Sharing Student Projects

This study explores how educational professionals working in UK AP settings understand and support the development of resilience in adolescents considered “at-risk”. These young people face overlapping challenges such as exclusion from mainstream education, mental health difficulties, unstable home environments, and marginalisation. The research aimed to understand how AP professionals define resilience, how they develop it in the adolescents they work with, and how they collaborate with families, agencies (such as schools, social workers, and mental health services), and wider communities to support it. Eight participants were interviewed, each with over three years’ experience working in AP settings. These included care farms, arts-based provisions, and mixed provisions combining academic and vocational learning. Participants were based in the South West and North West of England. Interviews were conducted online and analysed using RTA, a qualitative method that interprets patterns of meaning in participants’ experiences. Three key themes were constructed: 1. How AP staff understood resilience Participants described resilience as a flexible and evolving capacity shaped by relationships, experiences, and environments. It was closely linked to mental health and, in some cases, physical health. Resilience was seen as essential for helping at-risk adolescents re-engage with learning, build relationships, and participate in society. It looked different for each pupil – ranging from attending school to managing emotions or coping with stress. Participants also highlighted how mainstream schools often failed to support students with low resilience, whereas AP settings were seen as better suited to meeting their needs. 2. How AP staff developed resilience in pupils Staff emphasised the importance of building safe, trusting relationships. Many students had experienced trauma, exclusion, or broken trust with adults and institutions. AP professionals used personalised strategies – such as interest-led learning and flexible timetables – to re-engage pupils. Emotional outbursts were met with empathy, not punishment, and seen as opportunities to understand and support students’ needs. ER was identified as a key skill to develop in pupils. Trauma-informed and relational approaches were often used to help students feel safe enough to take risks, make mistakes, and begin to trust again – conditions seen as essential for resilience to grow. 3. How AP staff worked with external stakeholders to support it Participants described working with families, agencies, and communities as essential for supporting pupil resilience – but also as challenging. Building trust with parents and carers was seen as a key part of their role. Staff used flexible communication methods – like phone calls, informal chats, and tailored updates – to stay connected and offer support. Many described acting as coordinators, organising meetings, and sharing information with other professionals involved in students’ care. This included social workers, mental health teams, and mainstream schools. However, collaboration was often limited by insufficient resources, unclear responsibilities, and delays in accessing mental health services. Some AP settings used community engagement to develop resilience, such as work experience, enterprise projects, or partnerships with local organisations. Others focused on informal social interactions, creative activities, or trips. When embedded, these experiences were seen to help students build resilience-related skills and gain a sense of purpose.

This research has practical relevance for educators, schools, policymakers, and professionals working with at-risk adolescents. It emphasises that resilience is not a fixed trait, but something that can be nurtured through relationships, emotional support, and systemic collaboration For AP staff and educators, the findings offer clear strategies for supporting resilience – such as building trust, responding to emotional needs with empathy and curiosity, and using personalised, interest-led approaches. These practices can help re-engage students who found mainstream school challenging and support their resilience development. For schools and educational leaders, the study reinforces the need for more trauma-informed and relational practices. It also shows a need for funded support roles to help services coordinate better and deliver effective resilience practices. For policymakers, the research calls for a shift away from narrow, performance-based definitions of resilience. Advocating systemic approaches that recognise the role of relationships, environments, and community support in resilience. This includes clearer frameworks for multi-agency collaboration and better integration with mental health services. Overall, the study contributes to a growing body of research that resilience is not just about “bouncing back”, but about being supported to grow, connect, and thrive.