Using Community-Based Participatory Research in Rural Career Development Learning Partnerships

Partnerships which work to inform career development learning (CDL) have a range of potential social benefits including social equity, increased social mobility and the development of human capital (Smith et al., Career development learning: maximising the contribution of work-integrated learning to the student experience, Final project report. University of Wollongong. Careers Central, 2009). This chapter explores community-based participatory research (CBPR) as a methodology for guiding CDL research with rural communities. Reflecting on our partnerships with three rural Australian communities, it discusses the key methodological issues associated with CBPR and outlines its usefulness in building partnerships and generating evidence for CDL within a rural community context. We argue the importance of whole of community approaches to CDL, particularly supporting rural communities and the ‘key influencers’ within them (e.g. carers, families, employers, community organisations, local government, schools and others) to share knowledge, awareness and access to post-school educational pathways choices and careers.