Students, including students with a disability, often experience difficulty identifying their strengths and interests, but are faced with course selections and career planning which may leave them feeling that there is only one opportunity to get it right. A young person can feel overwhelmed.  

A strengths based approach to career planning is described as:

• Valuing everyone equally and focused on what the student can do, is of interest to the student and what the student would like to achieve rather than what the student cannot do
• Describes learning and development respectfully and honestly, including what can be realistically achieved
• Builds upon a student’s abilities, interests and aspirations
• Acknowledges that people experience difficulties and challenges that need attention and support to facilitate personal growth and achievement
• Identifies what is taking place when learning and development are going well, so that it may be reproduced or further developed into all future endeavours

Discussion of the difficulties experienced by young people, including young people with disability and their parents when considering post school options resulted in the development of the Back to Basics project, a partnership between Whitehorse City Council, National Disability Coordinating Officer, Knox and Monash City Councils, Gateway and Outer Eastern LLENs. In addition to developing the Strengths Based Career Planning booklet, the Back to Basics project hosted two Strengths Based Career Planning Expos that aimed to provide an opportunity for students to engage with local education and training providers.