Local community involvement and individual’s self-concept in relation to educational attainment
jeudi 12 novembre 2015, par
Numerous studies point to a positive correlation between student achievement and self-concept (cf. Nash and Lauder, 2010 ; Westwood, 2003 ; Weinstein, 2004 ; Zins et al., 2004). But if the family environment fails to support a child or a young person to develop adequately, the community can step into family’s place. If students’ diligence and attitudes or hobbies and interests are recognised, accepted and nurtured in community, this could have positive effects on one’s self-concept, with, hopefully, positive effects to educational attainment. By enhancing one of the components or dimensions of a global self-concept : academic self-concept, social self-concept, competence self-concept, body self-concept, family self-concept and emotional self-concept (Bracken, 2009), an individual can derive their (educational) motivation from there and be more successful with the help of a community. Here intergenerational learning is applicable. (cf. Galster et al., 2007).
A specific, well organized program which helps building strong self-concept in connection to educational attainment is the PLYA program in Slovenia (PLYA, 2014) : Project learning for young adults, which is a publicly accredited program of informal education intended for the unemployed aged between 15 to 25 years with intention to either encourage young people to return to education or to get a job. The programme is basically a second-chance programme, but it also builds on relationships with the community. In USA, experience has shown some shortfalls of “classical” school learning and advantages and benefits of community learning are presented (Rogoff et al., 2001). In the UK the government is funding community learning with special regard to those at risk of social exclusion. (NIACE, 2014)
Numerous paths should be available to youth at risk, and support should be given to them at community, local level as well, since there are many ways to build ones self-concept through community activities. It is proven that higher self-concept helps to educational attainment.
Forthcoming
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