Regardless of the format, there are several key elements which should be observed when using a competence-based approach with young people: • Participation must be voluntary. Self-assessment only works if the individual wants to do it. Pressuring or forcing someone to take part in a competence-based approach is counterproductive – it is more likely to put a young person off. • The young person should not just be a consumer. A competencebased approach is about self-development and this means that the young person should be as actively involved in the process as possible. This does not just mean taking part in discussions or doing exercises – it also means that the youngster plays a role in managing and steering their own learning process (as much as possible). • There must be a clear structure or framework. The individual needs to see clearly whatt they are doing, whyy they are doing it, how w the process works and when they successfully take steps forward. • It must start from what the individual already has. As a rule it is much easier to recognize our weaknesses than our strengths but a competence-based approach must start from the positive rather than the negative – otherwise it is again giving young people the message that they are not good enough. A competence-based approach must start out by looking first to see what a young person has and what they can already do and then go forward from there.
70 GOING BEYOND YOUTHPASS