In Italy, numerous studies show a gradual deterioration of student’s motivation: difficulties in relating with teachers, negative feelings and attitude towards school, low expectations on the learning path. A sense of disorientation and frustration that often also involves teachers and families.

From 1995 to date, 30.6% of those enrolled in state high schools have not gained a diploma. According to ISTAT data, early school leaving is a sad reality. Despite a decrease in early school leaving from 19.6% in 2008 to 13.8% in 2016, in 2017 it rose again to 14% (580,000 young people). Early school leaving is an important element of what is defined “education poverty”, a very broad concept that includes not only the available income but also the possibility to access the cultural and social resources needed for personal fulfillment and full citizenship.

The #tu6scuola project aims to invest in today’s children, making them protagonists of their school during and after educational activities, and strengthening the network around them.

The #tu6scuola project was created to provide a practical solution to the causes of early school leaving. This three-year national project proposes a new educational model aimed at preventing and fighting early school leaving in students aged 11-14. Following a participatory approach, the chosen tools aim at stimulating the motivation and inclusion of students, teachers, parents, citizens and institutions, involved in various capacities in a common project.

One of the main activities is the «saltaclasse», which targets first grades: it envisages the creation of a «book game», a literary genre that has existed for many years and is coming back into fashion thanks to digital media and TV series. Children are encouraged to make up a script and characters for this book, where the story changes depending on the choices made from time to time by the reader.

CELIM’s other activities as part of this project include study support workshops that respond to specific school support needs outside of school hours and envisage the creation of study and play spaces, and literacy courses in L2 Italian for the inclusion of newly arrived foreign students.
We also hold the Fuori Orario workshops, meetings that fulfil the choice and desire to open school spaces to students outside of school hours, enabling them to experience the school first-hand and find the opportunity to learn, share and explore activities of their interest (art, leisure and sports).

#tu6scuola is a comprehensive project that extends across five regions (Lombardy, Marche, Umbria, Puglia and Sicily) and six territories (Milan, Rovellasca, Città di Castello, Ancona, Bari and Palermo).

The integrated educational model of #tu6scuola involves two thousand girls and boys attending middle school, their families, 350 teachers and people from their community, in a three-year project.