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AQR & Reachfor Bethan Greenall & Kath Wyke

Innovations in Career Guidance – Mental Toughness and its

central role in Employability

What is MENTAL TOUGHNESS?

“A personality trait which determines in large part how people deal with challenge, stressors and pressure ....

irrespective of prevailing circumstances”

It’s universal – it’s important for everything we do.

Abilities – how you carry out certain types of mental activities

Interests and motivations – what really interests you?

Personality – how you react to people, situations and environments

Personal Work Characteristics – characteristics displayed in work e.g. others may see you as risk-taking, optimistic in outlook, careful, cautious etc. Knowledge – information acquired through education and experience

Skills – something specific you can do to a certain standardWork Environment – where and how you work

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Employability is about…

Why is mental toughness important?

Performance – explains up to 25% of the variation in attainment

Behaviour – more engaged, more positive, more “can do”

Wellbeing – more contentment, better stress management , less bullying

Attainment - Transition – Aspirations - Retention – Employability - Social Mobility – Career Guidance

Is it important? Yes!Pulls together notions which are important and are current but are nearly all poorly defined and poorly evidenced.

Character Grit Tenacity

Resilience Curiosity Temperament

Attitude

Mental Toughness is well evidenced and solid. It embraces all of the above.

APPG on Social Mobility 2013National Career Council 1st Report – July 2013Cabinet Office 2013

Performance Perform better in targeted settings – MBO, exams and

tests

Produce better reports, coursework

Achieve more – cover more subjects/things

Work harder

Competitive

Studies show that up to 25% of the variation in an individuals performance on tests can be explained by their mental toughness

Behaviour More positive – “can do”

More likely to respond positively to change

More likely to engage – will volunteer for activities

More likely to accept responsibility

Better disciplined - attendance

Wellbeing Deal better with stress and pressure

Sleep better!

Less likely to develop mental health issues

Can relax even after the most challenging time

Report much less bullying behaviour

Less likely to consciously adopt bullying behaviour

Employability (and aspirations) More ambitious

Set higher standards

More confident

Adopt a competitive approach

More likely to get a job

2011 employability study showed that more mentally tough graduates found work:More quicklyRelated to what they wanted to doAnd performed better in the role

Transition

Deal better with

New settings - schools/jobs/employers

New programmes & courses

New managers/tutors/colleagues, etc.

New experiences and opportunities

Change programmes, takeovers and mergers

Completion on Time and on Target More stick-ability – will complete programmes

Better at project management

Take setbacks and change in their stride

Will respond to failure by saying “I can do better ….”

The Four C’sMental Toughness has 4 components:

Challenge

Control Commitment

Confidence

Which combine to provide an overall measure of Mental Toughness

Think of these as aspects of mindset.

Commitment“stick-ability”. Describes to what extent you will “make promises” and the extent to which you will keep those promises.

Those promises can be made to others or to themselves.

When asked to do something to a target by a certain time & date do you instinctively think:I’ll go for that and I’ll do what it takes orI’ll never manage that – I’ll look stupid when I fail.

Control

“Can do”. Describes to what extent you believe you shape what happen to you and manage your emotions when doing it.

There are two components :Life-ControlEmotional Control

When asked to do something , is your default response:I can do it …. without needing to check if it is possibleI’ll stay in control of my emotions

Challenge

“drive”. Describes to what extent you challenges, change, adversity & variety as opportunities or as threats.

When asked to do something significant or challenging is your immediate response to say:That’s great – I look forward to whatever emerges orOh no! I like things the way they are – I'm frightened by what might happen.

Confidence

“Self Belief”. Describes to what extent you believe you have the ability to deal with what will face you and the inner strength to stand your ground when needed.

There are two components :Confidence in AbilitiesInterpersonal Confidence

When doing something and you face a problem, is your default response:I have the capability to plough on?I’ll deal with those who get in my way?

The Four C’s – a summaryThe MTQ48 provides a description of a young person’s…

Control - I really believe I can do it - I can keep my emotions in check when doing it

Commitment - I promise to do it - I’ll do what it takes to deliver it (hard work)

Challenge - I am motivated to do it – I can see the benefit - Setbacks make me stronger

Confidence - I believe I have the ability to do it - I can stand my ground if I need to

Together these give rise to Mental Toughness

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AQR Survey, 2013Top 5…Team working ChallengeControl “Can do”ConscientiousnessCommitment

…Character and mindset count

What traits are the most important to employers?

Measuring Mental Toughness MTQ48 Questionnaire

Normative, valid and reliable measure

On-line format (can print off questionnaires)

Easy to use

On-line facility also helps to manage data

Short inexpensive licensed user training (2 days)

2 versions:1. Occupational (all ages)2. Young persons (age 11- 17)

MTQ48 with Young People and Adults – examples of programmes

National Careers Service Work with Offenders Mid Life Review

New Horizons

Reachfor Right Track

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Aims/Objectives

To better prepare offenders in custody for transition to Education Training and Employment upon release

To develop the online Employability Health Check tool for Virtual Campus

To enable offenders take increased ownership of their ETE Self Action Plan (SAP)

Meeting the Equality Duty: By maximising the impact of existing ETE services and increasing offender ownership of the SAP to improve equality in outcomes and opportunity for offenders leaving custody.

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Using MTQ48 to Measure and Develop Offender Resilience

The Offender Journey

Introducing the concept to Offenders

Providing feedback and action planning – data protection

Further coaching and support – the interface with relevant ‘preparation for work’ qualifications and materials

Continued support and effective referral

Relevance and impact – research and evidence

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MTQ48 provides a ‘hook’ for engaging the individual Offender

The project provides a personalised approach to continued progression

The project has proved effective in helping Offenders become more confident; giving them the self belief to raise and frame their vocational aspirations

Supported by coaching activities, as well as expert face to face information, advice and guidance

Links to secure recording systems to develop an holistic profile of the Offender and their journey (including qualifications, employment ideas and referral information).

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Benefits and outcomes

A Free Mid Career Review at Age 40+• Changing careers, looking for a fresh challenge, thinking about promotion, currently

unemployed or inactive, not sure what’s out there, want to learn new skills, need direction, up skill and gain qualifications, help with your next steps or to overcome barriers

The Mid Life Career Review seeks to:• Enable customers to follow up on ideas• Help to realise your aspirations• Enhance confidence and motivation• Empower customers to take control of your future• Delivery - 1 session per week over 4 weeks, providing quality and expert face-to face

support to help individuals make successful transitions. • Timings and venues are flexible according to customer need (twilight and evening

sessions are available).

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NAS Mid Life Review

Programme Overview

Delivered across Liverpool City Region (DWP Innovation Fund)

Working with 14 -24 year olds who are in care or leaving care, young offenders or have a learning difficulty/disability

Raising aspirations, attainment and improving behaviour and attendance

Developing individual resilience using MTQ48

Exposure to the world of work and ‘end to end’ programme including employment opportunities

2012/13 academic year

Worked with 1150 pupils in Key Stage 4

27% have had increase in attendance

42% have had increase in improved behaviour

285 pupils have achieved our OCN level 1 qualification in Skills for Further Learning and Employment – 80% pass rate to date.

20% of the Year 11 pupils we worked with achieved equivalent of five A* - C at GCSE against a 5% target and a further 65% achieved at least one Level against a target of 40%.

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Outcomes to date

What is Right Track?...

A 10 week project for Years 6, 9, 10 & 11 students… 1-2-1 support from a Right Track Adviser Group work activities Assessment of mental toughness and resilience Individual coaching to support development Support with behaviour, attendance and achievement Careers Information advice & guidance Action planning & goal setting

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The Right Track Programme

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The Right Track Programme What has Right Track achieved so far?...

74% of young people can see the benefit of school after being on RightTrack – an increase of 50% from the start of the programme

74% of young people who knew what they wanted to do after leavingschool – again an increase of 50% from the start of the programme

Evidence collected from teaching staff showed that 48% of participantsdemonstrated an improvement in class-work following a Right TrackIntervention

68% of those who had an attendance issue prior to Right Track showed anImprovement

51% who demonstrated low levels of mental toughness before the RightTrack programme showed an improvement after the programme

Mental Toughness Development

The Mental Toughness model is a fairly complete process

Understanding – the model provides a structure around which to assess an important requirement for performance and wellbeing

Diagnosis – the measure enables diagnosis, assessment and measurement at a useful level – the 4Cs

What are my issues? What are their implications? What will I seek to develop/improve? Where is it best to start?

Interventions – ability to direct interventions better and to select appropriate interventions –works with any intervention strategies.

Evaluation – the ability to measure change and to relate it to action.

Mental Toughness Development- Positive Thinking

affirmations,

think three positives,

turning negatives into positives,

self talk

thought stopping

looking at role models

what will I do tomorrow?

attitude ladder

The underlying principle - we are what we think.

Mental Toughness Development- Visualisation

guided imagery

pink elephant

change your environment

target practice

penalty shoot out

The underlying principle - We can imagine success or we

can imagine failure and we can learn from that.

Mental Toughness Development- Anxiety Control

controlled distraction

controlled breathing

muscular relaxation

ear tap

smiling and laughing

self hypnosis

sleep

anchoring

The underlying principle Psychological responses such as fear

& worry have a physiological consequence controlling those

physiological responses can help us to manage the mental

responses.

Mental Toughness Development- Goal Setting

smart goals

balancing goals

setting milestones

The underlying principle Give meaning and direction as

well as fuel and energy to achieve objectives & approach

new challenges.

Mental Toughness Development- Attention Control

minimising interruptions

concentration

stork stand

shut out distractions

The underlying principle Focus, sustained attention and concentration, enables us to work

better and for longerInterruptions and distractions

undermine that capability

Mental Toughness DevelopmentKogan Page

April 2012 Nov 2013 June 2014

Carrus – A Career Management Tool for the 21st Century

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Coming soon…

The measure assesses:4 areas of ability12 aspects of personality based behaviour

Abilities (What) Motivation & Drivers (Why)

NumericalVerbalSpatialMechanical

ConscientiousnessConcern for StandardsAmbitionContinuous ImprovementContinuous Personal Development

Skills in dealing with people (Who) Skills in dealing with problems (How)

Team – working & Self RelianceAltruismEmotional IntelligenceAssertiveness and Cooperativeness

Problem solvingCreativityOrganisation

Any questions?

Interest slips

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