Providing Education and Training for At Risk ... - Victoria University

Further, Gambone (1993) (cited in Withers and Batten: 35) has established an even briefer listof ‘what the best programs have in common’:• …designed and run with a basic understanding of how adolescents make sense of theworld and their experiences• intervention efforts [which] target the appropriate level for each participant• the single most critical source of the support…is the existence of stable, caring relationshipswith adults• …structured and managed in a way which promotes and sustains activities andrelationships that enhance or boost the process of adolescent development.Withers and Batten note the congruence between these two lists. There are four main featuresof good programs to be derived (35), namely:• the relevance of (students’) cultural or community context is central;• individual needs and their initial assessment should be identified;• program staff should be enthusiastic and professional in their involvement;• the orientation of the program moves beyond the particular ‘risk’ to broader adolescent/young adult development.Based on these four main features, seventeen more specific features of good programs, derivedfrom this literature Review as a whole, and especially redolent of STC principles, suggestthemselves:the relevance of (students’) cultural or community context is centralprograms should locate themselves in a community/learner’s cultureprogram design should reflect this locationlearning activities/teaching strategies should show a commitment to contextoutcomes should have a significance/lead somewhere within their contextindividual needs and their initial/entry level assessment should be identifiedparticipation (not retention) is an explicit expectationautonomy (e.g. self direction, responsibility) for participants is a key valuecooperation (e.g. groupwork, roles) is central to learningchoice (e.g. pathways) is integral to program’s purposeprogram staff should be enthusiastic and professional in their involvementstaff must be committed and stableleadership should be committed and resourcefulprogram focus must be clear and communicableflexibility in engaging participants and other staff/agenciesthe orientation of the program moves beyond the particular ‘risk’ to broader adolescent/young adult developmentreferrals to other agencies are essentialcoordination of intervention is requiredpartnerships between program agencies is a strengthcollaboration, to focus on holistic intervention, is also a strengthintegration, or full-service provision, is the most holistic orientation29