Building research networks: where next?

Putting Research into Practice Conference 2007 Building research networks: where next? …or how evidence can change your life? Deirdre Hughes – CeGS, University of Derby Neil Toyne - Connexions Lincolnshire and Rutland

Evidence… • Evidence based practice • The case of Taryn Lee • Single study vs. body of evidence • What constitutes evidence ?

Research design problems Defining guidance Defining outcomes Isolating the effects of guidance Long term effects Bias in evaluation Published literature problems Lack of UK research Inaccessible academic language/publications Work not published Use of consultants Good evidence is hard to come by

Purpose of research • To complement quality assurance • To improve practice • 1-1 or in groups • At institutional level • At a service level • To improve training • To inform & influence policymakers • To inspire and motivate

From this… Policy Practice

To this… Policy Theory Research Practice

Researching what ? • Client groups • needs, expectations, characteristics, problems • Labour & education markets • opportunities, barriers, structures, changes • Techniques • screening, assessment, counselling approaches etc • Contexts • effect of institutional settings

Types of research… • Qualitative vs. quantitative • Researching careers vs. researching career guidance: • Evaluative • what works ? How well does it work ? • Problem solving • action research – research by doing

And back in the real world… • Effective guidance operates not through superhuman individual knowledge, but through knowledge networks • Research is the same • Practitioners cannot afford the time to operate like full time professional researchers • However we can be smarter in how we link research & practice – by networking and sharing information in appropriate formats

From a Practitioners’ viewpoint… • Why get involved? • Isolation – need for bigger picture • The economic case for Career Guidance

What can be done GENERATE NEW EVIDENCE • Individual practitioners can conduct modest scale research: • Evaluate own practice • Use action research to solve problems • Organisations can make evaluation part of the culture of guidance • Evidence can be made accessible to the profession through publications, National Library Resource for Guidance (NLRG) and/ or National Guidance Research Forum (NGRF) website USE EXISTING EVIDENCE • Use summaries of research evidence to inform practice decisions • Evidence can be used by the profession to influence stakeholders: • National, regional and local government; educational and employment institutions; service users • In service training can become more evidence-based

Final thought… Without an understanding of the impact of career guidance interventions, we cannot hope to improve them…Without research, we cannot hope to get such an understanding. Without evidence of the effectiveness of career guidance, we cannot hope to convince others to fund and support our services…Without research, we cannot hope to get such evidence. Therefore research is central to the future of career guidance.

ICG: Developing a research culture in careers work • Examining research findings from within and outside the UK • Extending the work of the Institute’s Research Committee to form a new ICG Practitioners’ Research Forum • Exploring collaborative links with other professional associations e.g. AGCAS & IAEVG

ICG Practitioners Research Forum • Launch of the new Forum • A platform to…. • share ideas for research development through email and/ or weblog discussion groups via the NGRF website • face-to-face meetings that can be either linked to the ICG regional meetings and/ or thematic groups formed to discuss research to underpin practical approaches to careers work • participate in at least one major research event or activity each year highlighting good and interesting practice and linking to the work of other careers professional associations. • feed information & ideas into the ICG Research Committee for review and discussion, as and when appropriate, ICG Council will receive regular updates and proposals from members

ICG Practitioners’ Forum • Visit: • http://www.guidance-research.org/collaborate/guidance/ • For research, practice and theory information Visit: http://www.derby.ac.uk/nlrg • On- line UK research project: • The State of Practice in Measuring Careers / Connexions Service Impact (Early December 2006 – July 2007) • Visit: http://www.derby.ac.uk/cegs/questionnaire2/

To learn more about… • the service outcomes actually gathered and reported by front-line practitioners • the service outcomes gathered and reported at the office and agencies level • the service outcomes actually gathered and reported by front-line and office, agencies levels but not reported • how policy makers evaluate the services • how employers evaluate career development services in the workplace

Building research networks: where next?