1.

To what extent are all the reports focused specifically on COURAGE

related policies and initiatives - to address early school leaving and
educational disengagement specifically through inter-agency
collaboration between educational and other providers of youth-
oriented cultural, educational and recreational activities?

This report is going to provide an overview of situation of youth in 2016, what changes
have been implemented, how did youth-oriented cultural, educational and
recreational activities contributed to decrease early school leaving and educational
disengagement, how did COURAGE addresses these issues.

According to statistics, in 2016, 581 241 young persons have lived in Lithuania; this is
almost 83 000 less than 6 years ago. The population f youngsters decrease. In 2016,
youngsters made 20, 1 % of the total population.

Young people (14 - 29) according to sex

49% 51%

Young men Young women

There are slightly more young men, but if we take emigration statistics, more young
men leave school or other education institution and choose emigration.

The following chart shows figures of young people (15-29) unemployment.

Unemployment of young people 2012-2016

25

20

15

10 19.6
17.1
14.7 12.7 14.4
5

0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
According to Eurostat, in 2017 unemployment of young people is 13,1%. This decline
is due to various programs and possibilities for young people to get support and
employment, but also because of emigration, which is still a big challenge for the
country.

Therefore, the actions should be complex, joint forces, resources and intellectual
capital should work together in order to help youth. This is what COURAGE about.
Unfortunately, stereotypes about masculine and female professions still exist in
Lithuania. This old fashioned point of view should be eliminated starting with all
education stages, from the early education to universities. This requires a lot of
efforts: scientific research, educators competence building. Research results have
revealed that the main reasons of unfavorable youth situation in the labor market are
a mismatch between educational attainment and labor market demands, unfavorable
labor market situation, and personal characteristics, such as a lack of appropriate
education and motivation for work, difficulties of reconciling family and working life.
Moreover, employment prospects of the young people are considerably affected by
their gender, educational attainment, previous work experience, etc. The possibilities
of attaining decent, safe, stable, long term job become more and more complicated
and challenging for the youth.

European Commission. Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT).

Statistical database of young people not in employment and not in any education and
training.
European Commission. Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT).
Statistical database of young people not in employment and not in any education and
training.

It can be concluded that the youth not in education, employment, and training are a
group of young people who face a constant risk of marginalization due to a lack of
social, cultural, and human capital. In a vast majority of European countries, 15-24
year old youth who are not in education, employment, or training are described by the
concept of NEET and measured by the Eurostat Labor Force Survey data. NEET group
can be characterized by limited employment possibilities, low education, poor family
background, etc. Looking at statistical figures, provided by the Eurostat, it is evident
that the number of the youth in Lithuania has increased considerably during the
economic crisis. The number of the youth in EU-28 is quite high and constitutes, on
average, 12.3% from all the population aged 15-24. This number is lower for Lithuania
and it constitutes, on average, 10.2%. Compared to the figures of 15-24 years old, the
number for 15-29 years old is even higher. The number of the youth in EU-28 is quite
high and constitutes, on average, 14.7% from all the population aged 15-29. This
figure is lower for Lithuania and constitutes, on average, 13.0%. The youth not in
education, employment, or training, had their employment possibilities limited mostly
by a mismatch between educational attainment and labor market demands, or by an
unfavorable situation in the labor market (for example, very low pay offered,
etc.).Their educational choices have been mostly limited by the following factors:
personal abilities and motivation as well as positive future prospects. It was pointed
out that sometimes it is difficult for them to meet the requirements of employers; they
lack appropriate competences (for example, the knowledge of foreign languages,
computer literacy skills, etc.), necessary for successful employment. Youths have also
stressed inappropriate working conditions, offered by employers, such as physically
difficult working conditions, long working hours, overtime, or delay in paying wages.

As a partner in COURAGE project, Alytus Youth Center has chosen a dance theme to
help teenagers and youth to have positive changes in their lives, to keep them safe
and self-confident. There are so many evidence and opportunities that choose dance
as an extracurricular activity:

1. Friendships

Being active in dance classes or on a competitive team helps youth to build

meaningful and respectful friendships. You spend a lot of time with your co-dancers
both fun and many tough times, too. When you are struggling to master a skill, your
dance friends understand the struggle. On the other hand, if you are jumping out of
your skin excited because you finally got that skill down, your dance friends are there
to celebrate with you and understand the mountain you climbed. Dance teachers
often make sure to limit the amount of competition between dancers and replace that
energy with time to encourage one another and the opportunity to help each other.

2. Self-confidence

There are so many worries that plague teens today - from boy troubles to self-image
issues and even the pressures of knowing what their careers will be in 10 years, dance
provides a place to forget all of that stress and focus on building self-esteem, self-
respect, and self-confidence. It gives dancers the opportunity to build their skills and
accomplish their goals in a fun environment.

3. Benefits teenagers with special needs

Kids with sensory processing disorder, autism, and socio-emotional or physical

difficulties can use dance to improve the symptoms of their conditions and give them
the opportunity to freely express themselves. When children are engaged with the
world around them, they are more prepared to interact with it, learn from it, and
contribute to it. Dance is a vehicle that stimulates this engagement.

4. A refuge from the street

Dance, along with most extra-curricular activities, provides a place for teens to escape
the dangers of peer pressure outside of school. Instead of going to a party and
possibly getting into trouble on a Friday night, chances are dancers are in the studio
until 8:30/9pm and have to be back in by 9 am the following day. Being in the dance
studio gives dancers the excuse they sometimes need to say no to their peers
about making poor decisions.

5. Discipline and responsibility

Its simple, really. To be successful in dance, you have to be disciplined and

responsible. If you arent prepared with the correct attire, you are asked to leave class.
If you dont remember all the parts of your costume for a performance or a
competition, you dont perform or compete. If you forgot to write your 10-page
research paper due the following day and at the same time you have a mandatory
rehearsal the night before, it looks like youll be up until midnight finishing it after
rehearsal!
6. Developing healthy habits

Dancers develop an understanding on how to correctly fuel their bodies to reach their
maximum potential in the dance studio. Teens experience so many changes in their
bodies and sometimes its hard to understand how to deal with it. But dancers learn
the best ways to stretch sore muscles, work through those nasty PMS cramps, hydrate
like a camel, and select what kind of food to eat to make their bodies work best in the
studio every day. These healthy habits are priceless tools to have throughout life.

7. Dance helps teens perform better in school

The discipline, responsibility, and self-confidence that dancers develop in the studio
translate as a tool when tackling schoolwork. Plus, according to neuroscience educator
Robert Sylwester, mobility is central to everything that is cognitive, whether physical
motion or the mental movement of information to our brains. Our cognitive system
helps us make intelligent choices like rapid decision-making. And that rings true for
trying any new extracurricular activity.

Discipline, responsibility, self-confidence, and learning a healthy way to communicate

with peers in the dance studio combined with the stimulation of the brain and body, is
nothing but a win-win situation. The positive engagement both physically and
emotionally that teens feel in dance results in a foundation of personal growth that
lasts a lifetime.

Furthermore, extra-curricular activities of high quality contribute and have a direct

impact of alcohol, tobacco and other addictive substances decline between teenagers.
For the first time in twenty years, Ministry of Education and Science reports the decline
of using drugs, tobacco and alcohol among teenagers and students. Various measures,
aiming at reducing using harmful substances among pupils and students are being
taken, including alcohol, tobacco and drugs prevention programs at schools. However,
much remains to be done to reduce accessibility and availability and increase the
resilience of teenagers. This should be done not only in formal education system, but
at non-formal level, social life, family etc. Despite good news of harmful habits
decline; there is a new trend and threat of dependence on the internet. There is a
need for closer monitoring and exploring the use of the Internet, games and gaming,
as teenagers, and even children are becoming addicted to the Internet. According to
the research, on average, Lithuanian students use the Internet 5.7 days per week. In
other European countries, this figure ranged from 3.8 to 6.8 days per week. Internet
usage daily makes 2 to 3 hours. More than 4 hours in a typical work day using the
Internet admits almost every fourth respondent, while a typical weekend day - an even
greater proportion - about 43.4 %. Teenagers mostly use the Internet to communicate
in social networks. Networking is more attractive to girls than boys. The Internet is
likely less used for cultural purposes, or search for information.

Alytus Youth Center it is an institution, providing the whole range of non-formal

education activities and additional occupations. AYC is a basis and place of
experienced, talented, creative and motivated staff, teachers, offering new
opportunities, and initiatives. We prevent from harmful habits, educate personal and
social competencies, prepare for life by providing professional knowledge, motivating
to choose, to study and achieve results.

Alytus Youth Centre is the establishment, involving the highest number of students
and visitors among non-formal education schools in Alytus, and it is the second largest
center in the country, offering educational activities, events, exhibitions, and other
forms of learning, occupation and pastime, supports and actively involves over 1000
members of the community children, youth and adults, some of whom are
motivation and purpose driven, and others who just want to find themselves and to
achieve the objective to become a successful person. Therefore, the whole
community is involved and benefits from COURAGE outcomes and results.

2. How clearly does each report identify specific initiatives which have
been measurably successful and have therefore been selected as case-
studies to demonstrate and explain best COURAGE practice?

As indicated in SOA report, the current situation shows that significant measures need
to be taken in order to improve and support students motivation, to address
educational disengagement and inspire self-confidence, motivation, leadership and
endurance, to show possibilities and highlight potential and aim focused education.

A case study in AYC is based on Rokas. He is a teenager, attending folk dance studio
Ruta at AYC. Why dance?

For centuries, many cultures have used dance to communicate, show emotion, share
stories and to promote physical and emotional healing. The use of dance as a type
physical therapy and psychotherapy goes back to the 1940s, and today dance therapy
is used to treat a variety of emotional and physical conditions.

Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further social,

cognitive, emotional and physical development in the individual. Today dance teachers
work not only to provide non-formal education or pastime, but to help individuals
develop improved emotional stability, a better self-image and essential
communication skills. Dance therapy uses the bodys expressive movements to help
deal with emotional issues. Individuals of all physical abilities and ages can benefit
from this type of therapy. One can benefit from private sessions, but group dance
therapy is also an option.

The dance benefits are proven to have a positive impact on troubled children and
teenagers. When used for teens and children, it offers them the ability to develop a
healthier sense of self-worth. It also gives them the tools to cope with emotional
issues, work through difficult problems and helps improve personal communication
skills. Dance teachers can use movement and dance to help the child or teen relax
body tension, which improves emotional function. Through movement, children and
teens can express themselves, show what they are feeling and learn to understand
themselves. For children and teens, dance therapy may include making up a new
dance routine, telling a story through their dance, dancing as quickly as possible,
dancing to mirror the movements of other people or even dancing to show a specific
emotion. Dance specifically proves helpful for children and teens that deal with:
 Excessive or extreme anger

Hyperactivity

Neurological issues

Past traumas, such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse

Self-harm

Suicidal thoughts

Problems with self esteem

Concentration problems, such as ADHD

Eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia

Depression

Stress or anxiety

Rokas has experienced all range of emotions typical for teenage age (He is now 17).
Hes been engaged in folk dancing since he was three. Rokas admits that there were
several times we wanted to quit, as he was sick and tired of folk. On the other hand, in
Lithuania, folk dance is not popular with boys, so bullying was another challenge to
handle. Sometimes dancing is still considered as female pastime.

Dance teacher Ruta was the main supporter and mentor for Rokas choices and
decisions. According to Rokas, she is like a mother to him, not putting pressure but
motivating, offering freedom to choose and take responsibility for other members of
folk dance class.

Bullying of classmates and friends did affect him a lot. However, he gathered strength
and kept dancing. Unfortunately, the popularity of folk dance in Lithuania decreases,
so a lot of efforts are needed to maintain Lithuanian traditions. Folk dances are
characterized by a symmetrical design; in later times by a compositional complexity,
variety of figures. There are various ways of dancing in pairs. The partners can
embrace each other in the polka- or waltz-like manner, or they can just hold each
other's hands when facing each other or standing in a circle, or hold each other by
their bent arms. Dances and games used to be restrained. There were no solo dances.
Leg movements are dominant: the steps are short, the feet are not raised high, and
there are no big leaps. Hand movements are characteristic of imitative dances. The
most frequent steps are walking, jumping, waltz and polka steps. Turning, intertwining,
going through and changing places are the dominant figures. Purely men's dances are
not very popular in Lithuania.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century game dances were gradually replaced
by ring dances, Young people liked polkas and other fast-moving dances which came
from Western Europe.
At the beginning of the 20th century the first folk dances were adapted for the stage.
Since 1940 about 300 folk dances and ring dances have been adapted for the stage.
Very many performances given by amateur companies open with the hat dance
Kepurine, which is a greeting dance. Among the Lithuanians living in emigration the
dance Kubilas "Tub" enjoys great popularity. The dance Klumpakojis "Dance in sabots"
became popular at the end of the last century. Ethnographic and folklore groups are
doing a lot to revive old folk dances. Each ethnic region has its favorite dances.
Several dances, such as Bitute "Little Bee", Noriu miego "I feel so sleepy", Suktinis
"Twirler" and Zilvitis "Osier Tree" are popular in all parts of Lithuania.

Rokas learned not to pay attention to bullying. Others can say or think whatever they
like, it does not affect me. I am doing this for myself, not for others, and I enjoy
dancing. It far much better than sitting home and doing nothing, - admits Rokas.

Rokas achievements are remarkable. Dancing both folk and line dance, he has
numerous awards, prizes and medals from national and international tournaments. It
helped building self-confidence, trust, motivation, self-esteem, responsibility and
stamina needed for future life.

Dance therapy really worked in this particular case. Rokas teacher Ruta was able to
use dance as a powerful tool to encourage a teenager and share this good practice
among her students and colleagues. The interview with Rokas was published at the
local newspaper Alytus news. Outcomes and results were shared in AYC community
and social partners.