PertenSer: avaliação de um projeto comunitário de promoção do sucesso escolar

Academic failure and school dropout are priority social problems which are not only related with individual and familial factors. PertenSer [to Belong] was a communitybased project designed to provide, to the most vulnerable youngsters, opportunities to develop personal, social, and professional competencies, strengthening their motivation to learn, as well as their confidence and ability to build life trajectories. 13 young people (14-18 years old) from 8th and 9th grades from an Integrated Program of Education and Training participated in the project. A qualitative assessment of the project focused on participant’s involvement in the project, changes in self-concept and personal and social development, in school involvement, and in the perspectives about their own future. Results show improvements in youth self-confidence, behaviour at school and in the relations with adults, the ability to design short and midterm life aims. The project also increased the valorisation and the motivation to school learning, which, in turn, contributed to the decrease of school dropout and to a greater success at school. The project’s success factors included its community approach involving different out-of-school actors and the supportive relationships established with professionals and teachers.