Early school leaving refers to absence, incomplete or irregular attendance of school or further education. Young people quit school, attend infrequently or fail to complete their courses with poor quality of outcomes.
In 2020, 13.1% of young Italians aged between 18 and 24 abandoned education with only a middle school diploma (Source: Eurostat). This figure positions Italy in the third place among the 19 EU Member States for early school leaving in the 18 to 24 age group and makes this issue one of the most urgent for the education system quality.
This “leak” from school is a complex phenomenon and the result of multiple factors – cultural, economic, social and personal.
Measures to counter this phenomenon must consider all aspects and tackle all root causes.
Since 2013 as Bolton Group and since 2020 as Bolton Hope Foundation, we have been supporting Fuoriclasse, a project of Save the Children Italy. Fuoriclasse is an integrated programme which involves students, teachers and families. The project is designed to prevent the causes of early withdrawal from education through learning activities inside and outside schools and actions aimed at motivating studying and learning.

A wide variety of activities and opportunities have been put in place:

• motivational workshops during school time to support student participation and inclusion
• out-of-school study support at Fuoriclasse education centres, to promote experience-based and cooperative learning in close collaboration with the schools
• school camps to improve students’ relationships in an informal educational setting
• councils where teachers and students can discuss and promote a sense of wellbeing at school
• regular meetings among parents and teachers, to prevent early school leaving inside the community
• training courses for school teachers
• inclusion courses to encourage the use of Italian as a language of learning and social cohesion

credits: “Francesca Leonardi for Save the Children”

In participating schools, Fuoriclasse has helped to improve educational activities, re-establish behaviour essential for effective integration into school life, boost motivation in the students and facilitate learning processes.