‘Telling tales, the development of narrative approaches for career guidance in England: findings from a collaborative

project’

IAEVG International Conference, University of JyvaskylaJune 2009

Hazel Reid & Linden West

Centre for Career & Personal Development/Centre for International Studies of

Diversity and Participation

The context

Changing biographies of practitioners

Tensions, de-professionalisation and re-professionalisation

The project is:

Exploring the use of auto/biographical narrative research and narrative-based guidance

Working with 8 practitioners to develop, apply and evaluate narrative techniques and strategies

The narrative turn: taking stories seriously

In many spaces

Stories often regarded as suspect versions of ‘the truth’

Stories have the power to shape experience – not ‘Oh that’s just a story’

But not just about fostering stories

As stories are told – out loud – there is a sense of continuity about who we are – how, at this turning point, a decision can relate to life themes

Phase one of the researchTwo workshops offering a creative space

for new approaches – away from a restrictive ‘model’

Practitioners trialled a narrative approach adapted from the Savickas model

They audio recorded interviews and reflected on them

We discussed their experiences at a third meeting

The third meeting and subsequent in-depth interviews were transcribed

Adaptation of the Savickas framework

Savickas has a systematic approach – ‘fits’ with a 3 stage model, but in the project this was adapted for UK setting

1. Beginnings – negotiating a contract and agreeing an agenda

2. Middles: exploring the story – the six favourite questions and stories from childhood. Turning the stories into headlines for a newspaper –where the client begins the interpretation

Identifying the themes and together, relating these to potential interests, goals and action

3. Following a period of reflection – putting it all together, including the reality check

Phase 1 findings

Structure useful

Getting permission to try something different seen as essential

Developing the story builds rapport /confidence to discuss deeper interests

Inspires participation from shy, reluctant or withdrawn clients & deeper thinking from others

Careful language addresses power issues

Adaptation of phrases for cultural context,

Can contain troubling stories

Client leads on the interpretation e.g. ‘so where has that got us to?’ ‘what is your thinking now?’ ‘what clues have emerged?’

Time 45mins+

Auto/biographical reflections

Experienced practitioners need support!

‘I was uneasy using a different approach – felt slightly out of control’

‘At first I was exhausted trying to remember what to do – felt like a student again’

‘Difficult to move away from your usual script – but my script may not fit the client!’

Narrative approaches can be used in different ways

Phase 2: auto/biographical positioning within the

project Narrative/story

Meaning and identity

Constructivist

Slow time /play

Emotions / empathy

Auto/biography

Opening up space for creativity

Targets and outcomes

Behaviourism and focus

Realist

Fast time / seriousness

Cognition /logic

Objective distance

Instrumentalism – ‘what works already’