be produced by the end of the project.
Their viability is dependent upon a minimum course
attendance of about 20 delegates and hence upon the
availability of national agency funding. Programmes
and other details on the COURAGE website.
The second pilot delivery of the COURAGE train-
ing course will be integrated with the delivery of an
international conference open to delegates from all
European countries. The first two days of the training
course will constitute a self-contained conference for
those who choose to attend this event only. Dele-
gates to the 5 day training course will draw upon this
input for their subsequently more intensive sharing
and discussions of their own and the project’s work
with other delegates and with the project partners.
Programmes for the course and conference are avail-
able on the COURAGE website
The COURAGE Project | 9
Gamers, surfers and social media users:
The role of interest to prevent dropout
Associate Professor Lisbeth M. Bre-
vik, Department of Teacher Educa-
tion and School Research, University
of Oslo, Norway
The typical student at risk of early school leaving – or
dropout – in OECD countries is a boy under the age
of 25, who attends vocational education and train-
ing (VET). Statistically, there are large differences
between dropout rates in general studies and VET.
The report Education at a Glance, published by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and De-
velopment (OECD, 2016), shows that ten times more
students drop out of vocational studies compared to
general studies (GS); with 2% dropout in GS and
20% in VET (OECD, 2016).
Since one in seven young adults across all study pro-
grammes leave education and training too early, the
quest for reduced share of dropout is intensified. In
2010, the average dropout rate was 15%, and the Eu-
ropean Commission (EC) has expressed the policy
target of reducing dropout to 10% by 2020 (EC, 2010;
OECD, 2016). The report highlights the seriousness
of student dropout:
One of the challenges facing education sys-
tems in many OECD countries is students’
disengagement and consequent dropout
from the education system, meaning that
they leave school without an upper second-
ary qualification.
(OECD, 2016, p. 46)
It should come as no surprise that the dropout rates
vary extensively between OECD countries/partners.
For example, in 2014 Lithuania was ahead of the pol-
10 | The COURAGE Project
icy target both in general studies (GS) and in VET
(4% in GS and 6% in VET), while Portugal was close
(2% in GS and 12% in VET). In comparison, some
OECD countries fulfil the policy target in GS only,
while the dropout rate in VET is clearly higher, such
as in Norway (3% in GS and 41% in VET), Denmark
(4% in GS and 47% in VET), and Ireland (2% in GS
and 56% in VET). These rates illustrate how impor-
tant it is to reduce early school leaving.
Rich and poor countries alike
Reducing dropout is an initiative that relates closely
to social inclusion, interest, and skills. Students who
experience social exclusion drop out of school more
frequently than others, and so do students who lack
interest in school or lack reading skills (OECD, 2016;
World Bank, 2013). Such dropout profiles are found
both in poor and rich countries. For example, in the
PISA assessments, all participating countries have
a sizable share of low performers (OECD, 2016). In
fact, as much as a quarter of all 15-year-olds have
poor reading skills, and students who perform poor-
ly at the age of 15 face a risk of dropping out of school
altogether (EC, 2010; OECD, 2016).
Based on these numbers, developing reading skills
and reducing dropout rates are matters of urgent
concern. The report Education at a Glance links such
poor school results to motivation: “Students’ lack of
motivation can be the result of poor performance at
school, which can, in turn, lead to further disengage-
ment, creating a vicious circle” (OECD, 2016, p. 46).
The role of motivation or interest should, therefore,
not be underestimated.
The role of interest
This article will focus on a group of students, who are
statistically at risk of dropping out of school. Most of
these are boys in vocational education and training.
Their stories of what makes them interested in de-
veloping their reading skills – despite the fact that
they are poor readers – are powerful, and their skills
are mainly developed in their leisure time. I identi-
fied and investigated this group of students in three
studies.
In the first study (Brevik, Olsen, & Hellekjær, 2016),
I discovered these students among 10,331 Norwegian
16-year-olds who participated in national reading
tests; one in their first language (Norwegian) and one
in their second language (English). First, I found evi-
dence that three quarters of the students read almost
equally well (or poorly) in Norwegian as in English.
This was somewhat surprising for students in Nor-
wegian schools, who usually read more Norwegian
than English. Even more unexpected was the fact that
another, smaller, group of students were among the
poorest readers in Norwegian (20% score or less) and
simultaneously among the best readers in English
(60% score or more). Most of them had Norwegian
as their mother tongue. Based on this unexpected
profile, we labelled this group of students “Outliers”.
In order to find out why the Outliers were such good
readers of English, I invited two schools to partici-
25
20
15
10
5
0
Novels & Lyrics News
cartoons
Figure 1. The 26 students’ use of languages in leisure activities
pate in a new research project called VOGUE (Vo-
cational and General students’ Use of English in and
out of school). The aim was to find out whether their
interests had anything to do with their remarkable
English reading skills. In the second study (Brevik,
2016) and in the third study (Brevik, forthcoming),
I again identified students who were poor readers in
the Norwegian test and simultaneously good read-
ers in the English test. Together at the two schools,
I identified 26 students who fit the Outlier profile. 20
of them were boys in vocational studies, one boy in
general studies, two girls in vocational studies, and
three girls in general studies. All of them were poor
readers in their first language, and good in English as
the second language. The question was why.
Students’ language use in leisure activities
When interviewing these 26 Outliers, they explained
that their English reading skills were related to their
use of English in leisure activities, see Figure 1.
These Outliers read novels, cartoons, lyrics, the
news and their Facebook newsfeed in both lan-
guages, but most of them read these in English.
The clearest difference between the two languages
concerned online games, and TV series and films,
In Norwegian
In English
Facebook Online games TV series
& films
The COURAGE Project | 11
in which very few used Norwegian, while all of
them used English in one or both of these activities.
Based on interviews, surveys, and logs from these
Outliers, a master student and myself identified
three profiles that illustrate and help explain how im-
portant interests are to them, and how these interests
have helped them become very good readers in Eng-
lish, although they are poor readers of Norwegian.
In other words, their interests have helped them im-
prove their reading skills in their second language
despite being poor readers in their first.
Outlier profile I: The Gamer
The largest Outlier group fits the Gamer profile, and
all of them are boys in vocational studies (Brevik,
2016, forthcoming; Garvoll, 2017). What charac-
terizes this profile is that the Gamers explain their
English skills mainly by gaming in their leisure time.
They explain that they play online games between
three and eight hours each day, depending on how
much leisure time they have. While gaming, they
participate in written and oral chat, which means
that the Gamers are potentially exposed to large
amounts of English by playing these online games
(see Figure 2).
Written chat
Skimmed
fuction instructions
(English) (English)
21% 22%
Read most
Oral chat instruc-
function tions
(English) (English)
30% 21%
The Gamer
12 | The COURAGE Project
While playing, they read assignments and instruc-
tions, as well as manoeuvring their avatar/character
around the game. The Gamers practice reading, writ-
ing, speaking and listening skills while gaming, and
are in other words highly communicative. The Gam-
er skims the instructions in the game, or read these
closely, depending on the type of game and the action.
They explain that, «If we don’t understand English,
we die – in the game». While playing, the Gamers
learn to solve problems, to analyse, and to make in-
ferences – competencies that are highly sought after
in education and society at large. Most importantly,
however, in addition to developing their skills, they
are part of a society, which means social inclusion.
Outlier profile II: The Surfer
The second largest Outlier group fits the Surfer
profile, all of them are boys, both in general and
vocational studies (Brevik, forthcoming; Garvoll,
2017). Even though the Gamer and the Surfer both
spend time playing online games, the amount of
time spent on the different activities separate the
two profiles. The Surfers spend less time each day
gaming, as their English use is also related to music,
TV-series and movies, Facebook, news and general
internet use (see Figure 2).
News
Gaming 5%
11%
Facebook
Music 21%
22%
Internet
TV-series/
19%
movies
22%
The Surfer
Figure 2. Profiles of a Gamer and a Surfer (Garvoll, 2017)
In other words, the Surfer uses English for several
different platforms, and it is difficult to express a spe-
cific use of English for the Surfers. However, what is
essential for this profile is that the Surfer often seeks
authentic language situations. This is why learning
and using the English language is so important to
the Surfers.
Outlier profile III: The Social Media User
The smallest Outlier group fits the Social Media User
profile, and in contrast to the Gamers and the Surf-
ers, these are girls only, both in general and voca-
tional studies (Brevik, forthcoming; Garvoll, 2017).
What characterizes this profile is that the Social Me-
dia User can be divided into two sub-profiles: the
consumer and the producer.
The Social media consumer typically listens, reads,
and watches English in her leisure time (see Figure
3), but very seldom (if at all) produces her own oral
or written texts. As one of the girls explained, “A life
without Netflix does not exist”. The Social media pro-
ducer, on the other hand, uses the English language
actively, especially by using Skype to communicate
with friends and family in other countries. This is an
important aspect of their social inclusion, and at the
same time, they develop their skills.
Conclusion
The challenge for educators is how to include social
inclusion and interest for developing skills in school,
References
Brevik, L. M. (forthcoming). The gamer, the surfer and the social me-
dia user: Unpacking the role of interest in developing English language
learning.
Brevik, L. M. (2016). The Gaming Outliers: Does out-of-school gaming
improve boys’ reading skills in English as a second language? In Elstad, E.
(Ed.). Educational technology and Polycontextual bridging (pp. 39–61),
The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Brevik, L. M., Olsen, R. V., & Hellekjær, G. O. (2016). The Complexity of
Second Language Reading: Investigating the L1-L2 Relationship. Read-
ing in a Foreign Language, 28(2), 161–182. Retrieved from http://nflrc.
hawaii.edu/rfl/October2016/articles/brevik.pdf
Facebook
27%
Music
41%
TV-series/
movies
32%
The Social Media Consumer
Figure 3. Profile of a Social Media Consumer (Garvoll, 2017)
to prevent dropout. While interest seems to be key,
teachers, youth workers, and the students themselves
need to focus on how to bridge these realities – the
school reality and the leisure reality; the virtual real-
ity and the physical reality.
In this article, I have argued that we need to make
education relevant to young adults who are at risk
of becoming earl school leavers. We need to identify
what they already master, whether in school or in
their leisure time, particularly skills that are crucial
but often overlooked. We also need to help young
people make the connection between education and
their interests, to help them bridge these contexts.
Otherwise, it is easy to overlook their strengths and
instead risking disengagement and potential drop-
out.
European Commission [EC]. (2010). Europe 2020. A European strategy
for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Communication from the
commission.
Garvoll, K. K. (2017). The Gamer, the Surfer and the Social Media Con-
sumer. Vocational students’ English use in and out of school. (Master’s
Thesis). University of Oslo, Oslo.
OECD. (2016). Education at a Glance 2016: OECD Indicators. Paris:
OECD Publishing.
World Bank. (2013). Inclusion Matters: The Foundation for Shared Pros-
perity. New Frontiers of Social Policy. Washington, DC: World Bank.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/16195 License:
CC BY 3.0 IGO.
The COURAGE Project | 13

Albertslund Youth Centre, the 10th grade school
Glostrup Albertslund Production School, GAP
DENMARK
State of the art
Educational system in Denmark
Our public school is among the best when it comes to
developing students to be-come active citizens with
fine social competences. Together with the parents,
the public school shall further the students’ many-
sided development and education by giving them
knowledge and skills to prepare them for further
and higher education and to encourage their desire
to keep learning.
The public school enhances students’ ability to un-
derstand and take part in the democratic processes.
The students are well prepared for their future lives
as citizens of Denmark.
Education in Denmark is free and compulsory
at the primary and lower secondary levels, with
at least 82% continuing to higher levels, which
are also government subsidized. Danish pri-
vate schools are also government-subsidized via
a voucher system; at least 13% of all students at-
tend these private schools at the lower levels.
The lower secondary school that consists of form level
14 | The COURAGE Project
Project Partners:
Albertslund Sports Association, AIF
7 - 9 in the public school is crucial for the students’
chances to complete an upper secondary education
later. But the lower secondary school does not man-
age to sufficiently develop the students’ competences
in order for them to be able to choose and complete
an upper secondary education. Approximately 92 per
cent of the students who finished the public school in
2011 are expected to complete an upper secondary
education. Even so, a relatively large group still finds
it difficult to choose and complete an upper second-
ary education.
A new agreement regarding the Danish
School system /Elementary School
THE GOVERNMENT will maintain and develop
the public school’s strengths and academic standards
by working with the following three main goals:
1. The public school must challenge all students to
reach their full potential.
2. The public school must lower the significance of
social background on academic results.
3. Trust in the school and student well being must
be enhanced through respect for professional
knowledge and practice in the public school.
Inclusion
Unfortunately, in the past years the public school
has separated too many students from the ordinary
classroom teaching. The number of students re-
ferred to special education has increased drastical-
ly. In addition, the expense to special education has
increased too and now constitutes approximately 30
per cent of the public school’s total expenditure. At
the same time however, there is no documentation to
substantiate that students enrolled at special schools
and attending special classes perform better aca-
demically compared to the expected performance in
the public school with ordinary classroom teaching.
To meet this challenge, more students need to be
included in the public school. Consequently, the
government has agreed on a range of initiatives to-
gether with the member association of Danish mu-
nicipalities Local Government Denmark (KL) that
will support the local municipalities in the coming
changes. Among other things, these initiatives in-
clude a new legislation on inclusive education in the
public school, continuous monitoring of the change
moving towards greater inclusion, establishment
of the National Inclusion Counselling Unit, which
is an outgoing consulting unit, aiming to support
improved inclusion in preschool, school and leisure
time facilities by collaboration with municipalities
on meeting local needs.
These initiatives shall contribute to the improvement
of every child’s skills through inclusion by strength-
ening general teaching at the same time as the in-
dividual receives support together with his or her
classmates. Also, the longer and more varied school
day will create the conditions that ensure room for
every child in the public school.
Youth education
In 2015 a vocational school reform was completed.
The aims were to create more attractive business ed-
ucation. The academic level should be enhanced and
established new programs that include both training
and courses at upper secondary level for the young
people who wanted a degree in technical subjects.
Before 2015 there was no specific entry requirements
for most vocational education and training was pre-
dominantly practical organized with a flexible start
period of 20-60 weeks, depending on the student’s
level and qualifications.
The COURAGE Project | 15
The new reform requires a final examination from The goal was that 84% of the youth, who attend 9th
school with a certain level in Danish and Mathemat- grade in 2014/15, should complete a secondary edu- Glostrup Albertslund Production School-
ics. Over 20% of young people from Albertslund mu- cation. In this period Albertslund has gone from 74% Glostrup municipality founded the Production
nicipality who left school in the summer of 2015 did who were expected to complete an education in 2007 School in 1997. At January 1st 2013 Albertslund
not achieve the required level in Mathematics. to 84% that would complete an education in 2012. municipality stepped in as a partner. The two mu-
(See: www.talomuddannelse.dk/tal) nicipalities are now equal represented at the school
Strategy was revised in 2017 as a part of the munici- board. The Production School receives students
There are different opportunities for young people pal strategy for the schools. “A school for all” from Albertslund and Glostrup and forms together
who cannot immediately be admitted to vocational The main goal for the strategy is that even more only about 1/3 part of the schools total.
training. Some choose a “ready for training” courses, youth shall complete a youth education. The new The location in the school system is between pri-
which are taught in the courses required for admis- goal is 90% in 2022 mary school (up to 10th grade) and youth educa-
sion, others choose a production school where the tion. The target group is youth, which are not able
teaching is through work- What works? to complete an ordinary education. The target group
ing with productions and During the project will is people from the age of 16-24 – most of them are
where Danish and Math- research and investigate under 20 years. The goal with the teaching is to clar-
ematics learned through some different initiative to ify and strengthen the young peoples skills in order
practical application in the prevent young people to to start an education program or perform a job.
workshop the student has drop out of school, train-
chosen. ing or work. There are about 200 young people starting at the
school throughout the year. The amounts of time
Regional level: Stu- Our case studies will they attend are individually, and the average for
dent drop out and search the possibilities school period is about 7 months. Many students fol-
post-compulsory edu- and outcomes of a clos- low a school year from August to July.
cation er cooperation between
Whichever way the young the secondary school, the Albertslund Sports Association (AIF)
people choose, education vet institutions, the Youth An umbrella organization for 9 sports clubs in Al-
is an important foundation Centre and the sport clubs. bertslund with more than 3.000 members altogether.
to develop his life and an One of these clubs is AIF Fodbold (AIF Football),
important qualification for No doubt that clear objec- a member of Danish Football Association (DBU) –
a better life. Young people tives for students’ learning the biggest of the federations in DIF. DBU is servic-
who complete upper sec- as well as future activities ing 1.600 football clubs (at all levels) with 335.000
ondary education is less will contribute to an in- members in the country and is also responsible for
unemployed and receive crease of academic stand- the national team.
higher pay. They come less ards for the academically
on cash benefits and early gifted students as well as AIF Fodbold was founded in 1920 and holds right
retirement, and they commit less crime. At the same for the academically weak. now 680 members – 70 percent of which are from
time an education helps to support the personal 4 to 16 years old. More than 60 people are involved
development and give young people more oppor- in the club activities on a voluntary basis every day.
tunities to develop his skills. Education is therefore The local partners
the surest path to a stable and stimulating adult and Albertslund Youth Center 10thgrade school. Expenses for tournament participation, coaching,
working life. The school offers students to go to the 9 - or 10th sports equipment etc. are paid for partly by munici-
grade final tests in the subjects Danish, mathe- pal funds and partly by club dues – and to a certain
Local level: Youth Strategy matics, English, German and physics / chemis- extent by sponsorships. The club dues are at the mo-
In 2009, Albertslund Municipality implemented try. The 10th grade department has each year, ment between 850 d.kr. and 2000 d.kr. annually.
its first Youth Strategy, which ran until 2014. The between 100-120 students - especially from Al-
target group are young people up till the age of 30. bertslund, but also from other municipalities.

16 | The COURAGE Project

 CASE STUDY 1
The Game workshop
Glostrup Albertslund Production school
Motivation for learning and education
through computer games
How can the young people’s interest in computer
games turn from being an obstacle to commence-
ment of education, to instead promote the motiva-
tion and prerequisites for completing a youth edu-
cation?
Background
An increasing number of young people in Denmark
have difficulty in completing a youth education. The
academic requirements for education programs have
increased and too many young people are undecid-
ed about the direction of education they want. This
means a big drop in youth education and often the
young people lose faith in their own possibilities.
Some of them isolate themselves with their comput-
er and spend most of the waking time at stake. The
real world becomes irrelevant to them, and dreams
revolve around a future in the gaming world - either
as a professional gamer or as a developer of com-
18 | The COURAGE Project
puter games. Very few, however, seriously pursue the
dream, and instead lose faith in education and work.
Production school
The purpose of the production school is to motivate
and prepare young people for continued education.
The target group is young people between the ages
of 16 and 25 who are not ready to complete a youth
education.
The teaching is organized as workshops in a number
of different subject areas, giving the young people the
opportunity to test one or more subjects in practice,
thereby increasing their competencies and finding
motivation for education. Unlike formal education,
the goal of teaching at the production school is not a
concrete and measurable academic benefit. The path
to motivation for continuing education is instead
based on the individual’s abilities and interests.
Interest in traditional crafts has been declining in
recent years, whereas media and IT have gained mo-
mentum, and the school has therefore established
new workshops with IT productions.
Game Workshop - the history
The school has previously had education for young
people with autism and interest in IT. Here was one
of the thorough subject’s analysis and development
of computer games. Over time, the subject devel-
oped to be the center of several elements of the edu-
cation, which referred to personal and social skills,
for example. Cooperation and understanding of so-
cial relations.
Eventually, several professional elements were built,
so there was a basis for offering it as an independent
full-time Game workshop.
At the beginning (2014), all students were diagnosed
within autism disorders, so the teaching was based
on the issues that characterize this group.
Collaboration with the school’s other workshops
(where the young people were “normal”) led some of
the students to try another workshop, and that other
young people wanted to try the Game workshop.
The experience was so succesful that it was decided
to open to all interested in 2015 and the workshop
was expanded from 10 to 18 students.
By 2016, it is the school’s most popular workshop,
and it is no longer possible to diagnose by admitting
new students, only in interests and goals.
Case Study
The Game workshop is faced with some skepticism
from the outside world, although the results are ful-
ly in line with the school’s other workshops, based
on the number of young people who subsequently
move on to education.
This means that there is a desire to analyze and docu-
ment the learning that takes place, the students back-
ground and future plans, the teaching methods and
content, the academic, personal and social benefits,
and the students’ subsequent education choices.
The aim of the study is to find the young people’s
experience of teaching, thereby enhancing teachers’
The COURAGE Project | 19
attention to the different elements, and ensuring
continued development in relation to the different
student types that seek the workshop.
There is also a wish to spread the knowledge of
teaching methods and the use of computer games
in teaching, in a context that is not about playing
but about collaborating, learning, developing and
creating - in a frame that takes and motivates young
people as otherwise Has difficulty entering into
traditional education.
The Survey
In the school year 2016-17, a qualitative and quan-
titative study of the workshop has been conducted.
The qualitative study is based on interviews
of students and teachers as well as observations
of teaching situations, and the quantitative study is
statistical material concerning. Pupils background,
stay and printing.
• 28 students have been enrolled at the
workshop in a shorter or longer course.
• 23 boys and 5 girls, mainly in the age
from 16 to 20 years.
• More than 50% of the students have
tried to start a secondary education,
20% have not even completed primary
school.
• 2/3 (19 out of 28) have indicated one or
more diagnoses upon enrollment.
• Mainly autism disorder and anxiety/
social phobia, but also other mental
difficulties or dyslexia.
• The lenght of stay is generally longer
than the other workshops in the pro-
duction school, and most of the stu-
dents continues with secondary edu-
cation.
• Some of them in an individual pro-
gramme for a period to qualify for
further education.
• The success rate is generally higher
than the other workshops, despite
the students background is generally
more challenging.
20 | The COURAGE Project
Students’ experience
(summary of interviews).
There have been interviews with 6 students, at the
start of the school year and towards the end. 4 of
the young have discontinued education, 2 have not
been in education.
The reasons for interruption have been very diffe-
rent: Personal problems, too much theory, lack of
motivation, allergy and lack of learning. In com-
mon, however, everyone has had the feeling of not
fit in and not being related to neither teachers nor
the other students. They have therefore more or less
lost courage compared to education.
Already at the initial interviews, the social environ-
ment in the gaming workshop is emphasized. There
is a welcoming atmosphere and it is common for
students to help each other with tasks and computer
problems.
In addition, it is accepted that you are different.
There is room for one to be self if you cannot be in
a community, but you will also be involved in the
joint projects.
The social environment at the games workshop is
emphasized as the most important factor of the ben-
efit of teaching.
There is a good relationship, and students teach /
instruct / share knowledge so that everyone con-
tributes and benefits from the many different skills
found in the student group.
It is striking that the social environment is to some-
thing that the young people emphasize. When ob-
serving in the workshop, young people often sit on
each computer and are busy with their own tasks.
Several people avoid ordinary conversation, and
some sit with headsets to shield off from interference.
Relationships with the teachers and the other young
people are almost entirely about the academic con-
tent, and this is the way they build their social con-
tacts.
Teachers have built up some daily and weekly rou-
tines that support the community, but it is always
with a professional content. Even when played in be-
tween, the purpose of the activity is defined.
Activities that only have social content make bad
memories of many who have felt outside in pre-
vious schooling. When it is still on the program,
for example. In conjunction with the entire school,
the students are involved in the preparation and have
the opportunity to choose how they can participate.
It may be as a photographer for a school party or as
responsible for a gamer lounge.
They thus learn how they can influence their partici-
pation, and as many of the team have the same prob-
lems, they can talk openly about how to tackle them.
In addition, the following are highlighted:
• The experience that the teaching / learning is
driven by sincere interest, both for the teachers
and the students. The relationship between for-
mal learning and leisure interest is more or less
solved.
• Discover that their game experiences are val-
uable - that they actually can be used in other
contexts - for example. When developing games
for educational use.
Sitography, Bibliography and references
Skole for alle. Strategi for et fælles skolevæsen i Albertslund
Kommune 2012-2022. Albertslund Kommune. 2017
GAP - Glostrup Albertslund Produktionshøjskole gapro.dk
AUC - Albertslund Ungecenter albertslund-ungecenter.skole-
porten.dk
• The special educational environment where the
participants largely define their learning goals
and influence on the teaching.
• You can almost learn what you want. If you are
keen to immerse yourself and seek knowledge,
you will be supported and guided through at the
your actual level.
• You develop at least as much personal and social
as professional. You get to know yourself in in-
teraction with others.
• You recognize the connection between effort
and dividend (and result).
• Teachers are clear in their requirements and ex-
pectations in relation to the individual’s poten-
tial.
• There is recognition and celebration of
good productions, as well as the process.
The statistic results and the student’s statements
about the benefits of teaching in the workshop, gives
the teachers and the management team important
knowledge in relation to the future development of
the workshop and the school.
AIF - Albertslund Idrætsforening albertslundif.dk
Unge drømme – Stemmer fra en produktions-
højskole. Glostrup Bibliotek, 2017
www.eng.uvm.dk
The COURAGE Project | 21

IRELAND
State of the art
Introduction
The programme addresses the exclusion of young
people from social, educational, cultural and eco-
nomic opportunities associated with full citizenship
and the focus is to develop best practice in making
social inclusion a daily reality for children and youth.
Whilst there are various statutory and non-govern-
mental approaches and provisions in an Irish context,
these are principally in formal educational or employ-
ment-related domains. There is, therefore, a signifi-
cant gap in the resourcing of social inclusion practic-
es in other spheres such as sports, mental health and
personal development. There is an additional pres-
sure from the high proportion of young people in
the Irish population and forecasts of high birth rates.
Current Benchmarks
The Project seeks to combat exclusion and to pro-
mote high quality youth work by providing training
and support through inter-agency collaboration. To
this end, a benchmark of existing provision is offered.
22 | The COURAGE Project
Project Partner:
Clare Youth Service
Statutory bodies - Department of Education.
In Ireland, participation in formal education is
compulsory from the age of six to sixteen or until
three years of second-level education has been
completed. There are a range of supports for stu-
dents with special education needs and for those
experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. Sup-
ports for disadvantaged students include
• Increased resources for schools deemed dis-
advantaged on a spatial basis. These are DEIS
schools. DEIS stands for Delivering Equality
of Opportunity in Schools but is also the Irish
(Gaelic language) word for ‘opportunity.’
• Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Pro-
gramme that aims to integrate supports in differ-
ent spheres of students’ lives
• Traveller & Roma Education Provision
Whilst these programmes exist within mainstream
post-primary (second level) schools, a large part of
the education provision for socially excluded young
people is generally known as ‘second chance’ educa-
tion and takes place within the Further Education &
Training Sector.
This provides education and training which occurs
after second level schooling and is not part of the
third level system. It typically involves students who
have not completed post-primary education.
There are a range of providers involved in the deliv-
ery of education to young school leavers. They in-
clude the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs)
as well as a small number of youth work organisa-
tions including Clare Youth Service in the voluntary
NGO sector.
The main provision for those still at post-primary
age (18 years and under) offered by the ETBs is You-
threach, also offered within the NGO sector by Clare
Youth Service Community Training Centre. A pro-
cess is also underway whereby ETBs are absorbing
the state’s apprenticeship programmes.
Youthreach is a Department of Education and Skills
official education, training and work experience pro-
gramme for early school leavers. It offers young peo-
ple the opportunity to identify options within adult
life, and provides them with opportunities to acquire
certification.
The course aims to identify the learner’s needs and
negotiate an individual learner plan. There are sup-
ports for learners in overcoming personal social and
learning difficulties, developing self-confidence to
enable them to participate in society, and in gaining a
range of competencies essential for further learning.
The program emphasises personal development, lit-
eracy/numeracy, communication and IT, along with
a choice of vocational options such as Catering, Hair-
dressing, Computers, Woodwork and a work expe-
rience program.
Statutory bodies - Department of Children
and Youth Affairs (DYCA)
DYCA was set up in 2011 to bring together vari-
ous functions in relation to young people that have
over time been dispersed amongst an unwieldy
number of government departments and agencies.
The COURAGE Project | 23
The responsibilities of DCYA are to co-ordinate a
wide range of policy and service activity, both direct
and indirect, for children, young people and families
in Ireland including:
• The direct provision of a range of universal and
targeted services;
• ensuring high-quality arrangements are in place
for focused interventions dealing with child wel-
fare and protection, family support, adoption,
school attendance and reducing youth crime.
Comprehensive oversight of the Child and Fam-
ily Agency, established in January 2014, is an in-
tegral element of this.
• The harmonisation of policy and provision
across Government and partners related to chil-
dren, young people and families.
NGO Youth Work Sector
The Youth Work Sector works with young people
outside (but often partnering with) the formal ed-
ucation sector.
The Youth Work Act, 2001 provides a legal frame-
work for the provision of youth work programmes
and services and gives statutory responsibility at na-
tional level to the Minister for Education and Skills
and at local level to ETBs for the development of
youth work and its co-ordination with other services
for young people.
24 | The COURAGE Project
“Youth Work is a planned programme of
education designed for the purpose of aid-
ing and enhancing the personal and social
development of young persons through
their voluntary participation, and which is
complementary to their formal, academic
or vocational education and training; and
provided primarily by voluntary youth
work organisations.”
(Youth Work Act, 2001)
Youth Work is predicated on the voluntary partici-
pation of young people. Flexibility of approach and
emphasis on the interpersonal enables it to offer an
educational process complementary to that provid-
ed through formal education. Youth Work often acts
as the point of contact and referral in the interface
with other youth-related issues spanning the realms
of care, health, and welfare.
Youth Work stimulates critical reflection and facil-
itates the cultivation of active citizenship and the
enhancement of sustainable personal and social
competencies. Thus, Youth Work has a defined po-
sition on the continuum of educational and lifelong
learning provision.
Youth Work organisations are funded through a
combination of governmental, European, philan-
thropic and public donations. Over 380,000 young
people participate in youth services, programmes
and clubs throughout the country.
As stated earlier, Clare Youth Service and their coun-
terpart organisation in nearby Limerick are unusual
in the Irish Youth Work landscape in also offering
education and vocational training for which they re-
ceive funding through the Limerick Clare Education
& Training Board. Delivery methodology is distinc-
tive on account of both organisations’ experience in
Youth Work and the long-standing deployment of
the Developmental Groupwork approach.
Sports Sector
Ireland has a weak state sector in comparison to
European norms. Voluntary provision in health,
education and social services is traditionally strong
and especially true in sports. There is a growing em-
phasis on active recreation due to changing social
norms and government policy.
At regional level, Local Sports Partnerships have
responsibility for the promotion of sport and recre-
The COURAGE Project | 25
ation as well as ensuring inclusivity of practice in re-
lation to the participation of persons with disability
and those in lower socio-economic groups.
At elite level the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI) and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
are incorporating personal development goals
such as in the FAI’s Emerging Talent Programme.
Despite this and the strong cultural role
of sport participation levels are worrying;
• The ESRI Report ‘Keeping them in the Game’
shows a widening socio-economic gap as people
progress through adulthood – the less well-off
are more likely to drop out from sport as young
adults and less likely to take up new activities.
• The Children’s Sports Participation and Physical
Activity (CSPPA) conducted by University of
Limerick, University College Cork and Dublin
City University shows that just 19% of primary
school pupils and 12% of post-primary pupils re-
ceive the amount of recommended exercise One
in four children is unfit, overweight or obese and
has elevated blood pressure.
• Both studies are agreed that female participation
particularly slips as age increases in the teenage
years.
Bridging the gap
There have been a variety of studies done on the ef-
fects of a young person’s behaviour and the influence
of a “Very Important” non-parental adult (Beam,
Chen, & Greenberger, 2002). There have also been
studies done on how youth see “Significant Adults”
in their lives (Hendry, et al 1992). These studies sup-
port the important role of an adult in the life a young
person.
In the youth work context in Clare, significant adults
have been trained in the leadership and developmen-
tal groupwork process developed by Button and oth-
ers. In many ways, this training (or even the organi-
sational ethos for those not yet trained) distinguishes
them from adult leaders in educational or sporting
organisations.
26 | The COURAGE Project
He developed a method for both training youth
workers and working with young people - Discovery
and Experience (1971) and Developmental Group
Work with Adolescents (1974)- that stands alone
within youth work methodology as a coherent sys-
tem of theory and practice. Button’s methods offer a
way of enabling young people to develop confidence
and capacity for self-agency increasing the possibili-
ties of self-motivated engagement with programmes,
education and society.
Another approach embedded in CYS is the notion
that the young people they work with must be facil-
itated to create the own world, not merely consume
youth work, sport or education. This flows from a
belief in the benefits for the happiness and self-con-
fidence of individuals, and for the strengthening of
community life. Also there is an invitation to work-
ers to embrace and explore their educational role.
Both of these approaches are more likely to engage
those who are marginalised.
Clare Youth Service
In the Irish national context, Clare Youth Service
is in an unusual position in offering second chance
vocational educational as well as informal youth
work provision. Generally, these spheres are dis-
tinct. In developing their services across these two
areas, Clare Youth Service has employed Develop-
mental Groupwork practices for almost half a cen-
tury. These practices are deeply embedded in both
their formal education and non-formal education
provision.
In recent years, the organisation has increasingly
engaged in inter-agency collaborations including
the development of a range of contacts amongst
statutory providers and voluntary youth providers
including sporting bodies.
Conclusion
The COURAGE project offers an opportunity
to develop and share best practice, to devise and
implement innovative, non-formal but tangible
results in the greater inclusion of all young people
in youth, sports and educational provision.
The immediate target groups for output of COUR-
AGE are youth and community workers, school
leaders and teachers, trainers, and coaches, working
with young people, in particular those experiencing
social exclusion, with varying and often inadequate
resources for training and support.
Given the current situation Clare Youth Service
wishes to further develop good practice in relation
to its outdoor education programmes, to promote
and extend its groupwork practices and make them
relevant and available to other organisations work-
ing with young people in order to promote more ef-
fective social inclusion.
Case Studies
Clare Youth Service has three Case Studies as part of
the Courage programme.
1. The CYS Outdoor Education programme
2. The Clare Sports Partnership Health and Fitness
programme
3. The Personal and Social Development Group
Work programme
For all three areas the primary aim is to: Improve
and support the training needs of Formal Education,
Youth work, and associated disciplines to address the
disconnect experienced by some teenagers to both
formal and non-formal education. The timeframe
for all Case Studies was from September 2016 to
August 2017.
This handbook highlights each of the three studies.
The programmes are examined in more detail on the
COURAGE website along with additional informa-
tion about the Clare Youth and our Partners.
The COURAGE Project | 27
 CASE STUDY 1
Developing more effective outdoor work
Outdoor education and programmes in Ireland is
a relatively new discipline or area. The main thrust
has been towards supporting second level schools
by providing short courses where technical skills are
delivered to young people such as rock climbing or
kayaking.
The benefits of these exercises in relation to personal
and social development is somewhat limited and has
been largely ignored or taken for granted by many
institutions.
In CYS the outdoor programmes are seen as a tool
for youth workers similar to any other including
music, art, sports etc., where the outcomes may re-
late to personal development or any issue the young
person may identify or need at that particular time.
These may include – drug and alcohol issues, crimi-
nal or anti-social behaviour, team building or mental
health.
This funding and support from partners on the Eras-
mus+ COURAGE Project allowed CYS to first exam-
28 | The COURAGE Project
ine its existing outdoor programme through a State
of the Art or Baseline Study.
The baseline study examined Programme Logic
Models and evaluations of existing individual CYS
Outdoor Programmes. This was done through desk
research and interviews with individual youth work-
ers and young peoples’ feedback.
The main findings were;
• In the main Outdoors Programmes have been
successful with a positive response from the
young people involved and most of the short and
medium term outcomes realised
• While there has been some crossover most
programmes have been designed by individual
workers and there is no common template for
course design
• Most programmes are not backed up by a strong
theoretical base and where it is evident the the-
ory to practice link is weak
• There is a wide range of programme type with
some more simply “activities” rather than
non-formal education
• There is no specific training programme for staff
engaging in outdoor work
Using the structures and resources of the COUR-
AGE programme CYS has been able to build on the
strengths of the existing programme and to make
changes to improve the programme as identified by
the Baseline Study.
Over the course of the case study Clare Youth
Service has;
• Had three staff complete Lowland Mountain
leader training
• Introduced staff peer training programme spe-
cifically designed for those engaged in outdoor
work – this has theoretical and practical com-
ponents
• Completed a brief review of youth-focused out-
door activity models and the evidenced out-
comes from these models
• Started to compile practical handbook for staff
engaged in outdoor work to use the research
based evidence and the action research evidence
from existing CYS programmes
• Introduced two new Outdoor Programmes in
response to consultations with young people.
One of these was in the Community Training
Centre with learners on the QQI and LCA pro-
grammes. The other was with Participants on the
T.A.C.T Ennis Garda Youth Diversion Project.
Following the changes implemented through 2016
and 2017 staff have reported that it is easier to plan
and run outdoor activities, easier to recruit young
people who would normally not engage and staff
new to this area of work have said they are more
confident in becoming involved following the peer
training and the availability of new resources.
The COURAGE Project | 29
“I feel that I could contribute in a mean-
ingful way as a second leader on a hike hav-
ing the experience of today”
CTC Tutor following training day on the Twelve O’Clock Hills
The young people involved in the programmes have
been very positive in their evaluations of the project
indicating that they were fun, a good learning expe-
rience and easily accessible to them as the workers
provided equipment such as boots, jackets and food.
They also said it was easy to get involved as they knew
the workers well and trusted them.
“8km walk on rough terrain. 10 mins late
leaving – packing boots. I love the peace
and quiet. Least favourite part was - noth-
ing.”
CTC Learner’s Log Book, 2017.
The Community Training Centre reported an in-
crease in participation and attendance by learners
30 | The COURAGE Project
with the introduction of the new outdoor “Natural
Highs” fitness programme. Youth work staff likewise
reported high levels of participation by young people
on targeted projects such as the Garda (Police) Youth
Diversion Project and Tusla (Government Child and
Family Agency) funded Project.
In all cases the young people would be from back-
grounds that would be considered difficult to engage
and maintain involvement. The relationships with
staff built over time would be crucial as would the
design and approach of the programmes.
Like any youth work or non-formal education pro-
gramme the CYS Outdoor Programme needed the
input of additional time and resources to enable
positive changes to improve the programme. But
perhaps more than anything the COURAGE Project
brought a structure and focus around which to drive
and enable the changes.
 CASE STUDY 2
The Clare Sports Partnership Health and
Fitness programme
In recent years the issue of poor physical health, low
levels of physical activity, high levels of obesity and
the effects of these factors on the mental health of the
Irish population in general and in particular on the
youth population have become apparent and led to
a coordinated public health strategy to change these
growing trends. This includes Healthy Ireland Get
Ireland Active! The National Physical Activity Plan
for Ireland 2016, Better Outcomes, Brighter Fu-
tures: the National Policy Framework for Children
and Young People (2014-2020) and National Youth
Strategy 2015-2020 all of which target the increased
participation in sports and physical activity.
The baseline study involved a literature review assist-
ed by our colleagues in the Clare Sports Partnership
and meetings with their staff to hear their experi-
ences. Existing individual CYS Sports Programmes
were examined through desk research and inter-
views with individual youth workers.
32 | The COURAGE Project
The main findings were;
• The ESRI Report ‘Keeping them in the Game’
shows a widening socio-economic gap as people
progress through adulthood – the less well-off
are more likely to drop out from sport as young
adults and less likely to take up new activities.
• The Children’s Sports Participation and Physical
Activity (CSPPA) conducted by University of
Limerick, University College Cork and Dublin
City University shows that just 19% of primary
school pupils and 12% of post-primary pupils
receive the amount of exercise recommended by
the Department of Health. One in four children
is unfit, overweight or obese and has elevated
blood pressure.
• Both studies are agreed that female participation
particularly slips as age increases in the teenage
years.
• While the 2014 Pavee Point Factsheet on the
Health of Traveller men maintains that they
report less discrimination in the area of sports
and do participate in soccer, gaelic football and
boxing the same does not appear to be true for
traveller women given their feedback to youth
workers and earlier studies which maintain over
half of travellers never use the exercise facilities
available to them.
The fitness course
• The focus was with young women from the
Traveller community. Six teenagers start-
ed the six week course and four finished it.
• The programme was designed by a Clare
Sports Partnership trainer and a Clare Youth
Service Youth Worker. It combined as-
pects of physical fitness, healthy eating and
a critical examination of body image and
cultural expectations on young women.
• Changing the original programme to a modified
one worked well for this group as they would not
have engaged well with the more formal sports
and classroom format of the original.
The outcomes
• One participant has begun participating in PE in
school and has increased her movement levels.
• A second young woman is now regularly atten-
ding the gym.
• Two participants have cut back on the amount
they are smoking as a result of the programme.
• Participants began to show staff various pictures
online and asked “is this real of fake”. Previous to
this programme they said they have never ques-
tioned the validity of such photos.
The COURAGE Project | 33
• Young people reported not knowing that sun
beds cause as much or more skin damage
than the sun’s rays. This knowledge has not
however led to a decrease to sunbed usage.

The difficulties
• One young person was going through a family
crisis and missed the last 3 sessions.

• Two strong personalities dominated the group

and probably caused two others to drop out.

The partnership
• The complimentary skills of the sports trainer
and the youth worker were key to the success
of this approach as was the willingness to com-
promise in the design of the programme which
incorporated elements of pure physical training
and developmental youth work.

• The partnership has strengthened between the

two organisations with the CYS youth work
manager joining the Clare Sports Partnership
Board of Management on the Strategic Planning
Group.

• It was not possible to extend CYS groupwork

practices to other sports programmes at this
time.

The initial drive behind this short, practical and for

both organisations innovative programme came
from the involvement of CYS in the COURAGE
project and the requirement to find a partner with
sporting expertise.

The model used was successful in increasing the par-

ticipation of young people who otherwise would not
have engaged and has led at least in the short term to
positive choices in their lives.

34 | The COURAGE Project

 CASE
CASE STUDY
STUDY33
Personal and Social Development Group
Work Programme (DGW)
The Clare Youth Service Personal and Social Devel-
opment Programme offered young people opportu-
nities to discuss and explore issues that are impor-
tant to them. The programme has been carefully
designed to assist participants with their social and
personal development.
When this course was introduced over thirty there
was a recognised need for young people to examine
areas of importance in their lives through the unique
approach of group work.
For staff and volunteers there was a need for training
in this method whereby the workers and volunteers
move towards realising that they can facilitate the
young people to learn more from each other then
they can teach the young people directly.
These basic needs are still the case and while the ev-
idence from the programme is very positive some
gaps/questions emerged from our baseline ex-
36 | The COURAGE Project
amination of the programme which needed to be
addressed.
1. Very few volunteers from youth clubs and
projects deliver the programme at this
time. This is in contrast to the early years.
2. While the evidence of learning and progres-
sion by facilitators and young people has been
recorded this information has not been col-
lated or presented in a way that could pro-
mote the programme to support the training
needs of other professionals and volunteers.
3. There is no formal long term record of the im-
pact this programme has had on the lives of
those who took part.
The Programme
The programme took place over 10 weeks where
trained youth workers and Volunteers worked with
groups of young people on such issues as relation-
ships, friendship and communication skills.
Module 1 was primarily concerned with the devel-
opment of communication skills, an understanding
of self and the nature of friendship and relationships.
During the transition from childhood to adulthood
the understanding and development of positive rela-
tionships is essential and this programme aimed to
enhance each young person’s ability to develop these
relationships.
The groups met for one hour per week and followed a
proscribed programme. The format was similar from
week to week in order to maintain consistency, build
a rhythm and allow for different learning styles to be
accommodated. At the start of the session the group
would shake hands and re-engage with the Contract
they had agreed in week one on how they would
work together.
Each week there would be a physical exercise such
as a “Trust Walk”, an observation game like “Ex-
ploring Hands” or team building with “Trust Fall”.
There would also be a paper based exercise such as a
“Lifespace Diagram” or “Friendship Chart”. Follow-
ing these there would be a group discussion around
the topics explored through the non-formal learning
methods and some degree of reflection.
The final session called “The Assembly” brought the
different groups together where they presented their
learning to parents, guardians and other significant
adults in their lives.
For the facilitators it provided an opportunity
through peer learning and supervision to develop
their group work and communication skills. In addi-
tion facilitators also had the opportunity for personal
development and growth as part of the training pro-
gramme. The tutor/facilitator group also met once
a week.
The COURAGE Project | 37
Recruitment and Training
The timeframe for this Case Study was set to be from
August 2016 to January 2017 however the issue of
the lack volunteer involvement meant the start of
the programme was postponed until January 2017.
Further problems with extremely poor weather saw
the Tutor Training further delayed until the end of
February. Three staff and one volunteer completed
the training and set about recruiting groups. Three
groups started the programme but only two proved
to be sustainable for the
whole programme – one
led by a staff member and
one by a volunteer. While
this was very disappoint-
ing the two tutors and their
groups set about running
the programme.
One group piece of feedback was that they;
“Liked the freedom to speak and the new
social circle and friends they had made”.
Another comment was that;
“Having to do something – the games, ex-
ercises, having to interview visitors, - was
very constructive and it was important that
is was all voluntary”.
this during their evaluations they did also say they They also became aware of their own progression as
learned a lot from each other. One of them, who is facilitators and the improvement of their skills and
very experienced at delivering the Groupwork Mod- competencies needed for the delivery of groupwork.
ule 1, said he was
“Surprised that even with such a small The longer version of this case study expands of this
number the essence of the tutors sup- experience in more detail including the “Tea or
porti,ng and learning from each other with coffee moment” - eucourage.eu
the course director facilitating this rather
than “teaching” or having too much input Success and the Future
was maintained during the sessions”. Despite the difficulty in recruiting trainers for the
programme the posi-
tive feedback from the
young people, their
parents and guardians,
and the tutors has made
the CYS even more de-
termined to revive the
DGW programme.

The Learning for the The key reason for this

Young People – decision and the opti-
A Summary mism which surrounds
For the young people they it is that it reaches all
were unaffected by the young people and those
smaller than anticipated who are disconnect-
overall number of groups ed said it gave them a
as their own groups were platform to engage with
self-contained and able to youth services, schools
run unhindered. and other organisations.

Also the involvement

The learning and progres-
sion was recorded through
tutors’ notes and with for-
mal questionnaires. Over 90% of participants re-
corded on written evaluations that they had made
progress or felt more confident in the areas of Meet-
ing and Greeting People, Making Eye Contact, Mak-
ing Conversation and Listening to Others.
In the evaluations one young person said;
“It was good to be treated like adults and
not like children. You could have a point
of view and the worker did not try to make
you come around to theirs if it was different.
You just had to explain what you meant”.
The group from East Clare became so used to greet-
ing each other with a handshake that they continued
to do this unconsciously when they went to their
youth club.
The Learning for the Youth Workers and Vol-
unteers – A Summary
For the tutors it was inevitable with the small num-
bers an element of the Groupwork learning process
during their sessions with the Course Director was
lost. However while the three tutors did comment on
Each week the tutors would record information
about their goals for the group of young peo-
ple as a whole and for individuals in the group.
The progress made towards these goals and the expe-
rience of the weekly session was discussed at a meeting
each week with other tutors and the course director.
As the weeks went on the tutors began to notice the
development of their groups and the progress, or in
some cases a lack of progress, being made by indi-
viduals.
with the COURAGE
project was very impor-
tant as well. As we learned
from our colleagues about their work similarities
emerged and none more so than with the MOT Project.
Heading into the 2017/18 academic and youth club
year CYS has plans to run the Developmental Group
Work Programme in the Community Training Cen-
tre with the learners, within the youth work projects
and with volunteers in the County’s Youth Clubs.

38 | The COURAGE Project The COURAGE Project | 39


LITHUANIA
State of the art
Introduction
Lithuanians are one of the ethnic groups in the Baltic
region. While Lithuania has a population of about
2,9 million people, there are at least another million
living in other countries, with Lithuanians generally
located in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Rus-
sia, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The native language is Lithuanian, one of two living
Baltic languages. An interesting fact about the lan-
guage is that as far back as the beginning of the 19th
century people noticed that Lithuanian was very
similar to Sanskrit. Linguists around the world are
still fascinated that the Lithuanian language has re-
tained features of this ancient language and it hasn’t
really simplified much.
Many Lithuanians are multilingual; two-thirds of
the population declare that they are able to speak at
least two foreign languages. This exceeds the average
of the European Union by several times. Accord-
ing to the data from Eurostat, 66.1 per cent of the
40 | The COURAGE Project
Project Partner:
Alytus Youth Centre
population of Lithuania, aged 25 – 64, can speak two
or more foreign languages, 31.5 per cent can speak
one foreign language, and a mere 2.5 percent of the
population cannot speak any foreign languages. The
foreign languages people speak the most are English
and Russian.
Religion: Predominantly, Roman Catholic (approxi-
mately 80% of the total population). Others include
Orthodox, Old Believers, Lutheran, Reformat, Jew-
ish, Sunni, Karaite and other communities.
Landscape: There are over 2,800 lakes larger than 0.5
hectares in size, and 18 rivers longer than 100 kilo-
metres in Lithuania.
Education system in Lithuania
Children in Lithuania can take part in pre-school
education from birth until they start compulsory
pre-primary education at the age of 6. According to
the Law on Education, children who have reached
seven years of age must attend the first form. If par-
ents so wish and if a child is sufficiently mature to
study under the primary education programme, they
can start school earlier. The duration of the primary
education programme is four years.
After completion of their primary education, pu-
pils begin the 6-year lower secondary education
programme. The lower secondary education pro-
gramme is implemented by basic, secondary, voca-
tional education and training schools, pro-gymnasi-
ums and gymnasiums.
The compulsory lower secondary education pro-
gramme consists of two parts: part I – a 4-year pro-
gramme implemented in the 5th-8th forms and part
II – a 2-year programme implemented in the 9th-
10th forms (1st-2nd forms of the gymnasium).
In the 9th form (1st form of the gymnasium), pupils
can choose subject modules and study elective sub-
jects according to their interests and abilities.
Upper secondary education is not compulsory and
usually lasts two years (11th-12th forms of the sec-
ondary school (3rd-4th forms of the gymnasium).
Pupils study according to individual education plans;
the programme may include the modules of the pro-
gramme for vocational education and training. Up-
per secondary education is provided in secondary
schools, gymnasiums, and vocational education and
training schools.
University degrees in Lithuania are offered in three
cycles: the first cycle is undergraduate (Bachelor), the
second cycle is graduate (Master, and/or specialised
professional studies), and the third one is postgrad-
uate (Doctoral; residency; postgraduate in the Arts)
After school, pupils can select various non-formal
education activities and these are provided in general
education schools. Most of these activities are free of
charge or paid from the pupil’s education voucher.
Young people in NEET
Early school leaving level in Lithuania is currently
relatively low (8-9%). Lithuania is among twelve EU
countries that have already overtaken the intended
European aim of 2020 (10%).
This can be explained by the fact that the majority of
young people prefer to continue their education in
vocational training schools or colleges.
The COURAGE Project | 41
Young people’s unemployment in Lithuania is low-
er than in 11 EU countries and 1percentage point
lower than the EU average. There were registered
28.8 thousand of young unemployed people up to
29 years old in 2014. It is 13 thousand less comparing
to 2013, which makes up 18.9 % of all unemployed.
However, the number of unemployed young people
is continually fluctuating as some people lose their
jobs while others are looking for their first job af-
ter finishing vocational schools or graduating from
higher schools. The latter have much more problems
as the employers prefer to hire people with work ex-
perience which graduates have not accumulated yet.
Unsuccessful integration into the labour market and
lack of job vacancies are the most important negative
factors influencing the emergence of many young
people’s problems: social exclusion, drug and alco-
hol addiction, inability to pay for further studies and
acquire a place of residence.
On the other hand, there are many job vacancies in
Lithuania, and employers constantly complain about
lack of employees. This can be explained by the fact
that some young people inadequately evaluate their
abilities hoping to be offered a higher salary than it is
proposed for a beginner. Besides, often young people
work inefficiently and do not achieve expected re-
sults as they want to receive a maximum salary for
minimal efforts.
According to Eurostat data, there are 80-90 thou-
sand of young people not in education, employment
or training (NEET) in Lithuania. Separate group of
youngsters is made up of those who experience so-
cial risk, do not have necessary social skills and are
asocial.
The priority of Lithuanian youth policy is directed
towards young people not in education, employ-
ment or training. Consultations and discussions are
organized how to help these youngsters to return to
schools, or enter the labour market.
42 | The COURAGE Project
The main reasons of young people’s unemployment Alytus Youth Center Alytus Youth Centre is the establishment, involving
in Lithuania are the following: lack of vocational Alytus Youth Center (AYC) – it is an institution, the highest number of students and visitors among
training, lack of work experience and nonconform- providing the whole range of non-formal education non-formal education schools in Alytus, and it is the
ity of acquired professional knowledge to the needs activities and additional occupations. AYC is a basis second largest center in the country.
of the labour market. and place of experienced, talented, creative and
motivated staff, teachers, offering new opportuni- AYC offers educational activities, events, exhibitions,
An early withdrawal from secondary education is ties, and initiatives. and other forms of learning, occupation and pastime,
also one of the factors preventing youngsters from supports and actively involves over 1000 members of
entering into the labour market. We prevent from harmful habits, educate personal the community – children, youth and adults, some of
and social competencies, prepare for life by provid- whom are motivation and purpose driven, and oth-
Lithuania is one the first countries in European Un- ing professional knowledge, motivating to choose, ers who just want to find themselves and to achieve
ion (EU) that began to implement Youth Guaran- to study and achieve results. the objective – to become a successful person.
tee Initiative. During the programming period of
2014–2020, investments into the encouragement of
young people’s employment will be one of the main
priorities of Lithuania and the EU.
In order to significantly reduce the level of young
people’s unemployment, tools provided in the Youth
Guarantee Initiative plan will be implemented ac-
cording to which 15-29 year old people who are not
in employment, education or training will get pro-
posals to work, continue studies, acquire or improve
qualification, participate in an internship or training
through the apprenticeship within 4 month after the
completion of formal education, or after their in-
volvement into the Youth Guarantees Initiative.
An individual plan will be made for each participant
of the program considering his/her personal needs
and status.
The individual plan will include all possible activities
as well as 116 activities of integration into the labour
market defined by the action programme of the Eu-
ropean Union funds for 2014–2020 under which a
young person should work, participate in education,
internship or training through apprenticeship.
The Youth Guarantee Initiative will facilitate tran-
sition of young people from the education system
into the labour market and enable them to acquire
necessary skills for the labour market. Early inter-
vention, activation and integration into the labour
market services will be rendered in order to encour-
age NEET education, socialisation and employment.
The COURAGE Project | 43
 CASE STUDY 1
Folk studio “Rūta”
Introduction
Alytus Youth Centre is an institution providing a
wide range of non-formal education activities and
additional occupations. AYC is a basis and place
of experienced, talented, creative and motivated
staff and teachers offering new opportunities and
initiatives.
We try to prevent young people from harmful habits,
educate their personal and social competencies, pre-
pare them for life by providing professional knowl-
edge, motivating to choose, study and achieve results.
As a partner in COURAGE project, Alytus Youth
Center has chosen a dance theme to help teenagers
and young people to start positive changes in their
lives, keep them safe and self-confident. There are
so many evidences and opportunities in choosing
dance as an extracurricular activity.
Friendships
Being active in dance classes, or on a competitive
team helps young people to build meaningful and
44 | The COURAGE Project
respectful friendships. Young people spend a lot of
time with their dance partners having fun and some-
times going through tough times, too.
Self-confidence
There are so many issues that the teens face today:
from boyhood troubles to self-image matters, and
even pressures of deciding what their career will be
in 10 years. Therefore, the dance provides them with
a place to forget the stress and focus on building
self-esteem and self-confidence. It gives dancers an
opportunity to build their skills and accomplish their
goals in a fun environment.
Why dance?
A case – study in AYC is based on Rokas. He is a
teenager, attending folk dance studio Ruta at AYC.
For centuries, many cultures have used dance to
communicate, show emotions, share stories, and
provide physical and emotional healing.
Use of dance as a type of physical therapy and psy-
chotherapy goes back to the 1940s. Nowadays dance
therapy is used to treat a variety of emotional andBenefits of dance are proven to have a positive im-
physical conditions. pact on troubled children and teenagers. When used
for the teens and children, it offers them a possibil-
Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses ity to develop a healthier sense of self-worth. It also
movement to further a person’s social, cognitive, gives them tools to cope with emotional issues, work
emotional and physical devel- through difficult problems,
opment. Modern dance teachers and improve personal com-
strive not only to provide non-for- munication skills. Dance
mal education or pastime, but help Through movement, chil- teachers can use movement
individuals develop their improved dren and teens can express and dance to help a child or a
emotional stability, a better self-im- themselves, show what teenager relax their body ten-
age and essential communication they are feeling and learn sion, which improves their
skills. to understand themselves. emotional function.
Dance therapy uses the body’s ex- Through movement, chil-
pressive movements to help deal dren and teens can express
with emotional issues. Individuals of all physical themselves, show what they are feeling and learn
abilities and ages can benefit from this type of thera- to understand themselves. For children and teens,
py. Even though it is possible for a person to benefit dance therapy may include making up a new dance
from private sessions, group dance therapy is also routine, telling a story through their dance, dancing
an option. as quickly as possible, dancing to mirror the move-
ments of other people, or even dancing to show a
specific emotion.
The COURAGE Project | 45
Dance specifically proves to be helpful for children
and teens that deal with:
• Excessive or extreme anger
• Hyperactivity
• Neurological issues
• Past traumas, such as physical, emotional
or sexual abuse
• Self-harm
• Suicidal thoughts
• Problems with self esteem
• Concentration problems, such as ADHD
• Eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia
• Depression
• Stress or anxiety

Rokas has experienced a wide range of emotions typ-

ical for teenage age (He is now 17). He’s been engaged
in folk dancing since he was three. Rokas admits that
there were several times he wanted to quit, as he was
sick and tired of folk. On the other hand, in Lithua-
nia, folk dance is not popular with boys, so bullying
was another challenge to handle. Sometimes dancing
is still considered as “female” pastime.

The dance teacher Ruta was the main supporter and

mentor for Rokas” choices and decisions. According
to Rokas, she is like a mother to him – not putting
pressure but motivating, offering freedom to choose,
and take responsibility for other members of folk
dance class.
Even though classmates and friends’ bullying did
affect him a lot, Rokas gathered strength and kept
dancing. Unfortunately, popularity of folk dance in
Lithuania decreases, so a lot of efforts are needed to
maintain Lithuanian traditions.
Folk dances are characterized by a symmetrical de-
sign, and in later times by a compositional complex-
ity and variety of figures. There are various ways of
dancing in pairs. Partners can embrace each other in
the polka- or waltz-like manner, or they can just hold
each other’s hands when facing each other or stand-
ing in a circle, or hold each other by their bent arms.
Dances and games used to be restrained. There were
no solo dances. Leg movements are dominant: the
steps are short, the feet are not raised high, and there
are no big leaps. Hand movements are characteris-
tic of imitative dances. The most frequent steps are
walking, jumping, as well as waltz and polka steps.
The dominant figures are turning, intertwining, go-
ing through and changing places. Purely men’s danc-
es are not very popular in Lithuania.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century game
dances were gradually replaced by circle dances,
Young people liked polkas and other fast-moving
dances which came from Western Europe.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first folk
dances were adapted for the stage. Since 1940 about
300 folk dances and circle dances have been adapted
for the stage.
A lot of performances given by amateur companies
open with the hat dance Kepurine, which is a greet-
ing dance.
Among the Lithuanians living in emigration, the
dance Kubilas (Tub) enjoys great popularity. The
dance Klumpakojis (Clog dance) became popular at
the end of the last century. Ethnographic and folklore
groups are trying hard to revive old folk dances. Each
ethnic region has its favorite dances. Several danc-
es, such as Bitute (Little Bee), Noriu miego (I feel so
sleepy), Suktinis (Twirler) and Zilvitis (Osier Tree)
are popular in all parts of Lithuania.
Rokas learned not to pay attention to bullying. “Oth-
ers can say or think whatever they like, it does not
affect me. I am doing this for myself, not for others,
and I enjoy dancing. It far much better than sitting
home and doing nothing”, admits Rokas.
Rokas achievements are remarkable. Dancing both
folk and line dance, he has numerous awards, prizes
and medals from national and international tour-
naments. It helped him to build his self-confidence,
trust, motivation, self-esteem, responsibility and
stamina needed for future life.
Dance therapy really worked in this particular case.
Rokas’ teacher Ruta was able to use dance as a pow-
erful tool to encourage a teenager and share this
good practice among her students and colleagues.
The interview with Rokas was published at the local
newspaper Alytaus naujienos. The outcomes and
results were shared with AYC community and social
partners.

46 | The COURAGE Project The COURAGE Project | 47

 Project Partner:
Haugeland upper Secondary School, Haugesund

NORWAY
State of the art We also offer some other educational courses, but the
two mentioned are the main ones.
teaching method enabling mentors / teach-
ers “see” each student, adapting teaching and
giving the student ample room for student
Our public school is divided into three levels. Year Our upper secondary school is mainly divided into Our upper secondary school is not compulsory, but
participation.
1-7 is our primary school with pupils aged 6-13. Year two. One three year theoretical education, prepar- everyone has the right to go to upper secondary
8-10 is our lower secondary school with pupils from ing the students for university etc. The second one school.
the age of 13 to 16. Both of these levels are free and is a two year long vocational education qualifying ＞＞ Study Centre (adapted education, learning
compulsory. We also offer a preschool/kindergarten the students for a two year long apprenticeship in a In Norway about 70% of students complete upper strategies, vocational orientation)
for children from the age of 1 till 6. This is not free relevant company. secondary school. This figure shows that Norway According to the Education Act (§ 1.3), all
or compulsory even though the majority of children must do something so that more students complete students have the right to a customized and
attend this. and pass upper secondary education. Students drop- adapted training according to their needs. It is
ping out of upper secondary school often end up as up to each school and their teachers to find the
upper secondary upper secondary upper secondary NEETs. It is therefore important for the government best solutions for how the students educational
General university admissions certification
level 1 at school level 2 at school level 3 at school and for the individual student that the drop-out rate needs are met.
is as low as possible. To ensure this we need to have a
Supplementary programme Supplementary programme for relevant education and a school that includes every- Haugaland Secondary School decided a few
for general university admis- general university admissions one socially. years ago that the school would create a study
sions certification certification centre where the main objective was to provide
Haugaland upper secondary school customized and adapted training for students
upper secondary upper secondary upper secondary
Vocational competence Haugaland upper secondary school experience the who struggled with their development of basic
level 1 at school level 2 at school level 3 at school
same challenges that we have nationwide. The school skills within numeracy and literacy.
has implemented several steps to decrease the drop-
In-service training at a training establishment Craft- or out rate and make the students complete the educa- ＞＞ Follow-up service (OT)
journeyman’s tion they have started. Some of these steps are: The Norwegian Education Act requires each
In-service training at a training establishment certificate county to have a follow-up service for young
special paths ＞＞ Systematic student development: people between 16 and 21 who are not in edu-
Systematic student development is a practical

48 49
This is a schematic overview of the Norwegian upper secondary education:

| The COURAGE Project The COURAGE Project |

 cation or employment.
Rogaland County Council has organized the
follow-up service by employing and placing
OT supervisors (follow-up supervisors) at the
largest upper secondary schools in the district.
Haugaland upper secondary school is one of
those schools where there is an OT supervisor.
＞＞ Alternative combinations of school and work
practice
As mentioned earlier, the average progress for
a student is two years in school and two years
as an apprentice. While this programme works
for most students, it is not successful for all
students. Haugaland has had good experience
with combining school and workplace practice
for students who are not motivated for being
50 | The COURAGE Project
full time at school.
＞＞ Reading program
As a result of the STAY ON project, Haugaland
deceided to introduce a reading project in
2014/15. The students start the day in their
respective classrooms/woorkshops by reading
a book, magazine, comic stip etc. – they read
something they enjoy, not homework, and not
from a computer or ipad. The aim of the project
was to improve the students reading skills.
＞＞ MOT
In our pursuit of a good strategy and actions to
stop bullying/harassement of students at our
school, we chose to become a MOT school.
The three pillars of the MOT programme is:
• Courage to care
• Courage to live
• Courage to say no
MOT`s values emanate from:
-- The desire to help people to take care of each
other and make conscious choices
-- The desire to reach goals by focusing on values
-- The conviction that courage is a very important
characteristic
MOT`s vision is a warmer and safer environment to
grow up in.
＞＞ Physical training and activity to increase
motivation
We have set up different school tournaments in
sports` activities like football, and we engaged
in a cooperation with a local football club,
Haugar, in connection with the COURAGE
project, in order to try and see how these activ-
ities would influence the school achivements
and the well-being and prosperity of some of
our students.
These are some of the activities our school
has implemented to include our students in
the society and to stay longer in school. Our
case studies examine the two latest mentioned
activities closer.
The COURAGE Project | 51
 CASE STUDY 1
MOT
“How can we use MOT to prevent bullying
and drop-outs?”
Description
In 2002 the first nationwide student survey came in
Norway. This is an annual survey in which students
voice their opinion concerning learning and well-be-
ing in school.
The responses are used by the schools, the munici-
pality and the state to improve education in Norwe-
gian schools.
The results from the first student survey in 2002
showed in our opinion too high numbers regarding
bullying.
When we became acquainted to MOT and their pro-
gramme, we found out that this was something we
wanted to introduce to our school.
Correlation with the school's educational
reference
MOT and their ideas fit well with the school's ed-
ucational platform. This builds on the consequence
52 | The COURAGE Project
pedagogy. This pedagogy is based on a view of hu-
manity that believes that the student may choose to
do something else tomorrow, if he or she did some-
thing stupid today.
We want to help students with their social learning
as much as academic learning.
We try to do this without being moralizing because
we want students to make their own choices and take
responsibility for their actions.
MOT on Haugaland
Haugaland has educated approximately 10 MOT
coaches from the staff. These coaches visits the all
the classes in school four times a year. This is the
most important part of the MOT program.
These MOT sessions, based on highly regarded be-
havioral theories, draw on methodologies of inter-
active group discussions, practical exercises, games,
roleplaying, experiential stories and self-reflection,
attitudes and thought patterns.
Students in first year has four visits and the students
in the second year has two visits.
The first visit is at the very start of the school year and
then we'll spread them throughout the year.
In November every year we celebrate the “Courage
to enjoy-day”. All the students spend a day to help
and encourage others, often people they don’t know.
In March, we have a week called “the week of dreams”.
Students write down a dream they have and we try to
fulfill some of them.
We also have had visits from “the MOT tour” twice.
Well-known artists perform at our school and some
of our own students also participate and perform at
the concert.
It is important that the staff involves in the MOT-
work. We have several MOT-sessions for the entire
staff, as well as our MOT coaches go to various con-
ferences.
At all school events, such as summer and Christmas
endings, we have performances from students that
has been involved in MOT.
Conclusion
After implementing MOT at our school, the bully-
ing has decreased. Many students say that MOT is
helping them in making good decisions for them-
selves. As a result of this, the school has decided to
increase the MOT-programme at Haugaland.
For the next 3 years we will join a new programme
from MOT called “MOT as a community-builder”.
In the new programme, which all our staff will take
part in, we will make sure that the school culture
includes all our students. We will increase the
number of visits that our coaches have to each class.
During a two-year-period the number of visits go
from six to twelve in every class.
Students that has been engaged in MOT say that they
have the MOT values with them when they make
different choices and that they stand up for others in
the classroom.
They say that they feel more secure and that they are
able to say no to things that are bad for them.
The COURAGE Project | 53
 CASE STUDY 2
Getting active
Purposes
Haugaland wanted to offer students physicaly train-
ing without any obligations. We made a partnership
with a local football club (Sk Haugar) that organ-
ized the training once a week. The main goal was to
gather people from our school both to exercise and
socialize and make new friends.
Description
We started in September 2016 in a big football hall.
The training was from 13.00 – 14.30 (student free
time) every Tuesday
At the beginning only a few students met, but we
worked hard to market the scheme through the stu-
dent council, department hours, information screens
and so on.
At the end of September we had 24 students at the
most. It was a nice mix from the different depart-
ments, and it was also 6 girls.
We managed to keep going until the middle of De-
cember.
54 | The COURAGE Project
Conclusion
A study among the students showed that many met
because they wanted extra training.
• The majority also said that they became familiar
with students from other departments.
• Most off the student said that they were playing
football in a local football club in addition.
• Most of them ended the football training be-
cause they did not have time due to schoolwork.
• At times the students were out in practice, and
could not participate.
The school experienced that it was difficult to keep
a stable group of students week after week. This was
due to many things, but mainly because the training
was after school hours and many of the student had
practice periods and therefore couldn’t attend for
many weeks.
The COURAGE Project | 55

PORTUGAL
State of the art
National and Regional Educational context
Access to education and culture is a legal right of the
whole population, foreseen in the Constitution of the
Portuguese Republic (articles 43 and 73) and in the
Law no. 46/86.
The coordination of the education policy is the re-
sponsibility of the Ministry of Education, at national
level and of Regional Directorates at regional level,
and of the local authorities at local level. Despite this
apparent division of responsibilities, the Portuguese
education system is highly centralized. It is divided
into six different sequential levels.
56 | The COURAGE Project
Project Partner:
Carlos Gargaté School cluster
Kindergarten
Pre-primary education is optional from the ages of
three to five, and it is provided in both state-run and
private kindergarten schools. State-run kindergar-
tens provision is free of charge.
Compulsory Education
Since 2009, the Law No. 85 has defined the extension
of compulsory schooling for school aged children
and youth – from 6 to 18 years old.
Children aged six by 15th September must be en-
rolled in their first school year in that calendar year.
In addition, children who reach the age of six be-
tween 16 September and 31 December may be
authorized to attend the first stage of education,
provided a request is submitted by their parents or
guardians to the school nearest to their residence (or
place of work) during the annual enrolment period.
State-run schools are free of charge.
Basic Education (Ensino Básico) lasts for nine years
divided into three stages of four, two and three years
respectively. The stages are, in that order, (1st Cy-
cle), 2º Ciclo (2nd Cycle) and 3º Ciclo (3rd Cycle).
A Diploma/Certificate is awarded at the end of the
third cycle.
Secondary Education (Ensino Secundário) - pub-
lic, private or cooperative - is compulsory since the
school year of 2012/2013 and consists of a three-year
cycle after basic education. Access is through the
Certificate of Basic Education. There are two types
of courses: general courses and technical/vocational
courses, providing instruction in technical, techno-
logical, professional fields and in the Portuguese lan-
guage and culture.
Access to higher education is made through a na-
tional online process, in which students enter the
university by priority, based on their school grades
and specific exams.
The COURAGE Project | 57
 Graphic-Evolution graphic of the actual schooling rate (%) by
levelof education in Portugal - Source DGEEC-MEC, 2015
105 % above the European average and it is not more se- • Alternative Curriculum Programs and the Inte-
100 100
100 % 97,9 rious because the country has been “exporting” an grated Education and Training;
94,9 95,3
95 % 92,0
93,8
92,3 91,9
average of 100 thousand Portuguese a year, mostly • Support for international students and/or mi-
90,9
90 % 88,0
92,1
qualified young people. grant background through classes in Portuguese
86,4 89,5
84,4 87,3
89,9
87,5
Portugal, along with the European Union, has also as a Foreign Language or Portuguese as second
85 % 86,2 86,3
86,5 come to adopt a set of measures to combat the scourge language;
80 % 82,5 83,5
of young NEETs, whose economic and social impact • Student Welfare;
75 %
74,3
is shown. The most important measures were set out • The Educational Territories for Priority Inter-
73,6
70 %
71,4
72,5 72,3 then according to different areas of focus, some of vention Program (TEIP) ;
65 % 68,1 which are committed to prevention, intervention • The “More School Success Program” (PMSE);
59,8 63,2 and compensation, as far as other existing measures • Education in prisons.
60 %
60,0
55 % that can combine the three actions.
54,2 Politic measures in order to promote qualification
50 %
2004 / 05 2005 / 06 2006 / 07 2007/ 08 2008 / 09 2009 / 10 2010 / 11 2011 / 12 2012 / 13 2013/ 14 Politic measures in order to prevent Early and employment
School Leaving and to promote success “Garantia Jovem” (The Youth Guarantee)
1º Ciclo 2º Ciclo 3º Ciclo Secundário
According to the National reform program report,
PORTUGAL 2020 (Approved by the Council of The Program opportunities in education:
Ministers, 20th March 2011), more and better edu- In order to take the young people to complete 12
Portugal -Facts and figures cation of educational and training choices, such as,
cation is the purpose of this program, attainable by years of study, the program invests in courses that
The graphic shows the positive development in courses that provide dual academic and vocational
reducing dropout rates within the educational and provide academic and professional equivalence:
secondary education from 2005/2006 and, on the certification, the extension of the network operators
vocational training systems and by increasing the Vocational courses, Professional courses, Education
other hand, the decrease in the 2nd and 3rd cycles and the increase of compulsory education to 12
number of graduates in higher education. and Training courses, Learning courses.
of basic education from 2010/2011. In the 1st cycle years.
there is a slight drop in 2013/2014 compared to In a period marked by an economic and financial The Program opportunities in employment
the previous school year. While the reduction in Economic impact for Portugal due to the
crisis, the Ministry of Education has implemented The Youth Guarantee program helps young people
the rate in the 2nd and 3rd cycles may result from existence of a NEET population
a set of reforms aimed at optimizing resources. In to find a job offer in Portugal or even abroad or to
increased retention and dropouts in recent academ- In Portugal, the existence of this group of
this sense, measures involving a reduction and real- meet support and incentives for creating their own
ic years, the fall in the 1st cycle in 2013/2014, may young people between 15 and 24 who nei-
location of funding were implemented, as well as the employment or business.
also be associated with the number of children aged ther study nor work has great economic im-
adequacy between human resources and education
6 who are still in pre-school education. Regarding pact and they cost the nation 2,680 million per
needs. It provides employment support measures such as
secondary education, there are positive develop- year. It is an amount corresponding to 1.57%
Encouraging Employment, a measure that is intend-
ments, since 2005/2006, explained by the diversifi- of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fairly
The educational attainment of the Portuguese pop- ed to support companies that hire young people full
ulation has been improving over the last one-and-a- time or part time.
half decades and there has been a reduction in school There are also the programs: Opportunities in Train-
32.613

dropout rates. These improvements are the result of ing and in Internship.
a wide range of measures, namely:
TOTAL UE • Extended compulsory education up to the age Given the dimension of socio-economic problems of
22.179

153.013 of 18; the NEET generation in Portugal in addition to the

18.347

• The reorganization and rationalization of the measures taken by the state, it can even be identified
15.735

15.484

school network; a set of practices from civil society (with direct or

• A global in service teachers training strategy indirect support of the Portuguese state) that seek to
7535

and the restructure of the teacher training cen- find solutions for this group of young people wheth-
7083

5212

4327

3957

tres; er in education, qualification, employment or even a

2680

1799

1260

Perda estimada para a • The implementation of measures, in all basic combination of all or some of them.
economia schools, for students at risk of failing, such as,
italia

franca

a. urido

espania

alemanha

poporia

grecia

belgica

irlanda

holanda

portugal

r. checa

sueda

recovery plans and monitoring plans;

www.p3.publico.pt

58 | The COURAGE Project The COURAGE Project | 59

Orquestra Geração | Sistema Portugal
This social inclusion project focuses on teaching
music to young and disadvantaged communities
who have never had contact with the orchestral
practice, strengthening their individual, social and
educational skills.
The method applied is based on a very simple princi-
ple - any child starts to speak by listening and imitat-
ing adults before they start writing. Thus, students,
always in possession of instruments, will imitate
what the teacher does. The vocal reproduction of
the melodies is also carried out, not only as a playful
way of approach to music but also as an ideal tool for
memorizing them.
EPIS - Empresários Pela Inclusão Social
In 2007, EPIS started two programs: Future Schools,
identification of good management practices in Por-
tuguese schools and Mediation program, implement-
ing the first network of mediators for school success
aiming, in its early stages, students of the 3rd cycle,
“risk cases” in terms of dropouts and school success.
In 2012/2013, the Association created the Vocations
EPIS program to young adults with low qualifica-
tions, following the identification of guidance areas,
training and professional integration as fundamental
to follow up the work developed by the mediators
and the need for intervention with groups of young
people without qualifications, who do not wish to
study despite their majority age and the difficulties
in accessing the labour market.
Fundação Benfica - projeto Para ti se não
faltares (For you if you don’t miss school)
The “Para ti se não faltares” project includes numer-
ous activities, including sports activities, developing
social integration programs.
The project offers prizes to students who make a
significant effort to improve their attendance, be-
haviour and achievement in school. At the end of
each term, beneficiaries can earn prizes depend-
ing on their evaluation determined by the School
60 | The COURAGE Project
and the Benfica Foundation. Also at the end of
each term, the Benfica Foundation organizes a
futsal/soccer tournament where only beneficiar-
ies who met their objectives can participate and
not specifically those skilled in football practice.
Introduction to case studies
Nevertheless and despite the existence of such posi-
tive conceptions about the education and training of
young people in Portugal, and according to a study
published by Eurostat, “Education, employment,
both or neither? What are young people doing in
the EU? (2015)” almost one in six young people be-
tween 20-24 years old more specifically 17.5%, does
not study or work.
This percentage is slightly above the European aver-
age, 17.3%. It is also referred that this percentage has
risen sharply in the last 10 years in Portugal, since
in 2006 the data was 12.6%. This group of NEET
has great economic impact and it costs the nation
2,680 million per year. It is an amount corresponding
to 1.57% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fairly
above the European average and it is not more se-
rious because the country has been “exporting” an
average of 100 000 Portuguese a year, of the most
qualified young people, over the last few years.
In order to solve the problem of early school leav-
ers, the lack of qualifications and to reduce youth
unemployment rates, the Portuguese government,
through its own measures or others in conjunction
with the European Union, has sought to combat this
problem. The civil society has also been involved in
solving this problem through the implementation
of projects and initiatives that aim to combat the
scourge of youth NEET in Portugal.
Among the initiatives of the civil society, we will fo-
cus two, in order to be our case studies: The “Or-
questra Geração” and the “Benfica foundation” with
the project “For you if you don’t miss school” because
they work on fields that we think are less valuated by
the Portuguese Curriculum, like music or sport. We
have good feedback on their work with these groups
from the partner institutions and from the media,
preventing the exclusion of many.
The COURAGE Project | 61
 CASE STUDY 1
Orquestra Geração (OG)
Emerged in 2007 and aimed to develop a set of
actions that would help combat factors of so-
cial exclusion, such as school absenteeism or un-
employment, especially in the younger classes,
which constituted the great majority of the pop-
ulation coming from other social disadvantaged
neighbourhoods and rehoused in Casal da Boba.
This project focused in the action and social integra-
tion through music and it was destined primarily to
young people in social and educational vulnerability
situations. By 2015, OG had already extended its ac-
tivities to 18 public schools or clusters throughout
the country (although mostly in Lisbon); involving
approximately 1,500 young people (Mota and Lopes,
2017).
Project Fundamentals
The benefits of education through the study of arts
and in particular through music have been widely
demonstrated. Several studies have highlighted the
benefits of music in education and the development
of children and young people (Hallan, 2010). In
general, the work on this theme emphasizes the ef-
62 | The COURAGE Project
fects on cognitive development - spatial intelligence,
confidence, school success and creativity - whether
physical - health and well-being - or social - gains in
self-esteem, social cohesion and sociability revealed
by the children and young people.
OG bases its methodology on the experience of El
Sistema (ES) - National System of children and youth
orchestras of Venezuela, created in 1975. Orquestra
Geração aims to provide children from unfavourable
conditions with an extensive and comprehensive edu-
cational program that will help their social integration.
The OG system also aims to contribute to a more
harmonious growth of children and young people by
extending their life prospects and promoting social
mobility through inclusion and school success as a
whole. Therefore, OG also helps them gradually to
build their personalities in order to prepare them to
be able to choose, in the future, a profession away
from marginality, crime and drugs.
They achieve these goals through musical education,
especially orchestra playing, since working together
for long periods during the week, makes them know
each other better, respect each other and work with
each other towards a common goal: the final public
presentation. The project also aims to develop chil-
dren and youth orchestras in schools with students
from 6 to 15 years old attending elementary school.
How does OG work?
In the first year, the orchestra can go up to 30
students and the instruments are just string in-
struments. Classes take place in the premises of
the selected basic school, in after-school hours.
The orchestra teachers will be assigned/provided by
Conservatory after authorization by the Ministry of
Education for their hiring. In each school a Music
Coordinator (under the responsibility of the Nation-
al Conservatory) and a School Coordinator (teach-
er of the school, appointed by the headteacher) are
named. The Music Coordinator will be responsible
for the organization of the musical component of the
project in the school and its integration in it, serv-
ing as a bridge with the available school structures,
supported by the School Coordinator, responsible
for the students, articulating the teachers, the school
and the families. The case-by-case monitoring is crit-
ical to the success of the project, taking into account
the analysis of the student’s behaviour (not to miss
classes and academically successful at the end of the
school year).
In the second year are introduced the wind instru-
ments in the group of strings, the orchestra can ad-
mit 16 more students. The year ends with a one-week
intensive workshop with all students and eventually
with other orchestras. A public presentation in a ref-
erence space follows.
The third year marks the entrance of percussion
instruments and the orchestra can go up to 50 ele-
ments. It also ends with a final workshop.
In the remaining years the technical and artistic de-
velopment of children and adolescents continues.
When students reach secondary school, they have
the opportunity to integrate one of the Municipal
The COURAGE Project | 63
orchestras where they can continue to develop their
artistic skills.
Aims and methods of our case study:
To evaluate the success of these practices/projects,
we planned our investigation and collected qualita-
tive and quantitative information, as follow:
another field of opportunity, both for the pursuit of
studies and possibly of a profession for some (a few,
of course) students.
Increased Identity (children, families, communi-
ty) | OG promotes new relational experiences and,
above all, it reinforces not only the self-esteem of the

How Why What

What happens with the
students after the pro-
ject? Does the project
help to integrate them in
society?
This is a project, which includes
music and this project is now
occurring in several parts of
Portugal. We want to know
what is the role of the project
owners and the success of their
methodology in order to pre-
vent exclusion of the young.
1. To know some statis-
tical data about the
students’ results before
the project and during
the project.
2. To read previous re-
ports.
3. To interview students
and teachers.

Findings: young, but also the self-esteem of families and even

Following closely the conclusions of the evaluation
study of the OG, prepared in 2012 by Malheiros et
al, they highlight a set of strengths as follows below:
Strengthening of general skills of children / youth
| OG facilitates communication, encourages team-
work, the development of collective meaning and the
ability to relate elements. In addition, by requiring
discipline and individual effort, it allows important
advances in motivation, interest, accuracy, meeting
schedules and the self-esteem of students. It is worth
highlighting the progress in the way children value
themselves and, in some way, how they look at their
future. In terms of impact on school results, they do
not suggest there is a significant difference between
OG children and their colleagues who had other ac-
tivities.
Reinforcement of specific knowledge of children /
youth | The OG strengthens specific knowledge in
terms of music and helps to fill one of the Portuguese
school system deficits, which is a limited offer of
music teaching. In addition, OG contributes to open
education professionals, especially music teachers.
The connections to the school are strengthened and
the logic of the participating and present school
community is developed. A very important sym-
bolic dimension of OG is the celebration realized
in numerous public presentations. In fact, the great
appreciation of the shows is a common feature to the
vast majority of children and families.
Social development and inclusion | The OG creates
(and in some cases materializes) different expecta-
tions of the future and awakens to improbable life
projects in the social contexts of the students’ origin.
In general, terms, it is an initiative that clearly con-
tributes to the inclusion and empowerment of disad-
vantaged children (and even their families) and also
to mitigate deviant behaviour risks, taking preven-
tive action from very early ages (6 / 7 years old).
Citizenship | The OG encourages the personal and
collective responsibility inherent in the way an or-
chestra operates, which facilitates the transposition
of collective work principles and respect for col-
leagues to other contexts.

64 | The COURAGE Project

 CASE STUDY 2
“Para ti Se não faltares
(For you if you don’t miss school)
The Benfica Foundation was established on 27th Jan-
uary 2009 by resolution of the founder and institutor,
Sport Lisboa e Benfica. On the 14th January 2010 the
Portuguese Government recognized it as a Private
Institution of Social Solidarity and as Collective Per-
son of Public Utility. It is the institution of Benfica
club, which has the mission of social responsibility
acting at the following target groups: children, youth,
citizens with disabilities and people in situation of
decreasing means of subsistence or ability to work.
The Benfica Foundation develops integrated projects
with emphasis on early intervention. In these areas,
the Foundation’s primary concerns are the preven-
tion of delinquency and the promotion of educa-
tional success of children and youth as determining
factors of social mobility.
The Benfica foundation has a set of highly diverse
programs supporting schools and kids. For the pur-
poses of this case study, it is particularly relevant the
program: “Para ti se não faltares” (“For you if you
don’t miss school”). This project is a socio-educa-
tional intervention project for children and young
66
| The COURAGE Project
people who are at risk of, or suffering from, exclusion
and it is implemented in eight municipalities from
the north to the south of Portugal.
This project began in the school year of 2010/2011
and some strategic partnership firms support it as
PT (Portuguese Telecom Foundation), EDP Founda-
tion (Electricity of Portugal foundation) and others
at National level; the municipality of each interven-
tion area (8 along the country) in a regional level; the
local cluster of schools and other local level partners.
Project fundamentals
The project “Para ti se não faltares” is a socio-edu-
cational intervention project for children and young
people attending the 2nd and 3rd school cycles (for
students from 9 to 15 years old) in the school cluster
where the project is developed. It is mostly for stu-
dents at risk of or suffering from exclusion or early
school leaving due to their attendance, behaviour or
evaluation problems. There are also quotas for merit
students who can have positive influence in shaping
behaviour for young men and women, to prevent
gender discrimination and for young people indi-
cated by the school cluster because their integration
in the project is considered a benefit.
It aims to fight school failure and dropout, promot-
ing social inclusion, equal opportunities between
genders, the development of individual and social
skills, and orientation merit. The project promotes
a culture of shared responsibility and partnership
based on principles of empowerment, peer learning,
learning by doing and it is a commitment of all part-
ner entities to put in practice this culture and this
attitude in each intervention area.
How does this project work?
The project is developed in eight municipalities
across the country and it has weekly activities through
which the established social contract is reinforced.
The youngsters are involved in recreational and ed-
ucational activities that are implemented in a pro-
ject work methodology, at extracurricular times.
Sports activities are selected by young people accord-
ing to the local conditions or objectives. The concept
associated with the sport in the context of the project
is sports as an inclusive activity or sports for all, focus-
ing in the social role of sports. Indoor football is the
dominant sport in the Benfica Foundation projects.
Activities of personal and social development and
promotion of basic skills. Development of lan-
guage skills including oral and writing skills; de-
velopment of mathematical skills including logical
reasoning, mathematical communication and logi-
cal-mathematical association; development of skills
in information and communication technologies
(ICT). Promoting “how to be” and” how to behave”
enabling the adequacy of behaviour and atti-
tudes in the school context and in the classroom.
Other activities within the project to promote family
and community involvement, in particular, ceremo-
nies, presentation and evaluation of the project as
well as other initiatives and events strengthening the
methodology, such as sports’ tournaments and extra
study visits for the project beneficiaries.
67
The COURAGE Project |
Aims and methods of our case study
To evaluate the success of these practices/projects,
we planned our investigation and collected qualita-
tive and quantitative information, as follow:
How
“Para ti Se não faltares!”
What happens with the students after the
project? Does the project help to inte-
grate them in society?
Why
This is a project, which includes sports,
and we know how the majority of the stu-
dents loves sports, namely football. We
focus on knowing about the impact of
the project in a group that has already in-
tegrated the project a few years ago. What
is the students’ actual situation?
What
1. to know some statistical data about the
students’ results before the project, dur-
ing the project and after the project.
2. to read reports from the Benfica foun-
dation, from 2012 to 2013.
3. to interview young people.
4. to choose some special success cases
and to do a detailed report about those
students.
Findings
From our fieldwork, it seems important to highlight,
as relevant, two key ideas that are stated below:
Being a project of individual empowerment and or-
ganizations, acts both on people and on organiza-
tions.
At the individual level, the youth empowerment is
achieved by its responsibility and participation in the
decision-making processes that affect them, motivat-
ing decisions and attitudes depending on their will-
ing. Each individual, with the help of the others, tries
to develop personal and social skills, reinforcing the
68 | The COURAGE Project
“how to be” and “how to behave”, in order to create
conditions for the “Knowing” and thus promoting
social and educational integration and enhancement
of the educational success as a way of social mobility
by young people and their families. This individual
effort around the continuous self-improvement is
publicly recognized and awarded by the project.
Socially, the project focuses on deployment in areas
where there are projects of integrated social devel-
opment with a fair degree of maturity and commu-
nity involvement. Municipalities lead extensive and
operational partnerships from the central and local
administration, non-governmental organizations
and key local stakeholders, ensuring that the uni-
verse of stakeholders of the project brings together
the expertise, legitimacy and resources necessary for
its effectiveness and efficiency.
How does this work to prevent students in
NEET situation?
In order to get a sense of the impact of this project
on the current and future lives of the young people
who participated in it, nothing better than listening
to some of the more than 2,300 young people that
met in January 2017, in Lisbon by the Anniversary
of the project “For you, if do not miss school”.
They were placed, among others, with the following
reflection topics: I thank the Benfica Foundation
for ...; What I miss most about the Foundation is ...;
What the Foundation changed in me was ...; With the
help of the Foundation I managed to ...; I did not miss
it and ...; With the Foundation I learned ...
“For me the foundation is and will always be the basis
of all my dreams! It was with the foundation that I
grew up and learned to be a man, with the founda-
tion I learned to play futsal. Thank you foundation”
Tiago M., 16 years Lisboa;
“For me the foundation [Benfica] is a way to play
sports and learn a fun way. Because of the [Benfica]
Foundation I didn´t miss school” T.F. 16 years, Pa-
ranhos, Porto;
“With the foundation, I learned to be true and never
miss school” Marien B., 18 years, Setúbal;
“With the help of the [Benfica] Foundation, I was From all of these testimonies we highlight, as a com-
better able to look at myself and thus believe more in mon trait, the empowerment work, empowering
my abilities and I never gave up on what I really was” each young person to model their behaviour, to be-
J.L. 18 years , Marvila, Lisboa; lieve in themselves and to seek to have a life project
fighting for it. All these young people have gained
“Thank you Foundation [Benfica] for allowing me future perspectives that will allow them to know how
to evolve [...] as at a personal level, thanks for the to overcome a possible NEET situation.
motivation.” P.A. 16 years, Montargil, Alentejo;
“For me, the Benfica Foundation was more than a Conclusions of the Case studies:
project to help students; it was one of the best ways to Concerning the “Orquestra Geração”, from our
[...] develop skills” N.B. 17 years, Bela Vista, Setúbal; study, we believe it has demonstrated that the project
contributes to the social inclusion of students from
“I miss the Benfica Foundation so much! ... There I disadvantaged backgrounds and it broadens the re-
learned the true meaning of unity, of mutual help, lation between families, who interact more with oth-
of fellowship, of team spirit ... I also learned that er parents and with the school members, helping to
“impossible” is just a word.” give a meaning to the notion of school community.
A.F. 19 years, Ponte de Sor, Alentejo; In this sense, the local community gains, in terms of
strengthening identity and cohesion.
“For me the foundation [Benfica] is more than a sim-
ple project. The Foundation made me gain responsi- Specifically, as far as children and young people are
bility” M.M. 16 years, Paranhos, Porto; concerned, the differences are felt in terms of rein-
“With the foundation [Benfica] I learned that it is forcing self-esteem and self-confidence, but also of
worth the effort and daily dedication in school be- discipline, of teamwork relevance (the orchestra)
cause it is from there that we can overcome obsta- and of the own school performance and success,
cles.” R.R. 18 years, Mondim de Basto, Vila Real; even if in an experimental way.
“What the foundation has changed in me was the Of course, there is also an appreciation of music as
fact that I was able to work as a team and to hear the an element of social formation for children, parents
opinion of others” P.A. 16 years, Montargil, Alentejo; and the community itself.
“Thank you Benfica Foundation for having taught
me to value my abilities, but more importantly, thank
you for having taught me to value myself ” E.S. 19
years Elvas, Alentejo;
“With the Benfica Foundation I have become a more
responsible and confident person both in me and in
my colleagues”. J.C. 17 years, Paranhos, Porto;
“For me the foundation was a unique opportunity
to grow. [...] What the foundation changed in me
was the ability to want to help others whenever nec-
essary; when I left the project, I continued to be a
volunteer every year. With the help of the founda-
tion, I was able to become much more motivated
for the school life and consequently I increased the
grades. With the help of the foundation I was better
able to look at myself, and so believe more in my
abilities and never give up on what I really want-
ed.”Joana L., 18 years, Lisboa
The COURAGE Project | 69
 CASE
STUDY
Orquestra Geração | Sistema Portugal
WHAT - The artistic experience allows complet-
WORKS ing the conventional school skills, closely
linked to sciences and rationalism.
- Music as a social activity is seen as a
vehicle for the promotion of citizenship,
social inclusion, sense of belonging and
the development of group identity.
WHERE - In schools/ groups of students in eco-
nomically disadvantaged situation.
WHY - Resilience is the key.
- An accessible project for all.
- A project that focuses on preventing the
NEET situation instead of remedying it.
- There is collaborative work between
students and teachers promoting diverse
formal and informal learning (sense of be-
longing to a group, knowing how to wait
for their turn, being led by a maestro), ...
- Access to different cultures.
- Access to performance experiences
(concerts) with public recognition, inde-
pendently from each student technical
level.
Regarding the impact of the Project “For you If you
do not miss school” on 18-year-olds, we will demon-
strate that the project has short-term measurable im-
pacts, such as the reduction of failure in the academic
results, and long-term impacts. The project empow-
Bibliography and references:
Education National Council (CNE) (2011 and 2014). The state of
education. The qualifications of the Portuguese. www.cnedu.pt
European Commission (2012). Tackling Early Leaving from Ed-
ucation and Training in Europe: Strategies, Policies and Meas-
ures: eacea.ec.europa.eu
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Work-
ing Conditions (2012). NEETs Young people not in employ-
ment, education or training: Characteristics, costs and policy
responses in Europe: www.eurofound.europa.eu
Eurostat (2015). Education, employment, both or neither? What
are young people doing in the EU? 12 August: International
Youth Day Education, employment, both or neither? What are
young people doing in the EU? Patterns substantially change by
age and over time : www.ec.europa.eu
Para ti Se não Faltares” implemented
by Benfica Foundation
- Sports (indoor football), the brand
and popular athletes as role models
to work on social and emotional
skills.
- The social skills promotion pro-
gram has impact on the lives of
young people well beyond their time
spent on the project, helping to build
a lasting life project.
- In schools/ groups of students with
behaviour and/or problems of absen-
teeism.
- Students and families feel reward-
ed and recognized by experiencing
success in sports, participating in
events, wearing the brand.
- Resilience is the key.
- An accessible project for all (al-
though there are quotas).
- A project that focuses on preven-
tion instead of remediation.
Charneca de Caparica,
Portugal, July 2017
ers young people to deliver life projects, whether in
pursuing studies, training or employment, but also
in terms of reinforcing self-esteem and personal
learning, essential for a happy, complete and accom-
WWW.EUCOURAGE.EU
plished integration and social inclusion.
FACEBOOK: "COURAGE.EU"
ERASMUS+
PROJECT NUMBER: 2015-2-DK01-KA205-0043562015
Hallan, S. (2010).The power of music: its impact of the intellec-
tual , personal and social development of children and young
people. The oxford handbook of music psychology.
PARTNERS COURAGE PROJECT
Malheiros et al. (2012). Orquestra Geração: estudo de avaliação.
Lisboa: Centro de Estudos Geográficos.
Mota, G. e Lopes, J.T (2017). Crescer e tocar na Orquestra Ger-
ação. Vila do Conde: Verso da História.
OECD (2014 and 2016). Education at a glance: www.oecd-ili-
brary.org
OECD (2016). Society at a Glance. A Spotlight on Youth , How
does Portugal compare?: www.oecd.org
Orquestra geração website: www.orquestra.geracao.aml.pt/pro-
ject .