“Exceptional Exception” is a multi-level psychosocial intervention project whose main objective is to improve the school satisfaction of students at the Escola Básica e Secundária da Povoação (EBSP) and to promote their well-being. It was implemented this school year, involving around 45 students from four classes (three from the 7th grade and one from the 9th grade).
In an interview with Açoriano Oriental, the project’s coordinator, Célia Barreto Carvalho, said that the genesis of “Exceptional Exception” came about as a result of a request from the EBSP to the Povoação City Council in an “attempt to provide support to the educational community in finding solutions to a number of school problems, namely absenteeism and school failure”.
Following this request, synergies were created between different entities, such as the Social Action Office of Povoação Town Hall, the Gaspar Frutuoso Foundation, and the University of the Azores (UAc), to create a project that responds to the specific difficulties of the educational community.
When asked about the intervention planned for the students, Célia Barreto Carvalho said that, based on a survey of students’ needs, “it was understood that intervention with young people alone would be insufficient,” which is why a “multi-level approach” was adopted.
“In addition to individual intervention, we also plan to intervene at school, in the family and in the community itself. At the individual level, the aim is to provide individual psychological counseling sessions and group sessions where socio-emotional skills, among others, will be worked on. At the family and school level, i.e. with educational agents, it is planned to hold group sessions on personal development and the promotion of socio-emotional skills,” he explains.
He adds: “Finally, although it may not happen in the current school year, interventions are planned to promote the integration of young people into the community, diversifying opportunities and fostering their sense of belonging.”
One of the project’s focuses is sustainability. The project coordinator says that it is necessary to “ensure that the educational community acquires the skills that will enable it to deal with future challenges” through active involvement in “identifying difficulties and building measures to create a safer and more motivating school environment.”

To this end, she continues, a working group has been set up with the partners involved, which includes not only teachers but also EBSP education assistants. It is also intended to involve the principals of the classes identified to “share and reflect on the difficulties and challenges experienced by all those involved in the school and also by the family in their relationship with this institution.”
Regarding the challenges of combating failure and dropping out of school, the project coordinator points out that “failure and dropping out of school are multidimensional problems” that involve social and family factors.
She uses “lack of motivation and students’ low expectations of their performance” as examples, which can be linked to lesson content and methods. If these aren’t adapted to the student’s abilities, she adds, “there’s a greater likelihood that they won’t make an effort and won’t succeed, which contributes to the construction of a negative self-image and a lower motivation to learn.”
Finally, Célia Barreto Carvalho stresses that to help a student overcome difficulties, it is necessary to take into account “their complexity and the multiplicity of factors associated with their emergence” and that it is important to “promote motivation, work on socio-emotional skills and provide psychosocial support.”

Rafael Dutra is a reporter for the Açoriano Oriental newspaper – Paula Gouveia, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.