Kamilla Bargiel-Matusiewicz, Jacek Matusiewicz, Agnieszka Wilczyńska-Kwiatek The influence of vocational guidance upon the unemployed persons’ self esteem 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 efficiency of looking for a job. Impact of vocational guidance upon the unemployed persons’ self esteem has been analysed. At first we need to look at the main psychological aspects of the unemployed persons’ situation. Research shows clearly that loss of a job is a danger for a person’s well-being [4,5,9,11]. It results in many emotional problems: mood reduction, pessimism, feeling of hopelessness. Obviously perception of this situation depends upon many individual factors, however, one can observe some general rules. We can often hear that the unemployed persons experience: fear, being afraid of future, shame [1,3,12]. Very often an attention is paid at changes in the unemployed person one’s own picture and identity. Loss of a job results in reduction of self esteem and is a danger for perceiving one’s own value [8,12]. Now we shall pay more attention at self esteem as a variable subject to analysis in the hereby work. Self esteem is a set of information that an individual has in relation to him or her-self. The information about self constitutes a special place in an individual’s cognitive system. People have broad knowledge about themselves, their own abilities, aspirations, intelligence and looks. Since the term knowledge is connected with something objective, precise, some psychologists use the terms: believes about self or schemes about self, in order to emphasise their subjective character. Within the particular theories connected with a structure of Self one can distinguish its various aspects. An attempt of categorizing the issue has been made by Higgins [7]. The main areas of the structure of Self, subject to evaluation are: 1.     The real Self – a set of features that an individual believes to possess 2.     The ideal Self – a set of attributes that an individual wishes to possess 3.     The duty Self – features that according to an individual she or he should possess In case of the unemployed persons we can observe a growing divergence between the real Self and the ideal and duty ones. The difference between expectations in relation to self and the real picture that is connected with being unemployed may result in frustration, lack of satisfaction with life as well as with hostile attitude. Markus [10] assumes that apart from the mentioned notion of Self, consisting of an individual’s believes about what she or he is now, a person also possesses cognitive representations of potential, possible states of Self. They are connected both with past – what one should have been once and with future. Images about future states of what we can be, what we can encounter may have a character of realistic expectations or just dreams or ungrounded fears. Visions of our future Self inflict strong influence upon our activities. That is why the unemployed persons’ expectations as to the chances of getting a job gain special significance. Feeling of one’s little value, pessimism, hopelessness adversely affect efficiency of searching for a job. The reduced self esteem helps resignation attitude and decreases frequency of attempts to find a job. And even if the attempts are made, it negatively influences an ability to present one’s own qualifications, skills and knowledge. Images of our Self play an important role, they ease mobilizing one’s resources in a situation of fighting the problems. Researchers usually claim that feeling of one’s own value is significant for an individual’s general functioning. High self esteem generates positive emotions, lets oneself feel a valuable member of a society, helps meeting challenges. The persons who are characterized by low self esteem usually fail to be successful, despite having suitable abilities. Very often they generalize their failures and attribute them to all aspects of their functioning and their methods of coping in difficult situations are not very constructive [1,2,14,15]. We can thus assume that one’s image of self is a structure that influences an individual’s position in a social world and forms a shape of a person’s interactions with other people. Loss of a job results in disturbances in the insofar existing system of relations and consequently changes one’s own picture. The reduced self esteem lowers an individual’s expectations as to possibilities of being employed again. It worsens the unemployed persons’ adaptation skills and deprives of faith in one’s own abilities thus decreasing chances of finding a job. Then, negative assumptions and believes concerning oneself are confirmed [8,13]. We can thus observe a self fulfilling prophecy phenomenon. The aim of actions taken in relation to the unemployed persons should then be an improvement of their self esteem, that – if combined with giving them additional professional qualifications (vocational courses and trainings) – will let them improve efficiency in acting on the labour market. Material The presented vocational guidance programme is an element of the Phare 2001 project – Promotion of Employment/ Human Resource Development. It is addressed to the unemployed persons registered in the District Labour Offices. It consists of four stages that are briefly described below: Stage 1. Individual interview The aim of an individual meeting is to form an initial appraisal of an individual’s psychosocial functioning, vocational preferences and a level of motivation to participate in the Phare 2001 project. Stage 2. The group evaluation workshop The aim of this stage is to make it possible for the project participants to learn about their own style of functioning in a group. During the courses led by the vocational assistant the unemployed persons analyse the spheres of life which their insofar existing successes or failures are connected with. They wonder how to use their strengths in future and how to prevent failures. They construct psychological selfportrait on whose basis thet try to plan their future development. In addition, many group exercises enable them to increase a feeling of their own value, to form an ability to initiate correct human relations as well as to decrease a level of social fear. Stage 3. Thematic course On the basis of the results of the first two stages the project participants are sent to the thematic course suitable for their abilities and preferences. Wide offer of courses includes many vocational courses enabling them to get new qualifications and practical trainings, eg computer ones. Stage 4. Individual guidance The next stage is connected with motivating the unemployed persons to search for a job on the basis of the also newly acquainted professional, interpersonal and intrapsychic qualifications. Vocational assistant’s support lets them consolidate positive believes as to themselves, puts these believes on the practical level of actions by using constructive ways of selfpresentation and coping with stress. The project participants are qualified on the basis of application forms, available eg. at Phare 2001 project offices and also at the District Labour Offices. The project’s following editions have been implemented since 2001. In the hereby work, results gained by 428 persons have been analysed. Method    For the appraisal of the effects of the project on the psychological level the Self Esteem Questionnaire has been used. The Questioonnaire, prepared by the team led by I. Heszen-Niejodek [6] enables us to assess a questioned person’s self esteem in five categories: physical, intellectual and emotional proprieties, interpersonal skills and proprieties characterizing an individual’s activities. The person being questioned makes an evaluation on the basis of the seven-point scale following each position. The total result is a global self esteem indicator according to the principle: the bigger number of points the higher self esteem. Reliability of the scale expressed by Cronbach α coefficient amounts to 0.87. Results Comparisons of average results acquired in the above described questionnaire been made before starting the vocational guidance project and after its completion. The test for two averages has been used in this aspect. The following table shows the acquired results: Table I. Average results acquired in the Self Esteem Questionnaires. Using the test for two averages (left sided critical area)  The questionnaires used Average results acquired before and after realization of the project U statistics Level of significance Uα The Self Estrem Questionnaire X1= 74                 X2=86 -3,19 0,01 -2,33 The value of U statistics is lower than Uα value. Thus we may reject zero hypothesis concerning lack of significance of differences between the average results acquired before and after realization of the vocational guidance project. The results show the project’s positive influence upon the participating unemployed persons’ self esteem. Discussion 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 for them 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. We may thus talk about multilevel significance of self esteem for the unemployed persons’ functioning. Undoubtedly its degree influences efficiency of actions aimed at finding a job and also quality of psycho social functioning. 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. Conclusions 1.     Loss of a job results in disturbances in the insofar existing system of relations and negatively influences self esteem. The reduced self esteem lowers an individual’s expectations as to possibilities of being employed again. Consequently, it worsens the unemployed persons’ adaptation and decreases chances of finding a job. 2.     The reduced self esteem helps resignation attitude and decreases a frequency of making attempts to find a job. And even if such attempts are made, it adversely affects an ability to present one’s skills and knowledge. 3.     The unemployed persons taking part in the project Promotion of Employment/ Human Resource Development become more aware of their strengths. The grounded self esteem makes them more independent from other people’s opinions, makes it easier for them to cope with difficult situations. It also enables them to plan vocational development on the basis of being fully aware of their skills. 4.     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. 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To cite this article: Bargiel-Matusiewicz K., Matusiewicz J., Wilczyńska-Kwiatek A., The influence of vocational guidance upon the unemployed persons' self-esteem [in:] Niebrój L., Kosińska M., Unemployment and Health Care, Katowice: Wyd. SAM 2004, p. 73-77