Analyzing Alternative Education Programs: Utilizing Schools’ Protective Capacity to Build Resilience among At-Risk Youth

• In Event: Bullying and Delinquency Prevention Approaches

Abstract

Alternative education programs are increasingly available in North America, yet they are understudied. Nevertheless, past research has demonstrated that schools can serve as a protective mechanism for at-risk youth against involvement in criminal activity. This study aims to develop a more nuanced understanding of schools’ protective capacity for at-risk youth. Drawing upon participant observation in alternative education classrooms and qualitative interviews with staff members at alternative high schools in Ontario, Canada to understand how these programs structure “success,” I find that student success is primarily defined and measured individually. Alternative students are deemed at-risk youth who have a wide range of academic and non-academic needs, including learning disabilities, homelessness, alcohol/drug abuse, mental illness, and criminal records. By defining success on an individual basis, alternative education programs are able to build resilience and improve feelings of safety and support. Implications for crime prevention and youth justice policy are discussed.

Author

• Robin Lafferty, University of Guelph