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Working and ageing
188 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

health. But people in the last decade or two of what might be recognised as
ʻworking lifeʼ (which may take many forms) have different concerns from those
embarking on a career. This chapter seeks to examine some of these
differences, to propose some of the priorities for a much-needed research
agenda, and to suggest inputs to professional training that would help careers
advisers in their task.

10.2. Research interest

In 2007, evaluation of the UKʼs new telephone guidance service found
differences in response to the service among older adults compared with
younger people (Page et al., 2007); a finding which reinforced an earlier study
by Tyers and Sinclair (2005). The differences related particularly to ʻsoft
outcomesʼ (attitudinal change, opportunity awareness, insight, sense of
direction, and capacity building) and led to the recommendation that ʻresearch
into older peopleʼs expectations of guidance, and the types of issue that they
would like help with would be beneficialʼ (Page et al., 2007, p 81). This
recommendation was addressed through funding of two linked research
projects conducted by the National Institute for Career Education and
Counselling (NICEC) in 2007-08. One project examined the extent to which
distance methods of accessing career support (telephone and Internet) were
viewed differently by older adults. The other explored career management
skills reported and needed by older people (Barham and Hawthorn, 2009;
2010). The latter used a narrative interview technique, inviting people to tell
the story of their current learning and work situation, the events and
circumstances of the previous 10 years that brought them to that situation,
and their hopes and plans for the coming few years. Throughout the
interviews, the research team used a prompt question inviting reflection on
how that is different from being younger (Barham, 2008).
The report of the study fulfilled its intended purpose of making
recommendations about approaches to career guidance with older adults.
However, experience of the research raised several topics for researchers
which this chapter seeks to develop through recourse to wider literature.
These unresolved topics collect into three broad themes reflected in many
personal stories. One relates to a concern with time, another to an expectation
of some regard for experience accumulated through both work and life in
general, and the third to the desire to ʻgive something backʼ to society. Cutting
across all three themes is evidence of considerable diversity in experiences,