Alternative Education Environments
Hugh McElveen, a Decision Professional based in Ireland, has been using the Decision Education Foundation’s (DEF) materials to teach decision skills to at-risk youth participating in YouthReach, a program designed to support students who have dropped out of formal education.
Hugh found that DEF’s decision tools and materials were easy for the students to understand and apply to their own lives, providing a refreshing and engaging change from their typical studies. The students enjoyed the decision skills course, saying it was a welcome break to what they normally study.
Hugh emphasized the unique value of teaching decision skills in programs like YouthReach. Instead of telling students what to do, these tools provide them with a structured framework to make their own decisions. This approach helps students build confidence, as they feel supported rather than judged, and enables them to apply these skills to their own challenges and problems they are facing.
