The main objective of the project is to reduce the risks of isolation and early withdrawal from education for minors between 11 and 17 years of age in the cities of Trani and Bisceglie. The practices of educational tracking, promoting opportunities and empowerment aim to face these issues with a modular and cross-sectoral approach.

The project partnership connects institutions from both cities with associations and third-sector entities that, through innovative methods, will engage minors in alternative training programs.

The Municipality of Trani will facilitate the reporting of cases of minors in situations of distress (in collaboration with the designated school) as the goal of personalised programs aimed at contrasting early withdrawal from education. The identification of minors will be also carried out by local associations. Activities will also target minors who have already dropped out of school or training programs (including NEET youth, those with Hikikomori Syndrome, etc.), by reaching out to their families. For these families, seminars and training events will be organised, inviting experts in education and psychological-pedagogical fields to provide support, guidance and information about adolescent distress, as well as its prevention, communication strategies and collaboration with the professionals responsible for its treatment.

The project therefore aims to address the issue of educational poverty through the implementation of different measures:

• Individual measures (for minors, the primary beneficiaries of the project)
• Group measures (peer-based, as activities will be extended to classroom contexts to promote a non-discriminatory approach using peer support tools)
• Parental measures (targeting families and promoting protective programs and alliances with other educational agencies)
• Policy measures (encouraging networks that experiment the Educational Tracking approach involving public authorities. They will play a dual role, both reporting minors and promoting alternative opportunities: Juvenile Court, educational and social services of local authorities – Technical Advisory Office, local health authorities (ASL) and social care services, project partnerships, local associations, schools and accredited training agencies and universities).

Specifically, here are the details of the activities:

• Addressing situations of social and educational isolation that contribute to early withdrawal from education
• Providing educational, socialisation, and training opportunities to minors in distress, including minors with special needs
• Promoting the development of didactic, STEM, informal and non-formal skills in at-risk minors, encouraging literacy to support their engagement in the educational process and autonomy
• Equipping minors with skills and meta-skills that are valued within peer groups, aimed at developing cognitive tools, resilience and a collaborative approach
• Enhancing peer support experiences to expand the range of second-chance opportunities