The context of flexible learning options

This introductory chapter provides a context for the book from two perspectives: at the micro level, the previous lived experiences of young people in Flexible Learning Options (FLOs), and at the macro level, economic and policy pressures. The persistent impact of social background on educational experiences and achievement is widely recognised. For students in FLOs, mainstream schooling has not worked well due to one or more factors of social and educational disenfranchisement. FLOs respond to this with approaches underpinned by social justice.

Demand for FLOs has increased in recent decades. High levels of youth unemployment and under-employment mean that education is an alternative to entering a precarious labour market. Moreover, policy initiatives in Australia and elsewhere are aimed at increasing educational attainment. These conditions particularly impact on disenfranchised young people, and on the FLOs that aim to offer them an engaging, high-quality education.