The Project
This is an Erasmus+ project which is funded to run from 2018 to 2021. There are 5 European partners involved in this project (see Partners).
In many EU countries, for young people aged 10-17 years who have been incarcerated, re-offending rates are high.
Further to this, as many as 9 out of 10 young people in secure custodial settings leave school early, having dropped out of education prior to being incarcerated.
Young people in secure custodial settings are also likely to be marginalised and socially excluded when back in the community, particularly as they are likely to have less training or educational opportunities. This makes employment opportunities more limited. Thus, re-engaging young people in secure custodial settings whilst in custody presents a unique opportunity for resettlement into the community and education on release.
However, research has shown that educators in prison are not necessarily primarily qualified as teachers. There is also a higher staff turnover and specific training, which addresses the multiple needs of young people in secure custodial settings, is limited.
How Authentic Inquiry can work with children and young people in conflict with the law or other disengaged young people
RENYO presents a range of materials and resources designed to reengage young people in custodial settings with education and learning. Authentic Inquiry is used as a framework which places the (authentic) learner and their own interests and experiences at the centre of their learning. The aim is to connect their authentic interests and experience to a formal curriculum through the 8-step authentic inquiry process. The process uses the digital Jearnie Platform to support progress and learning.
RENYO team is working towards the following objectives:
Enhance educators’ capability to re-engage young people in secure custodial settings with education and learning whilst in secure custodial settings
Train education staff in secure settings to engage young people in secure custodial settings with education through the use of ‘authentic inquiry’ as an intervention to enrich educators’ repertoires in learning design.
Develop improved practice around a digital learning infrastructure so changes are more likely to sustain beyond the lifespan of the project.
Production of a Research Paper with lessons learnt by educators about the methodology and experiences of young people in conflict with the law engaging with Authentic Inquiry.