The Rotterdam talent development conference

Thorbjørn Nygaard and Eldar Dybvik

Vestfold County - facts• Area 2216 square km• Ca 230,000 inhabitants• 14 municipalities• Biggest towns are Tønsberg,

Larvik, Sandefjord and Horten• 1000 km coastline• Approximately 1500 islands

Upper secondary education in Vestfold

• 10 upper secondary schools• Approx. 8700 students

– 52% Vocational Education Programmes– 48% General Studies Programmes

• Approx. 1500 apprentices• Entitlement to 3(4) years of

education age 16+• Drop out-program• Adult education program• School renewal scheme

Tertiary education, University/University Colleges, Adult education

6 1 Primary and lower secondary education

Transfer to upper secondary education

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Andel med direkte overgang fra grunnskole til vgo, 2009

Fylkesforskjeller Landsgjennomsnitt

Importance of parents’ background

Dropout rate

Access to labour market

Results in Vestfold

• 65% completed and passed after 5 years (started in 2004)

• 5% still in training• 30% not completed

– 3% completed according to an individual plan – 7% completed, not passing– 20% drop-outs

OT: ”Follow-up service”• A service to capture students who drop out of

secondary school • Offering students who drop out of secondary

school various training and work-related measures

• After 4 years approx. 30% of the pupils who didn’t start secondary school take part in measures by the Follow-up service

National and regional efforts• Ny Giv – National program –

increase the number of pupils who complete and pass upper secondary education

Ny Giv • Strengthen cooperation between schools, local authorities,

NAV, Vocational Training and Follow-up service • All students, children and young people are closely monitored

throughout childhood and school• Through a combination of work experience and training the

target group should be qualified and motivated for:– Participation in working and/or training towards full

qualification or basic competence• Several measures through primary and lower secondary school

to improve implementation of secondary education• Goal: To equip children and young people to better carry out

education

Action program 2008 – 2018

Partners: All municipalities, Vestfold county, state authorities, and

business partners Early intervention

God oppvekst. GO!

Overall aims 2018

• 95 % of all pupils starting the upper secondary school shall complete his or her education plans and pass the final exams.

• Reading ability in Vestfold is among the best in Norway

• Living conditions in our county above average compared with other counties in Norway. Today we unfortunately are near the bottom.

Challenges and problems

• School dropouts• Alternatives to schools • Social problems at home • Lack of marks• Hidden talents • Who is to discover hidden talents? And take

the steps needed?

Prevent lack of career among young people

• Difficult to return to work• Recruitment to social service and support • Early intervention better and cheaper • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6R77e

Gx8xM

The river and the waterfalls

Main principles agreed upon

• High standards in the ordinary institutions. High awareness of quality among teachers and tutors.

• Focus on each individual, who shall meet challenges and experiences to give themselves success and self-confidence.

• Early prevention and intervention. The earlier, the better. In Norway there has been an attitude of wait and see. We are leaving that attitude for now.

• Personal responsibility for observation and action. Everyone has got that responsibility to see and to report.

Main principles • Every pupil has to know how and where to find help • aims and visions must be explicit communicated in municipal,

regional and national documents and aims, fully understood and carried out in local decisions.

• one contact person for each child and young person. We consider it important to have one responsible person!!. This is new, and this is crucial!

Local municipalities important

• System approach at all levels • Never leave a child • Work together• Alternative use of resources• Long term investment • 10 years extremely long political perspective

Regional approach

1.A selection of regional agreements and commitments

2.Early intervention. Models recommended 3.Steering committee and driving force 4.Regional coordinator

Regional approach (2)• County governor has visited all municipalities in Vestfold • Steering committee , 4-6 meetings every year • County Coordinator Eldar Dybvik• Annual experience and evaluation conferences in

September

 

Steering committee

• Director of The regional Labour and Welfare Service • Director of the Regional Police Authorities• County governor and directors for education and

health affairs• Mayors and chief executive from the Municipalities • Directors from the Labour Union and Confederation of

enterprises• School counselors and directors representing the Local

School authorities • Political leaders

Preventive steps. Early intervention

• Cheaper and better,

• but who is willing to pay?

The early intervention story

• Finland early intervention in schools 40 % • Norway 5 %

• Finland special needs secondary schools 5 %• Norway 12 %

15 effective strategies for dropout prevention

Adapted from Dr. Jay Smink, National Dropout Prevention

Center at Clemson University

The Basic Core Strategies

• Mentoring/Tutoring• Service Learning• Alternative Schooling• After School Opportunities

Early Interventions

• Early Childhood Education• Family Engagement• Early Literacy Development

Making the Most of Instruction

• Professional Development• Active Learning• Educational Technology• Individualized Instruction

Making the Most of the Wider Community

• Systemic Renewal• School-Community Collaboration• Career and Technical Education• Safe Schools