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Working and ageing
182 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

nevertheless be helpful to conduct similar research with other segments of this
age group: the unemployed or those in less-skilled work.
This more highly-skilled segment of older workers can contribute ideas for
constructing a model of how to support effective learning and development
for older workers. Career guidance practitioners and others supporting
learning and development could consider the following characteristics in
developing or evaluating appropriate provision:
(a) individual engagement: is it personally meaningful for individuals in
relation to development in their current occupation or career progression
and/or is it personally rewarding, for example, resulting in an increase in
self-esteem, confidence as a learner or self-efficacy? Does it resonate
with an individualʼs motivation, where the individual feels a clear drive for
achievement and development? Does it require active engagement of
participants – is it sufficiently demanding (does it challenge or extend
current ideas, assumptions, attitudes, constructs, knowledge and
understanding)? Does it require engagement with particular ways of
thinking and practising (including how individuals are connected to
particular knowledge cultures)? This might include development of
particular approaches to critical analysis, evaluation, problem-solving, etc.;
(b) personal development: does it provide opportunities for a significant shift
in personal perspective (whether this was values-based or interest-
based)? Does provision help individuals develop greater opportunity
awareness, especially because much continuing learning is at least partly
dependent on an individual being aware of and then taking advantage of
opportunities for learning and development? Does it help individualsʼ
develop judgement, for example in the ability to make choices in relation
to values, goals, plans and aspirations; make decisions; self-motivate; and
display resilience. Does it use reflection upon experience (including
reflections on prior learning) as a driver of further learning;
(c) collaboration: does it support collaboration between learners: for example,
are learners engaged in a collective enterprise (in relation to performance
improvement activities or as a member of a group engaged in a formal
programme of study, etc.) or, if the learning activity is predominantly
individual, does it draw on the support of significant others in other ways,
for example to help consolidate their learning;
(d) progression: is it relevant for vocational progression (either as part of an
established progression pathway or through establishing an improved
personal base from which to seek further career development – for
example, through completion of a substantive further qualification);