engleski

Navigation of new life circumstances: Experiences of early school leavers

Early school leaving represents risk experience in lives of young people, reducing their future opportunities and increasing probabilities of social exclusion. Previous studies have explored multifactorial and complex nature of individual, family, school and community factors that contribute to early school leaving, emphasizing policy implications for prevention of this social risk. There are literature gaps on understanding how young people adjust to new life circumstances after early school leaving and which factors promote their well-being and positive development. The aims of the study were to explore how young people cope with the process of leaving school and to single out resources that are involved in adaptive behaviour of young people after early school leaving. Data were collected through semi- structured interview with 26 young people who have experienced permanent or temporary dropping out from high school. The participants were between 16 and 20 years old, including ten females and sixteen males. The results illustrate diversity of strategies that young people use in navigation through their life circumstances after leaving high school. Some of young people used active coping strategies that are manifested through their re- enrolling into alternative educational programs, finding or seeking job, seeking support from close family members, and planning their future. On the other hand, part of the young people expressed their avoiding to deal with new life situation ; they mostly spend time alone at home, lack of interests, and have no clear plans for the future. Results suggest that parenting inclusion, quality of close relationships with family members, planning, motivation for success and self-efficacy present important resources for young people’s general well-being. Results also emphasize some gender specificities, where girls are more prone to active coping strategies with their new life circumstances, but at the same time, they are somewhat more often expressing feelings of failure and regret over leaving school. The findings emphasize the need for supportive services that will encourage young people re- engagement and strength their individual resources. Implications for upstream interventions points for promoting high school graduation as well as for maintaining young people's well-being will be discussed.

Early school leaving ; coping ; well-being ; adolescents

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