Young people in society column

Provided by the Professional Order of Social Workers of Québec (Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux du Québec), these articles are intended to help you deal with everyday life. They could also help you help a friend!

Come back to read it!

Stay in school!

By Nathalie Grondin, Social Worker

Everyone is back to school and well into the first semester. If you ended last year on a sour note or if you are off to a rocky start this year, read on about dropping out of school.

Dropping out of school is not an individual problem; it is the result of many factors where several people share responsibility:

• Society is partially responsible.
  It is crucial to stress the importance of education and make it accessible to everyone. Provinces must select appropriate teaching styles.
• Your school carries some responsibility too.
  It is a school's duty to encourage and provide an atmosphere that is conducive to academic achievement.
• Your teachers, parents and friends are also responsible.
• And ultimately, you also share the responsibility.

You are not the only person responsible for your academic difficulties. However, your success is all up to you. You are the only one who can make decisions about your future, regardless of the obstacles around you.

Certain factors are common to students at risk of dropping out. The primary¹ ones are:

• Gender
  More boys drop out of school, citing that school is less geared towards them.
• Difficulties adapting
  E.g.: avoiding or denying your problems
• Low self-esteem
  E.g.: thinking negatively about yourself; lacking confidence.
• Strained relationships with adults
  E.g.: teachers, parents, etc.
• A low opinion about school and failures in some subjects
  E.g.: believing that school has no benefits.
• Low motivation
  E.g.: becoming discouraged and thinking that you'll never make it; no interests.
• Behaviour problems
  E.g.: difficulty respecting school rules.
• Having friends with the same problems
  E.g.: having friends who share these risk factors and who are also likely to drop out of school.

If you think you or a friend of your are at risk of dropping out, here is some advice²:

• Accept help.
• Be proactive in pursuing success.
• Use efficient ways to solve your problems.
• Develop your skills.
• Set goals for yourself.
• Picture yourself succeeding.
• Participate in extra-curricular activities.
• Work on cultivating good friendships.
• Let your parents help you.

There is a Web site that is specially designed for teens and provides more information about the nine tips cited here. Visit www.uneplacepourtoi.qc.ca (in French only).

You can also talk to administrators at your school, call Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi, or a CLSC in your area.

Above all, don't forget that it's never too late and STAY IN SCHOOL!

1 and 2 Potvin, P., L. Fortin, D. Marcotte, É. Royer and R. Deslandes. 2004 Guide de prévention du décrochage scolaire, CTREQ, Québec.