Search

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed transformations on the higher education context of the twenty-first century that adversely impact students’ learning in certain disciplines. On a mission to adopt ethics of care in research and practice, this research focuses on counselling education and its unique characteristics, by signifying counselling students’ voices in such changing contexts. A qualitative exploratory multiple case study design informed by narrative inquiry was used, followed by a voice-centred relational method of analysis. Findings revealed voices, relationships, dominant narratives and power relations that influence counselling students’ learning experiences. Implications for future research and practice for counselling education are highlighted.

In this article, we highlight the Australian country context to advocate for career support that extends beyond initial job placement in a segmented labor market to strengthen refugees’ skills and knowledge and future career development. We address systemic barriers while advocating for access to skilled career development practitioners, whose important expertise as members of multidisciplinary teams could enhance resettlement assistance. Strengthening the preparation of career development practitioners is essential for providing career support to refugees and for building capacity in the provision of resettlement services. We encourage debate within and between country contexts about ways to enhance refugees’ career development.

This article reports on a secondary analysis of qualitative research about five African young adults with refugee backgrounds who storied through semi-structured interviews their career transition in the complex, everchanging systems of their migration journeys. Qualitative descriptors of career adaptability and the systems of the Systems Theory Framework informed data analysis. Findings revealed that the recursive interaction between the five career adaptability dimensions occurred within complex personal, social, geographic and socio-political systems of the migration journey. Findings extend theoretical understandings of career adaptability as a process deeply embedded in complex contextual systems. Suggestions inform career practitioners and future career research.

Researchers need to be cautious and reflective about the boundaries between narrative research and narrative intervention. Pursuing the ethics of care and the responsive and responsible practice of narrative inquiry obliges qualitative researchers to remain sensitive about the implications of engaging participants in narrative inquiry. This is accentuated with narrative inquiry into the life experiences of marginalised or disempowered populations. This study explored the implications of engaging recently resettled young African participants in narrative inquiry interviews. Thematic analysis uncovered four themes and 11 subthemes from the interviews. The Future Career Autobiography (FCA; Rehfuss, 2009, 2015) was used to understand these participants’ narrative themes and explore the possibility of narrative change as a result of participating in narrative inquiry interviews. The findings illustrate the transformative function of narrative inquiry as uncovered by the FCA, and how narrative inquiry could potentially cross a boundary with narrative interventions such as narrative career counselling.

The incidence of app-based gig work is expanding rapidly in developed global north countries. Many app-based gig workers are migrants from developing global south countries searching for a better life in their resettlement countries. App-based gig work, however, is insecure, irregular and potentially precarious. Access to decent work is vital for migrants’ integration after resettlement and also their career development. In the context of the decent work agenda, this article explores the intersections of migration, app-based gig work, and southern migrants’ career development in the global north and considers the implications for career practice and research.

Combining quantitative career assessment with narrative career counselling is a career counselling challenge. The Integrative Structured Interview (ISI) facilitates this integration through the narration of career stories based on quantitative scores, such as those of the Self-Directed Search. The aims of this single case research were to: (a) examine the process of an Integrative Structured Interview with a participant, and (b) explore it from the participant and interviewer perspectives using an interpersonal process recall interview. The results suggest the benefits of the ISI process and a need for further research with a range of client groups.

Introduction Youth with refugee backgrounds experience social and socioeconomic difficulties that arise following resettlement. Research has found that sport participation generally provides youth with a protective milieu that is especially beneficial for the most disadvantaged youth. Accordingly, the current study examines whether sport participation is related to positive psychosocial outcomes for resettled adolescent refugees, and if these effects are greater for those living in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Method Data were from a large, nationally representative cohort of refugees recently resettled in Australia (Building New Life in Australia study, BNLA). Self-reported social and emotional well-being was collected from 415 youth who entered the country as refugees (Mage = 14.04, SD = 1.99) at three years post settlement were used. Results A moderated regression analysis indicated that refugee youth living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods who participated in sports reported significantly better outcomes compared to those refugee youth in economically similar neighborhoods who did not participate in sport. In contrast, refugee youth residing in more socioeconomically advantaged communities had better developmental outcomes, regardless of sport participation. Conclusions Sport participation is a protective factor for youth with refugee backgrounds. Community socioeconomic disadvantage moderates this relationship, whereby stronger effects were observed for adolescents in more disadvantaged communities. Protecting the most disadvantaged in our society is a human rights imperative, and the current study indicates that sport participation could contribute to these efforts among resettled refugee populations.

Understanding the complex process of career development of young people with refugee backgrounds, who resettle in developed countries after experiencing prolonged migration journeys, is a contemporary priority at a time when the highest number of people in recorded history is in urgent need of resettlement. Moving towards anticipated futures and access to appropriate work could be challenging for these young people after resettlement, considering the effects of protracted displacement that might have silenced their agency. To propose new ways of assisting young people with refugee backgrounds with such challenges, further research that increases knowledge about their career development is needed. The current research aimed to enhance understandings of the career development of young people with refugee backgrounds through culturally and contextually sensitive exploration of their career stories. Using a qualitative exploratory multiple case study method informed by narrative inquiry, qualitative data were generated through interviews and analyzed using a voice-centred relational method. Each participant's unique career story reflected the operation of various voices, relationships, social structures and dominant narratives, influential in reshaping their future career plans. Findings revealed that narrative inquiry fostered rich storytelling for young people with refugee backgrounds. These findings suggest that narrative career counseling could assist them to re-contextualize their skills, strengths, knowledge and career plans after resettlement. Through such re-contextualization, voices that might have been lost or diminished during multiple transitions have space to re-emerge. This process may be a first step towards gaining a sense of agency that is needed for the actualization of preferred career plans.

For people with refugee backgrounds, pursuing a meaningful career in their country of resettlement is important for their successful integration. However, for many, achieving this is a challenging process. Career counsellors may have a role to play in facilitating the transition and integration of people with refugee backgrounds, and narrative career counselling has much to offer. This article discusses the impact of prolonged transition under difficult circumstances on people with refugee backgrounds, and the potential contribution of narrative career counselling in assisting them. In particular, it identifies cultural considerations for narrative career counsellors who work with people with refugee backgrounds.

Youth with refugee backgrounds face challenges in their journey towards successful integration in Australia. Some challenges relate to macro-level changes occurring in the world of work and some to their transition from an agrarian or industrial society to a post-industrial Western country. Addressing the future career development of youth with refugee backgrounds may lead to improved integration outcomes. As career counselling has its roots in social justice, assisting those from refugee backgrounds to integrate into Australian society is an important task for career counsellors. However, career counsellors need to respond with caution and sensitivity as many models and theories have been criticised for not responding to multicultural and contextual issues concerning diverse populations. This article outlines some of the challenges faced by youth with refugee backgrounds in Australia, considers possible relevant approaches for career counselling and proposes suggestions for career counsellors.