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When I Grow Up: Supporting Children’s Aspirations

4 Weeks

$ 49

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Brief Introduction

What did you aspire to be when you were young? What do kids in your family or community want to be when they grow up? In this course you'll find out how children and young people answer this question, and what you can do to help support their aspirations.

Description

This course provides an enriched understanding of what you can do as a parent, carer, or community member to support and nurture the educational and career aspirations of young people.

Underpinned by an extensive program of educational research conducted by leading experts, we delve into the crucial, decision-making period when young people's ideas about their post-school futures form and become entrenched.

Across the four weeks, we'll look at why aspirations are important, explore trends in children's aspirations for different educational and career pathways, break down key factors that influence aspirations, and consider the powerful role of everyday conversations and experiences in shaping the way young people imagine their futuresand engage in decision-making.

You will gain confidence in understanding and actively supporting and equipping young people, in terms of both your knowledge of post-school pathways and practical tools to help them navigate toward desired pathways.

Knowledge

The difference between aspirations and expectations
Key terminology for talking about aspirations
The educational and occupational aspirations of more than 12,000 students across primary and secondary school
Perceptions of higher education and vocational education held by young people
The way aspirations are shaped by factors such as academic achievement, socio-economic status, Indigeneity, gender, rurality, and first-in-family status
The role of parents, families, schools, and communities in the complex period of aspiration formation
Practical tools to help you nurture and support the aspirations of young people