Date: Thursday, 8 June 2017

Time: 09:30–10:30

Venue: Aldoel 1, Groenkloof Campus, University of Pretoria

RSVP: to Ms Mpumi Mafafo at [email protected] by Thursday, 1 June 2017

Abstract

'Jobs, jobs and jobs are the dividing line in many families between a decent life and a wretched existence. They are, to many, the difference between self-esteem and helplessness.' (Nelson Mandela, President's budget debate, Parliament, Cape Town, South Africa, 20 June 1996).

Currently we are seeking answers to some challenging questions:

a.            How can career and life-design interventions contribute to ensuring sustainable, decent work?

Answers revolve around trying to examine the impact of the differences between self-esteem and helplessness, in other words, how does the relative importance of individuals compare with the relative importance of their contexts?

b.            What are counsellors able to do in this regard, and how should they do it?

The answer depends on how counsellors believe they should utilise the anticipation (as a task) of what they need to develop theoretically and apply practically in real-life contexts.

Since the task of defining the appropriate realm of sustainable, decent work must be a multi-disciplinary exercise, a pluri-methodological approach must be considered. Examples of how this aim can be achieved will be discussed.

The presentation will be followed by a discussion of some of the challenges related to the anticipation of a better future.

More about Professor Duarte

Maria Eduarda Duarte is a full professor in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Lisbon, where she directs the master's course in the Psychology of Human Resources, Work and Organisations. Her professional interests include career psychology theory and research, with special emphasis on issues relevant to adults and the world of work. As the Research Director of Career Guidance and Development of Human Resources Services, her publications and presentations include topics related to career problems experienced by adults, testing and assessment, and the counselling process. She has been the Chair of the Portuguese Psychological Society since 2005 and served and still serves on the editorial boards of a number of Portuguese, European and Iberian-American journals. She is the President of the Counselling Division of the IAAP and a former Director of the National Institute of Guidance (2009 –2014). She is an IAAP Award Fellow (2014) and was the 2015 recipient of the ESVDC award. Professor Duarte has also been the National Defence Adviser since 2006.