Facing the Future: Barriers Facing the Future: Barriers and Resources in Work and and Resources in Work and

Family Plans of At-Risk Family Plans of At-Risk Israeli YouthIsraeli Youth

Rachel Gali Cinamon Rachel Gali Cinamon

and Iris Hason and Iris Hason

Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv University

RationaleRationale::

WorkWork and and familyfamily both comprise important both comprise important domains for many Western adults. domains for many Western adults.

Career plans of Western adolescents Career plans of Western adolescents manifest active participation in both work manifest active participation in both work and family roles (Peake & Harris, 2002). and family roles (Peake & Harris, 2002).

Career models’ previous validation solely Career models’ previous validation solely on Western middle-class individuals on Western middle-class individuals (Blustien, 2001) raises questions regarding (Blustien, 2001) raises questions regarding these models’ applicability for adolescents these models’ applicability for adolescents who grow up in multiproblem families in an who grow up in multiproblem families in an at-risk environment. at-risk environment.

Role salienceRole salience plays a major role in the plays a major role in the career plans of adolescents and young career plans of adolescents and young adults (Niles & Goodnough, 1996). adults (Niles & Goodnough, 1996).

Personal meaningPersonal meaning of the work role of the work role varies in different social classes (Chaves varies in different social classes (Chaves et al., 2004).et al., 2004).

Simultaneous examinationSimultaneous examination of work and of work and family roles’ salience leads to a more family roles’ salience leads to a more precise understanding of career plans. precise understanding of career plans.

Mutual work and family relations include Mutual work and family relations include conflictingconflicting and and facilitatingfacilitating aspects aspects (Wayne, Musisca & Fleeson, 2004). (Wayne, Musisca & Fleeson, 2004).

AnticipatingAnticipating certain relations between certain relations between work and family roles can affect career work and family roles can affect career plans. plans.

Family modelsFamily models may influence anticipated may influence anticipated conflict between work and family conflict between work and family (Cinamon, 2005). (Cinamon, 2005).

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) can (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) can enhance understanding of at-risk enhance understanding of at-risk adolescents’ expected adolescents’ expected barriersbarriers and and resourcesresources. .

A paucity of literature exists on specific, A paucity of literature exists on specific, significant significant contextual factorscontextual factors that at-risk that at-risk adolescents perceive as crucial to their adolescents perceive as crucial to their development. development.

Goals of the studyGoals of the study::

The current study will investigate The current study will investigate the work and family plans of at-the work and family plans of at-risk Israeli adolescents who live in risk Israeli adolescents who live in child residences, in terms of role child residences, in terms of role salience and meaning, salience and meaning, perceptions of the relations perceptions of the relations between work and family, and between work and family, and anticipated barriers and anticipated barriers and resources.resources.

ParticipantsParticipants Fifteen Israeli Jewish at-risk youths included 8 Fifteen Israeli Jewish at-risk youths included 8

females and 7 males, ranging in age fromfemales and 7 males, ranging in age from 16-19 years (16-19 years (MM=17.8; =17.8; SD=SD=1.8).1.8). All were bornAll were born to dysfunctional families – exposed to poverty, to dysfunctional families – exposed to poverty,

crime, drugs, prostitution, and so forth. crime, drugs, prostitution, and so forth. Five were born in the former USSR; 1 participant Five were born in the former USSR; 1 participant

was from an Ethiopian family; 1was from an Ethiopian family; 1 was the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Bedouin was the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Bedouin

father; and the remaining 8 were native Israelis.father; and the remaining 8 were native Israelis. They were all removed from their homes at least 7 They were all removed from their homes at least 7

years earlier and were placed in a special child years earlier and were placed in a special child residential center for at-risk children. residential center for at-risk children.

InterviewInterview

In-depth semi-structured interview In-depth semi-structured interview based on projective stimulusbased on projective stimulus: Participants : Participants were asked to describe the future 10 years of were asked to describe the future 10 years of a residential center “graduate” and then a residential center “graduate” and then were asked where they themselves fit in to were asked where they themselves fit in to this story.this story.

Leading questionsLeading questions: 1. Tell me about your : 1. Tell me about your career and family plans. 2. What do you career and family plans. 2. What do you expect will help you achieve these goals and expect will help you achieve these goals and what will prevent you from achieving them? what will prevent you from achieving them? 3. How do you plan to combine these roles? 3. How do you plan to combine these roles?

ProcedureProcedure

Approval from social service Approval from social service authorities authorities

Snowball sampleSnowball sample Voluntary participationVoluntary participation 90 to 120 minute duration 90 to 120 minute duration DebriefingDebriefing Interviews audiotaped and then Interviews audiotaped and then

transcribed by the interviewer transcribed by the interviewer

Research teamResearch team

The interviewerThe interviewer: Female : Female school school counselor who worked as a counselor who worked as a supervisor in a child residential supervisor in a child residential center. center.

Analysis teamAnalysis team: Three members : Three members (one male and two females) who (one male and two females) who all work with at-risk populations. all work with at-risk populations.

AuditorAuditor: Female researcher in the : Female researcher in the field of career development. field of career development.

ResultsResults

All the stories about the future revealed All the stories about the future revealed (a) the “normal” Israeli sequence and (a) the “normal” Israeli sequence and (b) positive, even cheerful (b) positive, even cheerful narratives/themes. narratives/themes.

The consensual qualitative research The consensual qualitative research (CQR) method of analysis (Hill, (CQR) method of analysis (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997) identified Thompson, & Williams, 1997) identified five domains and 19 categories. five domains and 19 categories.

Domain I: Work DomainDomain I: Work Domain

“ “She’ll have a good job, something that’ll She’ll have a good job, something that’ll make her want to get out of bed in the make her want to get out of bed in the morning... Of course this job will bring her morning... Of course this job will bring her money, why do we go to work? For money, money, why do we go to work? For money, but it’s also very important to enjoy it. She but it’s also very important to enjoy it. She won’t stay if she feels bad, or if they don’t won’t stay if she feels bad, or if they don’t treat her nicely… It’s important to teach treat her nicely… It’s important to teach her children that mother and father both her children that mother and father both work, to teach them how to live.” (GALI-work, to teach them how to live.” (GALI-WHO??)WHO??)

““This whole interview is a little bit This whole interview is a little bit strange. These aren’t things that strange. These aren’t things that you usually think about. I don’t you usually think about. I don’t know what occupation I will have. know what occupation I will have. Probably someone will come and Probably someone will come and say to me: Do you want to work in say to me: Do you want to work in the USA and earn a lot of money?” the USA and earn a lot of money?” (Lior)(Lior)

Domain II: Family roleDomain II: Family role

““She has learned from her own experience. She has learned from her own experience. She will never treat her children the way her She will never treat her children the way her parents treat or treated her. Her children will parents treat or treated her. Her children will live well. She will never leave them. They will live well. She will never leave them. They will have hot meals and she will serve them have hot meals and she will serve them herself. She will be there for them. Not like her herself. She will be there for them. Not like her parents.” (Daniela) parents.” (Daniela)

“…“…and the girl will not leave or betray him. He and the girl will not leave or betray him. He is expecting to have a good life, not a shitty is expecting to have a good life, not a shitty life. What does a man expect from a woman? life. What does a man expect from a woman? Loyalty! Loyalty and not betrayal. If there is no Loyalty! Loyalty and not betrayal. If there is no trust – the relationship is worthless.” (Lior) trust – the relationship is worthless.” (Lior)

Domain III: Work-Family Domain III: Work-Family RelationsRelations

““First they need money, and then a family. First they need money, and then a family. Without money you can’t live. Money talks. If Without money you can’t live. Money talks. If you have money – you can have family. No you have money – you can have family. No money no family. No money – wait . … he money no family. No money – wait . … he comes from work and takes the kids and comes from work and takes the kids and spends some time with them.” (Ro’ee) spends some time with them.” (Ro’ee)

““After she has a baby, she stays at home After she has a baby, she stays at home with her. He finds a job and he is very happy with her. He finds a job and he is very happy with his work. And they are happy. When the with his work. And they are happy. When the baby grows up, she can go work out of the baby grows up, she can go work out of the home. She will help her husband. It isn’t fair home. She will help her husband. It isn’t fair that only he will work, but she never neglects that only he will work, but she never neglects her children. (Liat) her children. (Liat)

Domain IV: BarriersDomain IV: Barriers

“… “… It depends on me. On whether I will want It depends on me. On whether I will want to continue enough, and not like now. To to continue enough, and not like now. To believe in myself more. It’s like, you know, believe in myself more. It’s like, you know, after I did a show, people came up to me after I did a show, people came up to me and told me: “You can do it, you can do it and told me: “You can do it, you can do it easily,” but I don’t believe in myself enough. easily,” but I don’t believe in myself enough. I tell myself: “I won’t make it. I have no I tell myself: “I won’t make it. I have no chance of succeeding.” That’s because I’m chance of succeeding.” That’s because I’m afraid of failure. I am afraid that I will make a afraid of failure. I am afraid that I will make a mistake and it will destroy everything. This mistake and it will destroy everything. This way, I don’t have to try too hard.” (Itamar)way, I don’t have to try too hard.” (Itamar)

““If anybody will stop me, it’ll be my If anybody will stop me, it’ll be my family. They will tell me ‘Come live with family. They will tell me ‘Come live with us and give us your money.’ My family us and give us your money.’ My family could do that, and I have to think about could do that, and I have to think about that…”(Dana) that…”(Dana)

““... It is very difficult for me to study. It’s ... It is very difficult for me to study. It’s not easy for me. I don’t want to learn… I not easy for me. I don’t want to learn… I can’t concentrate on studying… It’s like I can’t concentrate on studying… It’s like I understand but I’m afraid to bring out understand but I’m afraid to bring out what I understand.… So the furthest she what I understand.… So the furthest she can get is to the final high school exams. can get is to the final high school exams. But she did not pass them all, and she But she did not pass them all, and she has to do it over several times, and she has to do it over several times, and she tries again and again, but it’s difficult.”tries again and again, but it’s difficult.”

Domain V: ResourcesDomain V: Resources

““Chances are that he will have good life, that he will Chances are that he will have good life, that he will keep working. And he will have family as his keep working. And he will have family as his motivation, as his willingness to continue, if he insists motivation, as his willingness to continue, if he insists on going to work, even if it’s difficult, and doesn’t on going to work, even if it’s difficult, and doesn’t give up. It depends only on him.” (Yossi) give up. It depends only on him.” (Yossi)

““Sarit will serve in the Army, and there she will have Sarit will serve in the Army, and there she will have good and bad experiences. But she will overcome good and bad experiences. But she will overcome [them]. She knows how to deal with difficult periods. [them]. She knows how to deal with difficult periods. She had many like these. She will get an interesting She had many like these. She will get an interesting job and learn a lot from this job. She will meet new job and learn a lot from this job. She will meet new people, visit many new places, and all these people people, visit many new places, and all these people will help her in the future.” (Liat) will help her in the future.” (Liat)

DiscussionDiscussion

At-risk Israeli youths perceive the At-risk Israeli youths perceive the aim of the work domain as serving aim of the work domain as serving the family domain, and perceive the family domain, and perceive the two together as a sign of the two together as a sign of success. success.

Value of simultaneous examination Value of simultaneous examination of the work and family domains. of the work and family domains.

Implications for practice. Implications for practice.