Supporting measures

Our studies in the course of the project have shown that in all the educational institutions the population has become more heterogeneous and more difficult to work with. We are confronted with young people who have interrupted their school careers. The number of dropouts and truants is growing. This is not only a problem for the individual, but also for society as a whole, as those without a qualification will be in need of social support both financially and personally.
The participants in the CLOU project have come to the conclusion that both teachers and students need to acquire specific competences in order to deal with the problem of an interrupted schoolcareer.
This short presentation shows a student coming to register at the Westfalen-Kolleg.

As these new students, often from an uneducated background, suddenly decide to go to school again because of some specific interest, a change in their private circumstances or a motivation that finds its origin in their social circle, they require special care.

Studies have shown that it takes at least five years to overcome such experiences as dropout, frustration and failure, but by then it is mostly too late to try a new start.
Therefore this project aims in particular at encouraging and motivating people so that they will be better equipped to deal with such circumstances. The examples and the inspiration given for support and counselling will enable student-counsellors to be better prepared and more highly motivated in dealing with difficult cases. Also when they have exhausted their means of dealing with the situation they may consult like-minded colleagues in their network.
These experiences and steps towards professionalisation may also be taught others, thus widening the circle of people competent enough to deal with cases of dropout.