'Being lost in the system'

My research explored the educational experiences of young people who had been at risk of dropping out of secondary education, and subsequently went on to obtain a qualification at a second chance provision in England, Denmark and Hungary. Social constructionism acts as an overarching theory because it postulates that knowledge is relative, which helps explore the situation of young people in different policy contexts.The research is based on comparative fieldwork in three urban areas. Empirical data were collected from observations and interviews. By listening to the voices of former students, the analysis focuses on the relevance of different sources of support as motivators to sustain or re-establish engagement in education. Data analysis chapters concentrate on how young people described their career at school, their negative experiences in mainstream settings and their learning pathways in second chance provisions. Special attention was paid to their interpretations about theinfluences, which they considered beneficial to their careers in education and later in their adult life.The research study concludes with policy recommendations based on the findings.