The Relationship between Career Guidance and Financial Guidance. Report on a NICEC/CRAC Policy Consultation Held on 21-22 April 1999 at Madingley Hall, Cambridge. CRAC NICEC Conference Briefing.

A total of 29 representatives of government departments, financial organizations, career guidance organizations, and researchers and career and financial guidance, practitioners from across the United Kingdom discussed the similarities and differences between the fields of career guidance and financial guidance, and explored whether closer links between the two fields might be developed. The discussions focused on the following three areas: career/financial guidance needs of young people and adults; career/financial guidance needs of individuals with resources at their disposal and individuals with very limited resources; and long-term strategies and immediate actions. The discussions resulted in 18 recommendations pertaining to the following areas: awareness raising; joint delivery; joint/reciprocal training and quality standards; policy issues; and research. Among those recommendations were the following: (1) the importance of developing and fostering personal capability (including career and financial management) should be promoted among the public at large; (2) at both the school and postschool levels, more attention should be paid to the interface between career education and personal finance education; and (3) relevant government departments should initiate enquiry to identify ways of addressing the relationship between the career and financial guidance needs of low- and middle-income groups and identify ways employers, unions, and community services can meet those needs. (MN)