SHORT TERM COURSE IN

BASIC SKILLS FOR CAREER COUNSELLING

Offered by the School of Human Ecology (TISS) and The Promise Foundation (TPF)
Dates: 10th to 19th November 2017 (Last date for application: 20th October 2017)

Relevance

Career guidance and counselling have emerged today as an urgently sought after service. However
it is essential that career development is defined within the multiple realities and paradoxes that
characterize the Indian situation. Under-girding the process of career choice are two powerful forces.
Firstly, trends in the labour market push families to opt for courses that seem to have a “demand”.
Secondly, social cognitions in the form of career beliefs (e.g., medicine and engineering are the best
careers; a girl’s first responsibility is to be a wife and mother) strongly mediate the decision-making
process. As a result, choices are often not based on the young person’s talents and potentials and
this could lead to ineffective career decisions. A culturally relevant career guidance approach would
address these deep rooted thought processes. It is to address this need that the School of Human
Ecology (TISS) and The Promise Foundation (TPF) have formulated this Short-term Course in Career
Counselling.

The Jiva Approach to Career Development

The Jiva Model of Career counselling has been developed for India by The
Promise Foundation and the Consultant Psychologists Group in partnership
with leading career psychologists from around the world. Jiva means life in
most Indian languages and this approach views career development as
integrally connected to life. Key features of this method are:

 A values based approach to career choice. The model rests on five principles drawn from Asian
thought that underline how work is inherently connected to the larger context. These values are
interpreted to match the demands of the contemporary world of work.

 A mixed methods approach to assessment. Jiva blends quantitative with qualitative methods. The
Career Guidance Facilitator learns a testing process that is contextually grounded and at the same
offers a framework within which objective measurements can be made. The Jiva method does not
use normative data to compare one individual with another. Instead an intra-individual approach is
taken to help the individual gain insights into the profile of his/her interests and aptitudes.

 Participant-led learning. Emphasis is laid on building the career chooser’s skills to take
responsibility for career development. The role of the facilitator is to guide and create an
environment for career discovery. Strong emphasis is laid on peer-learning and introspection.

 Comprehensive resources for career guidance. Central to this course is the Jiva Kit. This is a rich
compendium of career guidance material with which a complete career guidance programme can
be delivered at low cost and low resource requirements. The Kit is described in greater detail on
the following pages.

The Career Discovery Path

The Jiva model comprises four key elements of career guidance which together are described as the
Career Discovery Path as shown in the figure below.
Specific activities have been
developed for each of these
components. The facilitator
guides students systematically
through each set of activities.
The learnings of one activity
contribute to the next one and so on throughout the programme. The Jiva workshop series
culminates with the student identifying a set of career alternatives and learning how to prepare for
these alternatives.

A Short Term Course from The Tata Institute of Social Sciences and The Promise Foundation
 The Jiva Kit

This course is organised around the Jiva Kit: a comprehensive collection of career development
resources developed specially for India. The Kit does not excessively rely on infrastructural support.
Some Jiva counsellors are even able to conduct effective career guidance just under the shade of a
tree using the Jiva Kit! An overview of the Kit is provided below.

Facilitator’s Training Manual

 A comprehensive handbook covering key themes, a

detailed explanation of career guidance skills and
comprehensive facilitators’ notes.
 All notes are supported by a set of worksheets that
students can use to note down their learnings.

Flip Charts

 A set of large, durable charts that the facilitator

can use for the sessions.
 Large enough for a room of 30 to 40 children.
.  Allows the facilitator to conduct the programme
with a minimum of resources.

Student Worksheets

 A Master Set of photocopiable Student Worksheets.

 Students compile worksheets into their Jiva
Workbook. A completed workbook is a permanent
resource for the student’s further thinking about
career development.

Learning Cards

 Small group discussions are supported by large

Learning Cards containing career development
information.
 Students use the cards for their discussions and to
fill in their worksheet.

Career Information Cards

 Comprehensive career information on cards for close to 170

careers based on the International Standard Classification of
Occupations.
 Easy to understand information about career paths,
specialisations, qualifications and eligibility.
 Presented in a sturdy bag and can be hung in a classroom for
easy access.

Career Information Data Manager

 An easy-to-use software that offers a database of career information and addresses of colleges
and training institutions.
 Students can search the database for colleges that offer the courses they would like to study.

Careers Dictionary

 Careers Dictionaries are attractive booklets with

abbreviated career definitions that provide career
overview.
 Each Kit contains a pack of 20 dictionaries.

A Short Term Course from The Tata Institute of Social Sciences and The Promise Foundation
 Course Structure and Delivery

This is a 16 credit course and delivered in the blended learning format drawing the contact class and
distance learning formats together. It comprises 4 modules as follows:
Module 1: Pre-course Commencement Credits (Reading and Field Work):
Mode: Guided readings and assignment
The trainee is required to complete reading one paper on career development and conduct a simple
field exercise on how children and adults from different socioeconomic status backgrounds engage
with work, job and career.
Module 2: Theoretical Orientation to Career Guidance and Counselling
Mode: Contact classes
Key theoretical concepts, understanding of the labour market trends, theoretical foundations of
psychological testing, managing career and educational information.
Module 3: Skills for Career Counselling: Practical Training
Mode: Contact classes and supervision by experts
Practical training under the supervision of career psychologists from TPF covering the following skills:

 identifying clients’ interests, aptitudes; blending interest and aptitude to identify potential
 promoting clients’ knowledge of the World of Work
 helping clients develop career alternatives
 helping clients operationalise their career alternatives.
Participants, will work directly with students in practice schools and learn to apply the skills of
counselling using the Jiva Kit.
Module 4: Field Practice
Mode: Independent practice with distance (online) supervision
On completion of contact period, the participant is expected to conduct a field practice independently
in his/her location. The exercise will be supervised online (email + Skype) by TPF faculty. Regular
recording of work as per pre-prepared templates and submissions of a field practice report is
expected.
Training methods include
Lectures and Discussions Demonstrations Personalised Tutorials where necessary
Skills Practice Role plays Group Presentations Assignments and Tests
Formative and Summative Feedback Skills practice with Students in Practice Schools
Independent field assignment.

Award of Certificate

Based on performance assessed on a 10 point scale (as per TISS norms) learners who secure
an Average Grade Point of 4.1 or above will be issued a Certificate of successful completion.

Eligibility

Marks: General Category: 50% of marks. Reserved Category: 40% of marks or its equivalent
Educational qualifications:

 Completed or enrolled in 2 years Master of Arts/Science degree of any university in Psychology,

Counselling, Home Science (Child Development, Human Development or Family Studies),
Education, Social Work.
 Completed Master's Degree in any field and hold at least a diploma level qualification in
Counselling.
 Completed a Bachelor’s Degree in any of the Social Sciences, obtaining an aggregate of at least
75%, with at least 5 years of documented experience in working with adolescents and youth,
subject to their success in the admission procedure to the Course.

A Short Term Course from The Tata Institute of Social Sciences and The Promise Foundation
 Admission

 Complete TISS application form with details of educational qualifications, work experience and
field practice exposure, and a statement of purpose (contact information given below).
 Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria to apply will also be required to go through an email-
based assessment of suitability by TPF.

Fees, Venue, Accommodation and other Details

Fees Payable:
Course Fee Rs. 30,300.00
Jiva Career Counselling Kit Rs. 25,000.00
GST @18% (on Jiva kit) Rs. 4,500.00
Total Fee Payable: Rs. 59,800.00

Note: The above fees do not include accommodation, travel and other costs.
Venue and Accommodation: The course will be held in batches either at the TISS campus in
Mumbai or at the TPF campus in Bengaluru. Please enquire (contact information below) for the
venue details of a particular batch and for accommodation information.

Faculty

Gideon Arulmani PhD., the lead trainer of the course, is the director of The Promise Foundation and headed the
team that developed Jiva. Gideon is an internationally acclaimed specialist in career psychology and has written a
number of papers and books on career guidance. He has led assignments for the ILO, UNICEF and the World Bank
and has established career guidance services in a number of other countries. He teaches at the Tata Institute of
Social Sciences and Martin Luther Christian University India, Canterbury Christchurch University UK, the ILO’s
International Training Centre in Italy and has lectured in more than 30 countries.
Sajma Aravind, holds a master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. She is a project manager at The Promise
Foundation, a gifted career guidance practitioner and an experienced trainer. She has conducted 15 batches of the
course and has worked with more than 4000 students. Sajma is presently completing a PhD in career psychology.
Rayan Miranda, holds a master’s degree in Psychiatric Social Work. He is a project coordinator at The Promise
Foundation and manages the demonstration and practice components of the course. Rayan is extensively
experienced in career guidance services for the disadvantaged sector and has worked with more than 3000 students.
Mamatha Shetty, Ph.D., is a practicing counsellor and clinical psychologist for the past 18 years and teaches for MA
in Applied Psychology (with Specialisation in Counselling and Clinical courses) at the School of Human Ecology,
TISS, Mumbai.
Rajani M Konantambigi, Ph.D., teaches for MA in Applied Psychology (with Specialisation in Counselling and
Clinical courses) at the School of Human Ecology, and has taught for M.A. Education (Elementary) at TISS, Mumbai.
Budhadeep Gondane, M.Phil. (Clinical Psychology), teaches for MA in Applied Psychology (with Specialisation in
Counselling and Clinical courses) at the School of Human Ecology, at TISS, Mumbai.

Contact Information

The Promise Foundation Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Sajma Aravind, The Promise Foundation, 231, Cozy Dr. Rajani Konantambigi & Dr Mamatha Shetty, Centre &
Home Layout, Sompur Gate, B. Hosahalli Road, School of Human Ecology, TISS, Naoroji Campus,
Sarjapura, Bangalore-562125. Deonar Farm Road, Mumbai - 400088.

Phone: 080-27823524; 9632767657 (between 9.30 am Phone: +91-22-25525342/5349; Fax: +91-25525060.

and 4.30 pm);
Email enquiries: konantambigirm@gmail.com,
Email enquiries: promise@vsnl.com; mamatha.shetty@tiss.edu
Websites: www.thepromisefoundation.org and Website: http://www.tiss.edu/academics/teaching-
www.jivacareer.org programmes/ (proceed to Short-Term Programmes)

Please treat The Promise Foundation as your point of first contact.

A Short Term Course from The Tata Institute of Social Sciences and The Promise Foundation