Investigating the application of the asset-based approach in career facilitation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the asset-based approach as alternative in career facilitation. In traditional career counselling, the career counsellor is seen as an expert and one-stop service provider that matches clients to careers. Alternatively, an asset-based career facilitator aims at facilitating sustainable career development skills by means of applying asset-based principles such as collaboration and shared responsibility. In this study, client-partners were viewed from several complementary theoretical frameworks, namely the asset-based approach, bio-ecological model of human development, Positive Psychology and the process of career facilitation. In addition, phenomenology was selected as meta-theory to guide the instrumental case study. Five career seeking client-partners between the ages of 16 and 18 were chosen according to criteria, and took part in an approximately six week asset-based career facilitation process. Client-partners were aware that the process was under study and willingly reflected on the process after completion. Thematic analysis resulted in the following themes: firstly, it appeared that individual client-partner profiles impacted on the application of asset-based principles. Factors pertaining to individual client profiles are personality traits, age, unique family dynamics, career interests and previous career assessment experiences. Secondly, applying asset-based principles seemed to impact on the career facilitation process with regard to the challenging role of the asset-based career facilitator as well as advantages and disadvantages of applying such principles. Thirdly, it looked as if the entrenched nature of the old paradigm or medical model impacted on the process as some client-partners still preferred the expert matching done in traditional career counselling and resisted being a partner in the career facilitation process. Findings suggest indicators and contra-indicators concerning the application of asset-based principles and strategies in career facilitation, as well as implicate recommendations with regard to training and further research.