<![CDATA[School dropout is often associated with declining motivation and low self-confidence, leaving limited attention to how young people continue to develop a sense of competence outside formal education. This study examines how self-confidence is sustained among dropout youth within everyday social contexts where recognition is shaped less by academic achievement than by social participation. A qualitative field study was conducted in three villages in Malaka Regency, Indonesia, involving 15 dropout youth aged 15–23 years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, participant observation, and a qualitative elicitation questionnaire, then analysed thematically using iterative coding, constant comparison, and triangulation. Results indicate that self-confidence does not simply diminish following school disengagement but is reorganised across different evaluative settings. Participants tended to show hesitation in formal institutional spaces while expressing stronger confidence in work activities, peer relationships, and community participation where their contributions were visible and socially valued. Self-confidence emerged as relational and context-dependent, shaped by recognition and opportunities for meaningful participation. School dropout therefore appears less as evidence of diminished personal capability than as a shift in evaluative environments. These findings offer a recognition-based perspective with implications for the development of nonformal education programmes.]]>
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