Abstract
This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the transdisciplinary “Successful Pathways to Employment for youth at Risk” (SUPER) program to raise the transition readiness of youth at risk (YAR) from school into participation in adults’ responsibilities and employment. More than 10% of adolescents are at risk of dropping out of school following poor academic attainments. Schools appraise academic merit but do not develop relevant educational programs to prepare youth to transition into adult working life. The SUPER program addresses a range of knowledge and skills required for this transition. Sixty YAR from three high schools participated in the 18-week SUPER program. Comparing the pre- and postintervention results revealed that the students’ engagement with responsibilities, objective knowledge about the work world, and self-rated self-advocacy skills improved as did their supervisor-rated work performance capacity. This study confirms the contribution of the SUPER model. Its concepts, tools, principles, and community labor-market involvement through workplace internships were effective and could apply in other contexts. The SUPER model provides evidence-based knowledge translation that can bring conceptual and practical changes towards successful transition and participation of YAR in adult working roles.
Highlights
Participation in employment in the open labor market is a major success measure for youth transition into adulthood
We focus on Youth at Risk (YAR) who study in special education classes integrated in regular educational framework and who exhibit unmotivated or disengaged behavior, truancy, inappropriate classroom behavior, and lack of basic vocational qualifications [12]
From postintervention, student employment increased from 25 (43.9%) to 47 (82.5%) of the 57 students who pre‐ to postintervention, student employment increased from 25 (43.9%) to 47 (82.5%) of the 57 reported preintervention that they worked outside the SUPER program
Summary
Participation in employment in the open labor market is a major success measure for youth transition into adulthood. The transition process from school into adulthood is one of the most significant, complex, and multifaceted life-cycle processes [1,2]. It involves setting goals and making numerous decisions that may enhance career options in line with the individual’s future orientation. The transition into adulthood is especially complex for youth who experienced social or academic challenges or failure during their educational lives due to learning or other disabilities, family conditions, or socioenvironmental deprivations [3]. YAR have difficulty envisioning their futures as productive and successful adults [4,5,6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
