Research 23/06/2022

Smoothing the path

By Ruth Hawthorn, Judy Alloway

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Advice about learning and work for disadvantaged adults.

These findings are based on a study carried out during the second half of 2008 of 12 agencies that provide careers advice to adults with one or more disadvantages including:

people with visual impairment
people with learning difficulties
refugees
people living with mental illness
homeless people
older adults
ex-offenders
union members who are low-skilled, low-paid, part-time or shift workers
people in urban areas with any of the above disadvantages plus poverty, unemployment, or being on incapacity benefit
people with any of the above disadvantages who have difficulty in reaching advice services, including those in rural areas.

Some agencies were chosen on the basis of their target group, others on the basis of the way they addressed the needs of target groups.
The findings will be of interest to all working in similar or related fields. They will be of particular relevance to those planning the adult advancement and careers service (aacs) due to begin in 2010. The work described in this report embodies a number of the features of the proposed aacs:

it is driven by the needs of the clients
it often involves partnership working
careers advice is often couched in services that address other needs
it combines careers advice with activities to overcome any barriers to learning or work

Downloads

Smoothing the path

Advice about learning and work for disadvantaged adults.

Download now

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