Capstone Course - Barriers to personal growth and development

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1.
The term 'personal barriers' is used to describe personal challenges you have that may make it difficult for you to work and keep working. Personal barriers begin forming the day we are born. These barriers continue to get higher as we 'lean' on them and reinforce them. These barriers can limit personal growth, spirit, creativity and ambition. These barriers can include:
Psychological barriers:
· lack of the initial 'hook' - the need to create interest and desire to learn;
· lack of knowledge of subjects, routes and opportunities;
· disaffection from conventional learning processes;
· lack of confidence;
· lack of access to learning opportunities;
· unawareness of information and guidance available, eg from Jobcentres;
· lack of materials;
· lack of progression opportunities;
· lack of connections between learning and other aspects of life (work, community, sport/leisure, parenting etc).

Physical barriers. These might include:
· lack of time due to work, family, and childcare responsibilities
· financial difficulties
· disability, particularly lack of mobility
· ill health
· difficulties with reading and writing, English and numeracy.

Structural barriers. These may relate to both supply (provider) and demand (learner), and include:
· lack of transport
· limited learning opportunities locally
· lack of facilities and equipment
· lack of necessary qualifications
· lack of knowledge about local learning opportunities and learning advice sources.

Barriers also exist between public sector and practitioner organisations. There can be a 'cultural divide' between the two which needs to be overcome in order that good joint work can be done.
Fitzgerald and Betz (1994) referred to one category of barriers as structural factors--those characteristics of a society or organization and its people that limit access to opportunities in the career environment (e.g., discrimination, poverty, and inadequate educational opportunities). In our conceptual model, we refer to such factors as contextual barriers.
Fitzgerald and Betz (1994) referred to a second category of barriers as cultural factors or beliefs ...