Stop Dropout!

Why do young people drop out of education prematurely? What can be done about this?

Research shows that early school leaving is the end of a complex process in which too many stressful factors culminate. Long-term negative experiences within one’s own learning biography, problems with school performance requirements, developmental crises, peer influences, as well as a lack of or inadequate family and psychosocial support structures often play an important role in the abandonment of educational careers. In many cases it is then only a minimal trigger that overcomes the proverbial “barrel”.

The good news is that timely and adequate support can prevent too many stressful factors from coming together. The obstacles can be removed step by step as soon as you know them!

What is Stop Dropout?

Stop Dropout! is a holistic approach aimed at reducing drop-out rates in the school and education system.

Early detection of young people at risk of dropout with the Stop Dropout online questionnaire

The Stop Dropout Questionnaire is a scientifically developed screening instrument. On the one hand, it identifies the individual strengths and resources of students and on the other hand, it identifies problem areas that stand in the way of success at school.

individual need-oriented support with the consulting approach “consulting profile” tailored to the questionnaire

The counselling profile is a resource- and solution-oriented counselling approach that includes the individual life worlds of pupils. Various working materials support this dialogue between student and counsellor at eye level.

European innovation transfer

Originally the two Stop Dropout instruments were brought to Austria in the Transfer of Innovation project Stop Dropout. Since then, Blickpunkt Identität, with scientific support and in cooperation with experts from the school and counselling context, has further developed the two instruments Stop Dropout Questionnaire and Counselling Profile for the Austrian school and training system.

Early detection and support at Austrian schools and training centres

The questionnaire is now standardised for the school types PTS/FMS, AHS, ORG, BMS and BHS and is used by youth coaching in several Austrian provinces for the early detection of young people at risk of dropout. Blickpunkt Identität offers counselling services with the Stop Dropout instruments for young people in inter-company apprenticeship training and in the perspective workshop.

Why is it important to reduce the number of early school leavers?

The phenomenon of early school leaving is not only an individual problem, it also has social, labour market and democratic implications. A low level of education or a lack of school-leaving qualifications not only entails the risk of increased or prolonged unemployment in the long term, but also has an impact on individual health, life satisfaction and motivation for further training, as well as on social participation.

What’s in it for the school?

Students faced with stressful circumstances cannot concentrate fully on school and learning. If the problems of these pupils are recognised in time and pupils receive appropriate support, they can integrate better into everyday school life. This also calms down the teaching situation in the classrooms, disciplinary problems become less frequent, classroom management functions better and teachers come back to what they are supposed to do at school: teaching.