Concerned with preventing young people in initial vocational training from dropping out, especially those whose social and everyday skills are poor or whose educational motivation is weak, the Friskie project will highlight successful approaches to this problem and create a new co-operative learning and guidance method. Project activities will focus upon three sub-themes: work and education, responsible adulthood and active citizenship in Europe. An initial review of the situation of young people at risk, within the vocational training systems of participating partner countries, will serve as a basis for three transnational seminars. Their outcomes will be published in a book, in EN, that will pinpoint best approaches and best practice for the acquisition of social skills by young students at risk. In parallel, groups of young people will participate in the development and testing of a co-operative learning model. The innovative methodology is an adaptation of the Umbrella method developed via a previously funded Leonardo project for children and young people leaving institutional care. Results will be presented in the form of a CD-Rom in all partner languages (NL, EN, FI, SV & NO). Impact upon future vocational and career guidance workers will be boosted through the involvement of social work students as tutors. The approach is expected to be further transferable to young people with physical or mild mental disabilities. Groups of associate partners will help to publicise the project at national level. Products and outcomes will also be disseminated at European level via seminars, articles in professional journals and partner websites.