The Pedro Poveda School in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, took part in a second chance high school programme for young people at the invitation of Youthbuild Mexico.

This is a project that caters for disadvantaged young people between 19 and 29 years of age who did not complete their secondary education or Prepa when they were younger. In the Mexican education system, Prepa is equivalent to high school or university preparatory school, and there are a number of programmes.graduación

In Guanajuato there are over one and a half million young people and there are fewer than fifty percent of these in higher secondary education. There is a dropout rate of 16.8 per cent. Almost 100,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 dropped out of secondary education in recent academic years.

The main reasons they give for dropping out of school are academic and financial. Some cannot afford to attend school and others are needed by their families to contribute to the upkeep of the household. Some of the young women drop out due to pregnancy and the care and support of their children.

Mostly women

This group was made up of 101 young people, 82 of whom completed the three programmes: the social-emotional programme; the academic programme following the higher secondary education course; and training for work and employability. A completion rate of 81.20% was achieved. The majority are women (66%), who in addition to combining study and work, have to take care of their children and homes. They admit that they have great need for monetary assistance and other support to enable them to be autonomous.

panoramicaThe municipal authorities contributed 50 per cent of the funds to support these young people. They declared that “women are the driving force and the pillars of families and our community, so they must be considered in the planning and design of policies”.

The tutors working in the social-emotional programme said that they saw how the young people grew in their ability to share with peers and work in groups; in how they got on together in diversity and plurality; in how they recognised the fact that all voices are to be valued. They also learned to recognise their rights and defend them, and to be critical.

Job options

The programme was funded by the Villafranca Foundation, and InteRed provided 21 per cent support to make “the commitment to young people” a reality, especially young people living in poverty, most of them women.

Two girls shared their testimony and spoke about their new experiences: working with a writer, reading their first book and the experience of becoming a writer, being able to complete the programme, including the pregnancy and birth of their baby, and they attested to the support given by the tutor and the group. “The Jóvenes con Rumbo programme helped me to manage my emotions, to work with others, to have confidence in my abilities and skills, and it allowed me to complete my high school education.”

Most of them complete the course with work experience and with the prospect of a job option. We have learned with them that it is possible to rebuild ourselves as individuals, and that it is a constant struggle to achieve dignity and ensure that human rights prevail and become a reality.

Cecilia Villalva with contributions from Ana Leticia Hernández, Diana Limón and Enriqueta Castro.

 

Published in Newsclicdedito