Competency Series: 24 - Policy and Advocacy

Engage in policy development and advocacy to further the interest of clients and the field of practice

24.1 – Contribute to the Development of Public Policy

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) participate in the development of public policies to guide decisions and achieve better outcomes for their clients. Policy development is an iterative process that involves collaboration with stakeholders and influencers.CDPs have a unique position in the community, working with and for multiple stakeholders. CDPs are aware of the impact of changing economic, social, and political factors on access to employment, education and social services. Matters such as poverty and unemployment, community capacity building, changing work patterns, increased scrutiny on measuring impacts of programs used, and much more are all informed by public policy and programs that CDPs may be able to influence.

24.2 – Develop Advocacy Strategies

Career Development Professional (CDPs) advocate for policy-based solutions to achieve economic development and social progress.

24.3 – Advocate on Behalf of Profession

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) advocate on behalf of the profession to advance the field of practice.

24.4 – Build Public Awareness of Career Development Professionals

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) participate in raising public awareness of the role CDPs play in helping individuals navigate learning and employment transitions across their lifespan. CDPs create collaboration opportunities to promote positive health, social and economic outcomes. Building public awareness helps increase the profile of CDPs in the community and better conveys the importance of the essential services provided.

Professional Practice

1 - Professional Responsibility

1.1 – Deliver Services Within Scope of Practice

1.2 – Maintain Professional Boundaries

1.3 – Obtain Informed Consent

1.4 – Protect Information and Records

1.5 – Represent Career Development Qualifications

2 - Ethics and Regulations

2.1 – Comply with Legislation and Regulations

2.2 – Follow Ethical Decision-Making Process

3 - Client-Practitioner Relationship

3.1 – Establish and Sustain Working Alliance

3.2 – Build Self-Agency

3.3 – Help Clients Address and Prevent Conflict

3.4 – Engage Reluctant or Resistant Clients

3.5 – Manage Abusive Client Behaviour

3.6 – Help Clients Manage Mental Health

4 - Diversity and Inclusion

4.1 – Respect Diversity and Inclusion

4.2 – Promote Diversity and Inclusion

4.3 – Advocate for Client

5 - Evidence-Based Practice

5.1 – Develop Evidence-Based Interventions

5.2 – Monitor Client Progress

5.3 – Maintain Client Records

6 - Professional Development

6.1 – Develop and Maintain Professional Relationships

6.2 – Engage in Lifelong Learning

6.3 – Collaborate with Peers

7 - Health and Wellness

7.1 – Manage Emotional Responses

7.2 – Interact with Others in Respectful and Civil Manner

7.3 – Plan and Organize Work

7.4 – Maintain Health and Wellness

8 - Communication

8.1 –Use Active Listening Skills

8.2 – Communicate Verbally

8.3 – Communicate Non-verbally

8.4 – Communicate in Writing

8.5 – Conduct Meetings

8.6 – Deliver Presentations

9 - Digital Literacy

9.1 – Use Digital Technology

9.2 – Respond to Cybersecurity Breaches

CDP Characteristic

10 - Foundational Knowledge and Applied Theories

10.1 – Understand Career Development Theories and Models

10.2 – Apply Career Development Theories and Models

11 - Service Delivery Process

11.1 – Conduct Intake Interview

11.2 – Conduct Employability Assessment

11.3 – Help Client Develop Goals and Action Plans

11.4 – Select and Monitor Interventions

11.5 – Help Client Build Support Network

11.6 – Manage Caseload

12 - Learning and Job Readiness

12.1 – Explore Learning and Employment Possibilities

12.2 – Develop Learning and Employment Possibilities

12.3 – Develop Learning and Job Readiness Skills

13 - Awareness of Diverse Worldviews

13.1 – Work with Indigenous Clients

13.2 – Work with Immigrant Clients

13.3 – Work with LGBTQ2+ Clients

13.4 – Work with Youth at Risk

13.5 – Work with Clients Affected by Work Disruption

13.6 – Work with Clients Living in Poverty

13.7 – Work with Clients Post-incarceration

13.8 – Work with Clients Living with a Disability

14 - Career Resources

14.1 – Maintain and Deliver Career Resources

14.2 – Maintain Current Knowledge of Labour Market

14.3 – Use Assessment Tools and Approaches

14.4 – Deliver Services Using Technology

15 - Client Work Search Strategies

15.1 – Work with Clients to Develop Résumés

15.2 – Work with Clients to Write Communications

15.3 – Work with Clients to Assemble Portfolios

15.4 – Work with Clients to Develop Value Proposition

15.5 – Work with Clients to Develop References

15.6 – Work with Clients to Prepare for Employment Interviews

15.7 – Work with Clients to Build a Professional Network

16 - Referrals to Professional Services

16.1 – Maintain Network of Referral Services

16.2 – Arrange Professional Referrals

CDP Extended

17 - Development and Delivery of Group Sessions

17.1 – Design Information Sessions or Workshops

17.2 – Deliver Information Sessions or Workshops

18 - Research

18.1 – Lead Research Projects

18.2 – Conduct Research

18.3 – Perform Data Analysis and Reporting

19 - Assessment and Evaluation Instruments and Procedures

19.1 – Identify Assessment and Evaluation Methods

19.2 – Follow Administration Procedures Specified by Test Publisher

19.3 – Score, Interpret and Protect Confidentiality of Test Results

19.4 – Report Assessment Results

19.5 – Use Technology in Assessment and Evaluation

20 - Career Guidance in Educational System

20.1 – Promote Benefits of Career Development in Educational Settings

20.2 – Mobilize Career Influencers

20.3 – Integrate Career Development Across Curriculum

20.4 – Facilitate Experiential Learning Opportunities

20.5 – Design and Implement Career Program(s)

21 - Career Management

21.1 – Optimize Workforce Development

21.2 – Support Employee Mobility within the Organization

Outreach and Leadership

22 - Employer Outreach and Relations

22.1 – Work with Employers to Create Job Opportunities

22.2 – Support Employers in Development of Recruitment and Selection Strategies

22.3 – Support Employers and Employees in Development of Job Maintenance Strategy

23 - Community Capacity Building

23.1 – Assess Labour Market Needs

23.2 – Develop Labour Market Action Plan

23.3 – Implement Labour Market Action Plan

23.4 – Evaluate Labour Market Action Plan

24 - Policy and Advocacy

24.1 – Contribute to the Development of Public Policy

24.2 – Develop Advocacy Strategies

24.3 – Advocate on Behalf of Profession

24.4 – Build Public Awareness of Career Development Professionals

25 - Strategic Delivery of Career Development Services

25.1 – Build Strategic Plan

25.2 – Build Strategic Partnerships

25.3 – Develop Performance Monitoring System

25.4 – Prepare Performance Reports

25.5 – Manage Risk

26 - Career Development Leadership

26.1 – Mentor Others

26.2 – Lead Change

Career Development Professional Centre

Code of Conduct

Help us cultivate a Centre we all enjoy by reviewing and following the Code of Conduct.

Our Purpose

Thank you for being a part of the Career Development Professional Centre. To ensure that all members have the best possible experience, we have a few ground rules that we ask everyone to adhere to. This code of conduct applies equally to every person in the community and is intended to foster an online space that is inclusive, safe, and welcoming to all.

Centre Rules

Be welcoming

We strive to be a place that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds and identities. We aim to be a place that promotes excellence and innovation in career and workforce development. Please extend respect to all members; we all come from different backgrounds and levels of knowledge and there is no such thing as a stupid question.

Be respectful

We won’t all agree all the time, but when we disagree don’t let those disagreements turn into personal attacks. A place where people feel uncomfortable or threatened will not be a productive one. When having discussions in the online community, commenting on a library article, or participating in other Centre activities, strive for productive conversations around the content being presented, not the person behind the content. Any comments determined to be “hate speech” towards any individual or group will be deleted, and the user account may be locked until an investigation regarding the comment has been concluded. The user may be given a written warning or removed from the CPDC platform depending on the findings of the investigation.

Hate Speech could include and is not limited to:

Violent threats or language directed against another person
Discriminatory jokes, language, or materials
Defamatory or abusive language or materials
Profane or illegal materials
Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior

A good rule of thumb is to never say anything that you wouldn’t be comfortable with the world seeing or that you wouldn’t want anyone knowing came from you. We ask that you keep in mind the focus of this place, which is building excellence and innovation in career and workforce development for all individuals.

Be considerate of the purpose of the Centre

The Centre focuses on building excellence and discussing innovation in the career and workforce development field. The goal of the social learning community is to communicate goals, challenges, constructive feedback, and questions in relation to career and workforce development. The Centre should be a place for continued learning and development as well as a place to discuss the future of our field (solicitation without written consent by the Project or Advisory team, is strictly prohibited). Any post or comment that is determined to be soliciting any individual or group will be deleted, and the user account may be locked until an investigation regarding the post has been concluded. The user may be given a written warning or removed from the CPDC platform depending on the findings of the investigation.

Post your discussions or documents in the most appropriate group or topic

Especially within the social learning community, make reasonable efforts to ensure that posts and materials are allocated to the appropriate group or topic. This will prevent cluttering the feed and make it easier for everyone to find the information that they are seeking. Individuals who do this repeatedly will be contacted by one of the group admins and asked to follow these guidelines.

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Thank you and welcome to the CDPC