Supporting NEET youth in continuing their learning path through the assessment and development of preconditions for self-directed learning

Abstract

Ühiskonnas on murettekitavalt palju neid noori, kes on õppest välja langenud ega osale tööturul. Neid noori nimetatakse rahvusvaheliselt NEET (Not in employment, education and training) staatuses noorteks. Noorte tagasipöördumiseks haridus- ja tööellu on oluline leida tõhusaid sekkumisi. Selleks, et noored oskaksid muutusi ja sealhulgas ka oma õpiteekonda juhtida, on vaja oskusi. Arvestades, et Edmondson jt (2012) on rõhutanud, et inimesed, kellel on kõrgemad enesejuhitud õppimise oskused, on oma eluga rohkem rahul ning omavad selgemaid eesmärke oma tuleviku püüdlustes, tuleb NEET staatuses noorte toetamisel just neile oskustele olulist tähelepanu pöörata. Jossberger et al (2010) sõnul suudab ennastjuhtiv õppija otsustada, mida on vaja järgmisena õppida ning kuidas oma õppimist kõige tõhusamalt teostada. Enesejuhitud õppimise oskuste teemapüstitus NEET staatuses noorte puhul on eriti oluline, kuna seda sihtrühma iseloomustab enamasti madal haridustase, ebapiisavad oskused, motivatsiooni puudumine ning negatiivne tulevikuvaade (Goldman-Mellor et al, 2016). Doktoritöö tuvastas nelja elluviidud uuringu toel enesejuhitud õppimise käsitluse puudujäägi formaalharidusest väljaspool olevate noorte jaoks ning lõi NEET staatuses noorte olukorda arvestava enesejuhitud õppimise käsitluse, hindamisvahendi ja sekkumismudeli. Enesejuhitud õppimise kontseptsiooni käsitlemine NEET staatuses noorte perspektiivist võimaldab laiendada olemasolevaid teoreetilisi lähenemisi kohandades neid inimestele, kes ei osale aktiivselt õppeprotsessides. Uuring pakub valideeritud enesehindamisküsimustikku SDL-NEET, mida saab edukalt rakendada ka teiste noorte või täiskasvanute gruppidega. Samuti leidis kinnitust, et loodud enesejuhitud õppimise oskuste sekkumine on piisavalt tõhus, et seda integreerida NEET staatuses noorte tugisüsteemidesse, haridus- ja noorsootöö programmidesse eesmärgiga maksimeerida noorte toetuse tulemuste jätkusuutlikkust ja suurendada noorte osalust hariduses.

A concerning proportion of young people in contemporary societies have disengaged from formal education and are not participating in the labour market. Internationally, these individuals are referred to as NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training). Facilitating their reintegration into education and working life requires the identification and implementation of effective intervention strategies. For young people to navigate change and, in particular, to manage their own learning trajectories, the development of appropriate skills is essential. Edmondson et al. (2012) highlight that individuals with more advanced self-directed learning (SDL) skills report greater life satisfaction and possess clearer goals regarding their future aspirations. Consequently, the cultivation of such skills warrants particular attention when supporting young people in NEET status. According to Jossberger et al. (2010), a self-directed learner is capable of identifying what needs to be learned next and determining how to pursue learning in the most effective manner. This focus is especially pertinent for NEET youth, who are typically characterised by low educational attainment, insufficient competencies, reduced motivation and pessimistic future outlooks (Goldman-Mellor et al., 2016). Drawing on four empirical studies, the doctoral research identified a substantive gap in existing conceptualisations of SDL for young people outside formal education. In response, it developed a tailored conceptual framework, assessment instrument and intervention model for SDL that adequately reflect the circumstances and needs of young people in NEET status. Examining the concept of SDL through the lens of NEET youth enables the expansion and refinement of existing theoretical approaches by adapting them to individuals who are not actively engaged in formal learning processes. The research produced a validated self-assessment questionnaire SDL-NEET, which can also be applied effectively to other youth or adult populations. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that the developed intervention for enhancing SDL skills is sufficiently effective to warrant its integration into support systems, educational provision and youth work programmes targeting young people in NEET status. Such integration has the potential to strengthen the sustainability of support outcomes and to increase young people’s participation in education.