Policy Development for Student Wellbeing

Identifying best practice in career education and development in Australian secondary schools

“…Self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), which includes concepts of autonomy, competence and relatedness as necessary for well-being offers insight for career programming, and while some support for the theory has been found (Guay, Senécal, Gauthier, & Fernet, 2003), more research into its offerings are required. Time could also be spent articulating links between the blueprint and positive education frameworks, such as PROSPER (Noble & McGrath, 2016). Schools already operate with a crowded curriculum and initiatives addressing these approaches deserve alignment and integration.…”

“…Many of these competencies are also evident in models of positive education (e.g. PROSPER; Noble & McGrath, 2016), and the blueprint may be construed as a positive education framework. The blueprint competencies are acquired in a variety of settings, but career development programming brings structure, intention and impetus to their development (MCEECDYA, 2010).…”

“…Quality career development provision has been found to positively affect labour market efficiency, the successful transition of young people into an increasingly complex labour market and social justice, by counteracting information deficits associated with disadvantage, leading to less restricted conceptualisations of careers, and providing students with a sense of purpose as described in the positive education literature (Irving, 2010; Miles Morgan Australia, 2012; Noble & McGrath, 2016; OECD, 2004; Sweet et al., 2010). Research also suggests quality career development programmes are associated with benefits such as increased educational engagement and attainment, higher levels of academic achievement and fewer behavioural issues at school (Miles Morgan Australia, 2012; Plasman, 2018; Rice et al., 2015).…”

“…Career education and development has gained increasing political impetus. Difficult labour market conditions, increasing youth unemployment and changes to the understanding of well-being and the role of positive education have led governments, and subsequently schools, to act (Broadbent, Cacciattolo, & Papadopoulos, 2012; Miles Morgan Australia, 2012; Noble & McGrath, 2016). In Australia, the Council of Australian Governments’ National Partnership Agreement on Youth Attainment and Transitions (Council of Australian Governments, 2009) was established to provide a more comprehensive approach to educational attainment and transition from school to further education, training or employment, and to better align youth career and transition programmes across Australia (Galliott, Graham, & Sweller, 2015; Hutchinson & Kettlewell, 2015).…”

Promoting wellbeing through positive education: A critical review and proposed social ecological approach

“…To achieve this, connectedness is promoted across all stakeholders including students, families and school staff (Rowe et al, 2007). Key competencies that can serve as protective factors against adversity such as resilience, agency, positive relationships, are taught and practised within the school (Noble et al, 2008; Roffey, 2015, 2016). The greatest impacts of this programme are seen for students who experience adversity in their home and communities outside of school (Roffey, 2016).…”