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;
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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 guidance
3.
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)

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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 longterm progression
Research Findings: Outcome Measurement
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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
AEGI
Embedded
in AE sector
QA
Issue
(outcomes)
Adult
Guidance
Professional
Shifting
Competencies
Changing
Profile of
Client Group
Changing Profile of Client Group
Increase in
Referrals
More
Complex
Issues
Changing
Profile of
Client Group
Highly
Skilled
Workers
Male
Client
Shifting Competencies
Need for
Specialised
Knowledge
Maintenance
Of Quality
Standards
Shifting
Competencies
Expectations
Of Clients
Emphasis on
Enabling &
Counselling
Quality Assurance Issue:
Outcome Measurement
Bought into
Measurement
Educate/
Dialogue with
Stakeholders
QA
Issue
(outcomes)
Evidence of
Value S/O
Value of
Social/
Personal
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 postprimary 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
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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
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Liston, J. & Geary, T (2010) Complexity of an Integrated Model of Guidance Counselling
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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.
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(The Irish Context); Belfast