Fostering socially just career guidance through a case study exercise (Ahmed’s struggle)

Henna, Árný, Elin and Þórhildur at the 2023 social justice summer school in Lillehammer.

In August 2023, Elin Holgersson (Study & career counsellor at Lund university, Sweden, and Master student in Psychology & career guidance), Henna (Guidance student at University of Jyväskylä, Finland), Árný Þóra Ármannsdóttir (Director of Student Counselling Services at University of Akureyri and Master student in Career Counselling & Guidance at University of Iceland), and Þórhildur Andrea Björnsdóttir (Education & career counseling student at University of Iceland) attended the Career Guidance and Social Justice summer course organized by the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. As part of the course they created a resource about social justice in career guidance. In this post they share the thinking behind their resource and the resource itself.

As part of the summer course we were tasked with creating a resource which could inform other practitioners about how career guidance can contribute to social justice. As a group of career guidance students and practitioners, we embarked on a collective journey driven by a shared mission – to promote social justice within our field.

Our motivation was deeply rooted in our personal experiences, having encountered immigrants and witnessed their unique struggles. Yet, as women native to our respective countries, we recognized the inherent limitations in our perspectives. It was this acknowledgment that inspired us to create an exercise that would transcend our own experiences and provide a more comprehensive outlook. We therefore created a resource in the form of a case with accompanying discussion questions.

Creating the case study

Creating the case was a process driven by our commitment to understanding and empathizing with immigrants’ experiences. We began by diving into research that illuminates the multifaceted challenges faced by immigrants in various host countries. Real-life interactions with immigrants enriched our understanding, offering valuable insights into their struggles and aspirations. We further drew from media sources like magazines, news articles, and documentaries, which provided diverse perspectives and anecdotes.

With these varied sources of inspiration, we carefully constructed a character, Ahmed, and a narrative. Our objective was not to generalize but to authentically encapsulate the essence of real immigrant challenges. This case aims to foster empathy among career guidance practitioners by allowing them to delve into Ahmed’s story, promoting a deeper understanding of the complexities of immigrant journeys. We believe that in a similar process as described above, other cases can be constructed to fit other marginalized groups.

Underpinning frameworks

Our exercise also incorporated two powerful frameworks presented during the course: the Wheel of Power/Privilege and the Five Signposts to Socially Just Career Guidance.

The Wheel of Power/Privilege is a valuable tool for recognizing how individuals’ identities and circumstances can influence their experiences and opportunities. In Ahmed’s case, this framework can help practitioners explore various aspects of his identity and circumstances, revealing potential disparities in power and privilege.

The Five Signposts framework, developed by Hooley, Sultana, and Thomsen, suggest that a socially just form of career guidance will build critical consciousness, name oppression, question what is normal, encourage people to work together, and work at a range of levels. In Ahmed’s case, this framework prompts practitioners to consider how they could apply these principles to support Ahmed’s integration into society.

We created discussion questions based on these frameworks for career practitioners to reflect on the case. These questions could also be adjusted to better fit a case aimed at a different marginalized group.

Developing careers practitioners

The exercise is aimed at career guidance practitioners or students and is to be carried out in a group. Career guidance practitioners would be presented with Ahmed’s case. They would then engage in the reflective questions centred on the frameworks presented above with the aim of increased awareness about marginalized groups and their struggles, as well as about career practitioners’ own prejudices and blind spots, and how they can work to reach a more socially just guidance practice.

The exercise offers a practical approach to infusing social justice principles into career guidance practices. By fostering self-awareness, promoting equity, and empowering practitioners to take action, this exercise contributes to a more inclusive and just career guidance process, ultimately aligning with the broader goals of social justice in society.

In the spirit of collaboration and a shared commitment to social justice, our journey during the Career Guidance and Social Justice summer course was nothing short of transformative. We came together to create a resource that we hope will inspire change and empathy within the realm of career guidance. As we reflect on the creation of our exercise, we are reminded of the power of diverse perspectives and shared experiences.

The resource is a reminder that as practitioners, educators, and students, we have the capacity to make a positive impact, one guided by the principles of social justice. As we share this resource with you, our hope is that it sparks meaningful discussions, inspires reflection, and encourages action. Together, we can work towards a more socially just world, one career guidance session at a time.

Case: Ahmed’s struggle for integration in Finland Download