Tope Sterk 5

Young people in vulnerable situations do not always have it easy at school. The goal of the Tope Sterk project is to increase opportunities for these young people through student tutoring.

In this case, higher education students act as mentors to support primary or secondary school pupils in their learning process. Scientific research has shown that tutoring programs have positive effects on learning outcomes in primary and secondary education. A large-scale meta-analysis (Nickow, A., Oreopoulos, P., & Quan, V., 2020) revealed several trends: positive effects are equal for math and language, with stronger positive effects in primary education.

During Tope Sterk 5, Howest will expand the structural collaboration established in West and East Flanders to the Flemish level. These organizations have been or will be partners:

- De Katrol in Ostend and elsewhere in West and East Flanders

- 't Scharnier, Bruges and Blankenberge

- Komerbi, Bruges

- Kompanjon in Ghent and Antwerp

- Homestart in Leuven with other local branches

- Uylenspel, Ghent

- Armen Tekort, Antwerp

Learning Network

During the 2024-2025 school year, Howest will further develop the learning network, conduct research, and exchange expertise on topics such as (through a study day, among others): dealing with children of parents with mental health issues, culturally sensitive assistance, handling alarming situations, self-regulated learning, peer consultations on student misconduct, and an impact measurement tool for family support. After this project, a publication will also be prepared with theoretical insights and practical guidelines on working with vulnerable families in home settings through tutoring projects.