RESEARCH SUMMARY

Methodology

• A questionnaire on investigating centre provision of Junior Certificate, NCVA and Leaving Certificate programmes and the Junior Certificate results of trainees in the 2000 examinations was sent to all VEC YOUTHREACH centres and Community Training Workshops, and Senior Traveller Training Centres in April 2001. The overall response rate was 67.5% (104 centres). The 104 centres provided Junior Certificate results for 262 trainees. This slightly higher response rate than previous years (61% for the 1998 examination and 60% for the 1999 examinations) may be attributed to the inclusion of NCVA and Leaving Certificate programmes in addition to Junior Certificate sections in the questionnaire and the new process of data collection using each National Co-ordinator as a collection point.

Provision of Certification Programmes

• The most popular certification programme to be provided by VEC YOUTHREACH Centres, Community Training Workshops and Senior Traveller Training Centres in the year 1999-2000 were modules towards NCVA certification - 80% of centres who responded provide NCVA modules. 35% of centres provide subjects from the Junior Certificate programme, 21% provide the Leaving Certificate Applied programme and 11% provide subjects from the traditional Leaving Certificate programme.

Junior Certificate: Subject Provision

• Similar to the results of the previous two research reports, English and Maths are by far the most popular subjects for which centres provide tuition, with all 36 centres who provide a Junior Certificate programme providing English and all but 4 centres providing Maths. Civic, Political and Social Education has emerged strongly in the provision for the first time this year with 8 centres providing tuition in this subject. Music is now provided in 3 centres (none in 1998 or 1999).

Junior Certificate: Trainee Results

• Junior Certificate Results were provided for 262 trainees - 149 male and 113 females. Interestingly the pecentage of male trainees taking Junior Certificate subjects in Senior Traveller Training Centres (15%) though still a significant minority, has doubled on the percentage in 1999 (7%).
• Core subjects and practically based subjects are most popular. Again in agreement with the most popular subjects provided by centres and the trends for 1998 and 1999, the most popular subjects for trainees to take in the Junior Certificate were English and Maths. Again the leaning toward the more practical subjects is evident (e.g. Home economics, Art, Craft and Design and Materials Technology). 15% of trainees whose results were submitted sat papers in Civic, Political and Social Education which emerged in the research for the first time this year.
• Junior Certificate subjects are taken at higher level. Taking into account all the papers sat by each of the 262 trainees, 3% were taken at higher level and 97% at either ordinary or foundation level. Trainees are more likely to take the higher level paper in Materials Technology (11% of papers at higher level) Home Economics (7% at higher level) and Art, Craft and Design (6% at higher level) again showing the leaning toward the more practical subjects.
• Many trainees achieve high grades in the subjects they take for examination. 12% of trainees who sat a Maths paper in 2000 achieved an A grade, 9% of those who sat either the Materials Technology or Home Economics papers achieved A grades, 8% of those who sat a History paper and 7% of those who sat either an English or an Art, Craft and Design paper achieved A grades. 87% of trainees who sat a Materials Technology paper achieved a C grade or higher, 84% of those who sat an Art, Craft and Design paper achieved the same level - this is again illustrative of the leaning toward more practically based subjects.
• Failure rates are low especially in the practical subjects. 100% of trainees who sat either an Art, Craft and Design or Materials technology paper in 2000, achieved a D grade or higher - there was a zero failure rate in both subjects for the trainees surveyed. In fact over the three years of this research, there has been a zero failure rate in Materials technology (1998, 1999 and 2000). This compares favourably with Department of Education and Science statistics where the failure rate was 4.5% in Materials Technology in 1998 (Department of Education and Science, 1999).

Current Status of those who sat Junior Certificate in 2000

• Over one third of trainees who sat Junior Certificate subjects in 2000 are in some type of employment. This 34% includes 30% in employment, 4% in work experience and 1% pursuing an apprenticeship. 28% of trainees who took Junior Certificate subjects in 2000 are still attending the general programme provided by their centre.
• YOUTHREACH provides the opportunity to take subjects from state examinations at the trainee's own pace. 7% of trainees are taking additional Junior Certificate subjects which reflects the importance of YOUTHREACH in providing young people with the opportunity to take subjects from this examination in such a staggered way.
• 27% of trainees who sat Junior Certificate subjects in 2000 have moved on to pursue further education and training. This figure includes 12% completing NCVA modules, 3% completing the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, 3% pursuing other certification and 7% in further education and training.

National Council for Vocational Awards (NCVA) Certification

• 66 different modules are offered in the 83 centres providing modules towards NCVA certification. The most popular modules come loosely under 'Personal Development': Communications (75% of centres who provide NCVA), Personal Effectiveness (53% of centres) and Personal and Interpersonal skills (23% of centres); Childcare: caring for Children (46% of centres) and Child Development and Play (29% of centres) and Food: Food and Nutrition (43% of centres) and Food and Cookery (29% of centres). Computer Literacy and Mathematics are provided by 66% and 64% of centres respectively.
• 657 trainees (in surveyed centres) are completing the module in Computer Literacy and 494 are completing the Communications module. In contrast, 5 centres provide a module towards NCVA certification for just one trainee and 8 centres provide modules for just 2 trainees again reflecting the individuality of the trainee programmes provided by the 3 YOUTHREACH strands.

Leaving Certificate Programmes

• 30% of centres provide one of the three Leaving Certificate programmes 10.5% provide tuition in subjects for the 'traditional' Leaving Certificate programme and 21% provide tuition for the Leaving Certificate Applied programme. None of the centres provide the Leaving Certificate Vocational programme (LCVP).

'Traditional' Leaving Certificate Programme

• Subject Provision follows similar Trends to those for Junior Certificate. Over 90% of centres supporting participation in a Leaving Certificate programme provide English as a subject for a total of 34 trainees. The second most popular subject to be provided and taken up is Mathematics (82% of centres 25 trainees). Home Economics is provided by 5 centres for 14 trainees. This follows the trends in Junior Certificate provision where the top three subjects are English, Mathematics and Home Economics.
• Individuality of Trainee Programmes: A number of centres provide subject tuition for small numbers of trainees (2 centres provide Irish for a total of 3 trainees and 1 centre provides Construction for 1 trainee).

Leaving Certificate Applied

• Nearly 90% of the 22 centres providing a Leaving Certificate Applied programme provide Social Education, Maths Application and Irish. 83% provide English and Communication, 72% offer IT and 67% provide Vocational Preparation. The most popular modern language to be provided is French (44%). The most popular 'vocational specialisms' are Hotel and Catering (56% of centres providing an LCA programme) and Leisure and Recreation (50% of centres with LCA).

Other Qualifications

• Nearly half of the centres provide other qualifications. 47% of centres provide other qualifications in addition or alternatively to the programmes described in the previous 3 sections. One fifth of centres provide the European Computer Driving License (ECDL), 16% provide IAS FÁS Hairdressing, 12% provide courses with City and Guilds certification. 11% provide courses in First Aid.

Intention to Provide Programmes 2000-2001

• 88% of centres intended to provide NCVA in 2000-2001 (an increase of 8% on provision 1999-2000), 39% intended to provide a Junior Certificate programme (an increase of 4% on provision 199-2000). 28% intended to provide an LCA programme (increase of 75 on provision) and 10% intended on providing the 'traditional' Leaving Certificate programme.