Flexible educational trajectories for vulnerable adolescents and youth in Guatemala

Guatemala faces profound structural inequalities that severely impact its young population, especially girls, boys and adolescents in situations of poverty, exclusion, violence and rights violations; this problem manifests in high rates of school dropout, teenage pregnancy, gender violence and youth criminalization. In response, Grupo Ceiba Association has been promoting for more than a decade an alternative and flexible education model, in alliance with the Ministry of Education, oriented toward guaranteeing the right to education for adolescents in contexts of vulnerability, promoting their social and labor inclusion, as well as fostering community development through participatory, innovative and student-centered pedagogy. 

This project has as its general objective to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, impact and scalability of the Ceiba Educational Model to guarantee accessible and quality education for adolescents and young people outside the formal system, due to situations of conflict with criminal law, or situations of mobility (migrants and returnees); it seeks to generate evidence that guides public policies, fosters inclusion and facilitates the sustainable expansion of the model.  

The central question is: What are the key factors for sustainably scaling the Ceiba Educational Model, considering the particularities of its beneficiaries? The complementary questions analyze the effectiveness, impact, acceptance and conditions for its scalability, considering guidelines for adolescents and young people in mobility and in conflict with criminal law.  The methodology has a mixed approach and includes systematization, validations, surveys, information analysis, interviews, focus groups, and participant observation.  

It is expected to generate solid evidence about the efficacy and scalability of the model, institutionally strengthen Grupo Ceiba, design strategic plans and contribute to public policies that reduce educational exclusion in contexts of high youth vulnerability. After generating evidence on educational needs, services received, and challenges faced, the project will work with key stakeholders to influence educational policies, practices and interventions, involving ministries, humanitarian organizations, and civil society. The project is led by the Centro de Investigaciones Educativas (CIE) of the Universidad del Valle Guatemala, with the participation of FUndacion Ceiba Guatemala.