P2B212: Differing Perceptions of Barriers to Educational Achievement Among Indigenous Youth in Ecuador

Background: Guangaje-Ecuador has 34 indigenous Quichua communities which are among the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. High school graduation and college enrollment are extremely low. Positive Youth Development (PYD) Programs have been applied to low- and middle-income youth to increase youth assets, agency, enhance community, and family support; improving youth educational and other outcomes. The goal of this project is to conduct focus groups with key Guangaje stakeholder groups in order to adapt a PYD program focused on youth educational outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a total of 6 focus groups, each composed of 7 to 10 indigenous Quichua participants, using purposive sampling of the following stakeholder groups: community leaders, teachers, parents, middle school students, high school students and college students from Guangaje. The questions elicited their perspective on key PYD constructs such as youth educational goals and barriers, views on success, values, management of emotions, identity and community support.

Results: The students endorsed high educational goals, such as careers in business administration, medicine, accounting and flight attendants. They felt their families supported their educational goals; however, poverty was a major barrier to their realization of these goals. In contrast, teachers stated that most students focus on getting a job immediately after high school graduation or pursued marriage and early childbearing instead of advanced education. Parents felt the educational system did not prepare them for post-high school education and advocated for more vocational training. The college students expressed very high motivation to finish their education in order to help their community of origin and they voiced an extremely strong connection to their indigenous identity. Lastly, community leaders focused on the need for increased government support for education and vocational training.

Conclusion: Ecuadorian indigenous youth express strong and lofty educational goals. They identify poverty as a main barrier. Their parents and teachers identified other barriers such as lack of educational and vocational resources, early pregnancy and marriage, as well as lack of agency and mentoring. There is a clear need for support in youth development in the community of Guangaje. A Youth Development Program, while not overcoming extreme poverty, will help youth better plan for and pursue educational goals and provide increased educational supports and mentoring. Based on this study’s finding we will now adapt and implement a PYD program in Guangaje.