Engaging the disengaged

20 April 2018, 10.00 – 4.00 pm

University of the West of Scotland, Paisley

Course outline

Engaging disengaged clients is always a challenge. This training course will explore three major themes:

  • why clients, particularly adult clients, may not be interested in careers guidance and how we might advocate more effectively for our profession
  • methods of engagement that practitioners can use, other than face to face meetings, and how these can be used effectively (e.g. Skype, telephone and email)
  • how digital literacy and "digital inequalities" impact on client engagement with careers services and resources

Learning outcomes

By successfully participating in this training course you will achieve the following learning outcomes:

  1. Improve your understanding of client context, and why clients may be disengaged
  2. Improve your knowledge of how to advocate for the profession
  3. Identify a range of methods for engaging clients
  4. Improve your understanding of how to use alternative methods for engaging clients
  5. Improve your understanding of how digital literacy impacts on client engagement with services and resources

Target audience

Although the course has been designed with career advisers, career coordinators, and career leaders in mind, it will be of value to anyone working with young people in a careers, enterprise and employability context.

The Programme

09:30 Registration, tea & coffee

10:00 Welcome and introduction

10:15 Engaging the disengaged: A key equalities issue

10:45 How can advocating for the profession impact positively on client engagement?

11:15 Break

11:30 Alternative methods of engaging with clients: The current state of play

12:30 Lunch and networking

1.15 Key issues in telephone and e-guidance

2.15Break

2.30Exploring digital literacies and “digital inequalities”

3.15Developing your own “digital action plan”: How can you embed good practice?

3.45Review of learning and Professional Development Planning

4.00Close

Trainer biographies

Dr Marjorie McCrory is Programme Leader and Lecturer on the MSc Career Guidance and Development programme at the University of the West of Scotland. Marjorie coordinates the Career Related Policy module and the programme’s practice modules (Models of Professional Practice and Career Coaching and Development) as well as supervising Masters and PhD research students. Marjorie has worked in guidance roles in HE, as an academic development consultant and lecturer in HE and FE, and as a research training consultant. Her research interests include education for professional practice, professional identity and transitions, and contemporary HE policy and practice.

Emma Bolger is a lecturer in Career Guidance and Development at the University of the West of Scotland. On the MSc in Career Guidance and Development she coordinates modules in Career Development Theory, Reflective Practice and Labour Market Studies and supervises masters research dissertations. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has worked in higher education careers, development and teaching roles since 2004. Her research focuses on equality and inclusion in career development and career decision making processes. Emma’s website is and she is on twitter as @bolger_emma

Booking information

£145 + VAT for CDI Members; £60 + VAT student members of CDI (places limited to 3)

£195 + VAT for non-members

Please book your place through our online events system –

Venue

University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley, PA1 2BE, Scotland