Everyday Interactions and Dynamics Between Professionals and Sámi Youth Who Drop Out of High School in Northern Norway

Abstract

This study explores the interaction between professionals and Sámi students who are at risk of dropping out of high school in the Sámi areas of Norway. Laws mandate the preservation and promotion of the Sámi people’s cultural heritage, language, identity, and way of life. Educational institutions play a vital role in this effort. The aim of this study is to explore whether the efforts made by teachers and their collaborators to support Sámi students in maintaining high school participation align with or contradict the students’ needs and perspectives. Data were collected through three focus group interviews with teachers, advisers, nurses, and counselors, as well as ten individual interviews with Sámi youth who had dropped out of high school. The positioning analysis identified that culturally sensitive approaches to Sámi students were largely marginalized, with their unique cultural resilience and identity being overlooked in favor of educational measures. Furthermore, Sámi cultural values and responsibilities can sometimes conflict with the formal schooling system. This research emphasizes the urgent need to raise awareness of Sámi cultural traits that can be used to identify and support Sámi students who are at risk of dropping out of school, thereby promoting a more inclusive school environment.