A Vision for the Future Practice of Guidance Counselling in Ireland

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE PRACTICE OF GUIDANCE COUNSELLING IN IRELAND

A Discussion Document for Members

Aims of the Document

The IGC is endeavouring to envisage the future direction for the profession and to articulate an understanding of and, a rationale for, professional guidance counselling.

Key aims of the IGC are

to provide professional guidelines defining ‘ethical practice’ for all its members
to work with other stakeholders in the field and seek to have key input into policies governing our profession
to inform the public of our strategic professional role
to address organisational structures which will ensure satisfactory representation of and support for all members
to seek protection in law for the professional designation of ‘guidance counsellor’
to initiate a comprehensive review of all accreditation and training which will underpin our professional status
to anticipate future directions in guidance counselling

In the light of current trends and influences, andarising from recentregulatory changes and policy developments (e.g., Education Act 1998, DES, Section 9c; Education (Welfare) Act 2000; Equality Act 2004; Employment Equality Act 1998; Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, July 2011; Guidance for Life, National Guidance Forum, 2007) the IGC now considers it appropriateto present a vision for the future of guidance counselling in Ireland andto reflect on areas thatit now considersimportantto address in order to guide practice into the years ahead. This vision statement is intended to take the first steps towards engaging relevant stakeholders and improving our practice.

Issues Covered in this Document

This document outlines the following areas for consideration:

The impact of current trends on the future direction of guidance counselling
The promotion of a holistic model of guidance counselling
Policy development
Legalising the professional designation ‘guidance counsellor’
The articulation of a professional competency framework
Training and accreditation
Professionalisation
Organisation and Representation

These areas will now be outlined in turn.

Current Trends and Future Directions

Much research (e.g., CEDFOP, 2011; OECD, 2004; NGF Report, 2007)supports, and a number of key factors will influence, the provision and future of life-long guidance counselling objectives in relation to training, service provision and accreditation in Ireland.

The need of people, as they encounter the challenges of an increasingly knowledge based society, to develop emotional competence and maturity
The recognition of the economic and social benefits of social inclusion and retention
Changing perceptions and understandings of career development through the lifespan
The changing nature of work, arising out of globalisation, scientific and technological advances
Longer life expectancy and longer working careers
The cyclical nature of economic growth and decline
The need to explore ways to facilitate the acquisition of career and life management skillsfor aclient base that is increasingly multicultural
The need for clients to become more involved in their own transition management
The endemic nature and pace of societal change
A trend towards labour market surplus and flexibility

Global, EU and national trends indicate a number of areas which will directly confront and challenge us in our future work and practice. Of particular and immediate importance are the following areas:

The development of critically reflexive practitioners
The promotion of a holistic model of lifelong guidance
Policy development through the promotion of strong evidenced based practitioner work
Legalising the professional designation “Guidance Counsellor”
The articulation of a professional competency framework
Training and accreditation
Diversified guidance counselling delivery models.

The Promotion of a Holistic Model of Guidance Counselling

A holistic model of guidance views the person as multidimensional and considers all aspects of an individual’s needs - spiritual, emotional, mental as well as social, environmental and physical - valid elements when considering life choices. A life-long integrated service in Ireland needs to facilitate a holistic model of guidance counselling characterised by:

The promotion of wellbeing, personal and life coping skills
Flexible opportunities for personal development, skills and competency acquisition
Helping clients to construct and manage their own career plans and to ‘self author’(Stevens & Wetherill,1996)
An understanding of career development as rarely uniform, linear and predictable
Encouraging client personal resourcefulness and resilience
Access to education and leisure

Policy Development

There is a widespread view that, despite the volume of guidance publications in recent times,there is a dearth of IGC activity in producing policy in Ireland relating to guidance counselling practice.The IGC needs to work to address this and become more proactive in influencing the development of research amongst the profession.

For example, a key EU priority area is for clients to develop career management skills. EU policy envisagesthat such skills will provide structured ways for individuals and groups to gather, analyse, synthesise and organise self, education and occupational information. It aims also to fosterthe skills of decision making andtransitions. In addition to developing career management skills, current EU policy priority areas (CEDEFOP, 2011) also include,

Policy coordination and cooperation
Establishing quality assurance mechanisms and
Widening access

A major deficit in communication is the exclusion of the views of the guidance profession in many areas of public policy making. Many guidance counsellors believe that the profession has no real say in policy direction,and that it is neglected in those areas of policy decision-making which impact most directly on guidance practice. There is a strong need for policy makers to understand the nature of the specialist interventions made by guidance professionals.

An urgent priority for the IGC isto establish an ongoing practice of preparing and proactively enunciating proposals on issues that have the potential to affect the work of its members in all sectors. Achievement of this aim would require the establishment of a policy division within the IGC that can initiate policy documents and forward planning as a matter of continuing good practice.

Legalising the Professional Designation ‘guidance counsellor’

A lack of protection for the title ‘Guidance Counsellor’ is leading to confusion among the public about the professional qualifications and functions of those from whom they seek help. At present, due to the absence of regulation, any personwith a few weeks training can offer services as a guidance practitioner.

The proliferation of different practitioners within the guidance sector has seen a movement in Europe to protect by law the designation ‘guidance counsellor’ (CEDEFOP, 2011, p52) to encompass those professionals possessing specific competencies acquired through particular training to a specified level. This development ensures that only those who have achieved the requisite training can be accredited as guidance counsellors. (althingi.is, 2006) The professional designation ‘guidance counsellor’ does not yet have the protection of law in Ireland.

On foot of such a designation,a Register of Guidance Counsellors who have a) certified initial qualifications, b) experience, and c) who undertake continuous professional development would be compiled by an independent statutory body,similar to the function now carried out by the Teaching Council for the teaching profession. Two benefits would ensue from such a move: quality assurancefor the profession and for the public.

It is now considered necessary for the IGC to move in the direction of obtaining legal status for the designation ‘guidance counsellor’ and for the IGC to become an authoritative and public voice for ‘guidance counselling’ in Ireland.

Protecting the designation ‘guidance counsellor’ will involve professional accreditationto encompass, in addition to postgraduate core competenciesin guidance,

specified competencies

specialisations and
division / sectoral membership and experience

There is an onus on the IGC and on statutory bodies, in keeping with the ongoing professionalisation of counselling worldwide (psychotherapy-ireland.com, 2008), to address the statutory regulation of the guidance profession and the protection of the designation ‘guidance counsellor’.

Articulation of a Professional Competency Framework

A gap exists in the public perception and understanding of the role of the guidance counsellor. Indeed, the term ‘guidance counselling’ has never been fully understood by the general public which largely views it as giving advice, particularly on how to gain employment.”

Protecting the designation ‘guidance counsellor’ will require that we clearly articulatethe professional competencies ofthe guidance practitioner, including those competencies, which pertain to guidance counselling. In doing so, we will need to take account of the work of the National Guidance Forum (2007). In so doing, we will not only clarify the professional role of a guidance practitionerfor members and the public, but, will alsobe outliningclearly our credentials and taking a step towards establishing quality assurance mechanisms for the profession.

Figure 1: A Competency Framework

Figure 1 illustrates a possible competency framework. It comprises initial core skills and competency trainingin guidance, counselling and psychometrics (i). Professional divisions/sector specific competencies(e.g. second level, adult, third level etc) developed through supervised activityand training as part of the accreditation process required for chartered status(ii). Specialist competencies developed through ongoing practice, CPD, counselling specialisation and or further study(iii).

Training and Accreditation

It is essential that the guidance counsellor should be seen to possess identifiable specialist skills. Establishing qualification standards in the future will necessitate looking at the set of core and specialised competencies required by guidance counselling personnel within specific settings.

Training would be defined both in terms of the generic level of training, and the depthof specialisation in theory and competencies.Generic training would form the basic qualification for registration with IGC. In order to practicea further period of training and supervised experience would be necessaryfor professional recognition by the IGC and to acquire the designation of chartered guidance counsellor. The Institute would need to map out the further training and experience required for the designation chartered, and for recognition as a professional practitioner.

The proposal for a clearly articulated competency framework for guidance counselling will need to be accompanied by guidelinesoutlining progression routes to the acquisition of qualifications within the National Qualifications Framework (NFQ) and the European Qualification Framework (EQF) (CEDEFOP, 19316)

Specificmodular pathways for the acquisition of competency levels within the NQF, leading to professional accreditation in guidance counselling, will need to be developed. This is seen as a way of reforming guidance counselling provision and supporting the professional development of guidance counselling personnel.

It will be necessary to ensurethat a graded and integrated pathway exists to enable those working in a support/para- professional role in a guidance context to progress to qualified status.

Of necessity, a review and reform of training content will aim to ensure delivery of core guidance knowledge and competenciesin guidance, counselling and psychometric testing in initialtraining in guidance counselling, leading to the basic qualification for registration with IGC.

Fundamental tothe maintenance of professional standards will be the requirement that members undertakeand document CPD, as a prerequisite for continuing membership.

Formal qualifications and competencies will be acquired through experiences ranging from initialpostgraduate certification at postgraduate level to Masters and PhD levels. In addition, competency development should be available through CPD and documented ongoing activity. All levels will requireprofessional supervision of practice.

A review of training and accreditation frameworks will give impetus to the modernisationof training programmes and the updating andestablishment of qualification standards and certification procedures.

Professionalisation

The adoption by practitioners and by trainers of the necessity to define the guidance counsellor’s work against a backdrop of competencies including initial core competency training, professional sector specific competencies and advanced specialist competencies, has clear implications for the future of the profession.

Europe wide regulation of the profession (Cedefop, Professionalising Career Guidance 2004)will place an onus on professional bodies and trainers to ensure the delivery of competency training to all qualification levels.

Training structures and accreditation pathways will permit progression from initial core competency acquisition to professional designation and sector specialisation. Core competency acquisitionwill facilitate with further training or supervised practice, opportunity for future transfer to other sectors/divisions.

Organisation and Representation

In keeping with the organisation of professional bodies generally andin anticipation of future developments, the IGC should consider setting up specialist divisions (sectors)to ensure satisfactory representation of and support for members. Such divisions might include for example,

Child and Adolescent (first/second level & further education)
Young Adult/adult (higher education, third level and training)
Adult (workplace, training & service centres)
Third and Fourth Age (seniors/adult work/service centres)

Such reorganisation of the profession would require a review of how the membership can best be represented through divisions.

Reorganisation along the lines suggested will require further review of the Constitution, particularly in relation to the sections on membership and accreditation.

Regulation of the profession according to internationally accepted best practice will necessitatethe election to the IGC’s executive body of representatives from each specialist Division. Such representatives would be well placed to liaise with policy makers, legislators, trainers and appropriate agencies in the ongoing development of frameworks to enhance service delivery.

Conclusion

The vision presented in this document is based on transformations that are currently taking place in the worlds of policy and work (Watts, 1999). This vision of the way forward for the guidance counselling profession in Ireland outlines many serious challenges to be faced if the IGC is to provide a truly professional service to its members and clients. The profession needs to face these challenges with urgency and ensure that they are based on ‘cutting edge’ (Watts) understanding of the transformations that are taking place in the worlds of policy and work.

Text References

(3) Lifelong guidance across Europe: reviewing policy progress and future prospects, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011 1.4.1 p23 & p18

(3) Career Guidance, A Handbook for Policy Makers OECD, 2004, p67

(3)Guidance for Life, National Guidance Forum Report, 2007

(4) Stevens, Richard. and Wetherill, Margaret. ‘The Self in the Modern World: Drawing

Together the Threads’ Chp.7, UNDERSTANDING THE SELF, Open University, 1996

(5)CEDEFOP,2011

(6) CEDEFOP,2011, p52

(6)

(6) Legal certification of guidance title in Iceland, 2006. Icelandic text, but reasonable translation is possible via google translate.

(8)

(9) Professionalising career guidance: Practitioner competences and qualification routes in Europe.

(11) Watts, Professor A G., Reshaping career development for the 21st century

Careers advice 'more important than ever'

For careers advice to be effective, it now needs to be given at different stages throughout our working lives, Professor Tony Watts, international career specialist told Channel 4 News, 5 April, 2012

"People have to construct their career throughout their life, rather than choosing it at one point. It's a very different concept now," he said, but insists that it is still relevant. "For many people, these are very complex decisions. You're making a decision about who you think you are, who you want to be and how you want to live your life. That's why face-to-face advice is so important."

For many people, these are very complex decisions. You're making a decision about who you think you are who you want to be and how you want to live your life. Professor Tony Watts

CEDEFOPThe European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) is the European Union's reference centre for vocational education and training. They provide information on and analyses of vocational education and training systems, policies, research and practice. Cedefop was established in 1975 by Council Regulation (EEC) No 337/75.

General Bibliography

Career Guidance: A Handbook for Policy Makers, OECD, 2004

Career Guidance Policy: an International Review

Douglas, Fiona. Anyone Can Do Guidance – Losing and finding professional identity in a complex

chain of services

Guidance Inspectorate, DES, Guidelines for Second Level Schools on the Implications of Section 9c of the Education Act 1998, relating to students’ access to appropriate guidance, 2005

Herr, Edwin L., Perspectives on career guidance and counselling in the 21st century

Higginbotham, Steve. and Hughes, Deirdre. The Future of Professional Career Guidance: Where Next? 2006 CeGS (Centre for Guidance Studies) website at

IGC Guidance and Counselling Service in Second Level Schools, 1984

Keats, Patrice A. and Laitsch, DanielContemplating Regulation of Counsellors in Canadian Schools: current issues and concerns. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, Issue 108, July 14, 2010.

Watts, Professor A G., Reshaping career development for the 21st century

Websites

International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG)

European accreditation scheme (EAS)

Institute of Career Certification International (ICCi)

MEVOC - the quality manual for educational and vocational counselling

National Guidance Forum: (choose ‘publications’, where the client competence framework is included within the main report Guidance for Life)

Canadian standards and guidelines for career development practitioners

Professional standards for Australian career development practitioners

Ireland - framework of competences for guidancepractitioners

United Kingdom national vocational qualifications (NVQs)

Australian blueprint for career development (ABCD)

alian_blueprint_for_career_dev/

Canada: the blueprint for life/work designs

Please email comments and submissions headed ‘vision’ to