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Social Justice and
Career Development Practices
Dr. Nancy Arthur
University of Calgary
Dr. Sandra Collins
Athabasca University
[email protected]
[email protected]
Outline

Heather

What is social justice?

Issues for counselling practice

Culture-infused counselling

Ethics notes

Research (preliminary data)

Perceived barriers

Vignettes
Heather



A single mother of three children
aged 2, 5, & 7
Need to work two jobs
Experiences financial hardship (low
SES)

Was diagnosed with depression

Has a history of family violence
What is Social Justice?

Brainstorm the words that come to
mind when you think about
social justice
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
If the people involved are not equal,
they will not receive equal shares.



Concerned with political distributive
justice
People got the goods they deserved,
not necessarily those they needed
People were not viewed as being equal
Hobbes (1588 - 1679)
Every man against every man, this is also
consequent; that nothing can be unjust.



Viewed humans as antisocial and
driven by basic instincts
A just society needs to be governed
by the state
State will create laws to preserve the
peace and to restrain individuals
Marx (1818 - 1883)
When people receive what they need based
on their humanity and not on their social
class, social justice will be achieved.

Opposition to Hobbes

Stressed social equality

People are defined by social
relationships
Rawls (1971)
Social justice implies that persons have an
obligation to be active and productive
participants in the life of society and that
society has a duty to enable them to
participate in this way.


Concerned with distributive justice
and equality
Synthesis between liberalism and
socialism
Bell (1997)
“. . . full and equal participation of all
groups in a society that is mutually
shaped to meet their needs. Social
justice includes a vision of society in
which the distribution of resources is
equitable and all members are
physically and psychologically safe and
secure” (p.3).
Young (1990)
“Justice should refer not only to
distribution, but also to the institutional
conditions necessary for the development
and exercise of individual capacities and
collective communication and cooperation.
Under this conception of justice,
injustice refers primarily to two forms
of disabling constraints, oppression and
domination” (p.39).
It’s More Than Resources



Social justice as “the elimination of
institutionalized domination and
oppression” (Young, 1990)
Beyond mere distribution of benefits
Valuing self-development and selfdetermination for everyone.
Counselling Notes

Influence on development of client issues

Impediments to personal development

How client issues are defined

Off track, on track = whose track?


What resources are made available to
whom
What interventions are chosen
Recent Observations

Instruments of the status quo

Contributing to cultural oppression



Recognition of cultural impact of
oppression vs. active stance
Coping model vs. changing sources of
oppression
Was Heather served well?
Social Justice Activities


Involve advocacy related interventions
that address issues of selfdetermination, social responsibility, and
the equitable distribution of opportunities
and resources in our society.
“Helping clients challenge institutional and
social barriers that impede academic,
career or personal-social development”
(Lee, 1998).
Culture-Infused Counselling
(Arthur & Collins, 2005)

The conscious and purposeful infusing of
cultural awareness and sensitivity into all
aspects of the counselling process and
other roles assumed by the counsellor.
 Cultural
awareness of self
 Cultural
awareness of other
 Culturally-sensitive
working alliance
Culture and Social Justice



History consistently links social
injustices to cultural characteristics
of members of non-dominant groups.
Nationality, ethnicity, gender,
language, sexual orientation, class,
ability, and so on.
The perpetuation of “difference” is
fundamental to the maintenance of
“privilege”.
Culture and Counselling

Culture is defined broadly

Culture is both visible and invisible

All counselling is multicultural in nature


Culture has the potential to affect all
aspects of the counselling process
Infusing cultural awareness (of self and
other) optimizes client satisfaction
Counselling and Social Justice



Applying a lens of social justice optimizes
client success and changes the conditions
that create client distress
Examine social structures beneath and
around people that perpetuate power
differences and make an effort to
ameliorate social inequities
What is the point and purpose of counselling
if it cannot deal with fundamental issues of
injustice that adversely impact clients?
Let’s Talk About Power

Examine power disparities

Explore external influences

How we frame client concerns

Introduce social justice themes

But what if clients don’t bring it up?

Responsibilities for addressing
oppression, privilege, social resources
Levels of Intervention

Individual and group

Coaching clients

Acting on behalf of client

Advocacy for groups

Organizational change

Social and systemic change

Designing programs
The Challenge…

If counsellors are not prepared to
address social justice…
How can we expect clients to
advocate on their own behalf?
Research Notes

Diversity and Social Justice Competencies
of Career Development Practitioners

Canada and Australia

What is social justice?

What competencies support social justice?

Gaps = importance of social justice vs.
current level of social justice competencies

Practice examples

Barriers to social justice activities
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

www.socialjusticeresearch.ca

86 participants so far:

80% from Canada, 20% from Australia

86% women

4% reported experiencing a physical
disability and 3% a cognitive /
psychological disability
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)
80
Percentage
62.7
60
51.1
40
20.9
20
17.4
18.6
20.9
0
Age
Ethnicity Gender Language Religion
Forms of Discrimination Experienced
SES
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)
Percentage
80
52.6
60
40
20
21.0
6.5
14.4
5.2
0
Very
SU
Unfamiliar
Undecided
SF
Very
Familiar
Familiarity with Social Justice
Defining Social Justice
What it is….
“Social justice as it relates to career practice would
be assisting and empowering those who may have
been, or are, discriminated against, for example,
based on religion, race, sexual orientation, gender
etc, to be able to enter the workforce equipped to
deal with and/or overcome the affects thereof.
Also, advocating on behalf of clients to assist them in
reaching their fullest potential and enhancing their
socioeconomic status. ”
Defining Social Justice
What it is….
“Social justice is ensuring that no one is discriminated
against and that opportunities and justice are equal
for everyone. This should include fairness and honesty
with immigrants before they leave the country,
accountability and support when immigrants arrive
(language training, assistance with credential
recognition, assistance with navigating professional
associations), assistance with job search, fair
treatment from employers at interviews and on the
work place, and a work environment that promotes a
culture of learning supported financially and in policy.”
Defining Social Justice:
The dilemma…
“… Career practitioners often face ethical dilemmas
such as whether or when to become an advocate. In
other words, for example, do we counsel the worker
with a physical impairment to avoid applying for jobs
where he might encounter prejudice, or do we advocate
for employment on his behalf? Do we advocate on his
behalf, or teach him how to represent himself?”
Defining Social Justice…


“I am very unfamiliar”
“I'm afraid since I do not know enough
about social justice, I am uncertain how it
would relate to the career practice”
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)



Asked to share their perspective on
the importance of social justice to
career development practice generally
Asked to share the degree to which
they personally felt competent
5-point scale from ‘very low’ to ‘very
high’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Attitudes related to social justice

Importance of social justice:


Rated highest: ‘Believe in the equal worth
of all people’ (M=4.89)
Rated lowest: ‘Recognize the impact of
discrimination on career development
based on religion’ (M=4.16)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Attitudes related to social justice

Competence level:


Rated highest: ‘Believe in the equal worth
of all people’ (M=4.29)
Rated lowest: ‘Believe that career
development practitioners have a role to
play within broader social, economic, and
political systems’ (M=3.20)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Attitudes related to social justice

Paired t-tests > all stat. significant


Importance of social justice: ‘moderately
high’ to ‘very high’
Competence level: ‘average’ to ‘moderately
high’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)


Attitudes related to social justice
Correlations > all stat. significant
except for one:

‘Believe that career development
practitioners have a role to play within
organizations’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Knowledge related to social justice

Importance of social justice:


Rated highest: ‘ Explain how SES might
impact career decision-making’ (M=4.60)
Rated lowest: ‘Explain potential ethical
dilemmas involved in intervening directly to
facilitate change in the external factors
affecting clients’ career development’
(M=4.09)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Knowledge related to social justice

Competence level:


Rated highest: ‘Explain how gender might
impact career decision-making’ (M=4.02)
Rated lowest: ‘Describe how to
effectively evaluate social justice
interventions’ (M=3.08)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Knowledge related to social justice

Paired t-tests > all stat. significant


Importance of social justice: ‘moderately
high’ to ‘very high’
Competence level: ‘average’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)


Knowledge related to social justice
Correlations > many stat. significant
except:


‘Describe how to facilitate change in
communities, organizations, and broader
social, economic and political systems’
‘List goals that may apply for clients who
are experiencing social injustices’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Skills related to social justice

Importance of social justice:


Rated highest: ‘Identify individual client
strengths that help them cope with the
effects of oppression’ (M=4.87)
Rated lowest: ‘Mobilize media to promote
awareness of social injustices’ (M=3.98)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Skills related to social justice

Competence level:


Rated highest: ‘Identify individual client
strengths that help them cope with the
effects of oppression’ (M=3.96)
Rated lowest: ‘Implement interventions
that target social, economic, and political
systems by lobbying for change in
legislation’ (M=2.51)
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Skills related to social justice

Paired t-tests > all stat. significant


Importance of social justice: ‘average’ to
‘very high’
Competence level: ‘moderately low’ to
‘average’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Skills related to social justice

Correlations: 44% not stat. significant:



‘Encourage other career development
practitioners to examine social justice issues’
‘Encourage professional organizations to
advocate for social justice’
‘Conduct evaluations to demonstrate the
efficacy of social justice interventions in
career development practice’
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)
Percentage
80
69.3
69.3
57.1
60
40
36.7
30.6
20
0
30.6
28.5
24.4
8.1
SQ
$
Int.
Infl.
Time
Tng Support Fund
Barriers Identified by Participants
Job
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Critical incidents that went well










A holistic and a collaborative approach
Recruitment of community support
Practitioners as advocates
Time, efforts, determination, and persistence
Meeting clients are their level
Acceptance of client issues
Strong therapeutic alliance
Respect
Cultural understanding
Time to assess; time for follow-up
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

A critical incident that did not go well

Lack of fund and resources

Culture clash

Lack of community support

Lack of understanding within the community

Lack of cultural knowledge

Lack of accessibility to programs - long wait lists

Government policies

Limited therapeutic alliance
Social Justice and Career
Development Survey (Prelim. Data)

Preliminary conclusions:



Career practitioners’ perspective on the
importance of social justice to career
development is higher than their perceived
competence level
Career practitioners’ knowledge and skills tend
to be solely focused on client needs even
though their attitudes are broader
Career practitioners appear to be disempowered
in regards to advancing the social justice
agenda
Questions?
Comments?