Case study

Activity type:
Behavioural activity – case study

Learning goals:
Case – narrative- examples are useful for understanding the challenges in real life. Through this activity, participants will understand that in each case/client they have to search for their background before arriving at false conclusions and be aware of their cultural or other differences and try to see from their clients’ perspective.

Specificities:
The activity can be done individually, but it works better in groups.

Duration:
1 hour

Materials needed:
Scenarios & List of questions (pdf)

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Instructions

Please study any of the given case studies and try to analyze it and answer the following questions. It will be more effective if you could do this activity with a partner.

Scenario 1: Haldi from Syria the Asylum Seeker

Haldi needs to find a job in the host country to convince local authorities to grant him asylum. He had tried to get a job repeatedly but has failed so far, which is why he is becoming increasingly desperate. In Despina’s counselling session, he expresses anger, disappointment, and lack of trust towards employers who do not want to employ migrants in their businesses. He feels that everyone in the country is hostile and prejudiced against him as a migrant.

1. Do you know which are the social and cultural characteristics of Syrians?
2. How do you feel about people that are seeking asylum in your country?
3. Which theories and techniques will you use in order to gain the trust of Haldi?
4. Can you recognize the barriers that an asylum seeker faces in order to find a profession?
5. Do you know the legal framework for asylum seekers?
6. How do you deal with Haldi’s disappointment?
7. Do you have any connection with companies or enterprises that could hire a migrant?

Scenario 2: Tina a student with mobility impairments

Tina is a 16 years old student who suffers from arthritis and is moving using a wheelchair. She comes to the counsellor with her mother in order to assist her in making a career choice. Tina has a lot of ideas regarding her future career, but she believes that she can’t do any of them due to her disability and she’s afraid that she will always be under the protection of her parents.

1. Which are the characteristics (social, emotional, etc) of a person with mobile disabilities?
2. Do you know the legal framework for the education and employment of people with disabilities in your country?
3. Do you know any education and employment agencies for people with mobility disabilities in your country?
4. Do you know of any program (national, European) for the promotion of employment for the disabled?
5. What professional development theories could you apply in Tina’s case?

Questions for reflection:

• What did you learn from this activity?
• Was it easy to find the answers to the provided questions?
• What sources can be useful in acquiring the responses you need?