Contemporary perspectives on the process and outcome dimensions in the shaping of

professional identity in post-primary and adult guidance work

Tom Geary and Lucy Hearne

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

• Holistic education

(intellectual, social, emotional, physical, moral, spiritual, aesthetic)

• Integrative model

(psychodynamic, behavioural, humanistic, cognitive)

• Three dimensional approach

(personal/social, educational, vocational)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

‘Guidance: range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence, that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives. It encompasses the three separate, but interlinked, areas of personal and social development, educational guidance and career guidance’ (DES, 2005)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

‘In second level schools guidance and counselling are broadly defined as the full range of interventions which assist pupils to make such choices about their lives’ (NCGE, 1996)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

The Education Act 1998, Section 9, states that a school shall use all its available resources to ensure that students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices (DES, 2005)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

Counselling has as its objectives the empowerment of students so that they can,

Make decisions

Solve problems

Address behavioural issues

Develop coping strategies

Resolve difficulties they may be experiencing (NCCA, 2007)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

‘The lifelong guidance framework is designed to reflect person-centred values and to promote personal, social and economic development.’

(National Guidance Forum Report, 2007)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

‘The range of guidance approaches include;

– Provision of information services

– Small group and large group work

– Self-directed learning

– Mentoring by guidance practitioners and others

– One to one encounters with guidance practitioners

– Experiential learning’.

(National Guidance Forum Report, 2007)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

‘In almost a third of schools the ex-quota hours for Guidance are not allocated to Guidance’

‘In slightly less than half the schools there is a need to provide more guidance for junior cycle students’

‘There is scope for greater collaboration between the guidance counsellor and teachers of SPHE and RE in planning and delivering the guidance programme for the junior cycle in most schools’ (DES, 2009)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

• Potential for identity diffusion and overload• Balancing roles i.e. Coordinator of the Guidance

Counselling Service/ delivery of an effective guidance counselling provision

• Identifying priorities i.e. Junior Cycle, TYO, Senior Cycle, LCA, LCVP, Leaving Certificate

• Organisational, planning, management, advocacy, team work.

• Self Care, boundary negotiation and setting (Liston and Geary 2010)

Contemporary Issues in Post Primary Guidance Counselling

Implications for stake holders:

• Initial Education Programmes in Guidance Counselling

• Initial Teacher Education Programmes

• Ongoing information and CPD of Principals/Managers (specific to Guidance Counselling)

• Developing a more extended role for Parents and Local Community

Contemporary Issues in Adult Guidance

Aim of Doctoral Research 2005-2010: Consideration of the development of a best practice framework for the longitudinal tracking of individual progression in the Irish Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI)

Key Objectives: 1. definition of ‘individual progression’ from 3 stakeholders (client,

practitioner, policymaker) 2. critical analysis of discourse on outcome measurement in adult guidance3. contribution of the client to the development of a quality longitudinal

tracking system in AEGI 4. consideration of a democratic framework to outcome evaluation in future

practice

Position of Research Policy and Practice

Learning for Life: White Paper on Adult Education (DES, 2000) Adult guidance positioned within context of public policy goals of learning, labour market and

social equity Inception of the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI)

Irish Review of Career Guidance Policies (OECD, 2002) Specific weakness between policy and practice - absence of established systems to track client

progression and monitor long-term guidance service use

Guidance for Life: An Integrated Framework for Lifelong Guidance in Ireland (NGF, 2007)

Addresses outcomes, quality standards and competencies

Overarching Research on the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative 2000-2006, Final Report (Philips & Eustace, NCGE, 2010)

Highlights good practice and deficiencies in AEGI Short-term view of tracking individual progression (6 months to 1 year only)

The AEGI (2000-2011)

40 AEGI Projects nationwide (26 counties)

“Aimed at those adults who are considering or participating in Adult Literacy, Vocational Training Opportunity Schemes (VTOS) and Community Education, including Back to Education Initiative (BREI). Former residents of designated institutions are also eligible to receive guidance from the AEGI” (www.ncge.ie)

Accountability, improvement and monitoring of outcomes through Adult

Guidance Management System (AGMS)

Focus: ‘Hard’ outcomes (education and employment) as measurement of long-term progression

Research Findings: Outcome Measurement

• Convergence and divergence on suitable methodologies in field

• Difficulty of measuring outcomes through conventional paradigm

• Standards-based evaluation - highly rational, rely on criterial thinking, not intuitive, goal and indicator oriented (Stake, 2004)

• Responsive evaluation – responsive to key issues, addresses concerns of stakeholders, values uniqueness, search for quality, seeks understanding (Stake, 2004)

• Inclusive, democratic practices needed in quality assurance processes (Killeen, 1996; Young, 2000)

• Voice of ‘client’ to fore (Hearne, 2010; Bimrose et al, 2008; Plant, H., 2005; Wannan & McCarthy, 2005)

The Irish Adult Guidance Practitioner in 2011

QA Issue

(outcomes)

QA Issue

(outcomes)

ShiftingCompetencies

ShiftingCompetencies

ChangingProfile of

Client Group

ChangingProfile of

Client Group

AEGI Embedded

in AE sector

AEGI Embedded

in AE sector

Adult Guidance

Professional

Adult Guidance

Professional

Changing Profile of Client Group

More Complex

Issues

More Complex

Issues

Highly Skilled

Workers

Highly Skilled

Workers

MaleClient

MaleClient

Increase inReferrals

Increase inReferrals

ChangingProfile of

Client Group

ChangingProfile of

Client Group

Shifting Competencies

Maintenance Of QualityStandards

Maintenance Of QualityStandards

ExpectationsOf Clients

ExpectationsOf Clients

Emphasis onEnabling &Counselling

Emphasis onEnabling &Counselling

Need for SpecialisedKnowledge

Need for SpecialisedKnowledge

ShiftingCompetencies

ShiftingCompetencies

Quality Assurance Issue: Outcome Measurement

Educate/Dialogue with Stakeholders

Educate/Dialogue with Stakeholders

Evidence ofValue S/O

Evidence ofValue S/O

Value of Social/

Personaloutcomes

Value of Social/

Personaloutcomes

Bought intoMeasurement

Bought intoMeasurement

QA Issue

(outcomes)

QA Issue

(outcomes)

Opportunities and Challenges

• Opportunities: Increased collaboration with all stakeholders in adult guidance provision

Methodological pluralism in evaluation contexts

• Challenges: Economic constraints on services and practitioners impacting on

provision

Shifting competency requirements necessitates upskilling and being responsive to client needs (e.g. counselling)

Consensus on outcomes, recognition of process element of work

Observations on professional identity in post-primary and adult guidance work

• Increased need versus diminishing resources

• Complexity of client needs and competencies of practitioners

• Role confusion and diffusion

• Education of service users and broader stakeholders

• Balancing clients’ needs with expectations of managers and policymakers

References

• Bor, R., Ebner-Landy, J., Gill, S. and Brace, C. (2002) Counselling in Schools, London: Sage Publications.

• Department of Education and Science (2009) Inspectorate Review of Guidance, Dublin: Government of Ireland.

• Department of Education and Science (2005). Circular PPT12/05 Guidance provision in second-level schools. Dublin: Government of Ireland.

• Department of Education and Science (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: Department of Education and Science Inspectorate.

• Hearne, L. (2005) Opening a Door: Evaluating the Benefits of Guidance for the Adult Client; A Report Available: http://www.regsa.org/news/publications_workshop.html

• Hearne, L. (2010) Measuring Individual Progression in Adult Guidance: An Irish Case Study. Waterford: WIT. Available: as above

• Government of Ireland (1998) Education Act 1998. Dublin: Stationery Office.

References

• Liston, J. & Geary, T (2010) Complexity of an Integrated Model of Guidance Counselling (The Irish Context); Belfast

• McCoy, S., Smyth, E., Darmody, M. and Dunne, A. (2006) Guidance For All? Guidance Provision in Second-Level Schools, Dublin: The Liffey Press in association with The Economic and Social Research Institute

• National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2007) Draft Curriculum Framework for Guidance in Post-Primary Education. Dublin: NCCA.

• National Centre for Guidance in Education (1996) Guidelines for the Practice of Guidance and Counselling in Schools, Dublin: Department of Education.

• National Guidance Forum (2007) Guidance for Life, An Integrated Framework for Lifelong Guidance in Ireland, Dublin: www.nationalguidanceforum.ie

• Philips, S., & Eustace, A (2010) Overarching Research on the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative 2000-2006. Available at: http://www.ncge.ie

• Sultana. R.G. (2004) Guidance Policies in the Knowledge Society; Trends, Challenges and Responses across Europe. A Cedefop Synthesis Report. Luxembourg: Office for the publications of the European Communities.