Nurturing Bright Futures A Guide for Guidance Counsellors

Graduate Attributes

NURTURING BRIGHT FUTURES: A GUIDE FOR GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS AND TEACHERS

WELCOME TO THE NURTURING BRIGHT FUTURES PROGRAMME!

Dear Guidance Counsellors and Teachers, Before your students make their decision on what to do after secondary school, it is very important that they start reflecting on their personalities, their likes and dislikes and their educational preferences so that they can identify their own unique attributes and values and figure out if third level study is the right option for them and, if so, which degree is the right one for them. As their educators, you can help them with these big decisions and offer guidance and support as they work through the Nurturing Bright Futures programme, which consists of six modules.

In this guide, we have outlined sections in which you, as their educators, can help your students by checking in on their progress. You can engage with them by discussing their responses to the worksheets. The purpose of the reflective exercises and activities in this programme is to help your students explore and understand how they study and learn. This, in turn, will help them make informed decisions around their future pathways and a potential college degree.

Through the use of video lessons, podcasts, articles, exercises, quizzes and other helpful resources, these six modules will give the students the opportunity to engage with a variety of resources and introduce them to ways and approaches to college life and college degrees.

The Nurturing Bright Futures space will provide them with the opportunity to engage with the topic of their future, a potential college experience and many related themes and it will equip them with skills and tools that they can carry into their chosen degree when they start college. By learning about themselves, their motives and their assumptions, the students will develop a toolkit of skills, abilities and experiences so that they can be their best selves. This toolkit will help them think critically about their choices and will enable them to make an informed decision about which future path and which third level course they will choose for themselves.

Thank you for giving your students the opportunity to explore their future possibilities. Your contribution in this space will be invaluable to your students.

We look forward to welcoming your students to UCC and to supporting them to begin, belong and become the people they want to be!

Warm regards, Team UCC

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MODULE ZERO OVERVIEW OF MODULES AND EXERCISES In this pre-module section, your students will learn about the programme, about goal setting and about what reflection is. We will give them some ideas and guidance on how to reflect, and some instructions on how to try it out for themselves. As their teachers, it may be helpful if you engage with them about the topic “reflection” and discuss with them what it means to reflect.

It may be helpful to talk to them about what you think reflection is and how it can help people with their decision-making process.

note Your students will be able to access and download all the worksheets for each of the modules. They will also be introduced to further resources at the end of each module and a quiz which you may want to discuss with them. To aid this discourse with your students, we encourage you to use open questions and active listening. For example, ask them why they chose a specific answer, how they feel about it, what if that option was not available to them and if they can elaborate on their thoughts beyond what they have written down in the worksheets and other activities.

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MODULE ONE | PICKING A COURSE THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU

MODULE ONE PICKING A COURSE THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU In the first module, we take a closer look at the different stages of the process that will guide your students to finding and picking the right course for them and their future. They will learn what it means to have a growth mindset, what their own learning preferences are and what their own personality has to do with making decisions.

note Encourage your students to check in with you after they have completed the module, or after each section within the module, if preferred. Let them know that you are available to discuss or clarify any questions they may have and that you are happy to talk to them about their ideas.

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN

• 1.2 Worksheet: A Growth Mindset o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Now that you have worked through this section of the module and have explored the idea of the growth mindset, we encourage you to do some reflection of your own. Take 10-15 minutes out of your day and explore our worksheet to find out what YOUR dominant types are! You can download and complete this interactive worksheet to find out more!

• 1.3 Reflective Activity: Internal and External Factors o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Now it is time for you to think about the internal and external factors that will help you make a decision about your potential college degree. Take 15 minutes and explore our worksheet below to identify the aspects in your life that can help you make this big decision. The activity will prompt you with questions to identify your current educational situation and review your preferences in school: which subject do you like best? What are the most and least interesting aspects of your school experience right now?

Download and complete the worksheet and discuss it with your Guidance Counsellor or your family and friends.

• 1.3 Worksheet: Subjects you like o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: We are sure that, at this point, you can identify a few of your preferences and know more about what and why you are enjoying certain school subjects more than others. However, there is more to explore in order to make a good decision for yourself and your future. In particular, there are two activities you can do right now to get closer to your goal of choosing a great subject that contributes to your college degree choice. Take a bit of time now to learn more about yourself from your subjects by downloading and completing the Subjects You Like worksheet. The second task is to use our Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser to start recording your answers and your thoughts!”

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for Guidance Counsellors

• 1.4 Reflective Activity: Your Learning Preferences o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Now it is time to reflect on your own learning preferences. Download and read the infographic poster on Your Learning Preferences. Take 10-15 minutes and think about what your preferred learning styles are. Consider the tips to maximise your natural learning preferences and your learning potential. You can ask yourself the following questions or discuss them with others around you.

Once you have answered these 4 short questions, discussing your responses with a friend or family member might help you think deeper about your own preferences.

• • • •

How How How How

do do do do

I I I I

prefer prefer prefer prefer

to process information? information to be presented? to take in information? to organise information?

• 1.5 Reflective Activity: Your Personality and Your Career o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Download the Your Personality and Your Career infographic poster which features six international celebrities who represent each of the personality types we mention in this section. Which one do you identify with the most?

Use this resource to reflect on how your personality could help you decide which course(s) to pursue. Once you have completed the activity, make sure that you discuss your answers with a family member, friends or your Guidance Counsellor at school.

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MODULE TWO | DEGREE CHOICES AND FUTURE CAREERS

MODULE TWO DEGREE CHOICES AND FUTURE CAREERS In the second module, we focus on different degree choices and career options. Here, your students will be asked to consider their future career options. By thinking about the influences around them and the ideas they have about their own individual careers, they will be one step closer to choosing their college degree.

note For Module Two, again, check in with your students and invite them to share their thoughts after they have finished a section or the whole module. By discussing questions like “What are you interested in doing as a profession when you graduate?” you will encourage them to share their thoughts and open up this discourse about career options and future opportunities. Be ready to answer some questions around their potential career options or to discuss topics that may come up during these reflective activities and other exercises in the context of career and degree choices.

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN • 2.1 Reflective Activity: What Does Your Future Hold? o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: If you feel ready, you can now download and reflect on the Connecting the Dots infographic poster to find out why looking at careers now can help you make clued-in degree choices. It is a good idea to discuss your answers and thoughts with a friend or family, or even your teachers or Guidance Counsellor at school. Take about 15 minutes and find a space where no one will distract or interrupt you so you can really think about your options, choices and ideas but your future holds in store for you and how to get there.

• 2.2 Reflective Activity: 16 Career Categories o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: You may now want to set some time aside and explore the 16 career categories a bit more.

Ask yourself: • • • •

Which clusters could you imagine working in and why?

Does any cluster sound particularly interesting to you?

And what do your friends and peer say?

Do you agree or disagree on your choices of career clusters?

You may also want to think about whom you may know that works in you desired professional field. If you had 1 hour to ask them anything you want, what would you want to know about their career choices and how they got where they are today? Take 15 minutes now, find a quiet space, and take notes of your answers after you have thought about them for a while. Feel free to share your responses with your friends, teachers and family members.

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• 2.3 Reflective Activity o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: When reflecting on these career clusters, on your own, or with a friend, parent or your Guidance Counsellor, ask yourself the following questions: • What themes can you identify from the career clusters infographic?

• How do these themes relate to subjects you are currently studying?

• How do these relate your personality types, learning styles and multiple intelligences?

• List as many UCC courses as possible that link to your career clusters.

PRO TIPS!

Go to www.ucc.ie/en/study to check out courses at UCC. Use the Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser to capture your ideas.

• 2.3 Worksheet: Career Cluster Survey o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Download and complete the Career Cluster Survey. This is a good place to start about your own career interests. This tool is interactive, so you can review your own activities (such as sport, DIY, games, etc.) and what you like, the subjects you like in school (for example, you might love Maths or English), and your personal qualities, (such as being creative, patient, problem-solver, curious or determined). This worksheet should take about 10 minutes to complete. To get the most from this exercise, discuss the output with your Guidance Counsellor or with friends and family members.

• 2.4 Reflective Activity: Career Influences o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Download the Career Influences Around Me infographic poster. Spend some time reading about the different types of influences.

When reflecting on these career influences, on your own, or with a friend, parent or your Guidance Counsellor, ask yourself the following questions: Which of these influences are true for you? What steps and actions can you take to expand your horizons and explore additional course options?

• 2.4 Worksheet: Career Influences Around Me o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Download and complete the Career Influences Around Me worksheet which will give you valuable insights into influencing factors that may affect you and your decision-making process. Take about 10-15 minutes now to work through the worksheet by yourself or with a friend. Share your answers and compare what you have identified as influences around you with others and discuss with your Guidance Counsellor or teacher at school. This will help you get to know yourself better and allow you to be mindful about your next steps and the decisions you will make.

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MODULE THREE | DECISION-MAKING STYLES

MODULE THREE DECISION-MAKING STYLES In the third module, your students will learn more about decisionmaking styles. People make choices and decisions every day, based on their own personalities, their support networks, as well as their external and internal influences. How do your students approach making an informed decision and what steps do they take before they make big decisions?

note Be prepared for your students to want to talk to you about how you make decisions and what influences your decision-making process.

We invite you to also take part in the activities of this module so you form a shared language with pupils which will aid and inform your discussion,

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN • 3.2 Worksheet: My Decision-Making Style o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Our My Decision-Making Style worksheet is an informal and interactive workbook to help you explore your own approach to making decisions. There are no right or wrong answers and is a selfassessment tool. As you think about how you make decisions, one or more of the categories will sound “right.” You might try assigning the number values you think best represent your decision-making processes. Please don’t skip any items, it is important that you take the time to take a closer look at all the different aspects of your own decision-making style. There are six statements in total, and you should take the time reflect on all six.

• 3.2 Reflective Activity: Decision-Making Styles o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: When reflecting on the decision-making styles, on your own, or with a friend, parent or your Guidance Counsellor, ask yourself the following questions:

• Which are your next steps in my decision-making process?

• What steps and actions can you take to refine your choices and make your final decision?

After you have completed the worksheet and the reflective activity, please write down which of the dominant decision-making style(s) you lean towards the most, what are the different steps in your decision-making process and what influences your decisions.

And when you are ready, talk to your parents, friends, teachers or Guidance Counsellor about your thoughts and ideas. Which style do your friends lean towards? How do they make decisions? Do you share an approach and what influences you and your friends?

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• 3.4 Reflective Activity: What can you do before you get to College? o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: You can now take about 15-20 minutes to reflect on what you have learned so far in this module. How does it relate to the rest of our programme and the things you have learned about yourself? Do you see any connections and patters, can you connect some of the dots?

Work though the following steps and discuss your answers and notes with a friend, family member or educator at school.

Step 1: Take notes: Keep a note of everything you have learned from the previous modules.

Step 2: Investigate different universities and colleges: The UCC Prospectus is a great place to start! And, you can use the “Compare Courses” facility on the website “Qualifax“ and do a side by side assessment of up to three courses at any one time.

Step 3: Talk about it: Talk everything through with your Guidance Counsellor or with a parent/guardian.

Step 4: Your options: Take time to weigh up your options. Talking through options with your Guidance Counsellor will help or you can discuss with your friends at school or your parents and siblings at home.

Step 5: Your courses: Pick your Top 10 colleges and courses - hopefully UCC will be your number one choice! List as many courses as possible that link to your subject areas and courses you are most interested to study, and mark them down in order of preference for your CAO form.

• 3.4 Worksheet: Nurturing Bright Futures o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Use our Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser to help you keep an account of your thoughts as you make decisions. Once you have worked through the worksheet, you may want to discuss your ideas and thoughts with your family, friends, teachers and Guidance Counsellor.

You may even want to set the notes to one side and revisit them at a future date.

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MODULE FOUR | TRANSITIONING TO HIGHER EDUCATION

MODULE FOUR TRANSITIONING TO HIGHER EDUCATION The fourth module will examine in detail what your students can expect when they get to college. We focus specifically on the experience of transitioning into college and on learning how to find one’s feet at a new university. They will learn about the tools and skills they will need – and how to acquire them – to have a successful and enjoyable experience at university level.

note During Module Four, you can help your students identify role models in your school, their community or in their families. You might like to share your university experience with your pupils and explore how it differs from a third level experience nowadays in terms of opportunities and challenges.

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN • 4.2 Reflective Activity: School vs University and other challenges o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Now that you have completed this section of the module, you may want to download the above infographics Differences between School and University, Critical Thinking and Asking for Help. You can also download the infographic Minding Your Mental Health.

With friends in your group, discuss the different challenges you might expect in your first few weeks at university and the strategies you can use to safeguard your mental wellbeing. We also encourage you do go through the following list and follow the steps to get a better understanding of yourself and things that influence you.

You could, for example use the “Additional Notes” section of the Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser worksheet to record these.

• Schedule a few minutes to write down all your worries • Write a list of things you can/cannot control to focus yourself • List three good things that you have achieved • List three things that you are grateful for • Remind yourself of what strengths and skills you bring to this challenge

• 4.5 Cork Quiz: o This is a fun quiz about Cork City and UCC. You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the quiz:

Ever wondered what Cork is like? Well we have created a little Get to know Cork map for you.

Download our Cork map and reflect on it for 5 minutes. Then do the little quiz below and see how much can you remember!

How many beaches are there in Cork?

How many Senior All-Ireland Championship Titles has Cork won

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(in Hurling, Camogie and Football)?

Where is the Cork home of Munster Rugby?

When Cork people say “I was haunted...” - what do they actually mean?

Name the two festivals mentioned on the map You can discuss your answers to this little quiz with your friends, parents and teachers and find out what answers they can come up with!

• 4.6 Reflective Activity: University Jargon - Demystified o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Take about 15 minutes now and read the Decoding University Jargon infographic and reflect on the words and expression you see there. By working through this infographic and thinking about the new words you learn you will get the full low down on the language you need for college!

• 4.6 Worksheet: University Jargon - Demystified o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: Now that you have learned a little about the different words and jargon that is used on campuses around the country, you can download our Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser worksheet. Take 10-15 minutes and see if you can add anything further to your notes on the Nurturing Bright Futures Worksheet. As always, discuss your answers with a friends or family member and compare what you have come up with.

It may also be useful to talk to your teacher or Guidance Counsellor about your responses to the worksheet and to ask them any questions you may have about this module.

• 4.8 Worksheet: Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: There are many things to prepare before embarking on the transition to university. Use our handy Nurturing Bright Futures Organiser which will help you keep track!

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MODULE FIVE | REALITIES OF UNIVERSITY LIFE

MODULE FIVE REALITIES OF UNIVERSITY LIFE In the ‘Realities of University Life’ module, we shed light on some of the challenging aspects of university life such as money matters, mental health and goal setting. We have created some resources to help your students navigate the first few weeks and months on campus. This module will enable them to successfully negotiate the realities of university life. Knowing what to expect and what to do, can prepare them for what lies ahead.

note This is an exciting opportunity for your students. Help them explore and understand all the possibilities that lie ahead for them by being engaged and curious about what their future holds for them. Be prepared to talk about questions that may arise about grants and funding options. You may also want to be ready to address the topic of mental health and point towards resources that can help with challenges that could present during their planning process and beyond. Assure them that you are always there for them.

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN • 5.2 Reflective Activity: Thriving in First Year o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Now, after you have worked through this part of the module, you could download and carefully review our Tips on Thriving in First Year by Nóirín Deady, our First Year Experience Coordinator at UCC. This reflective exercise will help you review some of the aspects and challenges of your first year in university and will discuss how to make the best of your time in college.

• 5.4 Worksheet: Managing your Money & How to Prepare a Budget o You and your students may wish to discuss and further explore their responses to the worksheet: You may now want to set some time aside and explore the 16 career categories a bit more.

WORKSHEET 1: Download the Budgeting Worksheet and print off a copy or save a soft copy to your desktop. You can view it below.

WORKSHEET 2: Download the Spending Record Worksheet and print a copy or save a soft copy to your desktop. Complete all sections fully and make some notes on how you think you will budget and manage your money in your first year in UCC. You can view it below.

Now, take some time and have a discussion either in class with peers, or with parents or friends on what you think you might potentially spend during your time in UCC both weekly and monthly.

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• 5.5 Reflective Activity: Making your space work for you o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: In order to reflect on how to make your space work for you, and to think about how this can change your overall well-being and approach to learning, download our Working/Studying at Home infographic posters. Working through these will help you discover the best ways to ergonomically arrange your work space - that means your chair, desk, lighting and screen!

• 5.6 Reflective Activity 1: Mental Health o This is the first reflective task for this section of the module, You and your students may want to go through the handouts and discuss their results and responses: During busy periods of our lives, such as starting or resuming university, we can often let healthy habits and routines slide. That’s why it is extra important to tune into your self-care needs as your circumstances change and to develop a self-care routine that addresses your evolving needs. Consider how you spend your time across the 24 hours of your day and think about how your daily activities nourish or deplete your battery. Check out our Self-Care infographic.

Now, take a look at how you can develop Self-Compassion! Read how Self-Compassion means giving yourself the same kindness and care you’d give to a good friend, especially when you’re having a difficult time. Self-compassion doesn’t mean feeling sorry for yourself. It is accepting that life can be hard at times and that everyone has ups and downs. Take some time to read the Self-Compassion infographic.

The Everyday Matters series here in UCC will explore some practical everyday things, based on the latest scientific research, that you can say and do to support yourself as much as possible during this time of change, to establish healthy habits and routines, enhancing your successful transition into and through higher education. This series explores how you spend your time across study/work, leisure, selfcare and sleep and how you can cultivate positive habits of mind including mindful self-compassion, growth mindset and joy and gratitude. You will learn how to create and maintain daily habits and routines that support physical and emotional wellbeing for learning and life.

• 5.6 Reflective Activity 2: How to mind your Mental Health and Keep Well o This is the second reflective task on Mental Health.

Take a moment to download and reflect upon the following four

infographics on how to keep well, in relation to your how you eat, how you sleep and how you exercise.

• Nutrition • Sleep • Keep Well

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MODULE SIX | GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES

MODULE SIX GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND VALUES In our last module of the Nurturing Bright Futures programme, we take a closer look at the graduate attributes and values we celebrate and nurture here at UCC. We will introduce them to how these developing these graduate attributes and values, and life-wide, lifelong and lifedeep skills, will enable to them to become future-ready now.

note This is a great opportunity for you to explore school and personal values with your students. There are no right or wrong answers here.

And it may be the case that your students want to keep their answers private at this time. Engage with them again in the future if that’s the case and leave the door open for this conversation to happen at a later stage.

GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR / TEACHER CHECK-IN • 6.2 Reflective Activity: Graduate Attributes o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses:: In this last module of our 6-part programme, again, we encourage you to set some time aside to reflect on what you have learned so far. In order to consider content, ideas and suggestions discussed in this section of Module 6, take a look at the Ways to Develop your Graduate Attributes at School poster now. Think about which of these you are already doing and which you would like to do.

Download the poster and make note of them in the ‘my ideas’ sections. This is a great opportunity to talk with your friends and family to see how they would respond. What do you and what do they think are Graduate Attributes? You may also want to discuss your answers with your teachers at school or with your Guidance Counsellor.

• 6.3 Reflective Activity: Identifying Your Personal Values o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: Now that we are coming to the end of our programme, we encourage you to engage with your own values and beliefs through some more reflective tasks. One of the easiest ways to identify values is to ask yourself questions. Below, we give you examples of questions you can ask yourself to identify what is important to you and why, what is perhaps holding you back and which values are most influential in your decision-making process.

Take 15 minutes now and see if you can find answers to the following questions: • What is important to me?

• What would a perfect day look like? What values are represented in this choice?

• What do I spend my free time on?

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• What do I enjoy doing?

• What would I do if there were no limitations?

When you are done, discuss your answers with your Guidance Counsellor or family and friends and ask them what they think. What are their values? Can they identify what is important to them and why?

• 6.4 Reflective Activity: Knowing Yourself o This is a reflective task; you and your students may want to discuss their results and responses: If you want to actively engage and try out some reflection skills you may now want to find a quiet space and set aside about 20 minutes for each of the following activities for developing self-awareness.

The first activity will allow you to identify and work on your own strengths and enable you to explore areas that may need improvement. The second exercise will help you to learn how to figure out your own personal values and how these may help you in college (handouts: Your Own Strengths and Areas for Improvement, Identifying Personal Values).

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