Careers Europe UK Report

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Careers EuropeUK Report
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Introduction

• Interviewed Guidance Counsellors x 10
• Interviewed Ethnic Minority Groups x5
• Interviewed Immigrants x5
• Focus Groups x2 (West Bowling Community Centre,
  Bradford)

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Focus Groups

• We conducted 2 groups with ethnic minority and
  immigrant individuals
• 6 individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds
• 7 immigrant individuals
• The work was conducted in Bradford at the West
  Bowling Community Advice and Training Centre

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Guidance Professionals Interviewed

• All came from Career Guidance Sector
• Split between Adult Guidance Counsellors and
  Connexions Centre Counsellors (Young People)
• All individuals had more than 6 years experience
  within their respective field
• Had undertaken training within the last year
  around this area

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Training

• Types of training available
• Cultural awareness / diversity training
  (religious angle)
• Legislation training
• Immigrant / Asylum legislative training
• Inter agency training
• Information sheets regarding asylum seekers and
  economic migrants

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What actions / training would help to overcome
these barriers

• Access to additional opportunities
• Work experience / job shadowing
• Use of role models
• Encourage both males and females to look at wider
  job areas
• Increased awareness of guidance services
• Guidance professionals working more with
  opportunity providers
• Sharing of good practice
• Greater interagency co-operation

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Ethnic Minorities Interviewed

• Not sure what was available to them
• Felt that guidance was often not related to the
  real world
• Undertones of racism
• Lack of Inter cultural understanding
• Family expectations were a barrier

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What actions / training would help to overcome
these barriers

• Greater options
• More dedicated time (lower caseloads)
• Use of mentoring
• Skills more focussed upon the real world
• Greater appreciation of cultural barriers

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Immigrants Interviewed

• Increasingly marginalised since the influx of new
  EU accession country migrants (Poland, Hungary,
  etc)
• Lack of confidence
• The guidance process overly complicated
• Relationship with counsellors is difficult
  (particularly job centre)

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What actions / training would help to overcome
these barriers

• Greater opportunities and training opportunities
• Tackle prejudice and bias
• Greater empathy and courtesy
• Better links with employers

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Possible solutions

• Better sign posting of resources
• Greater inter agency co operation
• Simplification of the guidance process
• More diverse options / opportunities
• Would like to receive more dedicated counselling
  (more personable and approachable)
• Better inter cultural advice
• Equality in treatment of individuals