In the past months, the main focus of the Renyo project has been the experimentation of the Authentic Inquiry methodology with minors in conflict with the law and minors at risk who live in custodial settings. The educators of the custodial settings who were previously trained on the methodology, worked with the young people on the investigation of their interests and creation of their final product. Many interesting products were created, from poems, to graphics, to videos, to other personal projects. But the most significant impact of the activity was undoubtedly that on the motivation and engagement of the young participants in their learning paths. This is demonstrated by some of the initial feedback collected in Italy: “It helped me express parts of me that I was trying to hide from myself” “I learned to put myself out there and question myself more. [I learned] that if I am commited I can accomplish things” After the activity, partners conducted interviews with the young people and with the educators, which will allow for a more thorough assessment of the impact of the Authentic Inquiry in the settings. This qualitative data, together with the quantitative data collected through the Learning Power Platform and a literature review, will lead to the production of the RENYO research document. This document will analyze the potential of the Authentic Inquiry to support the involvement of juvenile offenders in educational pathways in several local contexts. The research will be peer-reviewed, it will have academic relevance and therefore become part of a broader academic discussion on the subject. Furthermore, this will allow to validate and spread even more a methodology that proved itself capable of making a difference for many young people in conflict with the law.
