Around 20 pilot schools have been established across Europe, including in Greece, France, Germany, Finland, Italy, Belgium and one in the UK, at the East Leeds Learning Centre. And last week Leeds played host to the annual youth summit, which attracted young people from all over Europe (see panel).
Councillor Tom Murray, of Leeds City Council, is a champion of the project.
As president of the European Association of Second Chance Schools, he believes the system offers disaffected young people something that is lacking in mainstream education: flexibility and individual attention.
"It's all about giving young people a second chance to succeed in life," says Murray, who is Labour councillor for the ward of Gosforth. "Unlike what many liberal educators believe, one size does not fit all. The mainstream education system in general is made to cater for all young people equally, with little flexibility for those that don't fit the system.
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