Respect for diversity in schools and positive youth development of migrant studentsMlekuž, Ana (Avtor) Štremfel, Urška (Avtor) Žmavc, Janja (Avtor) educationupper-secondary schoolsrespect for diversitymigrant studentspositive youth developmentSloveniaThe positive youth development (PYD) model emphasizes the importance of identifying and supporting adolescents’ strengths rather than preventing or treating their deficits. This has proved to be a more effective approach to fostering positive development and resilience. PYD highlights the positive resources that adolescents possess, optimizing their well-being, personal development and life experiences if they are suitably empowered and supported. Since adolescents spend a great deal of their time in schools, these institutions should be obligated to create an environment which promotes positive development and serves as a protective factor. One of the crucial elements of the school climate with respect to supporting the positive development of migrant students is respect for diversity. In Slovenia, research shows that first-generation migrant students exhibit significantly higher levels of several internal and external PYD assets than other students. By conducting 8 focus groups with a total of 29 participants (principals, social workers, and teachers) at four Slovenian upper-secondary schools, we examined how the school context supports their positive development by focusing on respect for diversity. The results show that although all of the schools included have multicultural settings, the teachers and principals still perceive them as monocultural and monolingual. Different cultures and different languages are mostly seen as an impediment to educational goals or dealt with as a distant topic, which puts the protective function of the school environment for migrant students in Slovenia into question.20262026-01-14 03:52:40Neznano25217UDK: 37.019.8(497.4):314.15ISSN pri članku: 1559-5706DOI: 10.1080/15595692.2026.2612721COBISS_ID: 264581635sl