1

Counseling programme used by the Career Guidance Center

in Sliven, Bulgaria

The career guidance training programme has been developed by the team of:

PROJECT BG051PO001-4.3.02

Career Guidance System in School Education

The project is implemented with the financial support of the Operational Programme "Human Resources" and the European

Social Fund of the European Union

2

The theoretical framework is based on the adapted version of the developed by S. Low and T. Watts model of career education in secondary school. It includes specific exercises that foster the active participation of the students in making decisions about education, vocational training and opportunities for professional development and career. The guidelines for training in career counseling are structured in four global fields:

Decision

Opportunity

Transition

Self-awareness

WHERE?

WHEN?

?

HOW?

WHO?

3

SECTION 1: DECISION This section includes exercises related to inform on different professions. The exercises help to create a more realistic idea of the dream job. Students' attention is focused on the educational system and the relationship: professional field→ profession →specialty.

EXERCISE 1

WHEN, WHERE

AND WHAT DO I

WANT TO WORK?

Essence: Depending on the position and the professional sector, there are large differences in when, where and how people work. Occupations are associated with certain conditions. Not everyone is able to cope successfully with different conditions. This method helps students to determine the conditions in which they wish to pursue the desired profession. They will determine both: the conditions in which they prefer working, in order to cope and

4

work well, and the professions associated with these conditions. Objective: Specifying the desired working conditions and the related occupations Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups Description: In groups, the participants discuss the conditions under which they want to work. With the help of the career advisor, they discuss the professions which meet these conditions. Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 1, flipchart Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or profession. Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

5

APPENDIX 1: WHEN, WHERE AND WHAT DO I

WANT TO WORK?

WHEN WHERE WHAT WITH

During the day Office People

At night Factory Sport facilities

Part time Workshop Plants

Shifts Lecture hall Fine tools

On rotation basis Hotel Data

At your own choice Outdoors Texts

Flexible working hours

Restaurant Chemicals

Parks Wood

On the street Computer

Airport Paper

Railway station Vehicles

Hospital Ceramics

Shop/mall Glass

Construction site Instruments

Leather

Clay

Farming

Stone

Machines

Plastics

Electronics

6

SECTION 2: OPPORTUNITY The exercises in this section are subject to the idea that for the adolescents it is essential to be self-reflective and learn more about themselves. They reflect on their own abilities, skills and interests and how they might evolve towards future successful career and life fulfillment.

EXERCISE 2 MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS Essence: As the symbols of Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy depict the

interaction of opposites; both strengths and weaknesses co-exist in every person. The knowledge of the person's strengths and weaknesses is an important tool for self-control and a condition for the targeted use of strengths to achieve professional and personal success. The exercise enables the participants to recognize their strengths, and through feedback mechanisms to correct the perception of themselves.

7

Objective: The students will describe their own strengths and weaknesses and identify steps to overcome the weaknesses Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups Description: The facilitator writes on a flipchart the following strong points: energy, organization and diligence, then the participants continue the list. The facilitator writes the weak points: quick temper, unsociability and laziness, then the participants continue the list. The facilitator asks the participants to indicate to each strong point its antonym, for example, energy - apathy, organization - disorganization, diligence - laziness. The participants complete the worksheet – Appendix 2. Each participant completes the self-assessment of his own strengths and weaknesses, and then the participants switch the worksheet to complete the second part of the assessment of the others. Finally, they discuss strategies for overcoming the weaknesses. Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 2, flipchart Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or profession. Duration: 1 hour

8

APPENDIX 2: MY STRONG AND WEAK POINTS

I about myself

I think my STRONG POINTS are I think my WEAK POINTS are

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

The others about me

Your STRONG POINTS are Your WEAK POINTS are

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

9

SECTION 3: TRANSITION This section includes exercises that allow the students to come to the conclusion that the choice of education and profession is an independent act and personal responsibility. Decision-making is a process that requires preparation. Some exercises are related to case studies and the ability to accept and/or reject the different alternatives for a decision on a case.

EXERCISE 3 WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?

Essence: The model of making a decision presented here is prompted by the fact that the more complicated a problem is, the more substages we have to include in the three major stages of solving the problem. Making decisions often involves moral dilemmas. They come up when we try to decide what to do in situations concerning the interest of the others or when our moral values of justice, honesty, etc. are in conflict. When we make such decisions it is

10

necessary to consider criteria which take account of the other part alternatives. Objective: Applying the model of making decisions in a situation with a moral dilemma. Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups Description: The facilitator gives the participants a work sheet- Appendix 3 and divides them in subgroups. Each subgroup becomes acquainted with the problem case and discusses the substages of the major stages. A spokesperson of each group presents the arguments and their final decision. A discussion follows where the participants try to achieve a consensus. Preparation: Worksheet- Appendix 3, flipchart Target group: Students from grades 11-12 Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

11

APPENDIX 3: WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE?

C A S E

John is a student at 12 grade. He is the best in the class. He plans to combine drawing with mathematics and continue his studies at university specializing Architecture. The university is in another town so his family will have to provide his accommodation and food. At the same time his brother has had health problems for a year and needs expensive medicines. His mother is unemployed which decreases the chances of finding enough money to cover all the expenses. What should John’s decision be?

S T U D Y

1. What is the problem? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. What causes the problem? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

A N A L Y S I S

3. What are the alternatives? Alternative 1…………………………………………………………………………………….. Alternative 2…………………………………………………………………………………….. Alternative 3……………………………………………………………………………………… 4.

I Others Alternative 1 Alternative 1

Advantages Advantages Disadvantages Disadvantages

Alternative2 Alternative 2

Advantages Advantages

Disadvantages Disadvantages

Alternative 3 Alternative 3 Advantages Advantages

Disadvantages Disadvantages

C H O I C E

5. What is the best decision for John?................................................... 6. What is the best decision for his brother?........................................... 7. Which alternative should John choose?............................................... 8. What needs to be done to execute the decision?...............................

12

SECTION 4: SELF-AWARENESS The exercises in this section are united by the idea that for young people it is essential to recognize the need of targeted training for the transition from one to another educational degree or to the labor market.

EXERCISE 4 What should not be wrong in choosing a profession?

Essence: Many factors that influence career choice, namely: ability, academic excellence in certain subjects, opinions of parents, teachers, school counselors, peers, friends and high social/economic status of certain professions, are able to provoke imitation of a successful career choice by repeating the choice of the successful people. Objective: Analysis of typical mistakes when choosing a profession. Organization form: Work in groups or subgroups

13

Description: The participants study carefully the list of the most common mistakes when choosing a profession / Worksheet - Appendix 4 / then select 3 mistakes assessed as most dangerous to them. Each participant reports to the group the mistakes that he has chosen. A discussion of the most common mistakes follows. The facilitator asks the participants to answer the following questions: -What should I stop doing to avoid this mistake? -What should I continue doing to avoid this mistake? -What should I start doing to avoid this mistake? Preparation: Worksheet - Appendix 4, flipchart Target group: Students who are about to make a choice of education and/or profession. Duration: 1 hour

14

APPENDIX 4: List of the most common mistakes when choosing a profession

Ignorance of the changes in the profession

Choice because of the prestige of the profession Choice under the direct or indirect influence of friends Carry a positive attitude towards a person who exercises a profession to the profession itself Passion to the outside side of the profession

Identification of a school subject with a particular profession or not making a distinction between these two concepts Outdated perceptions about the nature of work in the sphere of material production Ignorance of the personal characteristics / abilities, skills, interests, attitudes, motives…/ Underestimation of the physical characteristics and/or diseases that are important in choosing a profession Ignorance and/or lack of a sequence of steps for deciding the choice of education and profession