School-to-work transition program for at-risk youths: Cultural adaptation

Abstract

BACKGROUND

At-risk youths experience complex life circumstances with high poverty and school dropout rates, often never obtaining a matriculation certificate. Schools emphasize academic skills but lack programs for early career development, particularly those adapted for minority cultural characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

This article describes the cultural adaptation of a school-to-work transition program (STWT).

METHODS

Using our experience with an STWT for at-risk majority-group youths in Israel, we adapted, implemented, and evaluated the BALASHNA program (an acronym in Arabic of a program for successful young people at work) for at-risk youths in a traditional minority community. Forty-one at-risk Druze youths (11th graders) from two high schools participated in the 20-week culturally adapted STWT.

RESULTS

Comparing the students’ pre- and post-intervention results showed improved knowledge of the work world, future orientation, and work performance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that BALASHNA's concepts, tools, principles, and short internship experiences were effective for the initial career development of minority at-risk youths. It contributes ten effective principles for cultural adaptations of other programs and contexts.