Concluding Remarks: Youth Focus Groups

• Youth likes and dislikes, as indicated by responses in the group discussions, support existing research showing that at-risk youth prefer active learning in an accepting, supportive, and interesting atmosphere.
• However, while research such as the Core Literacy project "What Do Youth Want in a Literacy Program" (1996) suggests that youth prefer to learn one on one, our focus groups found that youth prefer to learn in a small group situation, with the option of one to one assistance as required. One to one learning was described as being too intense.
• The need for financial support and emotional support was clearly indicated by both groups.
• Both groups also agreed that learning needs to be hands on and relevant, led by caring and involved teachers who leave discriminatory judgments at the door, and needs to conclude by offering recognition in the form of a diploma or job references and further contacts.
• Goals and objectives of the youth in our groups were relatively simple and immediate; a need for a job paying beyond minimum wage to allow the youths to live independently was the predominant response. (However, with some probing and questioning in the individual interviews, some youths identified the need for better reading/ writing/ math skills to achieve better jobs).
• Finally, while the group discussion generated some very useful information, the anonymity of the activity rating sheets and the confidentiality of the individual interviews provided more "truthful" selfassessments and responses.