NICEC Network Meeting: Inclusive Practice

NICEC Network Meeting – 22nd May 2025 2pm to 4.30pm BST 

Inclusive Practice - Supporting and empowering clients with additional learning needs

This NICEC network meeting on inclusive practice investigated:

• The skills and approaches that build the capacity of career guidance professionals.

• The importance of advocacy, networking and empowerment.
  
• Pressures faced by practitioners, and how reflective practice and supervision and support strengthens practice.
  
• The role that employers can play in supporting transition.

Fellow Martin Edmonson chaired this Network meeting and was joined by Will Donald exploring how to foster an inclusive and sustainable career eco-system. Will was able to cover Dr Elizabeth Cook’s perspective and lived experience – It just takes one opportunity – as sadly Elizabeth was unwell. Vicky O’Connor shared the comprehensive and progressive support put in place with partners at the Westminster School in Sandwell, and Claire Toogood presented research by AGCAS into the disability employment gap in 2021-22, including the issue of intersectional disadvantage. Jules Benton, Chief
Executive from Cosmic Cactus explored strategies for inclusive practice in career counselling and approaches to build into our tool-kit.

The session concluded with an opportunity for colleagues to share their main take aways from the speakers and what we can learn from each other. 

This session acknowledged that there are considerable challenges still to address to embed inclusive practice, including the value of a mandatory module on inclusive design and delivery of services as part of the training of careers practitioners.