Does the canonical theory of assimilation explain the Roma case? Some evidence from Central and Eastern Europe

This article focuses on the relation between mobility and assimilation among the Roma. Quantitative results from UNDP research in four Central and Eastern Europe countries provide new data and show the need for a new conceptualization of the evidence. These results demonstrate that there are no significant data to confirm the existence of a straight-line process of assimilation in the Roma case. Thus, they question the canonical theory of assimilation by demonstrating that middle-class Roma tend not to leave their identity behind. I propose the need for a segmented theory of the different upward mobility paths that Roma people tend to follow. In a complementary way, the observed results also point out the need to take into account some variations in Roma ethnic identity depending on the source of ethnic data, how they are collected and the implications for research in the different national contexts explored

From my arrival to now I have noticed an improvement with theCatalan”: the role of social mentoring in the acquisition of the linguafranca in immigrant children and adolescents

Este estudio tiene como objetivo ahondar en si el apoyo de la mentoría social en los niños/as y adolescentes de origen inmigrante favorece la adquisición de la lengua vehicular del contexto de acogida: el catalán. Para ello, en este estudio se analizaron los principales efectos que tienen las relaciones de mentoría de los proyectos Rossinyol y en Tándem en Cataluña. Corresponde a un diseño cuasiexperimental, mixto, con pre- y postest a un grupo participante (N=132) y un grupo control (N=129) de niños/as y adolescentes de origen inmigrante, y a sus docentes. También se realizaron entrevistas en pro-fundidad a mentorados. Los resultados aportan datos relevantes sobre el rol de la mentoría social en la aceleración de la adquisición del catalán y en cómo se puede favorecer la inclusión social de los adolescentes inmigrantes durante los primeros años de acogida gracias al apoyo informal de sus mentores.This study aims to promote a better understanding of how social support provided by youth mentoring contributes to the acquisition of the lingua franca,Catalan, by immigrant children and adolescents in the new context of reception. Thus, this inquiry analysed the main effects of mentoring relationships from the Nightingale and enTàndem mentoring programmes run in Catalonia. This is a mixed methods study usinga quasi-experimental design, with a pretest and postest to the particpant (N=132) and control group (N=129) of children and adolescents of migrant background, and to their teachers. Interviews indepth with mentees were also conducted. Main results contribute with new knowledge on the role of mentoring in the acceleration of the language of instruction and on how social inclusion of migrant adolescents may take place in the first years of arrival due to the informal support received by mentor

Systematic review of evaluations of social mentoring programmes for vulnerable youth

Este artículo ofrece una revisión sistemática de las distintas metodologías, técnicas y estrategias en la investigación evaluativa de la mentoría social dirigida a jóvenes vulnerables. Se analizan treinta y cinco evaluaciones de programas durante la década 2010-2020. Los resultados obtenidos muestran el uso mayoritario de una metodología experimental con ensayos controlados y aleatorizados. Este tratamiento metodológico se está viendo progresivamente complementado por la incorporación de investigaciones cualitativas centradas en entender la experiencia de los jóvenes dentro de ella. En base a estos resultados, se plantea la pluralidad de métodos como alternativa en el campo de la mentoría y se destaca la necesidad de contar con estudios que informen sobre la calidad del proceso.In this paper we conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature on the methodologies, techniques and strategies employed in evaluative research into social mentoring programmes for vulnerable youth. To do so, we analyse thirty-five evaluations of programmes published between 2010 and 2020. Our results show that most evaluations employ a methodology whose experimental design is in the form of controlled randomised trials. This methodological treatment is now being complemented by new qualitative research that reveals an interest in understanding the experience of young people within it. On the basis of these results, we propose the plurality of methods as an alternative in the field of mentoring and stress the need for studies that will provide information about process quality.Estas páginas son parte del Proyecto RECERCAIXA2017UdG, APPlying Mentoring: Innovaciones sociales y tecnológicas para la inclusión social de la población inmigrante y refugiada, financiado por el programa RecerCaixa, una colaboración de la Obra Social “La Caixa” y la Asociación Catalana de Universidades Públicas

Editorial: Lessons on Building More Sustainable Rural Societies: Youth and Mobility

Mobility is a fundamental and important characteristic of human activity: it fulfils the basic need of going from one location to the other in order to partake in employment, kinship, and education [...

Tiempos educativos y rendimiento académico: Desigualdades educativas en grupos desfavorecidos

L’objectiu d’aquest article és reflexionar sobre les aportacions teòriques i estudis empírics més rellevants en el panorama internacional que relacionen l’èxit educatiu dels estudiants de classes i/o grups desafavorits amb l’ús adequat dels temps educatius que van més enllà de l’horari escolar. Concretament dels temps (i per extensió també dels espais, projectes i actuacions) desenvolupats per la institució escolar pública, per les famílies, per les organitzacions de la societat civil o per l’Administració en general sempre i quan tinguin una intenció educativa explícita i manifesta. També es farà èmfasi especial a l’hora de destacar quin tipus de relacions es produeixen entre aquestes esferes i quins agents les promouen. esmentarem algunes qüestions que formen part del debat actual, però tenim interès a centrar-nos tant en les responsabilitats familiars i escolars com en les dinàmiques de capital social que afecten l’èxit educatiu i que tenen per objectiu crear un projecte educatiu comú (o altament compartit) que va més enllà de l’horari escolar. _____________________________________________ L’objectif de cet article est de réfléchir sur les contributions théoriques ainsi que les études empiriques les plus importantes dans le panorama international qui mettent en rapport le succès éducatif des élèves de classes et/ou les groupes défavorisés avec l’usage adéquat des temps éducatifs qui vont bien au-delà de l’horaire scolaire ; plus concrètement, des temps (et par extension aussi des espaces, des projets et des interventions) développés par l’institution scolaire publique, par les familles, par les organisations de la société civile ou par l’administration en général dans tous les cas où ils ont une intention éducative explicite et manifeste. Il met aussi l’accent sur le type de relations qui se tissent entre ces différentes sphères et sur les agents qui les promeuvent. Nous mentionnons en outre quelques questions qui font partie du débat actuel, mais nous avons choisi de nous centrer aussi bien sur les responsabilités des familles et de l’école que sur les dynamiques de capital social qui affectent la réussite éducative et qui ont pour objectif de créer un projet éducatif commun (ou largement partagé) qui va bien au-delà de l’horaire scolaire.This paper considers the most relevant theoretical and empirical studies at international level that relate the educational success of students in disadvantaged classes and/or groups with the appropriate use of time for education outside of school hours. Specifically, we focus on the time (and, by extension, the spaces, projects and activities) that is dedicated to explicit and clear educational objectives by state schools, families, civil society organizations or the government in general. In addition, we highlight the kinds of relationships that form between these different spheres and the agents that promote them. We mention some issues that are part of the current debate. However, our main focus is family and school responsibilities and the dynamics of social capital that influence educational success and whose goal is to create a joint educational project (or one that is largely shared) that goes beyond school hours.El objetivo de este artículo es indagar las aportaciones teóricas y estudios empíricos internacionalmente más relevantes que relacionan el éxito educativo de los estudiantes de clases y/o grupos desfavorecidos con el uso «adecuado» de los tiempos educativos que van más allá del horario escolar. Concretamente los tiempos (y por extensión también los espacios, proyectos y actuaciones) desarrollados por la institución escolar pública, por las familias, por las organizaciones de la sociedad civil o por la Administración en general siempre y cuando tengan una intención educativa explícita y manifiesta. También se hará énfasis especial a la hora de destacar qué tipo de relaciones se producen entre estas esferas y qué agentes las promueven. Mencionaremos algunas cuestiones que forman parte del debate actual, pero tenemos interés en centrarnos tanto en las responsabilidades familiares y escolares como en las dinámicas de capital social que afectan el éxito educativo y que tienen por objetivo crear un proyecto educativo común (o altamente compartido) que va más allá del horario escolar

Mentoring for improving the self-esteem, resilience, and hope of unaccompanied migrant youth in the barcelona metropolitan area

In the last few years, the number of unaccompanied youths arriving in Europe has increased steadily. During their settlement in host countries, they are exposed to a great variety of vulnerabilities, which have an impact on their mental health. This research examines the effects of participation in a mentoring programme on the psychological and educational outcomes among unaccompanied migrant youths who live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. Data in this mixed-methods study were obtained from 44 surveys with mentored (treatment group) and non-mentored (control group) male youths who had recently turned 18, as well as through thirty semi-structured interviews with mentored youths, their adult mentors, and non-mentored youths. Our findings indicated that participation in the mentoring programme improved the mentored youths’ self-esteem, resilience, and hope, as well as their desired or expected educational outcomes in this new context. We conclude that well-targeted and problem-specific mentoring programmes have positive and marked effects on unaccompanied migrant youths’ mental health. The social and political implications of these outcomes are also discussed, providing information on how interventions can offer effective networks of support for the settlement and social inclusion of unaccompanied migrant youths

Mentoring for improving the self-esteem, resilience, and hope of unaccompanied migrant youth in the barcelona metropolitan area

In the last few years, the number of unaccompanied youths arriving in Europe has increased steadily. During their settlement in host countries, they are exposed to a great variety of vulnerabilities, which have an impact on their mental health. This research examines the effects of participation in a mentoring programme on the psychological and educational outcomes among unaccompanied migrant youths who live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. Data in this mixed-methods study were obtained from 44 surveys with mentored (treatment group) and non-mentored (control group) male youths who had recently turned 18, as well as through thirty semi-structured interviews with mentored youths, their adult mentors, and non-mentored youths. Our findings indicated that participation in the mentoring programme improved the mentored youths’ self-esteem, resilience, and hope, as well as their desired or expected educational outcomes in this new context. We conclude that well-targeted and problem-specific mentoring programmes have positive and marked effects on unaccompanied migrant youths’ mental health. The social and political implications of these outcomes are also discussed, providing information on how interventions can offer effective networks of support for the settlement and social inclusion of unaccompanied migrant youths

Public Employment Services' Responses to the Pandemic: Examples from Portugal, Bulgaria, and Lithuania

The Covid‐19 pandemic provoked critical changes to welfare in Europe, requiring the dematerialisation of programmes and services while relying mainly on remote support. This study aims to present insights into how European public employment services have coped and adapted to the pandemic challenges, particularly regarding the digitalisation and delivery of services to young people in rural areas. It focuses on three case studies from distinct European regions: Portugal, Bulgaria, and Lithuania. It is based on an exploratory survey of public employment services national offices and qualitative data collected from public employment services offices in rural settings. It highlights the advantages and dangers of the adoption of digitalisation processes, namely considering literacy and accessibility in diverse contexts. It concludes that despite cultural and regional differences, all three countries evidenced an acceleration in service provision due to digitalisation and were capable of adjusting their practices to remote delivery. However, rural areas faced delays due to poor infrastructure, and after the pandemic, public employment privileged on‐site delivery, since it is considered more effective in the training and counselling of young people.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio