OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH: UNLEASHING LIFE STORIES AND BREAKTHROUGHS

Abstract

The study focuses on the life stories and breakthroughs of the out-of-school youth (OSY). The researchers sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the reasons for the emergence of out-of-school youth? 2. What challenges have the out-of-school youth encountered during attending school and after dropping out? 3. What coping mechanisms do out-of-school youth employ during attending school and after dropping out? 4. What model on the experiences of out-of-school youth can be developed? This study was conducted at Barangay San Blas, Bangar, La Union, specifically Sector 1,2,3, and 4. There were ten (10) out-of-school youths as participants. Moreover, a researcher made interview guide was utilized to gather the out-of-school youths' life stories and breakthroughs. The results on the reasons for the emergence of out-of-school youth were thematized into four: financial struggle, dealing with parental pressure, excessive mental and physical stress, and student-teacher relationship. The challenges faced by the out-of-school youth were categorized into during attending school and after dropping out from school. While attending school, they encountered challenges such as academic stress, negative student-teacher relationship, and an oppressive school environment; whereas, the difficulties encountered after dropping out were difficulty in finding work, frustration, and social judgment. Meanwhile, coping mechanisms employed by the out-of-school youth were categorized into during attending school and after dropping out from school. The participants employ four coping mechanisms during attending school: engaging in leisure activities, getting family support, and having a positive outlook in life; while after they drop out, the out-of-school youth employ job hunting and decide to return to school as coping mechanisms. Based on the findings, the researchers came up with a model “Model on the Experiences of Out-of-School Youth” to best represent the life experiences of the out-of-school youth.