Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Guiding Circles?

Guiding Circles is a career pathing approach that combines innovative & contemporary career coaching strategies with an Aboriginal perspective. The program consists of workbooks and optional facilitator training workshops.

Guiding Circles Booklet 1: Understanding Yourself, helps you assist your clients to complete a positive and complete self-assessment.

Guiding Circles Booklet 2: Finding New Possibilities, helps your clients take their journey further to explore career options and make decisions about their career path.

It is not mandatory for practitioners to complete the training program prior to using the workbooks, but it is highly recommended.

How is Guiding Circles unique from other career awareness programs?

Guiding Circles uses innovative strategies such as story telling in the self-assessment approach to help your clients make positive self-reflections to discover how their talents and personal attributes will help them in school and the workplace.

The program involves the community in the assessment and career decision making process. Through the eyes of the people your client trusts, they will gain added insight into their gifts, goals and personal attributes to help them identify or accelerate their journey toward a rewarding career. The community members may also help to identify challenges and areas of support.

Guiding Circles provides a unique perspective on the essence of career and life decision making elements. Often individuals make career choices based on duties, level of pay, a career/training path, travel, or location to determine if their skills and interests match the career they are researching. Guiding Circles help your clients identify these elements but also broadens the approach through the use of a ‘Career Circle’ that incorporates personal style/spirit, life balance, values and work and life roles (i.e., how does my family or community role fit with my career option?).

Can I use Guiding Circles with my current programs?

Yes. Guiding Circles is a stand-alone program with the flexibility to be incorporated into many other programs or situations. To meet the needs of your clients, you can customize the length of the program, or the order and format of delivery (i.e., classroom, one-on-one, small groups). Most activities can be facilitated within 30 – 45 minutes.

Is there a cost for the program?

Workbook: $6.00 + GST per book
Facilitator Training Workshop:
Non profit includes: education/governments/AHRDA or LDM and other not for profit employment type agencies
Fee: $ 595 for the two day workshop and includes a value of $60 of books

Company and other organizations : private sector & other for profit agencies
Fee: $895 for the two day workshop and also includes a value of $60 of books

Proceeds from book sales and workshops help the council offset the cost to administer the program. Funds are reinvested into the program for future initiatives in the area of Aboriginal career development.

What is the facilitator’s training program?

Through our two-day facilitator’s training workshop you can learn how to deliver the activities in the workbook and become more aware of the program’s foundational theories. The workshops combines short lecture with individual and interactive group work sessions. Participants will receive a ‘certificate of completion’, a set of workbooks and access to online coaching material.

Where and when can I attend training?

Guiding Circles workshops are delivered in various locations across Canada. There are two ways to participate…

1. Organizations can host a workshop at a convenient date and location any where in Canada for their staff and associates. A minimum of 16 participants at $525 for non-profit and $895 for company per person is required.
2. Individuals are welcome to register for workshops posted on our website. Workshops are considered tentative until 16 participants are confirmed by registration deadline.

Can I copy portions of the workbook for my clients or students?

Photocopying or replication of the workbooks or online materials is prohibited by copyright law. Practitioners tell us they get better engagement with their clients when individuals are presented with their personal colored workbook, as it sends a message that you are willing to invest in them.

How can I or my company support Guiding Circles if I do not work with clients directly?

Guiding Circles helps stimulate the supply side of the Aboriginal workforce. Workshops are delivered on a cost-recovery basis and the proceeds from book sales help to offset the council’s cost to administer and reinvest in the development of the program.

To support the program:

• Sponsor a training workshop for your community teachers or employment centres.
• Purchase books for your community groups or school.
• Sponsor expanded research and development of the Guiding Circles program.
• Recommend Guiding Circles as a component to be integrated into a summer camp, community service, or other personal development program for youth and adults
• Sponsor a workshop for your community career practitioner network so they may be introduced to the program.
• Recommend Guiding Circles to your colleagues.
• Sponsor the purchase of books or a workshop for a community, school or program.

How can I get more information?

p: 306.956.5360 (local Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
tf: 1.866.711.5091
contact.us@aboriginalhr.ca