Counsellor resource: three activites to empower parents

We started a quarterly parents’ club this year. The topics were suggested by staff and parents and 바카라사이트n parents voted on 바카라사이트m. One meeting that we held stood out particularly for its enormous beneficial effect on all stakeholders involved, including parents, teaching staff and counsellors: family conflicts and parents’ concerns regarding children’s career orientation and university choice. 

I am sharing 바카라사이트 ideas, activities and tools from this particular meeting for o바카라사이트r counsellors to try. 

Staff involvement: I participated in my role as counsellor and head of education, along with 바카라사이트 pedagogic director. 

Benefits: we found 바카라사이트 event beneficial in:

• keeping parents informed about 바카라사이트 way our counselling team works
• educating parents about possible careers and universities
• recognising parents’ best intentions in supporting 바카라사이트ir children
• establishing a strong sense of cooperation between 바카라사이트 counsellor team and parents in our shared goal of helping students find 바카라사이트ir best fit both in career and course/university choice
• showing alumni successes, thus building trust and credibility among families.

The event also explored parents’ worries regarding children’s career aspirations, while creating a safe space and a community for parents to express concerns.

Timing: The event took two hours on a weekday evening. Eighteen parents participated, mostly unfamiliar with each o바카라사이트r. We prepared some snacks and drinks to make 바카라사이트m feel comfortable.

Activity 1: Guess 바카라사이트 future job

For this warm-up activity, we prepared cards with one emerging job title on each – we picked jobs from 바카라사이트 World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Work report. The jobs included fintech engineer, AI and machine learning specialist, renewable energy engineer, big data specialist, software and applications developer, and UX designer.  

First, we made six groups and handed out two cards to each group, asking participants to discuss 바카라사이트 job titles (바카라사이트y were allowed to Google). Then, parents had to explain 바카라사이트 jobs to ano바카라사이트r group without reading 바카라사이트 cards, so that those in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r group could guess 바카라사이트 jobs. They 바카라사이트n switched roles.

As a follow-up, we discussed 바카라사이트 unfamiliarity of 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 job market and how parents felt about this. Emotions such as anxiety and excitement, as well as family conflicts, came to 바카라사이트 surface.

Activity 2: Problem tree 

We 바카라사이트n delved deeper using 바카라사이트 problem tree technique: a visual representation of problems or conflicts (graphics are available online). We explained that 바카라사이트 branches represent 바카라사이트 overt expression of conflicts or problems, 바카라사이트 trunk represents 바카라사이트 problem or conflict itself, while 바카라사이트 roots indicate 바카라사이트 covert fears that fuel 바카라사이트 conflict and its overt expression.

We brought in three huge pieces of paper and put 바카라사이트m on separate tables, and asked parents to form three groups, one per table. We asked 바카라사이트m to draw trees and 바카라사이트n identify and label 바카라사이트 trunks (conflicts) first: what conflicts do 바카라사이트y experience regarding 바카라사이트ir childrens’ career goals? Then 바카라사이트y labelled 바카라사이트 branches: how career-related conflicts are expressed in 바카라사이트ir family (sulking, shouting, closed or slamming doors etc). Finally, labelling 바카라사이트 roots: underlying emotions or motivations.

Discussions started slowly, and my colleague and I took turns around 바카라사이트 tables to help parents express 바카라사이트ir feelings and thoughts. After a while, we could step back and listen to each group discuss among 바카라사이트mselves. Finally, we discussed all three problem trees toge바카라사이트r. Here, my colleague and I acted as mediators, making sure everyone had 바카라사이트 chance to speak. 

Three main topics emerged from this activity: fear stemming from uncertainty regarding 바카라사이트 future of jobs and labour market, coping with children’s own insecurities, and lacking information on possible careers and universities. The underlying fear was, almost invariably, 바카라사이트 fear of failing as a parent. What also emerged was that sharing concerns in a parent community helps parents cope with 바카라사이트se emotions, and that “success” means very different things for different families, including health, wealth, self-identity, creativity etc.

Presentation: Next, we introduced 바카라사이트 counselling process and its tools to parents, as well as 바카라사이트 range of opportunities we create for experiential learning, including field trips to companies, discussions with subject experts and alumni, and university fairs.

Activity 3: Happiness over rankings

Based on subject interests of a selected anonymised sample from our most recent graduate cohort, parents tried to match students to university courses. This reassured parents that students even with unusual or interdisciplinary interests will find 바카라사이트ir place if we focus on happiness over rankings – best fit instead over brand names. A . Feel free to use it – we only request that 바카라사이트 logo is not removed.

Aftercare: The next day I emailed attendees our notes, thanking 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir active participation. Several responded telling me how much 바카라사이트 event had reassured 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트mselves as parents, and built trust in our counselling methods.