Getting Heard: The CRASH Project, A Case Study of Community Involvement with “At Risk” Secondary School Students

Abstract

The CRASH (Cultural, Recreational, Academic, Skills for life, and Health) programme was designed for “at risk” secondary students and ran for the 1996 and 1997 school years in a multi-ethnic Porirua secondary school. The research which accompanied the project derives its strength from the triangulation of the experiences and perceptions of the teachers, the CRASH course tutors (local community youthworkers) and the students. The research has developed theoretical and practical understandings of the achievements and shortcomings of the project. This particular article provides an overview of the CRASH programme and focuses specifically on the students’ perspective. CRASH was found to be a positive experience for the students who participated, at least in the short term. A central feature of the programme’s success was the ability of successful tutors both to create a safe place for “at risk” students and to assist them in “getting heard”.