Exploring Perceptions of the Path to Work/Life Success Among Middle School Students of Color

Abstract

<jats:p> There are limited empirical studies examining career-related activities for Black and Latino/a students during the middle school years. Using a constant comparison method, this study examined the narrative data of 63 Black and Latino/a middle school students regarding their perceptions of work and life success. The results of this analysis revealed five overarching themes: exposure, support, attainment, family, and effort/persistence. Implications for career and school professionals, as well as the significance of school–family–community partnerships, are discussed. </jats:p>

“Where I Can Be Myself”: Black Youth Narratives of Their Future Careers

“…Third, when managing and delivering services, school counselors should use culturally responsive, postmodern career development approaches or instruments, like MCS, that allow Black youth to explore their career options (Albritton et al, 2020; ASCA, 2019; Busacca & Rehfuss, 2016; Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005), infuse the advocacy competencies in career development-related group work (Cheatham & Mason, 2021), and consider Cheatham’s (1990) Heuristic Model of African American Students’ Career Development as a guide to infuse cultural values and an antiracist lens. As illustrated in this study, Black youth learn that the world of work will look different for them via social messages (i.e., family, media, and observing adults).…”

“…Therefore, we chose a career counseling approach informed by narrative career theory to employ cultural sensitivity while learning more about how Black youth can express, in their own words, the stories of their future careers too often told from Eurocentric lens and perspectives. Research exploring the use of narrative career theory with Black youth is limited (Albritton et al, 2020; Storlie et al, 2017). When broadly examining ways to employ culturally responsive career counseling, the scholarly literature appears to primarily focus on examining and understanding potential differences based on gender and race/ethnicity (e.g., Porter & Byrd, 2021; Riegle-Crumb et al, 2011).…”

“…When broadly examining ways to employ culturally responsive career counseling, the scholarly literature appears to primarily focus on examining and understanding potential differences based on gender and race/ethnicity (e.g., Porter & Byrd, 2021; Riegle-Crumb et al, 2011). Although these studies offer insight into the career development of Black students, research suggests that a more in-depth examination by narratives and storytelling may be needed due to the complex oppression faced by Black youth (Albritton et al, 2020). Career counseling approaches informed by narrative theory provide individuals an opportunity to conceptualize their vocational behavior in their own words instead of being forced to ascribe to fixed characteristics (Savickas, 2005).…”

“…Narrative career theory evolved from a group of career counselors and psychologists who created holistic approaches (i.e., assessments and interventions) “to help individuals articulate the story of themselves and their career journey in story-form rather than traditional objective career assessment scores” (Del Corso & Rehfuss, 2011, p. 334). Narrative approaches have been useful in the exploration of career development of historically marginalized youth (Albritton et al, 2020; Storlie et al, 2017). The use of My Career Story (Savickas & Hartung, 2012), informed by narrative career theory, enhances the meaning-making process through an active recollection of the individual’s story (Rehfuss, 2009; Savickas, 2001; 2011).…”

Character strengths, moral motivation and vocational identity in adolescents and young adults: a scoping review

“…Apropos the eight qualitative studies, six used either semistructured or in-depth interviews to gather data. The other two studies used content analysis on students prompts or written assignments (Albritton et al, 2020;James et al, 2020).…”