After School: What's Next? A Qualitative Study of the Transition After Compulsory Education

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for greater awareness of the importance of young people's mental health, including in the school context. Even prior to the pandemic, school was already one of the main sources of stress for youth, particularly due to evaluations, performance pressure, and the need to make important decisions regarding their educational pathways. However, transition phases—especially the period following compulsory education—remain underrepresented in research, despite being cited as significant sources of stress in the lives of young people already navigating multiple changes related to adolescence.

The end of compulsory schooling and the decisions that follow—such as choosing a career path—are pivotal stages in a young person’s life. These choices have a lasting impact on their educational and professional trajectory as well as on their personal well-being. In Switzerland, this transition, commonly referred to as the “school-to-work transition,” occurs at a relatively early age.

Each year, the Direction de l’enfance, de la jeunesse et des quartiers (DEJQ) of the City of Lausanne conducts awareness campaigns and initiatives addressing various issues that concern young people, such as alcohol use, tobacco products, and screen time. Aimed at youth, parents, educators, and the general public, these actions seek to encourage reflection, raise awareness, and foster dialogue both among peers and within families. A new campaign, entitled “After School, What’s Next?”, will be launched and implemented throughout the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 school years. It will accompany students in the 10th year of general (VG) and pre-gymnasial (VP) education tracks, as well as their parents. These students and families will continue to be followed through their 11th year.

In parallel with the campaign activities, Unisanté will conduct a qualitative study to document this issue and its related challenges, with the aim of finally offering resources and recommendations to professionals in the field. The main objective of this qualitative research is to explore the experiences, perspectives, and needs of young people and their parents during the transition out of compulsory education. This includes their emotional experiences, available resources, parent-child relationships, the role of the school, and more. Focus groups will be conducted with students from different academic tracks and with parents.