The aim of this workshop is both to present the conclusions from research completed in Denmark in 2018 and to show how LEGO bricks can work as a scaffolding tool to support the existential dimension in group counselling.
Through video recordings and focus group interviews the focus of the research was to investigate the significance of the existential dimension in group counselling for young people who have been assessed as ‘not ready for education’.
The research question was defined around the vitalization psychology as it is presented by Professor Jan Tønnesvang (Tønnesvang 2015a) and read: How does career counsellors work with the existential dimension in group counselling and which elements are significant for it to become:
1. A process that gives young people faith in themselves and their plan (“need for autonomy”) (Tønnesvang 2015b).
2. A process that makes sense to the young people (“need for meaning”, ibid.).
3. A process that promotes the young people’s coping (“need for competence”, ibid.).
4. A process that supports the young people’s belongings in the group (“need for relatedness”, ibid.)
One conclusion from the research was that all the young people preferred group counselling over individual counselling but when the counsellors moved into the existential dimension it was difficult for the young people to reflect and give detailed answers. In such situations they needed their counsellors to facilitate and scaffold the activities.
One successful scaffolding tool we observed in the video recordings were the use of LEGO EDUCATION. A special box of LEGO bricks which are used to jump start the young people’s reflection and to share their ideas and thoughts.
In the workshop it will therefore also be possible to work with LEGO and to discuss the advantages and challenges with this scaffolding tool as to support the existential dimension in group counselling.
