Social Justice and Career Development Practices Dr. Nancy Arthur University of Calgary...

Social Justice and Career Development Practices

Dr. Nancy ArthurDr. Nancy Arthur

University of CalgaryUniversity of [email protected]@ucalgary.ca

Dr. Sandra CollinsDr. Sandra Collins

Athabasca UniversityAthabasca [email protected]@athabascau.ca

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 self-determination 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 self-determination, 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 selfCultural awareness of otherCulturally-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


Data)

0

20

40

60

80

Age Ethnicity Gender Language Religion SES

Forms of Discrimination Experienced

51.1

20.9

62.7

17.4 18.6 20.9

Perc

en

tag

e


Data)

0

20

40

60

80

Very

Unfamiliar

SU Undecided SF Very

Familiar

Familiarity with Social Justice

6.5

21.0

5.2

52.6

Perc

en

tag

e

14.4

Defining Social JusticeWhat 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 JusticeWhat 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”


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’


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)



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)



Paired t-tests > all stat. significant

Importance of social justice: ‘moderately high’ to ‘very high’

Competence level: ‘average’ to ‘moderately high’



Correlations > all stat. significant except for one:

‘Believe that career development practitioners have a role to play within organizations’


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)


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)


Data) Knowledge related to social

justice


Importance of social justice:

‘moderately high’ to ‘very high’

Competence level: ‘average’


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’


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)



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)




Importance of social justice: ‘average’ to ‘very high’

Competence level: ‘moderately low’ to ‘average’


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’


Data)

0

20

40

60

80

SQ $ Int. Infl. Time Tng Support Fund J ob

Barriers Identified by Participants

30.6

69.3

8.1

57.1

69.3

36.7

Perc

en

tag

e

30.6 28.524.4


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


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


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?

Social Justice and Career Development Practices Dr. Nancy Arthur University of Calgary...

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