This paper describes a model of a community career service designed to cater for the career development needs of citizens in a suburban area of Melbourne, Victoria. The paper argues the merits of a comprehensive career planning approach to community career services. This approach is considered appropriate in the context of changing education, employment and work structures in Australia.
Australia, like other industrially developed countries, is undergoing changes in the nature of its employment structures. Since 1976, unemployment has risen steadily [1]. The composition of the work force is also changing, with more women working, segments of the population such as youth and ethnic minorities disproportionately under-represented in the work force and forced early retirement becoming increasingly common [2,3].
RESPONSES TO UNEMPLOYMENT
The response of government and community to this situation has been to increase or extend existing services. More government and self-help employment agencies have been opened and special personnel appointed to cater for disadvantaged groups. Vocational psychologist services to cater for clients with serious employability problems have been increased. Community youth support schemes help unemployed young people maintain a work orientation by providing them with activity centres. Career information centres have been increased as have career services in educational institutions. Career education programs in secondary schools now operate in most states [4]. Recent reports [5] suggest however that other measures are needed as well. Whilst services provided are fulfilling useful functions, they are based on assumptions, that as employment structures change, no longer apply. For example, preparation of individuals with strategies to apply for work are of limited value if the number of vacancies continues to decrease. Nor is it easy