Dublin Event – Good Guidance Stories 2.0: IAG Practice for Young Adults

Good Guidance Stories Dublin multiplier was held in Dublin on the 11th of September 2020 and was hosted online by the Ballymun Job Centre.

The event was attended by twenty eight Career Guidance Practitioners from across a variety of sectors in Adult Career Guidance in Ireland including, practitioners from the City of Dublin Training and Education Board, a large number of practitioners from Local Employment Services from across the Country as well as, a number of practitioners currently in private practice in Ireland. The Event was led by key staff from the Ballymun Job Centre comprising of experienced guidance practitioners, European project workers, and was attended by a key note Speaker Daniel McCann who is a Project Worker with Ballymun Job Centre since June 2019 and who works primarily with young offenders in the local area. .

The Event began with an overview of all of the valuable materials as developed throughout the Guide 2.0 project including information and guidance on  how to set up a Community of Practice and/or Action Learning Sets within the sector.. The key speaker Danielle McCann, described her  experience as a project worker with young offenders and of her involvement of working  in a multiagency way as part of  Ballymun STRIVE Initiative., an effective and successful Community of Practice compromising of key agencies such as, the Probation Service, An Gardaí Siochana, the Irish Prison Service, and community based organisations who have built local knowledge and long lasting relationships with individuals in the community.

Attendees of the event where then afforded the opportunity to meet in smaller groups to discuss key aspects of Guide 2.0 project materials and the potential application of same in their work and services. A robust discussion regarding the current COVID-19 restrictions and the impact of same on Guidance service delivery was had with all attendees, with notable reference as to the how GUIDE 2.0 materials can support further and relevant development of Guidance Practitioners skills and competencies to enhance service users engagement and to develop practical and key supports for practitioners at this challenging time. Feedback obtained from the event was very positive and include the comments below.

“The case studies and blended learning modules will be extremely useful in my public employment role and indeed in my private practice”.

“The case studies are a great support for newly trained Guidance Officers”.

“The learnings gave a clear structure to be followed”.

“As a novice advisor it would be useful for practice”.

For further information in GUIDE 2.0 in Ireland please contact Jennifer Hughes, Career Guidance and Project coordinator at: hughesj@bmunjob.ie

For information on services provided by Ballymun Job Centre, please visit www.bmunjob.ie