Life after school
Finishing school can be an exciting but stressful time for young people as they decide on which path to pursue into their future. Taking the time to consider all their options and accessing support networks to help with decision making can help a young person negotiate this change. Remind your students that there isn’t one right option to take; the key is to try different things to find the option that is the best fit for them.
In this video clip, young people share their thoughts and emotions about life after school, and ways they have negotiated this change.
Year level
11-12
Duration
15 minutes
Type
In class activity
SEL Competencies
Self-awareness
Self-management
Responsible decision-making
Learning intention
Students will explore the different options available to them after school, and examine how to manage this time of change effectively.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
identify the different options available to them after school
apply a decision-making process to their life to bring greater clarity
recognise how and where to access support to support this decision-making process.
Materials needed
Student notebooks or laptops
Mapped to
This resource is not mapped to a curriculum.
Activity 1
Options after school
15 minutes
As a group, watch the video clip ‘Life after school’.
Working individually
Ask the students to identify five different options they have for their life after school – for example, university, work, gap year, travel, relaxation, TAFE, apprenticeship.
Invite students to choose one option that is of interest to them. Remind them that there is no one right choice.
Ask the students to read the decision making article.
Ask the students to write down five different options for after school, using the step-by-step process. Highlight one to explore further.
Remind the students that they don’t need to have all the answers today. Encourage them to write down their ideas and helpful hints in the space provided. 5. Ask the students to identify and write down the names of people, places or information sources that would be helpful to consult after today to help with the decision-making process – for example, careers adviser, parents, university websites, open days.
Working as a class group
Ask the students to share how they found this process. What are some of the pros and cons of using a decision-making process like this in their life?
Debrief
There is no one right path to life after school, and it often takes a few attempts to find the path that’s right for you. Taking the time to consider the options available and accessing support networks to help with decision making can help a young person negotiate life after school.
