The method

The Guiding Symbols method is composed of several tools to be used with the project target groups.

We have made the choice to share with you 3 activities that were the most used during the project implementation.

As youth workers or counselors, you just have to follow our step-by-step presentations and to download our resources if you do not have a suitcase of symbols with you.

You can also get inspired and see how the methods can be used thanks to our study cases.

The Guiding Symbol methods,
step by step!

Study cases

Basic clearing

Profile: Amélie, 20, left high school without a diploma and feels lost about her professional future.

Guiding Symbols process: during the "Basic Clearing" workshop, Amélie selected different symbols to represent key aspects of her life: a camera for her interest in photography, a book for her current studies, a hammer for DIY activities with her father, a hand for the support from friends and family, a heart for her good health, and a house for her living environment. She assessed each aspect by drawing different types of paths to her goal—solid ground for education, health, and support; thick ice for work experience; thin ice for housing.

Outcome: This process helped Amélie identify her strengths and areas needing support. She gained clarity on her direction and decided to focus on photography, actively seeking internship opportunities to develop skills and move toward a meaningful career path.

Study cases

Planning pathway

Profile: Emma, 25, is passionate about sustainable living and has a vision to create a community garden in her neighborhood. She believes this project will not only beautify the area but also bring the community together. She is already involved in a small organisation managing this garden and she would like to be more involved to manage to create her own job in this garden.

Guiding Symbols process: Emma used cards to plan the next 12 months for her community garden project. She chose a seedling to symbolize the initial planning and planting phase, a watering can for ongoing maintenance, a sun to represent the growth of the garden, and a group of people to signify community involvement and events. Emma arranged these symbols on a timeline, discussing each one with her counselor. She placed the seedling at the start to represent the initial setup and planting, followed by the watering can to indicate regular care and maintenance. The sun was positioned midway to symbolize the garden's growth and flourishing, and the group of people was placed towards the end to represent community events and gatherings.

Outcome: Emma created a detailed 12-month plan for her community garden. She scheduled regular planting and maintenance sessions, organized community events, and sought donations and volunteers to support the project. She also added some symbols to underline that she needed to attend some professional trainings to increase her professional skills in that field.

Study cases

Resources and competences pathway

Profile: Ioritz, 20, is passionate about history, particularly military history, and has faced significant challenges in his life. He struggled in school due to learning difficulties and was deeply affected by his parents' divorce. Despite these obstacles, Ioritz has a clear goal: to join the military and serve his country.

Guiding Symbols process: during the "Resources and Competences Pathway" workshop, Ioritz used cards to represent each year of his life, selecting symbols that reflected his experiences and strengths. He chose a history book to symbolize his passion for history, a soldier figurine to represent his aspiration to join the military, a broken heart to signify the emotional impact of his parents' divorce, and a graduation cap to symbolize his determination to overcome his educational struggles. Ioritz placed these symbols on a timeline, discussing each one with the counselor. He reflected on his resilience and how his passion for history had been a constant source of motivation. The broken heart symbol allowed him to acknowledge the emotional challenges he had faced, while the graduation cap represented his commitment to personal growth and education. Through this process, Ioritz identified his strengths, including his resilience, determination, and deep interest in military history. He also recognized the need to address his emotional well-being and continue developing his educational skills to meet the military's entry requirements.

Outcome: Ioritz gained a deeper understanding of his strengths and the areas he needed to focus on to achieve his goal. He decided to enroll in a tutoring program to improve his academic skills and understood that he also had to create connections again with some friends who could support him in his projects.

Expertise et services

Symbols to take away

If you want to try our methods and that you do not have the symbols to experiment, we have prepared for you several grids to print and to use with your clients.

Of course, we recommend you to use real symbols but it can be a good start to take ownership on the methods and to train with your colleagues.

Download

The method

The Guiding Symbol methods, step by step!

Study cases

Symbols to take away

The Guiding Symbol methods,
step by step!