In today's French education system, students have few opportunities to discover and develop their own talents, aptitudes and intelligence. Schools tend to downplay students' personal development, and give too little time to their search for plans for the future. What if schools valued students' qualities rather than their shortcomings?
With more and more young people dropping out of high school, the Lyon-based association "L'Année Lumière" is offering them a year-long program to regain their self-confidence and get to grips with the realities of the working world. Through various workshops, they rediscover their abilities and strengths, develop personally and forge new links.
A concept straight out of Denmark, L'Année Lumière is an establishment based on a collaborative model, aimed at young people aged 16 to 25 who have lost their bearings.
With no lectures or end-of-year exams, pupils are not students but "learners". Over the course of a year, they are monitored by coaches, learn to better discover themselves through the exploration of their multiple intelligences and natures, and research and build their future projects based on their strengths. They work in small groups and learn about entrepreneurship on the job, collectively developing their own projects.
For more information on the Light Year: https://www.annee-lumiere.org
