Abstract
The publication Education as a Tool for Preventing Social Exclusion in the Ústí Region is the final output of a scientific research project that was financially supported by the Ústí Region. Since 2017, the team of employees of the Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (PF UJEP) has carried out a total of four research phases.
In individual stages, various topics related to overcoming the negative consequences of social problems and social exclusion of specific groups of the Ústí nad Labem region from socio-economic processes and activities were elaborated. Students of PF UJEP were also significantly involved in research activities (especially data collection in the field), who dealt with specific topics related to this issue in their qualification theses (bachelor's and diploma theses).
Partial and finalized results were continuously presented at international conferences and published as studies in professional periodicals, or even in the form of comprehensive professional monographs. Emphasis was also placed on the prevention of burnout syndrome, the acquisition and development of professional competencies with a focus on the didactic area, as well as psychosocial and legislative.
Also involved are students of PF UJEP, who in their qualification theses (bachelor's and master's) dealt with specific topics related to this issue. Partial and finalized results were continuously presented at international conferences and published as studies in professional periodicals, or even in the form of comprehensive professional monographs.
Emphasis was also placed on the prevention of burnout syndrome, the acquisition and development of professional competencies with a focus on the didactic area, as well as psychosocial and legislative. The Ústí nad Labem Region is one of the structurally disadvantaged regions with a high incidence of socially excluded localities, a high rate of long-term unemployment and at the same time a high proportion of people with only basic education among the long-term unemployed.
Problems related to insufficient education of the inhabitants of the Ústí nad Labem Region are mentioned in all conceptual and strategic documents that deal with sustainable development and education. Weaknesses include the already mentioned high unemployment, low willingness to personal development, lack of interest in non-formal education and reluctance to participate in further, especially vocational education (Veteška, Kříž and Koubek, 2020).
The low social capital of the population is thus another structural factor that negatively affects the socio-economic development of the region, but also, for example, the educational results of pupils in the region. In the last, fourth phase of implementation, the research team under the expert guidance of prof.
Jaroslav Veteška focused on completing the research of selected factors influencing the further education of adults, especially with regard to the possibilities of their application (integration) in society and on the labor market within the Ústí Region (the first research area). The aim of the research activities was to identify and subsequently analyze key factors and determinants influencing the development and potential of individuals in socio-economic and socio-cultural contexts.
These were mainly education, employment (qualification characteristics), economic (current financial situation), substance use, housing (in social and family context), prevention of delinquent and criminal behavior5 and change of self-concept - a view of the future, especially from a social and social perspective. cultural capital - for young adults living in socially excluded areas. The number of socially excluded localities, similarly to the total number of their inhabitants, is the highest in the Ústí nad Labem Region out of all regions in the Czech Republic.
E.g. only in the town of Ústí nad Labem there are several socially excluded localities - these are mainly Předlice, Nový Svět, Střekov, Krásné Březno and Mojžíř, others are, for example, in Krupka, Litvínov and Most. It is devoted to this important, broad and multidimensional topic. chapter entitled Issues of social exclusion in the Czech Republic.
According to long-term knowledge from non-profit organizations and relevant institutions of the municipal executive in Ústí nad Labem, social exclusion is associated mainly with a high proportion of over-indebted people, ongoing or imminent insolvency, executions, unemployment and a significant number of people receiving material need benefits. Another threat is the use of addictive and psychotropic substances.
In addition, in-depth interviews with representatives of non-profit organizations operating in socially excluded localities contributed to the specification of research areas. Awareness (incl.
Motivation) and possibilities of participation in further education (whether in the form of qualification, retraining, normative, hobby or civic education) were examined in the field. The research team also focused on the elaboration of detailed and relevant data-based characteristics of andragogical instruments usable in efforts to integrate individuals at risk of social exclusion into society, in relation to the lifelong learning paradigm.
Another area of research activities was conceptualization