Push and pull reasons underpinning vulnerable young people’s decisions regarding re-engagement with education and training

Abstract

Leaving school early is an issue of global concern and various measures have been taken to help early school leavers return to and re-engage with education and training, including second chance educational programmes. This qualitative case study explores young people’s reasons for returning to school and continuing education in a second chance educational programme in a successful educational centre located in Ceuta, a Spanish city that is unique in a number of ways (i.e. geography, demography, economy, culture, etc.), and includes a high dropout rate. Our findings indicate that there is a complex interplay of personal and external (educational, family, and economic) factors pushing and pulling the participants to resume education, but that their agentic reflexivity is key in this process.