The Vocational Plan will have three overarching components: goal(s), objectives, and interventions.
- Goals are accomplishments that the individual wishes to achieve.
- Goals can be written fairly broadly such as return to school, live independently, etc.
- Goals can be broken down into short term (3-6 months) or long term ( 1 year +)
- Goals should build on the person’s strengths and be written with the person’s culture and values in mind.
- The number of goals should be manageable and realistic so that to the greatest extent possible, they can be accomplished.
Practitioners must be careful that their own view of what is achievable does not supersede the wishes of the person. Goals that are truly unrealistic such as “I want to be the first person to land on Mars”, can be listed and discussed openly and non-judgmentally without imposing the provider’s will on the person. For example, asking the person “what is it about this role that attracts you”..can offer some important insights about what the person values … it may be that the person is interested in novel ideas or has an interest in science which may further a conversation about where to begin the work.
All goals that the person expresses should be considered and discussed in a non-judgmental perspective.
S.M.A.R.T Goals
S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting is recommended, including breaking goals into short and longer term.
- Specific — Clear, specific, simple
- Measurable — How much? How many? How will you know when it is accomplished?
- Achievable — Realistic and attainable. Challenging but achievable with the right resources available.
- Relevant — Does this seem worthwhile? Does it matter to me? Is it the right time?
- Time-bound — When? What can I do six months from now? What can I do six weeks from now? What can I do today?
Example: In six months from now, I want to be working part time in the animal care industry, that is within busing or walking distance to my home.
Objectives, Steps, & Action Plans
- The action plan outlines the steps needed to reach each particular goal that will be supported by the service provider.
- The action plan should be based on the strengths, abilities, and interests of the person and usually involve the steps needed to overcome a challenge or barrier that was identified during the assessment or that is identified as the process moves forward.
- It’s important to use the SMART approach here too, ensuring plan is realistic, relevant, timely, and so on.
- A clear, written plan is recommended, and remembering the plan can change based on the wishes or situation of the individual we are working with. Thus, the vocational plan is iterative and required continual revisiting and re-evaluating.