Research challenges rhetorics around young people disengaging with learning

That is one of the key messages emerging from ‘Bridging Worlds: Blending Organic and Co-created Digital Environments to Support Neurodivergent Young People in Mainstream Education’, a new report based on research from the University of Salford and Plymouth Marjon University and published by the British Educational Research Association (BERA) as part of its Neurodiversity in Mainstream Schools research programme, funded by the Kusuma Trust.

Led by Dr Tracy Ann Hayes (Plymouth Marjon University) and Adam Hart (University of Salford), the project worked with 30 neurodivergent young people aged 13–15 who had been identified by their school as being at risk of exclusion or disengagement.

Combining outdoor conservation activities at Plymouth City Council’s Poole Farm with creative digital world-building in Minecraft, Bridging Worlds explored how youth work approaches, nature-based learning and digital creativity can support young people who struggle within conventional school environments.

The findings come at a time of growing concern about school attendance, mental health, exclusion and rising numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The Milburn Review, published last month, estimated that about 1 million young people across the UK are NEET.

Dr Tracy Hayes, Associate Professor of Education at Plymouth Marjon University, said: “Current debates often focus on what is wrong with young people. Our research suggests we should instead be asking what is wrong with the environments and systems that are failing to engage them. The young people we worked with were curious, creative, insightful and highly capable. They were not disengaged from learning. They were disengaged from educational approaches that expected them to sit still, remain silent and learn in narrow ways.”

Dr Adam Hart, a Lecturer in Music Technology at the University of Salford, said: “Projects such as Bridging Worlds demonstrate what becomes possible when young people are trusted as collaborators rather than treated as problems to be fixed. We saw young people discovering new skills, contributing to conservation work, supporting one another and developing confidence that extended beyond the project itself.”

Throughout the project, young people reported feeling more able to focus, build friendships and participate when learning took place in environments that allowed movement, creativity, choice and connection with nature. School staff observed improvements in confidence, behaviour and engagement, while participants described feeling trusted, valued and able to contribute meaningfully to their communities.

One participant reflected that they learned more effectively when involved in practical activities rather than sitting and writing in a classroom. 

Others highlighted the importance of trusted adults, outdoor spaces and opportunities to develop friendships. These feelings of being valued, trusted and able to meaningfully contribute can extend beyond education into the workplace.

The report argues that many factors currently associated with NEET status, including disengagement from education, behavioural challenges and poor attendance, may be better understood as responses to educational environments that do not accommodate diverse ways of learning and being.

The researchers are calling for:
•    greater recognition of neurodiversity within education policy and youth employment initiatives
•    increased investment in youth work and preventative support
•    stronger partnerships between schools, youth services and community organisations
•    wider use of outdoor and creative digital learning environments
•    a shift from deficit-based approaches towards strengths-based models of inclusion.

The report also aligns with the ambitions of the government’s Youth Matters strategy, highlighting the importance of trusted adults, meaningful activities and accessible places where young people can belong and thrive.

As policymakers seek solutions to rising concerns about attendance, exclusion and youth disengagement, the researchers argue that the answer may lie not in changing young people but in creating environments where they can flourish.