1. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 FOCUS GROUP COUNSELLORS-TEACHERS

2. First phase: introduction Introduction of attendants. Presentation of the project. Explanation of the informative leaflets previously handed in. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

3. First phase: introduction PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 100% of the audience know what counselling is, they also know that it is offered both students and parents to take key decisions that will affect their professional and personal future.

4. First phase: introduction Learn more from a practical point of view as the training they receive during their career is mainly focused in theoretical bases. Improve professionally. Recognize other intervention fields. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

5. participating in this project could help them to know the reality of the vocational counselling not from an institutional point of view neither from the students’ point of view but from the parents’ perspective They think that they elude the opinion and decision of parents without really knowing their perspective about their children. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 First phase: introduction

6. Parents try to solve their problems at home without asking for help as they think that “they are qualified for it”. Nowadays parents are more qualified and they attend specialists when they think they cannot help their children. When parents ask for help to specialists it’s because they think they have no alternatives. They turn to the counsellor once the problem exists (if it is detected), and few times they attend with a preventive character, they go just to solve the problem. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 First phase: introduction

7. Second phase: key questions How do your help should be …..? The professional should not give solutions to problems, he should be guide to help everybody to find a solution to difficulties. The counsellor should provide guidelines to get a convenient taking of decisions and at the same time he should make parents to understand that they should respect the opinion and decision of their child, even if they do not like it. A guide A facilitator in negotiation processes The one who should give guidelines for the mutual understanding The one who should show the steps guaranteeing effective decisions taking A mediator and not the one who solves the problem PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

8. They should help parents to find the way using practical cases in sessions with them. It would be interesting to establish group sessions among parents to let them draw conclusions and find the most correct way using the experience of the others. It would be interesting to have sessions with parents and children at the same time to get an open dialogue between them and that way make them aware of the other needs (It would also be interesting doing it with several parents and their children.) Second phase: key questions How do your help should be …..? PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

9. Skills: Empathy Kindness Being critic Listening Not being “therapist” Professionalism Knowledge of the subject Communication techniques The main problem of parents is the lack of time. In nowadays society parents do not spend enough time to know their children and their expectations, intentions and interests. PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 Second phase: key questions What do parents expect from the counsellor?

10. Second pahse: key questions Do parents give the necessary importance to that stage? Mistakes…? PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 When parents turn to counsellors, they want quick solutions and “formulas” to help them to “help their children to understand which is the way”. parents know the importance of the vocational counselling but, due to labour and personal circumstances, they cannot spend enough time with the matter. It also depends on the cultural level of parents, their age, etc. The most common mistakes: Parents take their own decision. They compare children with other children. They do not give importance to their problems. They try to influence their child with their beliefs about professions.

11. Their work is fundamental to: let parents understand that their children, regardless of their age, are able to take their own decisions. Difficulties: – Parents think they know how to help their children and that they do not need outside help. – Therefore, there is a roadblock difficult to overcome because they themselves do not accept help. – Another difficulty is in the established communication between parents and children, a communication based in the non respect and the paternal authority. Solutions: – giving information to parents and children in a constant way, with periodical group sessions and if it would be necessary in an individual way (especially if they detect any kind of problem.) PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020 Second phase: key questions The work of counsellors with parents…? Difficulties in their work with families…? How they overcome them…?

12. This project is necessary as, due to our educational system in which children should take decisions earlier each time, they need the help of their parents. This help should be based on dialogue, mutual support and respect for the decisions taken. CONCLUSIONS OPINION ABOUT THE PROJECT PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

13. if parents want to help and respect they need : Complete and updated information of the academic possibilities of their children, either for vocational training or university training; knowing where get that information (counsellors, educational institutions, the Internet, etc.) Information about the labour market. Deleting communication roadblocks, working the communication parents-children. CONCLUSIONS OPINION ABOUT THE PROJECT PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020

14. In general, they think that our approach of a handbook for parents could work in some cases (however not all parents are determined to read a handbook). They would bet for something more practical such as workshops and through the Parents Associations or School for Parents. CONCLUSIONS OPINION ABOUT THE PROJECT PL/06/B/F/PP/174 020