Planning canvas of career guidance program

PLANNING CANVAS OF CAREER GUIDANCE PROGRAM

Initially, when planning the development of this publication, the main aim was to gather from a variety of career guidance experts the most effective methods and syllabi of the sessions that they were ready to share. In the course of the project, it became clear that it is important for youth workers to understand and explore in more detail how career guidance activities are developed and how to plan them structurally. In other words, it was more important for career guidance professionals and youth workers to be empowered to express themselves creatively in creating their own unique program than to receive a methodological publication with all set answers. When communicating with colleagues, we have noticed that many of them confront in one way or another with the organization of educational activities, but at the same time they are looking for new inspiration, ideas, opportunities and experiences, on the basis of which they could improve their ongoing programs. This led us to reconsider the content and format of the methodology. The main message has changed – the set of prepared methods has been transformed into a workbook, which invites professionals to get inspiration from good practices and to shape their own set of unique activities for young people. The glued binding of the publication has been changed to a spiral one in order to make this publication as mobile and convenient as possible for everyday use – to fold, to conveniently open the required page, noting the relevant thoughts in it. We aimed to give youth workers the opportunity to use this workbook as conveniently as the authors themselves used their syllabi during the sessions – by bending their notebooks, holding them in their hands during the sessions and synchronizing parts of the session’s program. Responding to the need to receive assistance in shaping career guidance activities, we created a Planning Canvas of Career Guidance Program, which consists of twelve points, that include the analysis of available educational experience, target group and consistent planning of specific actions. This planning canvas can be used to plan both short-term, one- or multi-session projects, as well as long-term, ongoing programs.

Below is a more detailed description of each of the twelve points.

1. THE TARGET GROUP

In this section, youth workers and career professionals are invited to describe in more detail the target group of young people they work with or intend to work with, defining in general terms the social characteristics and the circumstances in which their target group is located. We encourage you to better reflect on the lifestyle context of future program participants, the issues and difficulties these young people are facing, and to discover unique characteristics that are specific to this group. Perhaps your target group is young people from national minorities? Perhaps your target group is young people living in a violent environment? Or, perhaps, quite the opposite, the future participants in your program are qualified young people with considerable work experience and a good income who are looking for innovation and meaning? Questions to be answered: • What are the characteristics of your target group? • What are the biggest challenges your customers face? • How is your target group different from others?

2. EXPERIENCE AND/OR INSIGHTS

Specialists are invited to recall and outline all their previous experience, methods applied, remembering which of them have served the purpose and which have been irrelevant and useless. Questions to be answered: • What experience do you already have in this area? • What are your insights and remarks from observing the experiences of other professionals in the field of career guidance or after receiving feedback from clients? • What methods did you apply? • Which methods served the purpose and which didn’t?

3. NEEDS OF THE TARGET GROUP

After reviewing the first two points, we move on to the third one, where professionals are invited to name the needs of their target group to be addressed. In order to complete this section as accurately as possible, it is recommended to implement a survey, during which participants will be able to express their needs directly. Questions to be answered: • What skills does your target group need to strengthen? • What forms of assistance and actions are relevant?

4. METHODS, WHICH ARE WORTH APPLYING

In this section, we re-review all the sections we have completed before and we reflect on which methods have already proved their worth and we should continue using them, and which methods and forms of work should we abandon and try something new instead. So, what methods and forms of activities will you

continue to apply, and what are you going to integrate into your activities for the first time?

5. EXPECTED RESULTS

Taking into account the characteristics and needs of the target group, we invite you to define what specific results you want to achieve in the planned program.

Questions to be answered: • What results do you intend to achieve by implementing the program? • How will the quality of life of your customers change after the implementation of the program? • What skills and competencies will you help to improve?

6. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

These are all the additional nuances, ideas, questions and thoughts that have not yet been mentioned in previous sections. Write down all the aspects, tasks, questions, people that come to mind when you start considering the implementation of the program. Questions to be answered: • What additional resources may you need in the development and implementation of the program? • What challenges may arise? • What are the funding possibilities you could attract for the implementation of the program? • What people, institutions or organizations could help you? • Other questions and ideas that you come up with when thinking about a program.

7. PROGRAM

It is a space for more detailed planning and structuring of your idea, taking into account all the thoughts expressed in the previous sections. Additional questions to be answered: • What is the PURPOSE of your program? • What is the DURATION of the program? • What is the NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS? • IN WHAT LOCATION do you plan to implement the program activities? • How will you receive FEEDBACK about the implemented program from the participants?

8. DISSEMINATION AND ATTRACTION METHODS

After a more detailed reflection on the structure of the program, we move on to the issue of dissemination and the question of how to attract and encourage participants to participate in the program. Questions to be answered: • How will you spread the word about your activities and program to your target group and the general public? • How will you invite and involve participants?

9. TOOLS AND SPACES

Let’s take a look at some practical questions about the spaces and tools you will use in your program. Will you implement all the activities in your usual spaces, or perhaps come to different places in order to implement mobile activities? Are you planning to use any special tools that are worth taking care of in advance?

Questions to be answered: • What tools will be needed to implement the program? • In what kind of spaces will the activities take place?

10. FEARS AND WAYS TO OVERCOME THEM

In order to achieve a quality implementation of the program, it is worth taking the time to reflect on personal fears and hesitations. When completing this section, it is very important to know that doubts, contradictions, and fears are perfectly acceptable emotions when undertaking a new activity. Contradictory thoughts always arise when leaving the comfort zone. Questions to be answered: • What fears and doubts do you have when planning the implementation of the program? • How can you help yourself to overcome these fears?

11. ACTIONS

Finally, we move on to the concrete actions section. Once again, review all the ideas described in the previous sections and make a list of tasks to be done. What task will you undertake first? What can you already do today? Remember that it is important to always move forward, even in small steps. Every action, even the smallest one, opens up opportunities for the next steps.

12. RESULTS OF MY DEVELOPMENT AS A SPECIALIST

And another often overlooked but extremely important section is personal growth goals. No matter how much value you seek to create for your target group, your personal growth and learning are no less important. Think about how you want to feel during the implementation of the program and at the end of your project? How will you evaluate that? Do not forget to think about how you could reward and pamper yourself at the end of the project, thus celebrating a job well done. Questions to be answered: • How will the implementation of this program help you to develop personally as a specialist? • What competencies and skills will you improve? • How would you like to feel after implementing the program?

1. THE TARGET GROUP

What are the characteristics of your target group? What are the biggest challenges your customers face? How is your target group different from others?

2. EXPERIENCE AND/OR INSIGHTS

What experience do you already have in this area? What are your insights and remarks from observing the experiences of other professionals in the field of career guidance or after receiving feedback from clients? What methods did you apply? Which methods served the purpose and which didn’t?

3. NEEDS OF THE TARGET GROUP

What skills does your target group need to strengthen? What forms of assistance and actions are relevant?

4. METHODS, WHICH ARE WORTH APPLYING

What methods and forms of activities will you continue to apply, and what are you going to integrate into your activities for the first time?

5. EXPECTED RESULTS

What results do you intend to achieve by implementing the program? How will the quality of life of your customers change? What skills and competencies will you help to improve?

8. DISSEMINATION AND ATTRACTION METHODS

How will you spread the word about your activities and program to your target group and the general public? How will you invite and involve participants?

6. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

What additional resources may you need in the development and implementation of the program? What challenges may arise? What are the funding possibilities you could attract for the implementation of the program? What people, institutions or organizations could help you? Other questions and ideas that you come up with when thinking about a program.

7. PROGRAM

It is a space for more detailed planning and structuring of your idea. PURPOSE:

DURATION:

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:

LOCATION:

FEEDBACK

How will you receive feedback about the implemented program from the participants?

9. TOOLS AND SPACES

What tools will be needed to implement the program? In what kind of spaces will the activities take place?

11. ACTIONS

What are the planned next actions and tasks?

10. FEARS AND WAYS TO OVERCOME THEM

What fears and doubts do you have when planning the implementation of the program? How can you help yourself to overcome these fears?

12. RESULTS OF MY DEVELOPMENT AS A SPECIALIST

How will the implementation of this program help you to develop personally as a specialist? What competencies and skills will you improve? How would you like to feel after implementing the program?