1. Tweet about this session using #careercon09 Transforming practice – career guidance by telephone Astrid van Holten & Gill England

2. Overview Telephone guidance – the story so far Where we are now – current practice Listen to part of a call Observations of telephone guidance as a method of practice Questions.

3. Why do telephone guidance? Making access easy – reaching many more New Zealanders Young people and their influencers prefer personal support to sift through information Build on integrated services (ie. phone, text, web and one-on-one guidance).

4. A brief history Review of New Zealand and overseas telephone practice One year pilot: A full-time telephone career practitioner 226 clients Strong practice links with learndirect (UK) and other NZ helplines.

5. Our learnings from the pilot Positive evaluation outcomes Valid way to deliver career guidance Controlled by client Use new approaches to embed service. Well, I started from having nothing, I was completely confused and now I know what I want to do to get my career started. Its just a really good system. I couldnt get to Dunedin and have an interview like that, its convenient, and you open up more in the privacy of your own home. It was just good.

6. Where we are now Reaching many more New Zealanders with technology Team grows (from 2-15) Advice line (contact centre) and offices All ages and stages – needs assessment Training and coaching practitioners.

7. Listening to a call Things to listen for: Intensity and pace Listening skills Summarising, reflecting, questioning The client.

8. Themes from a practitioners perspective

9. Intensity and pace of calls Conversation tends to be more direct Rapport building occurs throughout the call More intense pace More demanding on the practitioner's energy Pauses and silences are amplified Self-care is important.

10. Development of listening skills Listening is the number 1 tool Can hear if the client has disengaged Can discern when the client is saying something very important to them Using a headset is highly recommended.

11. Summarising, reflecting and questioning – key tools No visual clues Solutions-focussed approach Scaling questions work well Card sorts can be problematic.

12. Clients Clients often isolated in some way Some clients prefer anonymity and convenience Broader client group than normal Make no assumptions about an individuals world view Lack of local knowledge sometimes posed difficulties.

13. For more information www.careers.govt.nz/phone_guidance or Gill EnglandAstrid van Holten Practice AdvisorPractice Leader T: +64 4801 5177T: +64 9632 9502 E: gill.england@careers.govt.nzE: astrid.vanholten@careers.govt.nz