Young dropouts communication style

This publication shows the outcomes of the surveys realised within two different pilot projects sessions co-financed by Leonardo da Vinci Programme between the 2003 and the 2009, involving subjects representing 8 national countries in total (PL, DE, RO, GR, ES, IT, LV, UK). The background aim was collecting and analysing the communication verbal behaviours of Young dropouts, in order to provide information and material useful to study a few emotional, cultural and social aspects underlined by their linguistic codes and habits.
The glossary is organised as the previous one published in 2005: for each word or expressions are provided the original term in national language; the translation and definition of the term in English and, if the case, a simulation of its use. Within the second project session (2007-2009) the partnership has pushed the work a little further: in studying the new national glossaries realised (PL, RO, GR, DE) and in comparing them with the previous ones (UK, IT, ES, LV), it has been traced a map of 11 themes within which cluster all words and expressions collected. The reason why is that in reading and analysing again the material, the project partners have found many interesting “equivalences”: the young expressions collected show that – whatever language or slang used – Young refer to specific and transversal themes associated to their cultural, psychological, behavioural and emotional world.

Compendium of good practices with young.
Communicative, deontological, methodological and relational
for Operators’ use
II Edition

Since 2003 the surveys realised disclosed a rich “underworld” made of experiences, tools and practices all over the European countries involved. All this material emerged was, in some cases, more visible and institutionalised at national or local level but, in others, was the mark and the account of a long trained and developed richness being doomed to remain isolated. At that time, project goals and partnership willingness started to coincide with the intent to create the conditions to valorise and make visible the good produced by and within different territorial contexts when coping with the problem of Young’s social and occupational exclusion. The first edition of the Compendium (2005) was born in this direction, since it appeared indisputable that the communicative effectiveness (the one towards young, but also the one among the different levels and competences of territorial subjects and professionals) should have to be re-thought starting from professionalism, deontology and exchange. The surveys outcomes showed that something new was already on the way: we were confronted with the offer of a new professionalism that should have been able to capture the young people, not only dropouts, in terms of care. It meant, at least for us, that any consideration on communication, as a result, could not escape the consideration of the rebuilding of a renewed professional frame. What we have done since 2007 with Once Against project, was to take up that lesson and to make the work done progress, in terms of quality and completeness. Referring to the first edition, we have maintained the structure: the around 108 main voices collected as good practices are presented in alphabetical order and for each one has been provided a short comment or description. What you will find more is a new reading-key that we propose, having added for this second edition not only new practices but also specific references to themes and aspects that we wanted to connect each other or to explain in details.

What's new? Stories from the world of young

This publication collects the 6 Newsletters - realised during the editorial Labs realised in GR, DE, LV, RO, PL, UK – that have been conceived, realised and written by Young themselves with the support of tutors, book designers and partner’s staff. All newsletters are in national language + English version. We have requested to the Young involved  to write down personal contributions and articles, choosing if: to tell a story, to comment on a text (could be a song or  a book, etc.) or to comment on a fact relevant for them. Also in this case, as a partnership, we are very proud to present in this publication the works produced by our Young colleagues, with grateful thanks to them and to all people who have supported and followed its realisation.

The young voice

This publication collects 7 issues of the Brochures published during the two-years of project implementation, that we have dedicated to the Young’s Voice: all contributions have been written by Young dropouts themselves. Without imposing restrictions neither providing suggestions, we have asked them to write down their own stories, feelings, thoughts and deep-seated motives and, in return, they have given us much more than what we could imagine and expect.  All you will read is the offshoot of the authors’ creativity, ability and sensitivity. In some cases we have asked to their tutors to add comments and feelings, just to provide the readers with the point of view of who got to know each one of them deeply, who have learnt to communicate to and with them, who has followed their own failures, victories and changes. All we can do, as a partnership, is to thank our young protagonists for having accepted to cooperate with us and for the trust they have placed in our project, allowing us to enter their personal world. With the same delicacy and simpleness of the words they offered us, still on the threshold we get ready to enter this word of words and feelings on tiptoe, respecting who has showed courage and aware that all stories are meaningful.

Reading the local territory: Guidelines for operators.
Model, approach and tools


These Guidelines for Operators are aimed at providing information and methodological tools functional to realise the quali-quantitative analysis of the territory within which Operators work. Actually, given the specificity of the service offered to young that have left the compulsory education and training pathways and are at risk of social, economic and occupational exclusion, an important aspect to provide guidance and counselling support to them, is the exhaustive knowledge of the features of the local area of reference. In fact, it is relevant not only to guarantee the qualitative level of the information provided to the potential target, but also to activate cooperative networks among all Actors that, at different levels, play a role in the local reintegration system. The Guidelines are articulated in two main Sections, each one sub-disaggregated in different Chapters. The first Section is devoted to a presentation of the variable and indicators useful to realise the quantitative and descriptive analysis of the territorial area of reference, so as to create a general framework of its social, economic and cultural aspects and to identify the structures and the services available. The second Section present a Model for the carrying out of qualitative analysis on the services identified on the local area. The Model of quali-quantitative analysis represents, on the whole, a working tool immediately adoptable. Thence, in the Annexes are available documents and format of grids and questionnaires directly useable by operators interested.