Career development and counselling needs of LGBTQ high school students

ABSTRACT

There is a dearth of research concerning the career development and counselling issues that are relevant for high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ). As such, little is known to understand LGBTQ students when it comes to their career-related struggles and needs. This article attempts to examine the career development needs of LGBTQ high school students, addressing and analysing career problems from the unique circumstances of this student population. To do so, it provides an overview of the various career-related issues afflicting LGBTQ high school students. It then proposes a series of career guidance and counselling intervention considerations that are tailored to address the specific career needs and challenges of the LGBTQ high school students.

KEYWORDS:

• Career development
• LGBTQ students
• high school
• career issues
• career counselling interventions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Charles P. Chen, PhD, is Professor of Counselling Psychology and a Canada Research Chair in Life Career Development at the University of Toronto.

Amanda Keats, MEd (Counselling Psychology), is a teacher and school guidance counsellor based in Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada.

Additional information

Funding

This article was supported in part by a Research Grant awarded to Prof. Charles P. Chen from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Standard Grant Programme Award No. 410-2009-2394.