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The model of guidance in Ireland aims to encourage independence, responsibility and self-awareness in secondary school students and support them with their future career choices. Professionally trained guidance practitioners deliver guidance through a range of classroom-based and individualised one-to-one guidance activities. The practitioners are required to have both a professional guidance qualification and a teaching qualification.

The holistic element incorporates the three inter-related areas of a) personal and social guidance, b) educational guidance and c) career guidance. On the other hand, the integrated component means that guidance provision is now the responsibility of the “whole school community”, and not just guidance practitioners working on their own. For example, curriculum subject teachers contribute also, e.g.  support with student subject choices, work experience preparation and enhancing student wellbeing.

In addition to the school guidance programme, the “Well-being” programme, which was introduced in all secondary schools in 2017, aims to further address the complex psycho-social needs of students. Although it aligns very well with the holistic and integrated model of guidance, it has required school staff, including guidance practitioners, to re-imagine elements of the traditional curriculum and their professional engagement with students.

Challenges for the whole-school model of guidance

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an important turning point in the delivery of guidance to students. Activities that are normally delivered face to face were rapidly moved online, and guidance practitioners had to deal with a notable increase in psycho-social issues. Even before COVID-19, the limits of the holistic model were becoming apparent in schools, with some areas coming under pressure. In particular, the delivery of personal guidance support to students with complex personal needs has become more demanding, even though therapeutic support is not the remit of guidance practitioners. 

Another challenge is the buy-in of all school staff in the delivery of the guidance and well-being programmes. This type of student support is a social activity that needs collegiality, support and trust amongst management, teachers and guidance practitioners.  Otherwise, the aims of these two distinct programmes (guidance and well-being) are likely to become enmeshed and diluted, and individual roles and responsibilities become blurred.  

Enablers of the whole-school model of guidance

The whole-school guidance model relies considerably on the unwavering commitment of guidance practitioners, but they only have so much in their reservoir. Certain conditions are needed for effective whole-school guidance:

• the extent to which guidance is integrated into a wider set of curricular activities across all school years;
• the space and time required to deliver holistic and equitable guidance to all students, not just particular year groups;
• the status and resources afforded to guidance, allowing it a more centralised position within schools;
• the level of continuous professional development opportunities for guidance and teaching staff working on such developmental programmes; and
• appropriate referral routes, access to professional counselling, and other types of intervention services, which are not always readily accessible for practitioners or students in their immediate locality. 

Conclusion

Whole-school guidance is more important than ever for young people. All school staff have a role to play in its provision, but the right conditions need to be in place to ensure its effective delivery.

is a Lecturer in the , Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. She is a qualified guidance counsellor with over 20 years’ experience as a professional practitioner, third level educator and academic researcher. She has carried out research on guidance across different sectors in Ireland over the last number of years.