1) Strength Building

Helping participants identify their strengths and achievements and own them. Leads to increasing self worth, self confidence and ability to project themselves.

2) Stress and coping

Input on people's reactions to the stress of change and helpful and unhelpful ways of coping with this. Emphasis on the value of expressing and sharing the feelings experienced with others.

3) Ideal job advert

People write and share their ideal job advert. This helps to clarify their view of what they want to be doing in future.

4) Job search methods

Participants hear about and brainstorm all the methods for obtaining a job. They can include applying to ads, cold calling, self employment, networking through friends..... They decide whether to extend their approach.

5) CV development

Participants develop criteria for evaluating a CV based on careful thought about its purpose. They then evaluate their own and others CV's against the criteria and help each other improve them.

6) Interview practice using CCTV

Participants are interviewed by myself for jobs based on the advertisements they have written and their CV's. They get feedback on how they present from the playback, colleagues and myself. They also get hints on improved self presentation and how to answer difficult questions.

7) Psychological tests

These give feedback and encourage people to know themselves and their preferences, better.

8) Career counselling

This helps people consider their match to a wide range of possibilities and to decide on a course of action.

9) Core process

This helps people discover what they are really good at, interested in and how they prefer to handle their lives. It is energising and thought provoking.

The above activities were carried out with the maximum possible participation of the trainees. This often took the form of taking turns listening to each other as a form of mutual counselling. This approach was well received and led to participants developing good thinking and feeling good about their ability to help each other.

People were pleased with the approach taken. The only significant improvement requested was help with handling money, getting the most from the lump sum etc. We should be careful to help people think about this and avoid giving advice.

Handouts

The handouts that supported these workshops are here.