Autumn 2013 / Issue 40
inside this issue
Resilience for the guidance counsellor
Psychometric testing update
Career Adaptability
Guidance Adapts!
Smart phone apps reviewed!
Contents Primary
General Director’s Note
National Forum on Guidance
Academia seeing the wider picture
3
4
6
Post Primary Psychometric Testing update
Recognition of Irish Student’s qualifications in Europe
School Guidance Handbook
14
16
20
Non Formal
School-based Play Therapy in Ireland
10
Higher Education Career adaptability and skills supply
21
Adult Personal and Professional Resilience
25 Euroguidance
Research
Learner Ambassadors
NCGE supporting guidance research in Ireland
E-Guidance - Providing Guidance via Skype
29
31
34
Euroguidance news
37
Book Review
General
CV Library
Life Story Work with Children Who are Fostered or Adopted
News from NCGE
40
41
42
Smart-phone app Review
Website Review
SuperBetter
39
Contact Details Fitzwilliam Court, Leeson Close, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 1 869 0715/6 Fax: +353 1 882 3817 Email: ncgeinfo@ncge.ie www.ncge.ie 2
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
Director’s Note Supporting Change, Confidence through Evidence, Learning from Experience – all are former themes of this newsletter which are more relevant today than ever. Guidance is a process, constantly evolving and adapting. Accompanying this are the phrases we are all too familiar with in Ireland and across the EU in 2013 - career adaptability, transition, changing and challenging times. These are the times we live in.
In guidance, the very nature of the work is
guidance to ensure quality provision. It is vital for
predicated on the notion that young people and
good practice in guidance to integrate new theories
adults experience transitions and changes and that
and practices and to work in collaboration with
they need information skills and support to make
colleagues, whatever our guidance sector.
life choices, whether in an economic boom or a recession. In 2013, the working and employment
Developments at EU and national level in areas
environments have changed. Careers and jobs for
such as Psychometric testing, and continuing
life no longer exist. Education or training in one
professional development, directly impact the role
specific skill or area is no longer enough. Employers
of, and practice in, guidance. It is incumbent on the
are looking for candidates with basic and higher level
guidance profession to adapt to these changes. It is
competencies and transferrable skills in a range of
clear from research and anecdotal evidence that, due
areas – candidates with the skill to adapt.
to current circumstances, guidance counsellors must now also adapt to revised working arrangements in
What is clearly evident is that guidance is not only
schools and yet guidance practitioners in all sectors
adapting to meet these changing needs – it is
must remember to look after their own well-being at
adapting to this new world and remaining resilient
the same time as that of their students or clients.
in the process. This truly is the function of guidance As guidance professionals we must reflect on
and its unique strength.
the changing environments in which we work and In this edition, we highlight how guidance provision
continue to ensure quality provision to our clients.
continues to adapt to support the needs of clients,
However, we must also look after ourselves and
whatever the environment. Guidance professionals
manage our own transitions in incorporating these
are incorporating ICT into their practice, they are
new practices. We hope that the articles within this
using a range of new resources – smart phone apps,
Winter Edition 2013 will encourage and support
online handbooks and some are providing guidance
guidance practitioners to adapt and remain resilient
online. Guidance itself must adapt to the changes
in the face of all this change!
in society and yet continue to advocate for and support clients. At the same time guidance practice
Is mise le meas,
is informing new relevant and updated policies.
Jennifer McKenzie
The promotion of quality guidance requires that we document both the outcomes of, and the inputs to,
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
National Forum on Guidance Following the evaluations and recommendations of the National Forum on Guidance 2011-2012, the Department of Education and Skills approved the NCGE co-ordination and continuation of the Forum for 2013-2014 to reflect the collaborative work at EU level through the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network. In this article, NCGE provides details of the second meeting of the Forum.
What is the European Resource Kit?
NCGE hosted the second meeting of the National Forum on Guidance 2013-14 in the Clock Tower of the
The European Resource Kit was developed by and
Department of Education and Skills on Wednesday
is currently being tested by the 31 Member states of
16th October. This second meeting followed the National Conference on Guidance: Lifelong Guidance: Building the Evidence Base, on March 1st last, where Minister Ruairí Quinn launched the process of testing the European Resource Kit in the Irish context.
the ELGPN across the EU. The aim of the Resource Kit is to support members to: • Review existing lifelong guidance provision in the country or region • To identify issues requiring attention / gaps that need to be filled, drawing from practices from other countries
The National Forum on Guidance provides the opportunity for different sectors in guidance to continue the work of networking, co-operating and co-ordinating at national level. 35 participants attended this event, representing all sectors of guidance provision in Ireland: third level career services, post primary schools, Adult Guidance Services, Local Employment Services, job centres,
For more information on the ELGPN and the European resource Kit – see http:// www.ncge.ie/europe/european-lifelongCLICK to LINK guidance-policy-network/ In Ireland the work of testing the European Resource Kit is focusing on the testing of frameworks of Quality Assurance and evidence based practice (QAE) and Career Management Skills(CMS).
Directors of studies in guidance counselling, ICT providers, students of guidance counselling and government agencies and departments.
Focused on the quality elements of the QAE framework and identifying and planning for supporting the development of CMS for the future - the facilitated workshops and group discussions provided the chance for participants from all sectors to share information and compare and contrast guidance provision in a structured way. The groups were also encouraged to consider how they, in each of their own sectors, can begin to work collaboratively on an inter-agency and intra-agency basis. r Dave Kilmartin of DIT, and Jennife sented pre co– GE McKenzie, Director NC the Forum meeting
Participants at the day’s events commented that the discussions and workshops had highlighted a genuine commitment of all involved to share practice,
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
National Guidance Forum continued
ideas for the provision of guidance and a willingness to participate in the testing of the resource kit with NCGE over the next academic year. NCGE would like to acknowledge and express our sincerest thanks to Dave Kilmartin, Head of Career Development Centre, DIT, for his genuine commitment to the work of testing the European Resource Kit, and for his outstanding facilitation of the workshops and discussions.
ry (UL) Patricia-Anne Moore (UL), Tom Gea AEGS) and Elizabeth Glennon (Longford
• Does the Framework, as developed in the Resource Kit, support both the identification of these CMS’ and the methodologies of guidance provision to develop these skills?
For further information on the National Forum on Guidance and presentations from this Forum please see http://www. meeting, ncge.ie/about-us/national-forum-on-
NCGE has developed documentation to support this work at sector level, using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to provide discussion fora and
CLICK to LINK
guidance-2013-14/
Testing the European Resource Kit
facilitate online sharing of ideas and documentation.
What’s involved? NCGE AEGI,
is
working
AHECS,
DSP,
with IGC
and Directors of Studies in Guidance
Counselling,
to
review the frameworks outlined in the European Resource Kit. Each agency / organisation has been asked to review two sections of the Framework and test them out in their own sector.
versation Forum participants engaged in con during facilitated group discussion.
Looking at Quality Assurance and evidence based practice (QAE) • Do the 5 quality elements make sense in their sector? • What data do we already have in each sector to reflect these key quality elements? • Would these 5 elements provide the appropriate evidence for quality guidance provision in their sector? • Are there other key elements, criteria or indicators that we would need to include in an Irish context? • What can we, in Ireland, feedback to the ELGPN about this QAE Framework? Looking at Career Management Skills (CMS) • Are we documenting the expected outcomes of guidance that can be reflected in an objective and quality assured way? • What CMS are being supported by guidance providers across all the different sectors?
What is the timeline? NCGE will continue to work with the organisations and agencies who have begun this process and we welcome interest from other organisations who may wish to participate in the project. We plan to support groups to test the Kit in their sector from October – December. We will gather data and feedback from January – March 2014. We hope to bring the initial data findings to the Forum for comment and further discussion in April. NCGE plans to present the final report of testing the European resource Kit for Ireland to the Forum meeting in October 2014. If you wish to get involved in this project please contact NCGE on ncgeinfo@ncge.ie
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
Seeing the wider picture Here we present the experiences of Irish Guidance Counsellor’s on the Academia Exchange of Guidance Practitioners 2013. Many people who take part in the exchange find that it is by leaving their own work environment, and being plunged into another culture, as well as mingling with others practicing in many countries; that they can see the wider picture in terms of guidance and how their work fits into the whole scheme of things.
Ancestry and Wild Geese meet in Reykjavik Insights Gained from participation on the “Academia Exchange of Guidance Counsellors” Reykjavik, Iceland April 2013 Following Iceland’s economic crisis one-to-one guidance for adults was given priority to identify
Centre of West Iceland, Guidance Centre of the University of Iceland. We shared how resources could be creatively and economically deployed, which inspired us to think in broader terms.
individual’s training needs. This ensured efficient use of scarce resources and enabled people to retrain in order to re-enter the workforce as the economy recovered. In this time of transition and change adult guidance is more important than ever as people have to adapt to changing circumstances.
Like the Wild Geese travelling from Wexford, and resting in Ireland on route to Greenland, Josephine and I were similarly refreshed and renewed in our commitment to adult guidance and to its further development in its aim to contribute to the recovery and prosperity of the Irish economy.
There was much interest from our counterparts from Denmark, Iceland, Slovenia and France, in the Irish system. This was followed up with a return visit to Ireland by Icelandic adult guidance staff in June. Greatly admired was the flexibility of the National Framework of Qualifications, offering as it does the opportunity to give validation to all learners.
Catherine Gavigan Guidance Coordinator Co Offaly VEC AEGI
Counsellor/
Further Information
The learning offered through the ELPGN is a useful resource that can contribute to mutual learning around dealing with managing in austerity. Throughout the week we had the opportunity to visit many places of interest, including: the Agricultural University of Iceland, Lifelong Learning
Read Catherine’s full article here h t t p : / / w w w. n c g e . i e / u p l o a d s / Academia_report_2013_ Catherine_Gavigan.docx CLICK to LINK
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
Seeing the wider picture continued
Catherine Gavigan Guidance Counsellor/ Coordinator Co Offaly VEC AEGS and Josephine McGread Guidance Coordinator Co Sligo VEC AEGS participated on the Academia Exchange of Guidance Counsellors in Reykjavik Iceland from April 8th to April 12th 2013. demia The group of participants at the Aca 3. visit in Reykjavik, Iceland April 201
Academia study visit to Helsinki, Finland. April, 2013. Nine guidance practitioners from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland were welcomed by Jari Laukia, Director of Haaga Helia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki. He gave an overview of the School of Applied Sciences and its contribution to the training of Guidance Counsellors. He raised a number of critical questions concerning the current education and the economic climate in Finland. Of central concern to him was what is happening to the 8% of the student population who are not progressing from Upper Secondary School either to University or to the Polytechnics. He stressed what he perceived as the lack of strategic thinking and planning by the present Finnish Government in relation to future economic development. These two questions served as a very useful lens through which to view the school based shadowing and presentations throughout the entire week of Academia. These questions are very relevant to the Irish context also.
informative and relevant. The Academia week was hosted by Paivi-Katrina Juutilainen of the School of Applied Sciences, Haaga Helia University and facilitated and guided by Kati Virolainen of the Euro Guidance Office. Their energetic and engaging facilitation of the programme contributed greatly to the success of the week. The on-going reflection and evaluation of the experiences throughout the week and particularly at mid-week and end of week deepened the quality of our learning. Tom Geary, Department of Education Professional Studies, University of Limerick.
Highpoints of the week were the visits to schools, presentations from peers from France, Belgium and Luxembourg on Guidance across the life span. The visits, to CIMO and in particular the unit coordinating information for young people studying abroad, the Economic Information Centre and the Teacher Trade Union Offices, were
Further Information Read Tom’s full report here h t t p : / / w w w. n c g e . i e / u p l o a d s / Academia_report_2013_Tom_ Geary.docx CLICK to LINK
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&
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
Seeing the wider picture continued
EU Leonardo da Vinci ‘Academia Exchange of Guidance Counsellors mobility project 2013 Aarhus Denmark; May 13th to 17th 2013 Theme: Young people at risk
Margie Wall, Guidance Counsellor with Co
as well as being good fun! I had a particular interest in the very successful Finnish JOPO project which focuses on early interventions, intensified home school cooperation and a multi-agency approach involving guidance counsellors, teachers, social and health services and workplaces.
Kilkenny VEC was one of eleven participants on this project. The Academia group consisted of Guidance Counsellors from France, Finland, Iceland, Slovenia and Ireland. The emphasis of this visit was on Guidance and Educational activities for ‘Young people at risk’. There was also a social and cultural focus to the project. At the outset we were given an overview of the Danish Education system. There is a strong emphasis at all levels on Guidance provision, particularly for young vulnerable people. During the week we visited VIA University college, Aarhus Production school, a Labour Market centre running a project for young unemployed people, a Folk house school (privately run as a business), and an Enterprise centre. The latter centre is running an innovative programme on the working world for young people.
I was privileged to have been afforded the opportunity to participate in the Academia exchange. It was a rejuvenating experience as not only did I learn of many examples of good practice in Guidance but I felt more affirmed in my own work with young people at risk. Margie Wall, Guidance Counsellor, Ormonde College of Further Education, Kilkenny
Whilst on the visits we got the opportunity to meet with teachers, guidance counsellors and students and we had many fruitful exchanges on guidance practices. There is a strong emphasis on a multiagency approach to organising projects for young people at risk in order to get them motivated and interested in education and in developing vocational skills. Many of the centres that we visited had their own culinary departments where the students provided nutritious meals for staff and students every day. I was very impressed with the standard of English spoken by all the students we met and by the work ethic of their educators.
The group gather for reflection and
refreshments
Further Information Read Margie’s full report here h t t p : / / w w w. n c g e . i e / u p l o a d s / Academia_report_2013_Margie_ Wall.docx
Our afternoons were filled with ‘exchanges of experience’ from the participating guidance counsellors. These sessions were very informative
CLICK to LINK
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
2014
GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS! Are you working in guidance counselling in Ireland? Would you like to experience best practice in another European Country?
Academia is for you! Application forms are available at: http://www.ncge.ie/europe/study-visits-academia/ Or you can email ncgeinfo@ncge.ie for further information (Closing date end Nov 2013) And you could be visiting another European country to experience their guidance systems next Spring! Academia involves a one week study visit for guidance practitioners. Please note successful applicants will have a grant allowance towards the cost of travel and subsistence
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Primary
School-based Play Therapy in Ireland - A Growing Field ‘Play is not only essential for promoting normal child development but has many therapeutic powers as well’ (Schaefer and Drewes, 2011, p. 15). Guidance in Ireland refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence which assist students to make choices -personal and social, educational and career - about their lives and to make transitions consequent on these choices. While formal guidance does not currently exist at primary level, other forms of support can aid the development of the child. Play therapists working in schools focus on the developmental needs of the participants, with a strong emphasis on building resiliency, coping with transitions, developing emotional intelligence, and building social skills. Play therapists can work with children struggling to adjust to a range of issues, including changes in their world (e.g. parental separation, bereavement). They can also assist in finding ways to cope with learning difficulties like ADHD and autism along with emotional issues like anxiety and low selfesteem. When therapists and teachers can work together in the best interests of children, high quality services and a richer preparation for successful living are assured. The Third Annual International Play Therapy Conference, organised by the Children’s Therapy Centre (CTC), was held in Dublin on Friday 21st June 2013. The conference, entitled Play in Practice: Utilizing, evaluating, and reflecting on the therapeutic use of play, was preceded by Pre-Conference Training, facilitated by the Rocky Mountain Play Therapy Institute in Calgary, Canada. Guidance Officer at NCGE, Hilary Lynch, participated in the training and the conference as part of her remit incorporating guidance at primary level. She spoke with Eileen Prendiville of the CTC about the growing field of Play Therapy within schools in Ireland.
The practice of school based play therapy in Ireland
Teachers are alert to the emotional and behavioural
is growing rapidly, with qualified play therapists
changes in the children in their care and, when
providing play and creative therapy services at both
services are readily available, can ensure early
primary and post-primary level. The Irish Association
intervention for those that need it. This can help to
for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP), and the
reduce obstacles to learning, improve adaptation
British Association for Play Therapy (BAPT) advocate
in the classroom, and help young people to build
the provision of school-based play therapy in Ireland
healthier relationships.
and internationally.
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Primary
School-based Play Therapy in Ireland continued
Play therapists utilize the healing properties of play
to be brought into focus’ (Prendiville, 2013, p.92).
and the creative arts to facilitate students to overcome
The themes and content of play and creative arts are
difficult experiences, enhance social and emotional
informed by the player’s current preoccupations.
intelligence, cope more successfully with stressors Curative factors of Play Therapy include: facilitating
and adverse circumstances and learn more effectively.
communication,
In addition, it makes learning fun, assists children’s
access
to
the
unconscious,
abreaction, catharsis, stress inoculation, counter-
holistic development, and builds resiliency. When
conditioning of negative affect, developing problem
playing, children are functioning at the outer limits of
solving skills, enhancing attachment and relationships,
their ability; play leads development and creates the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978).
and increasing capacity for empathy.
It is very important for children and young people to
IAPTP and BAPT are clear that play therapy reduces emotional and behavioural difficulties, facilitates
be offered developmentally appropriate models of
children to become more receptive to learning, and
therapeutic intervention, as talk therapy is not the
improves how their educational needs are met.
medium of choice for young students. The use of
Addressing troubled children’s emotional needs in the
play, art, music, drama, storytelling, movement and
school environment assists the child-centred system
sand allow for much deeper engagement and more
to meet the emotional and social needs of its pupils,
effective processing of unresolved issues, while facilitating growth and development.
in addition to covering the academic curriculum.
Children often do not have the language skills to
Play therapists working in schools may provide both group and individual sessions. Groupwork tends to
describe their thoughts, feelings and perceptions
focus on the developmental needs of the participants,
of their internal and external world. Play facilitates
with a strong emphasis on building resiliency,
richer communication; it absorbs the player and reflects their psychological processes. It ‘enables
developing emotional intelligence, and building social
complex thoughts, feelings, ideas and perceptions
skills.
Supplies for Sandplay therapy
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Primary
School-based Play Therapy in Ireland continued
Sample Sandplay scene: Exploring anxiety and containment
Advantages of School-based Play Therapy • Teachers are adept at recognizing which children are struggling with their emotions, behaviours, and their learning • With careful screening, the service can be provided to those whose needs are best met by school-based services • Early intervention is facilitated • Referral systems can work smoothly as the school staff become very familiar with the service • Therapists and school staff can build positive working in partnership relationships • Children can access immediate therapeutic support should a crisis occur
Possible Challenges include • The therapist sometimes has limited access to parents • Finding an appropriate, private, dedicated space can be difficult. It is not appropriate for another person to interrupt a therapy session • Play therapy can be noisy and messy – some schools find it difficult to cope with this • It can be difficult for staff to understand why the play therapist can accept some referrals but not others • When play therapy is first provided, there is a temptation to refer only those children with entrenched problems and those without appropriate support systems, rather than those who are most likely to benefit most from school-based services
• The therapist is available to explain the specific needs of children under stress
• Children with trauma histories may be better served by accessing therapy outside school hours so that their immediate needs for emotional support can be provided by their primary carers
• The therapist can provide support and advice and can provide training to promote understanding of how play therapy works and the rules that govern its provision in schools
• Therapists who are part of the statutory services, and associated multi-disciplinary teams, may be better placed to meet the broader needs of children whose safety and welfare are seriously compromised
• The school can utilize the therapist to provide services for parents to better enable them to meet the needs of their children.
• If a child/young person has an emotional session they may find it difficult to engage in academic learning immediately following their session • Sometimes there can be difficulties with providing sessions of appropriate duration as some schools try to fit sessions into shorter slots rather than the traditional hour.
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Primary
School-based Play Therapy in Ireland continued
References
About the Author
Prendiville, E. (2013). Abreaction. In C.
Eileen Prendiville is the Course Director
Schaefer & A. Drewes (Eds) The therapeutic powers of play: 20 core agents of change. (2nd ed., pp. 89-109) New York, NY: Wiley.
for the MA in Humanistic & Integrative
Schaefer, C.E., & Drewes, A.A. (2011) ‘The Therapeutic Powers of Play and Play Therapy’. In C. E. Schaefer (Ed.), Foundations of play therapy (2nd ed. pp. 15-25). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
and the Diploma in Child Psychotherapy
Vygotsky, L. (1976) ‘Play and its role in the mental development of the child’. In J.Bruner, A.Jolly, & K. Sylva (eds.) Play: Its
field of play therapy training. She is
role in development and evolution. New York:
Chairperson of the Irish Association of
Basic Books (Original work published 1933,
Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy and Play Therapy, the Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy & Play Therapy, at the Children’s Therapy Centre in Co Westmeath. Eileen has worked with children for over thirtyfive years and now specialises in the a
psychotherapist,
play
therapist,
supervisor and teacher. She is the current
Soviet Psychology, 5, 6-18)
Further information Further information on the Children’s Therapy Centre is available at: www.childrenstherapycentre.ie Contact the centre at: childrenstherapycentre@gmail.com CLICK to LINK
The Children’s Therapy Centre
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Psychometric Testing update Certification of competence in psychometric testing: An update and clarification from the Psychological Society of Ireland
I am grateful to have been invited to address some
to BPS certification, not least because the BPS does
issues of relevance and concern to guidance
not have formal jurisdiction in Ireland and so its ability
counsellors, regarding competence in psychometric
to meaningfully ‘regulate’ practice is limited.
testing and to set out the current and future work of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) in this
The PSI Register of Guidance Counsellors
area.
Many guidance counsellors will already be aware that, since 2004, following an agreement between
Why the need to certify competence in psychometric testing?
representatives of five Initial Training Courses in Guidance, PSI has held a Register of Guidance Counsellors and has issued registered guidance
It is now widely accepted that psychological testing
counsellors with a Certificate of Competence in
is an important skill and must be carried out in a
the administration and interpretation of specified
manner which is seen to be safe and effective for the
psychometric tests. It is fair to say that, to date, this
service user. Since joining PSI in 2012, I have been
Register has had limited traction and PSI is considering
aware of a growing desire among statutory bodies
changes to the present system to benefit registrants
for an Irish register of competence in psychological
and to promote greater uptake (see below).
testing. The emerging consensus is that certification is not only good for the service user but, through
I am aware that there has been some misunderstanding
recognition of a test user’s competence, a code of
of the relationship of the Register of Guidance
conduct, ongoing CPD and registration, it is also
Counsellors to other registers of test competence,
good for the professional delivering the service.
most notably concerning eligibility of registrants for certification at European Federation of Psychologists’
Internationally, psychological testing is certified
Associations (EFPA) Level 1/2. It is important to note
by psychological professional bodies. The PSI
that, under current arrangements, membership of
does not currently operate a full register of test
the PSI Register of Guidance Counsellors does NOT
competence in Ireland and individuals wishing to
automatically allow registrants to be certified as Level
certify their competence have done so through the
1/2 competent.
British Psychological Society’s (BPS) register based on Level A or A/B training. I am aware that some
New developments
guidance counsellors in Ireland have undergone this
In response to such limitations, and to the demand
training and, although valuable, there are limitations
for formal registration of test competence, during the
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Psychometic Testing update continued
coming months PSI plans to open a new Register
• greater emphasis on maintenance of registration
of Competence in Psychological Testing to include
through continuing professional development
psychologists and allied professionals. It is proposed
(CPD), including access to relevant PSI CPD
that those currently on the Register of Guidance
events at member rates.
Counsellors will automatically migrate onto a special sector of a new Register specifically for guidance
I hope these new developments will encourage
counsellors. Thereafter, guidance counsellors would
guidance counsellors to recognise the professional
be admitted directly onto the new PSI Register.
benefits of belonging to an Irish register which
Naturally, PSI recognises the need to consult fully
formally recognises their training and expertise
with the DES, NCGE, the IGC and other stakeholder
in psychological testing, and the assurance that
bodies in proposing these developments.
this recognition will offer to the public and other stakeholders.
In the interim, PSI plans to relaunch and recruit to the register of guidance counsellors over the coming months, until the opening of the new PSI Register
Dr Gerry Mulhern Managing Director
of Competence in Psychological Testing. The re-
Psychological Society of Ireland
launch will include:
http://www.psihq.ie/
• a modified fee structure based on a lower scrutiny fee and a small annual maintenance fee; • extended criteria for entry to facilitate those not covered by the current agreement (e.g. those with relevant qualifications pre-1999 and individuals with other qualifications, such as BPS Level A or A/B);
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Recognition of Irish Student’s qualifications in Europe Have you ever had to assess the qualifications presented by an overseas student joining your school? Or have you ever had to support one of your students in getting their Irish qualifications understood and recognised in other countries? Qualifications Recognition at Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is here to support you to help them…
Trying to provide help and support to students
The development and implementation of the
who are trying to communicate the value of their
NFQ is overseen by QQI; an important impetus
qualifications and to have them recognised fairly can
for its development being individual mobility and
be difficult. The unprecedented level of immigration
the portability of one’s learning. While the NFQ
experienced in Ireland from the mid-90s and more
is designed to put the learner at the centre of the
recently, an increasing level of emigration has brought
education and training system in Ireland, it does
the recognition of both completed qualifications and
have an international dimension which can help you
periods of learning into focus in schools. Qualifications
in the following scenarios:
Recognition at Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is here to support you to help them; we provide a
Take firstly the example of a student abroad wishing
range of supports and services designed to overcome
to re-locate to your school. Do they have a completed
many of the obstacles students experience in having
school qualification already?
their learning and qualifications recognised.
It is typical across education systems to have a lower second level qualification like the Irish Junior Certificate.
Qualifications Recognition at QQI provides academic
Qualifications Recognition can help - our information
recognition of completed foreign qualifications in Ireland
service aims to compare a foreign qualification to a
and promotes the recognition of Irish qualifications
qualification that is included at a particular level on the
abroad. To this end, Qualifications Recognition acts
NFQ. This service is free of charge and an application
as the Irish ENIC-NARIC centre (European Network of
form and further details is available on
Information Centres/National Academic Recognition
www.qualrec.ie. The advice provided places
Information Centres) within a Network of such centres
the foreign qualification in the context of the
around the world sharing information on education
Irish education and training system, thereby facilitating
systems and qualifications. Qualifications Recognition
a decision on the fair placement of the student in your
uses the Irish National Framework of Qualifications
school.
(NFQ) as a basis for its work.
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Recognition of Irish Student’s qualifications in Europe continued
Next, take the example of your student moving
available in Table 1.2. In particular, to aid in moving schools, students may benefit from completing a Europass CV and Language Passport to help communicate their learning.
abroad. Here, information on the Irish education system and qualifications is important. Again,
Qualifications
Recognition can help. Qualifications in the NFQ are quality assured meaning that they are recognised at home and abroad. To promote recognition of our qualifications, we have published a leaflet entitled Travelling with your Irish to Qualification with practical information and CLICK LINK advice on travelling abroad with an Irish qualification, whether for work or for further study. In addition, a Country Education Profile for Ireland has been developed that can support you in providing relevant information on our school qualifications to schools abroad. QQI is also home to the National Europass Centre (NEC) which is responsible for the promotion of the Europass initiative in Ireland. Information on the Europass portfolio of 5 documents is
The recognition of qualifications across borders is facilitated by overarching Qualifications Frameworks, which enable national frameworks to ‘talk’ to each other and are essentially translation mechanisms. The Irish NFQ was verified compatible with the Qualifications Framework for the European Higher Education Area or ‘Bologna’ Framework in November 2006 and referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in June 2009. The EQF in particular as a Framework for Lifelong Learning makes it easier to compare school, further and higher qualifications across Europe.
Table 1.1 The major awards of the NFQ, with their corresponding Bologna cycle and EQF level EQF Level
EHEA Framework (Bologna)
Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level
NFQ Major Award-Types
NFQ Level 1
Level 1 Certificate
NFQ Level 2
Level 2 Certificate
EQF Level 2
NFQ Level 3
Level 3 Certificate; Junior Certificate
EQF Level 3
NFQ Level 4
Level 4 Certificate; Leaving Certificate
EQF Level 4
NFQ Level 5
Level 5 Certificate; Leaving Certificate
EQF Level 5
NFQ Level 6
Advanced Certificate
EQF Level 1
Short Cycle within First Cycle EQF Level 6
First Cycle
Higher Certificate NFQ Level 7
Ordinary Bachelor Degree
NFQ Level 8
Honours Bachelor Degree; Higher Diploma
EQF Level 7
Second Cycle
NFQ Level 9
Masters Degree; Post-Graduate Diploma
EQF Level 8
Third Cycle
NFQ Level 10
Doctoral Degree; Higher Doctorate
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Recognition of Irish Student’s qualifications in Europe continued
So, for example, our Junior Certificate is placed at
www.europass.ie
NFQ Level 3 and referenced to EQF Level 2. If you
Travelling abroad for work or study?
are presented with a qualification from abroad with a particular EQF level, you can use the table above to ‘translate’ this information into a level on the NFQ, thereby giving you a starting point for recognition. The referencing of the NFQ to these overarching Qualifications Frameworks as well as QQI’s engagement with other international developmental work, and the provision of qualifications recognition services, benefits learners travelling to Ireland with qualifications gained outside the State and learners with national qualifications wishing to travel
Show what you know with your
abroad.
• Helps you keep a record of your skills, qualifications and achievements safely up to date on-line
You are possibly more likely to be challenged
• Helps employers understand your abilities and experience
European Skills Passport!
with recognition of periods of learning rather than
Irish National Europass Centre Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) e: info@europass.ie w: www.europass.ie
completed qualifications. If this is the case, a review of curriculum is required. While this is a task for the school, it is worth bearing in mind The Convention
All of the Europass documents are available at www.europass.ie.
on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, 1997 or Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC). The LRC, ratified by Ireland in 2004 and signed by most EU member states and a number of nonmembers provides the legal basis for the academic recognition of qualifications and periods of learning in signatory states. The LRC tries to capture the spirit of fairness and open-mindedness within
CLICK to LINK
About the Author Niamh Lenehan works in the Qualifications Recognition unit at QQI and is responsible for leading work of the Irish ENIC-NARIC centre and supporting ongoing development of the NFQ.
which recognition should take place. The text of the Convention in addition to subsidiary texts (related to practical implementation) is available on
Links
the website of the ENIC-NARIC Network – CLICK to LINK www.enic-naric.net.
Qualifications can Cross Boundaries.
The Qualifications Recognition team welcomes any
A rough Guide to Comparing Qualifications in the UK and Ireland http://www.qualrec.ie/documents/CB_
queries you may have through the ‘Contact Us’ page on
CQF2013_green_web.pdf
www.qqi.ie.
ENIC-NARIC Network: www.enic-naric.net. CLICK to LINK
Europass: www.europass.ie QQI: www.qqi.ie Qualrec: www.qualrec.ie
18
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
Recognition of Irish Student’s qualifications in Europe continued
Table 1.2. Europass The European Skills Passport helps your student/client keep a record of skills, qualifications and achievements safely, up-to-date on-line. It consists of 5 standardised, electronic documents, these are:
CLICK to LINK
The Europass CV - is a standard CV format, used across Europe, which lets you outline your qualifications and skills in a straightforward and easily understood way. It provides a methodology for maintaining an up to date record of your achievements and progress. The Europass CV is promoted with employers across Europe. The Europass Language Passport is the ideal accompaniment to any job application that needs evidence of your language aptitudes. It is also helpful to review your language skills, see what you can build on in further study and track your progress. The Mobility Document is a personal document which is used to record an organised period of time (a mobility experience) that a person spends in another European country for the purpose of learning or training. The Europass Mobility document is completed by the home and host organisations. It contains information about you, the purpose and duration of the mobility experience, the training and skills acquired abroad etc. If you are going abroad for learning or training, including as part of your work, ask your home organisation to contact the National Europass Centre- this will help you get formal acknowledgement of what you are achieving. The Certificate Supplement is provided by a vocational education and training awarding body to help explain what the award is about. Currently the Advanced Certificate Craft Certificate Supplement is available to download from QQI at http://www.fetac.ie/fetac/ awardsDirectory.do?method=getCertificateLevels Over 2013-4 an increased range of Certificate Supplements will become available to download. The Diploma Supplement http://www.europass.ie/europass/euro_dip.html is issued to graduates of higher education institutions, along with the parchment and transcript of results. It is produced by the higher education institution. It provides additional information about degrees: skills and competences acquired, framework level, entry requirements and access opportunities to the next level of education etc. This makes your qualification more easily understood, especially for employers and institutions outside the issuing country. The Europass Diploma Supplement was developed jointly by UNESCO and the Council of Europe. This year the National Europass Centre will be promoting the Europass Skills Passport specifically with young people in transition year and senior cycle of schools. Completion of the electronic templates is a great way to open conversations with young people about what they do know and have already achieved. It can also raise awareness of how much we learn from life experiences and ‘turns on our lifelong learning buttons’.
Watch our Facebook page, and encourage your TY students to enter our autumn competitions. CLICK to LINK
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Post Primary
School Guidance Handbook
School Guidance Handbook
Lámhleabhar Scoile um Threoir
The School Guidance Handbook (SGH) is an online Handbook,
available
to
guidance
counsellors
and schools, which supports the delivery of the school guidance programme. The School Guidance Handbook can be accessed from www.schoolguidancehandbook.ncge.ie or via CLICK to LINK the NCGE website www.ncge.ie The SGH contains a number of features. • Content is available in different formats e.g. PDF, multimedia. • Content can be downloaded and printed (as appropriate). • Content can be shared with others by clicking on the ‘share’ button. • Content can be bookmarked by clicking on the ‘bookmark’ button. • Email notifications will be sent to registered users once new content is uploaded. • Feedback regarding content can be sent to NCGE by clicking on the ‘feedback’ link. • Those interested in submitting content for the Handbook can submit content via the online Handbook. Guidance counsellors interested in submitting content for the Handbook should click on the ‘like to contribute’ button on the SGH homepage and follow the
Linda Darbey launches the School Guidance Handbook at the Higher Options conference in September.
guidelines provided.
Whole School Guidance Planning
NCGE is looking for expressions of interest from guidance counsellors who would like to avail of support in school guidance planning. This support will be offered as a series of once off workshops/seminars which will be face-to-face and/or online. Guidance counsellors interested in attending such workshops/seminars should email Linda Darbey at linda.darbey@ncge.ie highlighting specific areas of interest.
20
CLICK to LINK
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Higher Education
Career adaptability and skills supply: rethinking conventional work-life patterns Across Europe there is an urgent imperative to secure an appropriate balance between providing careers counselling services to all - avoiding ‘marginalising the mainstream’ - and targeting intensive services to those who need them most. New career policies, research and practice are unfolding at a rapid pace. The volatility of the labour market internationally is forcing a rethink of conventional work-life patterns. Numbers of alternative and flexible work patterns are increasing. The financial crisis precipitated in 2008 shook many of our basic assumptions about how the economy works and the purpose and conduct of organisations. Complex forces, outwith the control of individuals, are acting on the types of employment available, which in turn, influences the kind of work people aspire towards, and where they hope to work. A contemporary interpretation of the eternal and internal drivers of how learning and work opportunities contribute to an individual’s sense of self and social value require us to look afresh at career adaptability, skills supply and the society in which we live.
“Career counselling plays a mediating role between supply of, and demand for, labour.”
There is a renewed policy focus
thinking on this topic and a practical assessment tool
on the need for increased
for measuring career adaptability. The assessment
jobs, economic growth and
tool derives from the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale
productivity, set alongside
(CAAS), designed for use in the USA and twelve other
the need to develop the skills
countries (Savickas & Porfeli, 2012).
and capabilities of people. In this context, the dual concepts
From 2008 onwards, a team of international
of career adaptability and skills
researchers, under the leadership of Professor Mark
supply characterise a dynamic iterative relationship
Savickas (USA), conducted a 13 country study to
between the individual and fast changing labour
validate the instrument in differing international
markets. Career counselling plays a mediating role
contexts (Savickas, 2009). In the UK, the University
between supply of, and demand for, labour. This
of Warwick, under the direction of Professor Jenny
article focuses on recent developments associated
Bimrose, enriched the quantitative assessment of
with ‘career adaptability’, grounded primarily in career
career adaptability by identifying descriptors based
construction theory (Savickas, 2013). It draws upon
on mid-career case studies (Bimrose, Brown, Barnes
findings from an international group of researchers
& Hughes, 2011; Brown, A., Bimrose, J., Barnes, S-A. and Hughes, D. 2012; McMahon, Watson and
who have worked closely to develop both critical
21
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Higher Education
Career adaptability and skills supply continued
Bimrose, 2012). Given career counselling provision is located within and across a wide range of sectors - for example: schools, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education, and employment - a step-by-step approach has been adopted in the UK, beginning with testing out the efficacy of the assessment tool in a higher education context (Frigerio, 2013). Career adaptability involves ‘the capability of an individual to make a series of successful transitions where the labour market, organisation of work
personality characteristics related to adaptability (like
and underlying occupational and organisational
being proactive or flexible), which can be regarded
knowledge bases may be subject to considerable
as pre-requisites of adaptive behaviour, alongside
change’ (Bimrose et al, 2011). Using this definition,
the psycho-social self-regulatory competencies that
it is possible to focus on the practical implications
shape career adaptive strategies and behaviours
of career adaptability, alongside the drivers for its
within work. New conceptions of work-life must
development at the level of the individual.
recognise that career belongs to the person, not the organisation (Duarte, 2004). This is entirely consistent
Work is underway to validate the questionnaire in
with the professional values of career counselling
the UK higher education context. Frigerio (2013)
practitioners, given their primary focus on the needs
reports positive progress being made in engaging
of clients. Career adaptability is thus perceived as
higher education careers practitioners with piloting
‘a more person-centred interpretation of sustainable
activities. She argues for a shift from the narrow
employability, and therefore more useful for those
confines of employability which can ‘often be subject
delivering client centred services.’ (p.8)
to some slippery usage in higher education’ towards a more psycho-social and person-centred approach. A
Table
psycho-social perspective looks at the psychological
dimensions i.e. adapt-abilities competences) which adaptable individuals develop and manifest.
development
of
individuals
within
a
social
environment. This approach distinguishes between
1,
below,
highlights
career
adaptability
(psycho-social and resilient
Table 1: Career Adaptability Dimensions (Savickas, 2013: 158) Adaptability dimension
Attitudes and beliefs
Competence
Coping behaviours
Career ‘problem’
Concern
Planful
Planning
Aware Involved Preparing
Indifference
Control
Decisive
Decision making
Assertive Disciplined Wilful
Indecision
Curiosity
Inquisitive
Exploring
Experimenting Risk taking Inquiring
Unrealism
Confidence
Efficacious
Problem solving
Persistent Striving Industrious
Inhibition
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Higher Education
Career adaptability and skills supply continued
located. This includes elements of ‘disequilibrium’, possibly caused by: occupational traumas (such as redundancy); employment transitions (such as job change); and developmental tasks (such as the need to up-skill or re-skill). Career adaptability is closely linked to identity development (Ibarra, 2012) which requires a willingness to engage in one’s own state of readiness to adapt and be resilient as they engage with the labour market. Early lessons learned from the research and piloting of the assessment tool indicate: • The design and development of careers support services, both within and outside of the workplace, must take full account of individuals’ ‘state of readiness’ to manage and implement effective decision-making in relation to learning and work. Concern refers to stimulating or developing a positive
• The focus on formal qualifications as a ‘proxy’ for
and optimistic attitude to the future (Savickas et al.,
learning and development does not do justice to
2009, p.245). Control is linked to the strategies that individuals employ to influence different settings.
the range, depth and variety of different forms of
Research indicates how individuals need to feel in
to be done to develop the acquisition of career
control of their lives to adapt their careers (Blustein
adaptive competencies.
learning-while-working. More creative work needs
et al., 2008; Duffy, 2010) and that individuals with
• The
a clear sense of control engage more in career
progression
measures
that
capture
individuals’ learning and work destinations must
exploration activities, take responsibility for their
operate beyond a one-off ‘snapshot approach’ in
career development and are more decisive in terms
order to build and extend the body of knowledge
of their career (Luzzo and Ward, 1995). Curiosity
of individuals’ career trajectories and career
emphasises the value in broadening horizons by
adaptability competencies.
exploring social opportunities and possibilities. Confidence and believing in yourself and your ability
• The
development
of
career
adaptability
to achieve what is necessary to achieve your career
competencies can be achieved retrospectively
goal has a direct impact on the development of the capability for autonomous action.
with adults, using the framework of qualitative descriptors (Bimrose, Barnes, Brown & Hughes, 2011; McMahon, Watson & Bimrose, 2012) as
“Career adaptability is closely linked to identity development”
From a skills development perspective, taking a psycho-
well as prospectively with younger clients. A key challenge is how best to inform and support
social approach is helpful since
it
focuses
on
individuals to invest time and effort in honing their
the
career adaptability competences. Those working
need for individuals to selfregulate
and
in the careers sector have a unique opportunity to
accommodate
gather more compelling evidence on how career
change that has impacts on the
adaptability helps stimulate improved skills supply.
social context in which they are
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Higher Education
Career adaptability and skills supply continued
References Full references to this article are available here http://www.ncge.ie/uploads/Career_adaptability_refs.pdf
CLICK to LINK
The Authors Dr Deirdre Hughes, OBE Deirdre is a Commissioner at the UK Commission for Employment & Skills and Chair of the National Careers Council in England. In 2012, she received the prestigious award of Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her services to career guidance. She is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Employment Research (IER), Warwick University and an Associate at the Centre for Educational Sociology, Edinburgh University. She leads DMH & Associates Ltd. providing careers policy, research and practice training and development services at a local, regional, national, EU and international level. Email: Tel:
deirdre.hughes3@btinternet.com +44 (0) 7533 545057
CLICK to LINK
Professor Jenny Bimrose Jenny is lead director of the UK research team investigating career adaptability. With over thirty years’ experience in higher education, researching and teaching at post-graduate level, Jenny has extensive experience of external project management and consultancy, both in the UK and Europe. She is currently co-Editor for the British Journal for Guidance and Counselling. Jenny is a Fellow of the UK Career Development Institute, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Research Associate at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa. She was a member of the Career Profession Task Force, convened by Government (2010-2012) and lead manager for an ESRC seminar series on the careers profession (2010 - 2012). Email: jenny.bimrose@warwick.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 2476524231 See also: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/people/jbimrose/
24
CLICK to LINK
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Adult
Personal and Professional Resilience Support for Guidance Counsellors Resilience: ‘The capacity of the professional to manage the challenges of working in a high demand environment without enduring undue negative impact on their health and wellbeing or their ability to carry out their duties and responsibilities in accordance with best practice in their chosen profession.’ - A working definition for the purpose of this article
in terms of listening empathically and responding sensitively and supportively to the diverse and professions often referred to as the Caring Professions. challenging needs of clients. Sometimes focusing on Caring Professions could easily be defined as those helping others encourages a denial of self-attention, involving professionals that work with the vulnerable and there is a risk of becoming more sensitive in society. This broad definition brings a to other people’s needs and signs of distress greater understanding of the common Sometimes than our own. focusing on factors that lead to the personal and Guidance counselling is part of a larger group of
helping others professional challenges of working Sometimes the constant demand to attend encourages a denial within a caring profession. Guidance of self-attention to the needs of others leads to a loss of counsellors may have a well defined job attention to the needs of the guidance description in terms of their role in the counsellor. Over time this lack of self attention educational, vocational and personal/social leads to a pattern of behaviour where the guidance development of their clients, but in practice they counsellor stops resourcing their personal needs face clients who may present with a complex history in favour of the needs of the client and ultimately of mental, physical or financial vulnerability. Although impacts on the health and well-being of the guidance these complex vulnerabilities are not the focus of the counsellor and their ability to be engaged in the guidance counselling relationship, they vicariously guidance relationship. This inability to engage can become part of the therapeutic relationship that exists further impact on the guidance counsellor resulting in between all caring professionals and their clients. a loss of interest or value in their work. This can lead These vicarious demands can have a huge impact on into a further negative spiral that often concludes in the resilience of the guidance counsellor, which may some form of ‘Burnout’. lead to an increasingly negative impact on the health and well-being of the guidance counsellor over time. Burnout can be defined as a prolonged response to chronic emotional and interpersonal challenges of the job often characterised by regular
Caring professions often attract a certain type of individual who is drawn to work that is both rewarding on a personal and professional basis whilst being of ‘high value’ to society. The role of guidance counsellor can demand a lot of energy
feelings of fatigue/exhaustion disengagement (depersonalisation) and diminished feelings of self efficacy in the workplace.
25
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Adult
Personal and Professional Resilience continued
The most effective way to intervene in this negative cycle is to develop a greater sense of self-awareness. Self-awareness requires paying attention to your own needs despite the external demands of working in a caring profession. Without this awareness we are unable to attend to our needs and thus build our resilience. Self-attention
is
necessary
for
monitoring
and
recharging your own battery of personal energy, this selfmonitoring ideally occurs at a cognitive, physiological and behavioural level. With self-awareness we begin to notice our patterns of response to the challenges we face. Humans have only one system to respond to challenge and it is called the stress response. Stress is a subjective experience, it is the perception of a threat to ones physical or psychological wellbeing coupled with a perceived inability to cope with the threat. The key word here is ‘perception’, while you may be unable to alter the situation causing the stress you can change the perception of the stress and chose a more effective response.
Common signs of stress/distress: Physical
Emotional
Psychological
Behavioural
Sleep onset insomnia
Anxiety
Insecurity
Complaining
Early waking insomnia
Fear
Indecision
Procrastination
Headaches
Irritability
Loss of creativity
Reduced productivity
Hypertension
Anger
Low self-esteem
Interpersonal Conflicts
Backache
Impatience
Loss of boundaries
Aggression
Clenched teeth
Loneliness
Worry about clients
Over eating
Indigestion/weight change
Depression
Feeling trapped
Smoking
Loss of Libido
Alcohol abuse
Constipation Fatigue
Isolation
Blood pressure
Not asking for help
As
the
stress
response
becomes
chronically
and the communication of safety. It is the loss of
activated the release of stress hormones begins
these essential components of the relationship that
to disproportionately impact on the most complex
undermines the trust that is essential to the work of
structures in the human brain. These structures
the guidance counsellor. When a guidance counsellor
are essential for critical aspects of the guidance
is stressed they are neurologically less available to
counselling relationship such as empathy, compassion
empathetic relationships.
26
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Adult
Personal and Professional Resilience continued
10 Simple ways to build Resilience
7. Access any available support at least on a monthly basis whether a supervisor, supportive colleague, or professional service (such as the supervision encouraged and funded by the Department of Education and Skills for adult and school guidance counsellors in Ireland). Caring professionals are often the last to ask for help. Don’t wait until you need it. Make it part of your reflective practice to seek support to be better at something you are already good at.
1. Commit to doing something for yourself everyday (10 mins only) that you enjoy. Maybe exercise, walking in nature, reading, dancing etc you will know what works best for you! 2. Develop a personal practice of relaxation or meditation. Practice it daily or for at least 60 minutes per week (3*20 minutes is a minimum for lasting impact) to https://soundcloud.com/resilience- CLICK LINK international
8. Tell someone you care about that you care about them. Appreciation is a neurological gift, it makes us feel better and impacts on how the compassion centre (prefrontal Cortex) in our brain works.
3. Keep a diary of how you feel physically and emotionally at work and at home. Pay particular attention to when you feel tired, fatigued or stressed. Don’t forget to notice when you feel positive and energised. Notice what you were doing before you felt either positive or negative. Keep the diary for a month then read it back and notice your patterns.
9. Eat healthy food - we all know what that means - if you don’t, see the following link and get busy http://www.hsph. harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
10. If you can’t introduce 4 of these simple options go to number 1 and try that until you want more. If you already do 4 or more of these or similar, well done and keep going.
4. Make contact with a friend or loved one (non work individual) and spend one hour per week where you do not talk about work. If an hour is too much do 30 mins.
Herbert Benson a cardiologist in the Harvard Medical School demonstrated that we could exercise conscious control over our physiological functions with a counterbalancing mechanism to the stress response known as the ‘relaxation response’. The relaxation response is a natural restorative and regenerative phenomenon, which activates the parasympathetic system regulating the effects of the stress hormone. This physiological response is associated with positive mental, emotional and behavioural changes. The relaxation response is a state of profound rest and relaxation, of letting go of unconscious muscle tension and troublesome thoughts and feelings. The main difference between these two responses is that the stress response is
5. Your work is challenging and very difficult at times. Accepting this can be a relief and reduce the shame and guilt that we can feel when work is tough. If you feel disenchanted with work allow yourself some compassion. Keep a list of things that you love about your work or remind yourself of the times that make all the hard work worthwhile. 6. Exercise more often. Physical exercise burns up the chemicals of the ‘fight or flight’ response. It produces chemicals that make the complex parts of our brain work better and therefore impacts on our ability to have greater capacity for work. Exercise opens up a free pharmacy in your brain with nothing but positive chemicals with no side effects. If you don’t believe it then start some exercise and see if it works. (please note always consult your doctor before engaging on an exercise programme you may be putting them out of a job!)
CLICK to LINK
involuntary and triggered automatically, where as the relaxation response requires conscious elicitation and practice. Relaxation is conducive to the guidance counselling relationship but stress has an inhibitory effect on the relationship.
27
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Adult
Personal and Professional Resilience continued
Stress management basically involves four key approaches: changing the situation or demands being placed on you; changing your interpretation of the demands being placed on you; practicing skills that increase the capability to cope with the situation (resilience); altering the symptoms of stress by means of relaxation and self care skills. The relaxation response can be elicited by a number of techniques and with practice you can develop an enhanced ability to relax and deal with stress more effectively. In the challenging role of guidance counsellor,
About the Author
balancing self-care and other-care is often a struggle
Ray McKiernan is a Senior Stress
and where ignored can lead to burnout. Selfawareness is key to building resilience and essential to the health and wellbeing of the guidance counsellor. The self-awareness of the guidance counsellor also
Management Consultant, an Organisational Training Specialist, Lecturer and a Director of the Stress Management Institute of Ireland. Having completed his clinical training in MindBody Medicine at Harvard Medical School, he became certified as a Stress & Wellness Consultant with the internationally renowned Hans Selye Foundation in Canada, and is a fellow of the American Institute of Stress. CLICK to
significantly influences the self-awareness of the client. By becoming more self-aware the guidance counsellor will develop an enhanced ability to set better limits and professional boundaries in dealings with clients. By adopting a holistic lifestyle approach to managing stress which encompasses good nutrition and diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, social support
See http://stressmanagement.ie/
LINK
and relaxation we can reduce the harmful effects of stress. Self-care is an essential component of resilience and central to this is the concept of selfawareness. By focusing on self-awareness and selfcare you can increase your personal resilience, which
Please see our review of Superbetter smart phone app on page 42
in turn positively impacts on your ability to continue
CLICK to LINK
to be effective in your role as a guidance counsellor.
References Felton, J.S. Burnout as a clinical entity – its importance in health care workers. Occup Med. Vol 48, No. 4 http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/48/4/237.full.pdf Harvard School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/ Rothschild, Barbara. Understanding the Dangers of Empathy. Psychotherapy Networker: July/August 2002 http://www.somatictraumatherapy.com/dangers-of-empathy Schore, Dr. Allan N. The articles of Dr. Allan N. Schore http://www.allanschore.com/articles.php University of Pennsylvania . Authentic Happiness http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx
28
CLICK to LINK
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Non-Formal
Learner Ambassadors form part of the New European Agenda for Adult Learning The European Agenda for Adult Learning (2012 – 2014) encourages participating countries to promote adult learning, in particular offering lower qualified adults a ‘second chance’ to go ‘one step up’ in their qualification level. In Ireland, the European Agenda for Adult Learning is being coordinated by the Department of Education and Skills through three projects that together will serve to increase awareness of adult learning at both national and local levels.
These projects are: 1. One Step Up - A new website
www.onestepup.ie
As you know, sometimes people are not able to see the benefits to returning to learning. They may have had a negative experience of school in the past and associate returning to learning with that experience. There is also a stigma attached to low literacy and basic skills. Often people feel too embarrassed to return to learning and go to great extremes to hide
CLICK to LINK
2. Learner Ambassadors 3. Encourage a Learner – a leaflet campaign. The Learner Ambassador project will be of interest to
their difficulties from their friends and family. However,
the guidance community as it aims to recruit and train
this does not have to be the case. Adult education is
40 Learner Ambassadors from a variety of education settings in Ireland. Indeed, you may know a Learner that you would like to put forward for the project.
a very different experience to school. Adult learning is all about addressing the needs of the learner, working at a pace that suits them and according to their needs and interests.
What is a Learner Ambassador?
Learners are vital in bringing to life the benefits of returning to education and by becoming Ambassadors they have a unique ability to motivate others, in a similar position, to do the same.
A Learner Ambassador is a student who shares their story about the benefits of returning to education with people in their community and by doing so often motivates others to take up a learning opportunity.
How will the project work?
Why are they so important?
The National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) has responsibility for coordinating this project and they have just started recruiting Learner Ambassadors from a variety of education settings in Ireland.
Who better to encourage others to return to education than those who faced the same challenges and fears themselves? They know the barriers that exist for people but can explain through first-hand experience the enormous gains that can be made to both their confidence and basic skills.
Before each Learner Ambassador gets started they will be invited to attend a day-long briefing
29
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Non-Formal
Learner Ambassadors form part of the New European Agenda for Adult Learning continued
session and workshops about the project. This will be an opportunity to meet and network with other Ambassadors and include brainstorming sessions on
One Learner’s Experience of Guidance that led him to becoming a Learner Ambassador
how best to achieve the aims of the campaign. Each Learner Ambassador will also receive professional presentation skills training on how to promote education within groups, associations or networks they are involved in and at other events. They will also receive guidance awareness training to ensure they refer clients to adult guidance services where and when appropriate.
Without the help of the Guidance Counsellor I would not be where I am today. I dropped out of school when I was 15 as I had no real interest in school at that time. I reluctantly attended “Youthreach” and went on to work in various jobs before becoming a victim of the recession.
Following this each Learner Ambassador will identify and complete at least two presentations in their local community with another Learner Ambassador. And they won’t be alone, at each step of the process there will be a dedicated project coordinator in NALA who will guide the Learner Ambassador through the process and help them complete the presentations.
When I first met the guidance counsellor the idea of returning to education was the last thing on my mind. I was married with a young family and was worried about the future. I did not think that I would be eligible to do courses without my Leaving Cert and was surprised to realise that I could do courses that would put me on the road to a new career path. I had always been interested in working with marginalised young people and felt I had a way with them and an understanding of their needs.
How much will it cost? There will be no cost involved in becoming a Learner Ambassador. Travel, training and expenses will be agreed beforehand with each Learner Ambassador and covered by the project.
What’s the aim of the project? The aim of this project is to motivate and encourage
The guidance counsellor, Bernadette, helped me to look at my interests and abilities as well as my goals for the future. As a result I started with a short “Learning to Learn” class, which gave me the courage and the confidence to study Youth Work at FETAC level 5 in Monaghan Institute. She helped me to look at the skills and personal qualities I already possessed but had taken for granted all my life. My self-confidence and self-esteem grew as I broadened my knowledge and achieved the results that I deserved on my course.
‘hard to reach’ adults, through word of mouth and student testimonials to take up a learning opportunity in Ireland.
Do you know someone who could make a good Learner Ambassador? NALA is now seeking to recruit Learner Ambassadors and would like to have representatives from all corners of Ireland. So if you would like to nominate a student to become a Learner Ambassador NALA would be delighted to hear from you. Just email Margaret at mmurray@nala.ie or call 01 4127928 for more information. See
www.nala.ie/students
information.
for
more
I achieved 9 distinctions and am now in my final year studying a degree in Community Youth Work in Dundalk Institute of Technology DkIT.
CLICK to LINK
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Research NCGE supports evidence based practice and encourages research in guidance in Ireland. To this end we publish this research section to highlight guidance research taking place in Ireland. If you are aware of or taking part in research which may be of value to our readers, please contact us at ncgeinfo@ncge.ie and your CLICK to piece will be considered for inclusion. LINK
Research on the prevailing inequity of guidance provision in Senior Cycle over Junior Cycle Esther Magera
This article will discuss the findings from a 2012
Senior Cycle is prioritised over Junior Cycle in the
research study carried out as part of the qualification
case school.
of Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling, University of Limerick. The study used one sample
This research was set in a context of change and
school and the aim of the study was to establish how
upheaval
and why guidance provision is prioritised in Senior
as it was carried out immediately following the
Cycle over Junior Cycle in the Irish post-primary
announcement of Budget 2012 measures, which
sector, and the implications for guidance counselling
saw the ex-quota allocation for guidance removed.
in
post-primary
guidance
provision
practice.
While these cuts exacerbated the prioritisation of
The primary research was conducted in a single
literature and research findings already demonstrated
Senior Cycle over Junior Cycle guidance provision, consistent prioritisation of Senior Cycle provision,
midlands co-educational school which had an
despite guidelines which emphasise the need for a
allocation of 1.65 guidance counsellors, in line with
developmental and balanced approach to guidance.
its enrolment numbers. The school employs two guidance counsellors who divided this allocation
Research Findings
equally between them. The research took the form of a case study which used a mixed method approach
The case school demonstrated effective promotion
incorporating both quantitative and qualitative
of the guidance service from early in 1st year and
strategies in the form of questionnaires with a 5.5%
student knowledge of guidance service providers,
sample of the total student body, equally balanced
location and access procedures is strong across all
between all year groups, and semi structured
year groups. However, student knowledge on the
interviews with a guidance counsellor and the
various aspects of the guidance service appears to
Principal. The questionnaire data generated and
be more influenced by service provision than service
facilitated a direct comparison of service promotion
promotion. For example, although all students are
and provision in Junior and Senior Cycle and gave
told about the vocational aspect of the service,
a picture of trends in promotion and knowledge of
awareness of this aspect increased in Senior Cycle,
the guidance service in the case school, as well as
as does the level of provision.
perceived access and balance of provision. The interviews revealed individual perspectives on how
There was a clear year on year downward trend in
guidance provision decisions are made, and why
student perceptions around the balance in guidance
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Research
Research on the prevailing inequity of guidance provision in Senior Cycle over Junior Cycle continued
provision between Junior and Senior Cycle, where counsellor in the case school. They cite time and 60% of 1st year students felt it was balanced and resource restrictions and the multifaceted nature this belief consistently waned to the point where of the Irish guidance service as challenges in this. none of the Senior Cycle students felt provision The OECD (2004) stresses that counselling needs was balanced and that it favoured their cohort. tend to be universally prioritised over educational Those students who felt the service was balanced and vocational needs and that in turn, educational cited reasons based on equality and fairness and it guidance is likely to be prioritised over vocational would appear that the reality of inequity in provision guidance. Findings in the case school mirror this simply became apparent as they progressed and find that guidance delivery is largely reactive, through school. Both the Principal and guidance always prioritising the personal counselling aspect counsellor expressed surprise at the number of of guidance and then responding to the needs Junior Cycle respondents who felt provision of students at decision-making junctures, was balanced, as they both held it to be particularly in relation to subject choices 6th year largely concentrated on Senior Cycle. students are given an for Senior Cycle and third-level course appointment to meet choices and application procedures. Another notable difference in with their Guidance As most educational and vocational service provision between Junior Counsellor.. whereas students in Junior Cycle decisions for students either relate and Senior Cycle is that supports at must self-refer or to Senior Cycle, or occur in Senior Senior Cycle are formalised. 6th year parents must request Cycle, this is a natural focal point of students are given an appointment to a meeting support. This imbalance in provision is meet with their guidance counsellor in not challenged by either management or
relation to vocational and/or educational
the guidance counsellor. In fact the opposite is
development, whereas students in Junior Cycle
true, especially in the face of the Budget 2012 cuts.
must self-refer or parents must request a meeting. The formalised services are also reportedly most widely valued and supported by teaching staff and
Continuing this practice led to an acceptance of the
management.
tendency to prioritise Senior Cycle guidance provision as students, the guidance counsellor and Principal
As it stands, the prospect of developmental vocational
all indicated that students need most support at that
and educational support, involving both Junior
stage. In this way, actual provision came to influence
and Senior Cycles in a balanced way is described
stakeholder’s knowledge and expectations of the
in aspirational terms by the Principal and guidance
service and, in the case of students, influences
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NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Research
Research on the prevailing inequity of guidance provision in Senior Cycle over Junior Cycle continued
what they feel is available to them at any given time. This research posits that unless a balanced and developmental guidance programme is formalised as part of a whole school approach to guidance, it is unlikely to become an on-going, integral part of guidance provision.
About the Author Esther a
Magera
Graduate
Counselling
recently
Diploma with
the
in
completed Guidance
University
of
Limerick. She is currently working at
Prioritisation decisions within the case school around how much time to allocate to guidance, following Budget 2012, are also influenced by factors which emphasise the product rather than the process
Camphill Communities in Co. Kildare, as Assistant Programme Co-ordinator of the Transitional Training Programme for young adults with special needs.
of education as the Principal feels academic achievement was a weightier factor than the quality of the guidance service in how parents and young people choose a school. The disparity between guidelines which advocate a developmental approach and the general focus on the Leaving Certificate, both within the educational system and outside it, can be difficult to reconcile. However, this research proposes that guidance provision needs to distance itself from the general educational focus on Senior Cycle and view guidance as a developmental process designed to equip students to make independent life choices by facilitating them in their decision-making throughout post-primary education. First year is arguably when students need the most formalised support as they are new to educational and vocational decisionmaking, and to recognising the implications of those decisions. As a result of early and on-going support, Senior Cycle students should begin to tackle choices and decisions independently, with the guidance service as an optional support.
Further Reading Department of Education and Science (DES) (2009) Looking at Guidance: Teaching and Learning in Post-Primary Schools. Dublin: Evaluation Support and Research Unit: Inspectorate Department of Education and Science (DES) (2005) Guidelines for Second Level Schools on the Implications of Section 9 (c) of the Education Act 1998, relating to students’ access to appropriate guidance. Dublin: Stationary Office National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2007) A Curriculum Framework for Guidance in Post-Primary Education. Unpublished, available: http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/ guidance/guidance_En.pdf
Strengths and Limitations of the Study The mixed method paradigm allowed for a comprehensive look at all elements of the study and the consistency in findings across a range of
CLICK to LINK
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2004) Career Guidance and Public Policy: Bridging the Gap. Available: http://www.oecd.org/ CLICK to dataoecd/33/45/34050171.pdf LINK
stakeholder responses gave the study strength in validity. A limitation of the study lies in its scope. It involved a single post-primary school which limits the generalisability of the research findings. The validity of the findings could be improved by conducting further case-studies into the phenomenon of Senior Cycle guidance provision being prioritised over Junior Cycle in various post-primary schools.
33
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Euroguidance
E-Guidance Providing Guidance via Skype Many people today are familiar with Skype. Thanks to technological advances on the internet, people can now see and speak with personal and business contacts using a microphone and web cam on a computer or on another device. News corporations are increasingly using Skype for TV interviews, businesses use it for video conferencing and it costs very little. Seán Ó Briain has been using Skype to provide guidance to students in European schools.
Background:
The NCGE service is geared specifically to the needs of Irish students who may be thinking of also
As part of its remit, on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills (DES), NCGE provides a supplementary Guidance service on higher education in Ireland to Irish students who are attending one of the 14 European schools. These schools are based many thousands of kilometres apart in seven countries – namely Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain and Luxembourg.
applying to Irish third-level institutions and who have questions regarding general entry requirements, particular course requirements, application procedures and guidelines. The service consists of (a) The provision in electronic format of an NCGE student handbook “Studying In Ireland- Career FAQs for Students of the European Schools” - as a guide on how to research and apply for third level courses in Ireland;
The European Schools are official educational establishments controlled jointly by the governments of the Member States of the European Union. The mission of the European Schools is to provide a multilingual and multicultural education to students, many of whose parents or guardians are employed by an EU institution. Senior students study for the European Baccalaureate, which is recognised for admission purposes by the Institutes of Higher Education - both here in Ireland and abroad.
(b) Prior e-mail contact between the Irish guidance counsellor and the European School guidance counsellor regarding the students’ individual strengths and areas of study and interest, and any specific questions they may have; (c) In the case of European Schools with larger numbers of Irish pupils, students are visited on
The guidance service provided by NCGE and funded by the DES, is intended to supplement the guidance support already available to students in the European Schools. Many of the European Baccalaureate students apply to third level colleges in their own country of residence or through UCAS
campus by an Irish guidance counsellor. The
in the UK.
the visit;
guidance counsellor generally speaks with each Year 7 (final year) student, and as appropriate, with groups from Year 5 and Year 6. In some cases the guidance counsellor also meets with parents of Year 7 on a designated evening during
34
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Euroguidance
E-Guidance - Providing Guidance via Skype continued
(d) In the case of European Schools with smaller numbers of Irish students, the e-mail contact referred to in (a) above is followed by a phone call and/or webcam guidance session via Skype with students at a designated time and date. The NCGE engaged my services as a consultant on a temporary basis last November to offer guidance via Skype to Irish students in the European Schools.
Administration and Liaison with Schools The career guidance via Skype was provided from the NCGE’s office in Dublin (see table 1). Skype is a two-way process and one has to acknowledge the great assistance of the liaison teachers (mostly Irish) who established a secure Skype connection abroad and ensured that the students presented
Profile of the Students
themselves on time for the interviews in the
Only three of the twenty students involved in last year’s
European schools. Guidance interviews of about
guidance sessions were born in Ireland. The others were
30 minutes duration were offered to individual
born on the European continent, and had a parent who
students in Year 7 and Year 6. However, where two
was Irish. In many cases their Irish parent had attended
or more students were involved a group interview of
a third level college in Ireland. The students visited
about 40 minutes duration was offered to students
their extended family quite regularly in Ireland and
in Year 6 and Year 5.
were already familiar with some Irish universities. The students were courteous, intelligent and articulate. The majority were highly motivated and well-prepared. They had studied the NCGE handbook prior to the Skype session and had already carried out initial research for themselves on college and course websites, including
Table 1 Please note NCGE does not endorse any particular tools, but rather has provided a small selection of what is available.
Qualifax, Careers Portal and the CAO. Students who
Skype is not the only company to offer video conferencing/calling software, although it is the most well-known and was used on this occasion. Any search of the internet will throw up many such tools. Examples are included below:
had follow-up questions were invited to submit them
Ekiga www.ekiga.org Google Hang-outs www.google.com/+/ learnmore/hangouts Goober www.goober.com Skype www.skype.com
biomedical science, earth sciences and physics with
via their designated liaison person to the NCGE.
Courses of Interest Many of the students expressed an interest in studying science in Ireland, especially medicine, maths. A smaller number expressed an interest in law, psychology or an arts or business degree with languages. One student had a particular interest in drama and theatre, another in sports coaching and
CLICK to LINK
management. So their interests were quite wideranging and eclectic.
35
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Euroguidance
E-Guidance - Providing Guidance via Skype continued
Technical Issues
period to each individual student during the session proved a more effective and a more successful strategy for this particular guidance counsellor.
A Skype connection is only as good as its weakest link. The Skype connection in the NCGE office in Dublin was strengthened and enhanced by the use of an internet cable (as opposed to wi-fi) and the use of headphones and a microphone by the guidance counsellor. The headphones eliminated any ambient noise, while the microphone ensured better quality, direction and clarity of sound.
Thirdly, experience has shown that Guidance interviews work best when there is a good exchange of information in advance. Preparation is the key – both on the student’s and guidance counsellor’s part. The fact that the schools provided the guidance counsellor with information regarding the students’ course choices in advance was a great assistance to the guidance counsellor in preparing for the individual interviews.
For security reasons the interviews were recorded with the students’ consent. However this meant that all sound and pictures were recorded, so that a large proportion of the computer’s memory was used up quite quickly.
In the same way, students benefitted most from the interviews when they had studied the NCGE’s handbook, had prepared questions and had carried out initial research of their own in advance.
There were occasional dropped calls between the office and one of the European schools, apparently
While no one would appear to question the greater advantages of a personal, face-to-face guidance interview, the guidance sessions via Skype are also proving very worthwhile and effective, particularly where time, distance, cost and limited resources are an issue.
due to the use of wi-fi instead of a cable as an internet connection in the school, but overall, the Skype sessions were very successful and problem-free.
Observations on Guidance via Skype
Provision
of
There are some personal observations I would like
With advances in broadband technology, initial teething problems such as dropped calls or frozen images will soon be eliminated. As young people (and the not so young) continue to embrace mobile technologies, they may soon feel just as comfortable participating in a guidance session via Skype as in a face-to-face interview.
to make about the provision of guidance via Skype. Firstly, providing a service via Skype is not as effective or as personal as a one-to-one or face-to-face interview. It is sometimes hard to gauge reactions or levels of understanding on video, particularly when the picture freezes, sound is lost or there is a time delay. One cannot give supplementary hand-outs or written information with immediate effect, if one is not present in the same room.
Could it be that providing guidance via Skype in the future will prove a bigger challenge for the guidance counsellor than for the students themselves?
However, Skype is far more cost effective than a personal visit to the school, especially where numbers of students are small and there are long distances to travel.
About the Author Seán Ó Briain is a Guidance Counsellor at St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Drogheda. A keen linguist and francophile, he has a great interest in European affairs and developments in education.
Secondly, speaking with three or more Year 5 students as a group in the one Skype session is difficult, particularly when they have their own individual needs, interests and course choices. Allocating a
36
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Euroguidance
IRELAND
Euroguidance News
Youth in Action
1992
National Resource Centres were established out of the PETRA programme (12 countries)
1995
Euroguidance Network funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme
Euroguidance Network document developed
1998
2001
ESTIA tool is developedused by Network to guidance on studying and working in Europe
2004
Euroguidance welcomes ten more countries to the Network… and growing!
euroguidance timeline9.indd 1
welcomes ntries to the
Euroguidance Ireland Centre We have recently upgraded our boardroom to enhance the experience of visitors coming to Euroguidance Ireland, with newly designed wall visuals illustrating the history of the Euroguidance Network and its 65 Centre’s across Europe. Euroguidance at NCGE will welcome groups of guidance counsellors to take a tour of the resources and learn more about opportunities available throughout Europe. 2007
Euroguidance Network funded by the Lifelong Learning programme
2011
Euroguidance Ireland goes live on Facebook
2013
2012 Euroguidance Network celebrates it’s birthday. Happy 20th!
Euroguidance Ireland opens its new interactive Centre in NCGE
TODAY
Network consists of 33 countries and growing!! Welcomes 3 more in 2013.
16/09/2013 16:02
Gerry Flynn, IGC President, draws the winning tickets for the Name the Landmark competition held at Higher Options to promote the Euroguidance facebook page. For more information see our facebook page (https:// www.facebook.com/EuroguidanceIreland?sk=app_58 2836361757701&app_data) CLICK to LINK
37
2007
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Euroguidance
News continued
The Euroguidance Ireland Centre, at NCGE promotes mobility, helping guidance counsellors and individuals to better understand the opportunities available throughout Europe. Euroguidance is following our two bloggers; Seรกn and Claire to France and Germany to see how they get on during their first term abroad! Want to follow Seรกn and Claire on their journey? Just visit our blog page
blog.euroguidance.ie CLICK to LINK
NAVIGUIDE (2011-2013), a European Project in which the Ballymun Job Centre was a partner, developed an online database containing 100 guidance methods to be used in group settings. Earlier this year the Ballymun Job Centre ran 7 one-day workshops throughout Ireland to train those working in the area of guidance in using these methods. For more information and to download these methods go to www.naviguide.net or contact Julie at the CLICK to Ballymun Job Centre mccaffertyj@bmunjob.ie LINK
38
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Smart-phone app Review
SuperBetter The SuperBetter iphone app is available as a free download from the app store. See www.superbetter.com SuperBetter is a tool created by game designers (with the help of health professionals) to help build personal resilience. The idea for the app came from Jane McGonigal who is a game designer but who believes that games can be used to help real life situations. With SuperBetter, she (along with others) has created a simple tool that anyone can easily use to achieve mental, physical and emotional well-being.
CLICK to LINK
The app is pre-programmed to come up with useful suggestions for dealing with stress, chronic pain, anxiety, losing weight, and eating healthier, but you can input your own goal. I have used the app with several students in counselling situations and I have found that students really respond to the language and find that it helps them to have a vision of what they can do to help develop their own resilience. I have also used the video of Jane McGonigal with several SPHE classes to encourage them to develop their own resilience. Ultimately, we know that any tool cannot guarantee that anyone using it will get better but it’s a great strategy for achievable success.
We know that resilience has a powerful effect on health - by boosting physical and emotional wellbeing. SuperBetter uses the same language and strategy that game players use to win games and this helps make the tool and exercises easy for many young people to understand. For example, if I wanted to use the app to treat stress, the app will ask me what is my mission (ultimate goal), what power ups can I use (things I can do that help in some small way, who are the bad guys (what are the things that can drain me) and who are my allies (people that can help me). The app has lots of suggestions for these categories and then automatically tracks any progress and sends encouraging messages to keep the user on track.
Jane McGonigal’s inspirational TED talk about the programme can be watched on the TED website here. CLICK to LINK
Catherine Flanagan (H. Dip in SGC 2005) Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin 20 See the article Personal and Professional Resilience on page 27.
39
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Website Review
CV Library CV Library - www.cv-library.co.uk. App available in the UK app store there is also a link on the website which
CLICK to LINK
will bring you to the app store.
What is it? CV-Library is an independent job board and holds (in their own words) “the UK’s fastest growing CV database”. The website is targeted at job seekers and recruiters and advertises around 70,000 jobs in the UK and Northern Ireland. Job seekers can upload their CV for free and search jobs without having to register. The company then makes money by charging recruiters to advertise their jobs and search CVs. At the time of writing this article (August 2013), the website has 6,542,040 CVs on file!
Would you use it as a tool for guidance? I would imagine using this website as a resource about writing CVs and interview tips. It could also be good to have as a link from a website as a useful guide for students. I would definitely use the advice about how to impress on your first day as a guideline for students going on work experience. I also thought that students doing a career investigation could enjoy using the salary calculator to compare industries and different career options. The language used on the website is quite straightforward and should be easy enough for most students to understand. As the website only advertises jobs in the UK and Northern
The website has a huge amount of information and is relatively easy to navigate. The advice for job seekers is excellent. One section of the website is labelled “career centre” and it offers tips on how to write your CV, interview techniques, ‘must dos’ for your first day of work, networking and lots of other really useful advice about training and selecting a job that is right for you. There is also a salary calculator, where you can search various jobs and see what the average salary is a of UK worker. If their free app contains similar information, I would imagine it is even easier to use, but your account has to be registered in the
Ireland, it has a limited benefit for Irish job seekers, unless they are planning to move there. Reviewed by Catherine Flanagan (H. Dip in SGC 2005) Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin 20
UK app store, so I was unable to download it.
?
Would you like to review a smart-phone app/ website or book for NCGE news? If so please contact us at ncgeinfo@ncge.ie
40
CLICK to LINK
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
Book Review
Life Story Work with Children Who are Fostered or Adopted: Creative Ideas and Activities Katie Wrench and Lesley Naylor Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 112 pages
What is it about?
do not think that we are appropriately placed to do it. Firstly, the amount of background knowledge required would be unrealistic for us to gather. It is the responsibility of the facilitator of the work to gather all details of the child’s prior care placements, know the details of traumas in the child’s life, know details of birth parents, etc.
This book is aimed at social workers, foster carers, adopters, students and any frontline practitioners involved in working with traumatised children. The authors introduce life stage work, describe the optimum conditions for this work to take place, and cover each of the stages. Accompanying each stage description are aims, suggested activities and handy hints.
The authors very much stress both the importance of regular meetings with the child undertaking this work for the length of time needed to complete the work and also emphasise the need to consider what the child is doing later in the day after taking part in this work. As there is no way of knowing at the outset the length of time it would take, the school year would be too restrictive on the work. Also, expecting a child undergoing this work to go back into class would be unrealistic.
The book is easy to read. The description of each stage is clear and shows what difficulties to expect in trying to achieve the aims. There is a nice mix of the authors’ own voice, supported by theory from a wide range of experts in this area. I found the handy hints at the end of each activity most useful. These included ways to adapt the activity; considerations when working with children with specific needs e.g. very anxious children or children from different ethnic backgrounds and ways to link activities between stages.
Lastly, they recommend that carers/adopters sit in on certain pieces of work – if this work were to take place in the school environment then other students would be aware of something more than a ‘career appointment’ going on.
The authors state that the book is for use with children and young people, however, as I read the book, I constantly found the activities more suited to younger children, and at a stretch perhaps 1st Year students. I do not think that any of the activities would engage an older adolescent. Most activities promoted the use of colour, paints, collages, clip art, miniature figures, etc.
I do think that elements of the book could be useful if we wanted to do work on e.g. self-esteem or emotional literacy with junior cycle students. The definitions of these are clear and, for anyone working with students, these are nice starting point exercises. It’s also interesting to know more about a therapeutic tool used by other services.
How could it inform the work of a guidance counsellor?
Kathrina McCarthy Guidance Counsellor Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál Blarney, Co. Cork
While this book is interesting to guidance counsellor’s it is not entirely relevant as, although I do believe that we are well capable of doing this work effectively, I
41
NCGE NEWS Autumn 2013
General
News from NCGE NCGE is delighteedw to welcome our nof Management tee Guidance Commit. for 2013-2016
d at the first meeting on Oct 1st
Members of the committee picture
The committee was nominated by the Minister for Education and Skills, and appointed by the Board of Léargas. The first meeting took place on 1st October 2013. Paul King is the Chair of the committee, the members are: Colum Layton, Breda Naughton, Shira Melmann, Jim Mullin, Fidelma Collins, John Wynne, Ursula Finnegan, Gerry Flynn, Peter Brown, Elaine Quinn, Jennifer McKenzie Director NCGE (ex-officio). Further information about the Management of Guidance Committee is available at: www.ncge.ie/about-us/ncge-management-committee
Report on the Review of Guidance in Post-Primary Schools
CLICK to LINK
NCGE has published the Review of Guidance Counselling provision in second level schools, 2012-2013: Report of the findings. This Review was carried out in 2012, on behalf of the DES and NCGE Management of Guidance Committee to establish the changes to provision, if any, following the removal of the ex-quota allocation for Guidance in second level schools and to inform plans for the continued support of guidance provision in schools.
The report details and makes recommendations based on data gathered from guidance counsellors and school principals in second-level schools nationally. Also included are further recommendations from the NCGE Management of Guidance Committee. NCGE wishes to thank the members of the Management of Guidance Committee 2010-2013, under the Chair of Barra Ó Briain, for their support and commitment to this review report.
Review of Guidance Counselling provision in second level schools 2012-2013 Report of the findings
42
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NCGE • 2013
Download the review: http://www.ncge.ie/uploads/Review_of_Guidance_Counselling_ provision_in_second_level_schools_2012-2013.FINAL.pdf
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