Anne Delauzun

Careers
@AnneDelauzun

“CHANGE IT UP, CHANGE THE SYSTEM!”

Student march for free tuition 2, Trafalgar Square, London, UK by Cory Doctorow, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Exploring career development learning and social justice through action

research
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Copyright University of Reading LIMITLESS POTENTIAL | LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES | LIMITLESS IMPACT

DEFINITION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

Fouad et al. suggest that a ‘socially just’ society is

one in which there is an equal and fair distribution of
opportunities, worth and resources, without
individuals or groups bring advantaged or
disadvantaged in accessing these (2006).

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‘Careers education and guidance is a profoundly political
process…It facilitates the allocation of life chances. Within a
society in which such life chances are unequally distributed,
it faces the issue of whether it serves to reinforce such
inequalities or to reduce them.’
(Watts et al. 1996)

Core focus on society Core focus on individual

Change Radical (social change) Progressive (individual
change)
Status quo Conservative (social control) Liberal (non-directive)

Adapted from Watts and Herr (1976), in Watts et al. 1996

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A FRAMEWORK FOR EMANCIPATORY
CAREER EDUCATION
Learning areas Key question
Exploring ourselves and world where we live, learn and Who am I?
work.
Examining how our experience connects to broader How does the world
historical, political and social systems. work?
Developing strategies that allow us individually to make Where do I fit into the
the most of our current situation. world?
Developing strategies that allow us collectively to make How can I live with
the most of our current situations. others?
Considering how the current situation and How do I go about
structures should be changed. changing the world?

Hooley 2015
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RATIONALE
Social justice and careers: Plenty of theory but a dearth of practical
examples.

• A key component of practice (Arthur et al. 2013, IAVEG 2013, Christie

2016), but barriers to implementation (Arthur et al. 2009).

• Prominent examples in HE suggest a progressive approach (Watts,

Law, Killeen, Kidd and Hawthorn 1996) is the dominant strategy.

• Student engagement – what about the non-careerists? (Tomlinson

2007, also Law 2009)

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. How can I design a career development learning intervention
informed by perspectives on social justice?

2. What can I learn about my practice from delivering a career

development learning intervention informed by perspectives on social
justice?

3. Reflecting on my responses to these two questions, what are the

implications for practice?

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 STRATEGY
Student
consultation
Key literature
• A critical pedagogy of work education
(Simon et al., 1991)
• Socio-Political Ideologies in Guidance (Watts Practitioner
et al., 1996/2016) experience
• Career Guidance in Communities: A Model
for Reflexive Practice (Thomsen, 2017)
• Hooley’s framework for emancipatory career
education (2015)
• Mignot’s conceptual framework for anti-
oppressive practice (2001) 2-hour workshop
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STUDENT CONSULTATION
Key themes identified included: “Oh, ok… where’s
all the females?
Aren’t I supposed to
• Diversity – the importance of relatable role models; be inspired to be like
• Lack of information and tools as a barrier to action; you, but… there’s
• Negative perceptions of employer attitudes; no-one like me
there”
• Focus on individual responsibility to take action;
• Interest in acting for the ‘greater good’.

“We’re just given the resources to go into the world

how it is, we’re not given the resources to change
it…change it up, change the system!! – I think that’s
really important!” 8

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WORKSHOP DESIGN
e f u t u r e
m y i s t h
i g e c o n o
Title: I want to make a difference! Social justice and your career
c h a r g e
T h e G l e a d t h e
n c a n
to promote it. wome
Aim: To increase understanding of social justice as it relates to career, and inspire action

aT nadlk to De
Learning outcomes:
liverabout o o c
1.
d y stopotential
Interpret two contrasting narratives
pia impact
the
o u riers.andSothers;
labour market;
2. Discuss the that cou
of these narratives on themselves
e e a
3. ld bto ea labour
Apply strategies of individual or social change
y o market problem;
Compare the strengths and weaknesses of these strategies; ur futu
4.
5. Propose actions they can take to promote social justice through their career.
r e
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EVALUATION: STRENGTHS
• Collaborative design: Engaging and relevant

The session was engaging and the

It’s very interactive, enable[d] me to debate was a great strategy to
hear other people’s views promote participation from the
students. It encouraged creative and
I loved the critical thinking.
session

It was really good to have the time to talk

I enjoyed the debate things over in groups.
on individual vs.
societal changes.
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EVALUATION: STRENGTHS
• Achievement of aims and outcomes through collaborative learning

Look s s ur e
i e
and L nto HeFo t l ocal
p r
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e rS h a v a i
discu an In. Ha he W
p s a re a ocio-
ss v grou ng s
friend ion with e a Find out the gender om o t i
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m
pay gap in the in pr ic justice
m
f
social riends) a y
ll econo ro
j bo property industry.
( e. g.
p a nti-
gende ustice an ut Watch TED talk tmen t ,
r equ d in ve s
ality. e r i ty?)
aust
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EVALUATION: CHALLENGES
• Harnessing the affective dimension of learning

• Classroom as ‘a site for the interrogating of competing claims to truth’

(Simon et al. 1991)

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APPLICATIONS
How could you apply some of these ideas/approaches in
your practice? For example…

• Reaching the non-Careerists?

• Working with pre-existing communities e.g. student-led
groups?
• Engaging with current affairs?
• Taking a critical approach?

If you could do one thing…? 13

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 For a copy of the workshop materials, email:
a.h.delauzun@reading.ac.uk

(Or visit:
https://careerguidancesocialjustice.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/i-want-to-
make-a-difference-social-justice-and-your-career/
)

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REFERENCE LIST
Arthur, N., Collins, S., McMahon M., and Marshall, C. (2009) Career practitioners’ views of social justice and barriers for practice,
Canadian Journal of Career Development, 8, 1, 22-31.
Arthur, N., Collins, S., Marshall, C. and McMahon, M. (2013) Social Justice Competencies and Careers Development Practices,
Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 42, 2, 136-154.
Christie, F. (2016) Careers guidance and social mobility in UK higher education: practitioner perspectives, British Journal of
Guidance and Counselling, http://0-dx.doi.org.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/10.1080/03069885.2015.1017551 .
Hooley, T. (2015) Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery: self-actualisation, social justice and the politics of career guidance,
Derby: International Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Derby.
International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (2013) IAEVG Communiqué on Social Justice in Educational and
Career Guidance and Counselling, Montpellier, September 28, 2013,
http://iaevg.net/iaevg.org/IAEVG/nav16ee.html?lang=2&menu=1&submenu=9 (accessed 30th January 2018).
Law, B. (2009) Building on what we know: Community-interaction and its importance for contemporary careers work,
http://www.hihohiho.com/memory/cafcit.pdf (accessed 10 August 2015).
Mignot, P. (2001) Anti-oppressive practice, in B. Gothard, P. Mignot, M. Offer and M. Ruff (eds.) Careers Guidance in Context,
London: Sage. (ebook accessed 11 February 2018).

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REFERENCE LIST CONT’D
Praslova, L., (2010) Adaptation of Kirkpatrick's four level model of training criteria to assessment of learning outcomes and program
evaluation in higher education, Educational assessment, evaluation and accountability, 22, 3, 215-225.
.
Simon, R. I., Dippo, D. and Schenke, A. (1991) Learning work: a critical pedagogy of work education, New York, NY: Bergin and
Garvey.
Thomsen, R. (2017) Career Guidance in Communities: A Model for Reflexive Practice. Derby: International Centre for Guidance
Studies, University of Derby.
Tomlinson, M. (2007) Graduate Employability and Student Attitudes and Orientations to the Labour Market, Journal of Education and
Work, 20, 4, 285-304.
Watts, A.G., Law, B., Killeen, J., Kidd, J.M. and Hawthorn, R. (2016) Socio-Political Ideologies in Guidance, in T. Hooley, and L.
Barham (eds.) Career Development Policy & Practice: The Tony Watts Reader, Godalming: NICEC. (First published in 1996).

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