This study wants to investigate internal driving forces of employees who want a career change, what type of career-related support they need to move forward, and how this support can be made available, as well as their thoughts on the potential of career-interventions supporting the career-health of employees. Peavy’s socio-dynamic counseling theory, Antonovsky’s SOC and previous studies on career-counselling and health build the theoretical framework for the study. The CIP-theory was used as a methodological tool to generate empirical evidence. Eight semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with an interview guide built on SOC’s comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Results show that these employees experience some negative health-effects and difficulties to proceed on their own, hence describes a need for support at different stages of the process. All participants mention meaningfulness as an important driving-force and they express a wish for conversational support to investigate what could be meaningful for them. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka drivkrafter hos anställda som önskar en karriärrelaterad förändring, vilket karriärrelaterat stöd dessa anställda upplever sig ha behov av för att komma vidare och hur stödet kan tillgängliggöras, samt deras tankar kring karriärvägledningens potential för främjandet av karriärhälsa. Peavys konstruktivistiska vägledningsteori och Antonovskys KASAM har använts som teoretiskt ramverk tillsammans med tidigare forskning kring vägledning och hälsa. CIP-teorin har använts som metodologiskt verktyg för att generera empiri i denna kvalitativa intervjustudie. Åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med hjälp av en intervjuguide skapad utifrån KASAMs tre begrepp begriplighet, hanterbarhet och meningsfullhet. Resultaten visar att anställda som önskar förändring kan uppleva negativa hälsoeffekter och svårigheter att på egen hand ta sig vidare och beskriver behov av stöd under olika faser av beslutsprocessen. Samtliga deltagare nämner meningsfullhet som en drivkraft och de önskar samtalsstöd i utforskandet av vad som skulle kunna vara meningsfullt för just dem.

Persuasion communication, elaboration likelihood model, intrinsic persuasion variables, extrinsic persuasion variables, Life Orientation, HlV/Aids, grade 9 learners, guidance counselling, persuasion campaigns, credibility, motivation, capacity, youth The elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Caccioppo, 1996:l-309) in the field of persuasion communication explains the role that variables can play in the measure to which the youth can be influenced and persuaded by messages aimed at changing sexual risk behaviour. In order to offer the North West Province Department of Education's Life Orientation learning area, which is marked by a life skills approach, a better chance of success, it is important to determine which of the intrinsic and/or extrinsic variables-as is hypothesised by the elaboration likelihood model-play a role with grade 9 learners. Thus, the persuasion messages within Life Orientation could be adapted accordingly. The purpose of this study was to determine what role the intrinsic and/or extrinsic persuasion variables have in the presentation of Life Orientation classes to selected grade 9 learners at three Potchefstroom high schools. Relevant literature was analysed in regard to HlV/Aids campaigns and programmes that had been launched in South Africa, especially in instances where the theoretical framework corresponded with this study. The empirical study was done by way of methodological triangulation. An overall picture was formed by way of a quantitative survey questionnaire of the persuasion variables that are found among grade 9 learners in Potchefstroom, Promosa and Ikageng. Qualitative methods (focus groups, personal interviews and non-participatory observation) were employed to investigate the deeper seated aspects of the persuasion variables. The results of the study confirm the premise of the elaboration likelihood model, and proved that intrinsic persuasion variables play an important role with grade 9 learners when HlV/Aids persuasion messages are conveyed to them through Life Orientation classes. Thus, it can be inferred that grade 9 learners of the three selected Potchefstroom schools would process these persuasion messages via the central route, which enhances the chances of long term persuasion. Further, it appears that in this study extrinsic persuasion variables mostly played a strengthening role with regard to persuasion messages. The study deduces, therefore, that Life Orientation, and specifically the content that is focused on HIV/Aids, led to the successful persuasion of grade 9 learners in the selected schools. However, the study also makes important recommendations on how the impact of these persuasion messages can be even more heightened within the context of the elaboration likelihood model. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

<h2>Sammanfattning</h2><p><strong>S</strong>yftet med denna uppsats var att ge en bild av hur ett antal studie- och karriärvägledare inom universitet/högskola förhåller sig till begreppet breddad rekrytering.</p><p>Uppsatsen ville också visa vad en högskola och ett universitet har för strategier för att bredda sin rekrytering och om man medvetet använder sig av studie- och karriärvägledning för detta ändamål.</p><p>Metoden var kvalitativ och resultaten byggde på intervjuer av tio studievägledare fördelade på en högskola och ett universitet, samt två personer som arbetar övergripande med breddad rekrytering på dessa lärosäten. Det som framkom är att studievägledarna överlag anser att breddad rekrytering är en viktig uppgift som ingår i deras yrkesverksamhet, vidare att vägledningen är mer psykologiskt än socialt inriktad, på så sätt att vägledarna fokuserar mer på psykologiska aspekter som t ex studentens intressen, värderingar och förmågor snarare än den sociala kontext studenten befinner sig i t ex klasstillhörighet eller genus. Det finns inslag av processtänkande men fortfarande mycket av "trait and factor" tänkande.<strong> </strong>Högskolan/ universitetet anser att studievägledning är en viktig verksamhet och använder sig delvis av den för att bredda sin rekrytering, men kunskapen om vad vägledning är och kan användas till känns delvis outvecklad.</p><p>En framtidsvision är att vägledning har mer av samhällsförbättrande karaktär. Vägledaren skulle då vara en person som uppmuntrar till val utanför normen: Gränsöverskridande val.<strong> </strong></p> / <p> </p><h2>Abstract</h2><p>The purpose of this thesis was to give a picture of how a number of student counsellors at the university look on their commission in the perspective of widening recruitment.</p><p>The thesis also showed what strategies the universities have to widen their recruitment and of how to use counselling for this purpose.</p><p>The method was qualitative and the result was founded on interviews with ten student counsellors from two different universities and from two persons who work overall with widening recruitment and diversity. This study shows that student counsellors regard widening recruitment as an important task in their work. It emerged under the interviews that counselling is more psychological than social, which means that the counsellors focus more on factors like interests, values and competence rather than social context with factors like social class and gender. There are elements of trait and factor thinking as well as a great deal of<strong> </strong>process thinking. The university regards student counselling as an important activity and is using it for widening recruitment, but the knowledge of  it and its use is somewhat undeveloped.</p><p>A vision for the future is that the counsellor has more the task of a social reformer. The counsellor would then be the one who encourages the student for choices beyond the norms.</p>

Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Sammanfattning Syftet med denna uppsats var att ge en bild av hur ett antal studie- och karriärvägledare inom universitet/högskola förhåller sig till begreppet breddad rekrytering. Uppsatsen ville också visa vad en högskola och ett universitet har för strategier för att bredda sin rekrytering och om man medvetet använder sig av studie- och karriärvägledning för detta ändamål. Metoden var kvalitativ och resultaten byggde på intervjuer av tio studievägledare fördelade på en högskola och ett universitet, samt två personer som arbetar övergripande med breddad rekrytering på dessa lärosäten. Det som framkom är att studievägledarna överlag anser att breddad rekrytering är en viktig uppgift som ingår i deras yrkesverksamhet, vidare att vägledningen är mer psykologiskt än socialt inriktad, på så sätt att vägledarna fokuserar mer på psykologiska aspekter som t ex studentens intressen, värderingar och förmågor snarare än den sociala kontext studenten befinner sig i t ex klasstillhörighet eller genus. Det finns inslag av processtänkande men fortfarande mycket av "trait and factor" tänkande. Högskolan/ universitetet anser att studievägledning är en viktig verksamhet och använder sig delvis av den för att bredda sin rekrytering, men kunskapen om vad vägledning är och kan användas till känns delvis outvecklad. En framtidsvision är att vägledning har mer av samhällsförbättrande karaktär. Vägledaren skulle då vara en person som uppmuntrar till val utanför normen: Gränsöverskridande val. / Abstract The purpose of this thesis was to give a picture of how a number of student counsellors at the university look on their commission in the perspective of widening recruitment. The thesis also showed what strategies the universities have to widen their recruitment and of how to use counselling for this purpose. The method was qualitative and the result was founded on interviews with ten student counsellors from two different universities and from two persons who work overall with widening recruitment and diversity. This study shows that student counsellors regard widening recruitment as an important task in their work. It emerged under the interviews that counselling is more psychological than social, which means that the counsellors focus more on factors like interests, values and competence rather than social context with factors like social class and gender. There are elements of trait and factor thinking as well as a great deal of process thinking. The university regards student counselling as an important activity and is using it for widening recruitment, but the knowledge of  it and its use is somewhat undeveloped. A vision for the future is that the counsellor has more the task of a social reformer. The counsellor would then be the one who encourages the student for choices beyond the norms.

Persuasion communication, elaboration likelihood model, intrinsic persuasion variables, extrinsic persuasion variables, Life Orientation, HlV/Aids, grade 9 learners, guidance counselling, persuasion campaigns, credibility, motivation, capacity, youth The elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Caccioppo, 1996:l-309) in the field of persuasion communication explains the role that variables can play in the measure to which the youth can be influenced and persuaded by messages aimed at changing sexual risk behaviour. In order to offer the North West Province Department of Education's Life Orientation learning area, which is marked by a life skills approach, a better chance of success, it is important to determine which of the intrinsic and/or extrinsic variables-as is hypothesised by the elaboration likelihood model-play a role with grade 9 learners. Thus, the persuasion messages within Life Orientation could be adapted accordingly. The purpose of this study was to determine what role the intrinsic and/or extrinsic persuasion variables have in the presentation of Life Orientation classes to selected grade 9 learners at three Potchefstroom high schools. Relevant literature was analysed in regard to HlV/Aids campaigns and programmes that had been launched in South Africa, especially in instances where the theoretical framework corresponded with this study. The empirical study was done by way of methodological triangulation. An overall picture was formed by way of a quantitative survey questionnaire of the persuasion variables that are found among grade 9 learners in Potchefstroom, Promosa and Ikageng. Qualitative methods (focus groups, personal interviews and non-participatory observation) were employed to investigate the deeper seated aspects of the persuasion variables. The results of the study confirm the premise of the elaboration likelihood model, and proved that intrinsic persuasion variables play an important role with grade 9 learners when HlV/Aids persuasion messages are conveyed to them through Life Orientation classes. Thus, it can be inferred that grade 9 learners of the three selected Potchefstroom schools would process these persuasion messages via the central route, which enhances the chances of long term persuasion. Further, it appears that in this study extrinsic persuasion variables mostly played a strengthening role with regard to persuasion messages. The study deduces, therefore, that Life Orientation, and specifically the content that is focused on HIV/Aids, led to the successful persuasion of grade 9 learners in the selected schools. However, the study also makes important recommendations on how the impact of these persuasion messages can be even more heightened within the context of the elaboration likelihood model. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

I denna mastersuppsats undersöker författaren det möjliga värdet av karriärteorier. Värdet är empiriskt undersökt med utgångspunkt I tio fallstudier av intervjutyp. Författaren kommer till slutsatsen att kunskap om karriärteorier möjliggör en bättre förståelse av hur individer fattar karriär- och utbildningsbeslut. Författaren argumenterar för att kunskap om karriärteorier är, och bör vara relevant för vägledarnas profession och yrkesroll. / In this master thesis the author investigates the potential value of career theories. The potential value is empirically investigated on the basis of ten interviewee case studies. The author reaches the conclusion that career theories does enable a better understanding of how individuals make career- and educational choices and argues that knowledge of career theories is, and should be relevant for the guidance counsellors professional role.

This is an undergraduate study which examines the availability of guidance counselor services given in Sámi languages in the Sámi administrative areas in Sweden. The questions at issue are:  How available is guidance counselling in the Sámi languages in Sweden's 25 administrative areas? What are the counsellors' views regarding Sámi clients being able to speak their own language during a session?  The administrative areas were selected since they have an obligation to offer certain services in Sámi languages. The areas are located in 25 Swedish counties and a survey with questions regarding the availability of guidance counselling in the Sámi languages was distributed to the counsellors employed therein. None of the counsellors has ever used a Sámi interpreter, is able to speak a Sámi language, and the majority haven’t identified a need for it with their clients.  The result is analysed with a critical discourse method and the theories of stigma, hegemony, Othering and ethnocentrism are used. The analysis shows that Sámi people are being Othered and that the guidance counsellors are operating from an ethnocentric view, which can lead to stigma and hegemony in guidance sessions with Sámi clients.

This thesis explores the meaning of career as a phenomenon and its implication for career guidance. In 1996, career as a phenomenon was more or less considered to be an obsolete or even extinct phenomenon. Since then, career guidance has received increased attention along with the increased interest in lifelong learning strategies. This thesis is motivated by the paradoxical message of career as an extinct yet living phenomenon. Career is outlined as a bridging issue that involves several contexts and is characterized by a number of dominating discourses in tension with one another. Two educational fields linked by career are of particular interest: the field of education and training in working life and the educational field of career guidance counselling. This thesis explores the meaning of career among a triad of various interested parties in this time of transition in the world of working life, and it explores the sense in which such understanding(s) of career influence policies and practices of career guidance. The thesis is based upon four separate studies. The first study explores, in order to disclose underlying views on career, how the language of European policy documents on career guidance characterize career and career development. Qualitative content analysis is used as the basic method to approach the subject in the texts, with an inductive development of categories. The analysis then conducts a sender-oriented interpretation, based upon a textual model for analyzing documents. The results revealed that underlying perspective on career in the documents derive from economic perspective, learning perspective and political science perspective, and communicate career as subordinated to market forces. The second study pays attention to the receiving side of the ideational message, disclosed in the first study. The second study extends the analysis of the first study with an exploration of ethical declaration documents for the profession. The exploration focuses on significant key principles, the profession's role and mission, and significant changes between the initial and the revised ethical declaration. Similarities and differences were compared, combined with the first study’s results as an interpretive frame for analyzing what consequences and significance the core meaning of career at structural level will have for career guidance practice. The results revealed an implicit shift of emphasis in the career guidance mission, which creates uncertainty regarding on behalf of whom the guidance counsellor is working. The third study explores common-sense knowledge of career, among a group of people influenced by changing conditions in working life. This study explores what social representations people have about career. The study also explores how people's anchored thoughts reflect scientifically shaped thoughts, and how they relate to thoughts currently dominating on structural level. Results disclose how the group explored has stable social representations of career that are anchored in the past, in previous working life conditions, and that contrasts with perspectives dominating in the structural context. The group also has dynamic representations, which provide space for negotiation of the meaning of career. The fourth study explores guidance counsellors' social representations of their mission and of careertherein. Results generated four social representations expressed in argumentative pairs of opposites. The first pair is concerned with their professional mission and reveal their professional identity. The second is concerned with career. Their view on their mission and their professional identity is in sharp contrast with how they experience others' interpretation of their mission, as being a matching practice on behalf of the business sector. Guidance counsellors reject the general view of career among others' and they regard career in the context of guidance as something other than the common view. At the same time guidance counsellors reveal difficulties in really clarifying the meaning they ascribe to career. The empirical findings of each of the four studies are finally interpreted as a whole in the final section of this thesis. With support from social representations theory, the empirical findings illuminate the sources as bearers of social representations of career, which both meet and clash.