A pilot study on the effect of career interventions on health outcomes for unemployed or underemployed Maori adults

Participants will undertake targeted career development intervention delivered by two career development specialists, one of whom is Maori, over a period of 4-8 weeks. The career development practice will be approached through a constructivist paradigm –where practitioners are open to multiple worldviews and are cognizant that there are more than one version of reality. The constructivist paradigm allows for different cultures and contexts to be imbued into the career development practice and compels practitioners to explore the meanings and experiences of concepts of career through a cultural lens. Practitioners will draw on tikanga and Maori values to guide and influence each session while establishing a relational environment where clients feel they are important. The service will be delivered in English, and participants will be informed of this in advance. The semi structured nature of the career development sessions will be influenced by Durie’s 3 E’s Model (Whakapiri, Whakamarama, Whakamana). Our practice will encompass Te Whare Tapa Wha and will be influenced by career theories such Amundson’s Active Engagement Model, Savickas’ Life Design, Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory, Bright’s Chaos Career Theory, and Holland’s theory of Vocational Typology. Career development sessions will be delivered in a mixed modality format. There will be a mixture of group activities, one on one and remote consultations. The sessions will start and finish with a group hui (meeting), korero (conversation) and karakia (prayer). There will be five career interventions delivered across a 4-8 week period by two career practitioners at a culturally appropriate site e.g. Nga Miro Health Centre and/or a marae. Adherence will be monitored by an attendance record, and kaiawhina/wraparound services will be supplied by Raukura Hauora o Tainui to help with issues of access/transport/attendance. Breakdown of Sessions Career development sessions will be delivered in a mixed modality format. There will be a mixture of group activities, one on one and remote consultations. The sessions will start and finish with a group hui, korero and karakia. The expected duration of the sessions will be 2-3 hours for the initial and final hui, and 1 hour for each of the three individual sessions. Introductory Group Session Kai (food) will be shared and a group hui will be conducted to introduce career practitioners to the participants and whanau, and to introduce the concepts of career development. Many of the participants and whanau may not be familiar with career development and it is crucial that participants and whanau have a clear understanding of the activities undertaken in career development sessions and what the expected outcomes may be. Participants and their whanau will have the opportunity to ask questions. Individual Sessions Session 1 The first individual session will be conducted by both Hana and Claire. In this session, practice will be influenced mainly by Savickas Life Design theory and Krumboltz Social learning theory. Participants will be encouraged to explore the concepts of career and work through storytelling and exploration of experiences. An introduction to the concept of gas and goal setting take place and an exploration of values and principles. Session 2 Hana will facilitate the second session. Throughout this session, there will be a focus on skills and interests. Using such career models such as Hollands’ Theory of Career choice and exploration of past roles and skills developed through these will enable the participant to create an understanding of their own unique set of skills and interest and gain a greater understanding of how these relate to the world of work. Session 3 Claire will facilitate this session. The focus on this session will draw mainly on Krumboltz's Learning Theory and Bright’s Chaos theory of careers. The focus will be on taking practical steps to explore career possibilities and opportunity awareness. The practitioner’s main role in this session will be to assist the participants in creating an action plan for their career and equipping them with the necessary tools to access resources required. Final Group Session The final group hui will be facilitated by Claire and Hana. This will be an opportunity to reflect on learnings throughout the career development process. Assess the process and whether participant objectives were achieved. It will be a shared learning and reflection process where participants evaluate their perceptions and expectations of both the world of work and the career development process both prior to and after the interventions. There will be an opportunity for participants to consolidate their learning and reflections and hopefully share their achievements with the wider whanau.