Coaching at-risk youth in a school within a socially challenging environment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to implement group coaching in a school setting and examine the participants’ experiences. Participants were all males (age 12–16 years), primarily with a Middle Eastern family background and from a socioeconomically deprived area. A 2-year intervention with regular coaching counselling during school hours was delivered. Qualitative longitudinal interviews ( n = 6) and long-term fieldwork found that group coaching enhanced social cohesion and social resilience. The study concludes that group coaching can be a valid tool for addressing at-risk youth in schools. Even though this study was limited to one school in a certain context, the implications can be important knowledge in other settings. An important practical finding was that bodily experience incorporated as part of the coaching sessions was highlighted as beneficial, as well as the use of a group approach. This study is the first to include at-risk youth in a coaching intervention structured through an experiential and existentially oriented approach (third-generation coaching).