Page 16 - Euroguidance-Insight-Magazine-2023

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Is guidance in Europe ready?

Under the heading ‘Is guidance in Europe ready?’ Daniel Hailemariam, lecturer and self-employed practi-
tioner in Sweden, discussed how to equip counsellors to provide guidance and counselling to individuals
with different backgrounds and cultures. Due to multiculturalism, diversity, change in demographics
and many other changes there are individuals from across the globe in Europe.

Intercultural counselling skills, norm criticism, and always similarities - and no matter how similar we are,
professionalism were among the concepts discussed. there will be differences.
Hailemariam argues that we all walk around with our
own “normalities”. It becomes a challenge for the guid- How to deal with different normalities?
ance professionals when their normality collides with The question remains as to how guidance professionals
the client’s normality. can deal with it? Hailemariam argues that none of any
normalities are better. But the differences between the
Different normalities can collide normalities must be used to find a common ground
There are many different areas where the normalities on which to continue the counselling sessions. Above
might collide. For example, a guidance professional all it is important that as a guidance professional, you
might talk about “dream jobs,” whereas the client only learn from reflecting on experiences, and according
thinks about “bread jobs” – something you must do to Hailemariam we need to develop a critical attitude
to survive. As guidance professionals, we are used to towards prejudices about others.
asking questions and consider the client to be the ex-
pert, while the client with a different normality might This hybrid session attracted more than 50 online par-
expect answers and advice. Other differences can be ticipants and about 20 onsite at the conference. Many
about views on gender – a belief in equality or in more of them showed their appreciation afterwards and
traditional gender roles. told the facilitator that the content was both impor-
tant and of high interest.
At the same time Hailemariam reminded the partici-
pants that no matter how different we are, there are Nina Ahlroos, Euroguidance Sweden

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Euroguidance Insight Magazine Issue 1/2023