Kamilla Bargiel-Matusiewicz, Jacek Matusiewicz, Agnieszka Wilczyńska-Kwiatek The influence of vocational guidance upon the unemployed persons’ selfesteem High level of unemployment in Poland brings about various social consequences. In the hereby article psychological aspects of the unemployed persons’ functioning are presented and the most significant of them is self esteem as one of the key indicators of effectiveness of looking for a job. Impact of vocational guidance upon the unemployed persons’ self esteem has been analysed. The presented results confirm existence of the assumed changes in the unemployed persons’ self esteem. We may conclude that participating in the project Promotion of Employment/Human Resource Development contributes to an increase of self esteem. The persons taking part in the project become more aware of their strengths. Their grounded self esteem makes them more independent from other peoples’ opinions and makes it easier to cope with difficult situations. It enables them to plan development on the basis of full awareness of their skills. The feeling of their own value also eases starting correct, satisfactory human relations, what is connected with an ability to be assertive and to constructively express one’s emotions. Participation in the project PHARE 2001 may then make it easier to overcome a crisis, which is connected with a loss of job situation. The help that is given to the unemployed persons may contribute to a revaluation of that difficult situation and to perceiving it not only as a crisis but also as a chance for development. The situation enforces one to make an effort aiming at broadening one’s knowledge and skills.. It helps discovering and using internal resources being at an individual’s disposal. In a longer perspective we may thus talk about multidimensional changes in perceiving oneself. Key words:  vocational guidance, unemoloyed persons, selfesteem

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