The Be Real Game 2

My Be Real Journal

______

Student Name

Introduction

You begin this program role-playing an adult character. This will give you a glimpse of what lies ahead in your future. Later you will imagine the future you want to create for yourself, and set plans in motion. This journal will help you reflect on what you are learning throughout the game.

Unit 1

Time Travel: Exploring the Future

You are setting off on a career exploration journey. You will be role-playing a 20-30 year old adult character. Your career path will be different than most other players. As in real adult life, you will face setbacks and opportunities. Your goal is to create the best lifestyle you can for your character.

Session 1: In the Beginning

You have been introduced to the game, completed a survey on the world of work, and you have received your character's role history. You’re going to interview an adult about their life/work journey.

Personal Reflections

ü What are you hoping to learn from the game?

ü What do you find most interesting about your character’s role history?

ü When you think about your character’s role history and did your adult interview:

o What surprises you most?

o What are the biggest changes adults have seen in the world of work?

o What future changes will affect your career?

ü Were there questions on the survey you weren’t sure of?

Items to keep in my journal:

· My Life/Work Survey

· Written Interview

Session 2: The Real World of Work

You have had class discussions about what it takes to be successful in the world of work. You have done your adult interview and shared the results, and you have interviewed another student in-role.

Personal Reflections

ü Are you creating the future you want, or is the future just happening? What can you do to create the future you want?

ü Thinking about the High Five:

o Do you always “know yourself, believe in yourself, and follow your heart?”

o Do you always look for the positive in change, or sometimes resist it?

o Who are your best allies? Are you a good ally to others?

o Do you focus on the journey, and make the most of every day?

o Are you getting the most out of each year at school?

o From class discussions and your adult interview, how important is:

o developing good character?

o developing your Blueprint competencies?

o developing your essential skills?

Items to add to my journal:

· High Five Principles, Character Traits, Essential Skills, and Blueprint Competencies

· Role – History and interview sheet

· Adult interview report

Session 3: My Job Search

You have done a job search based on your character’s role history. You have completed a résumé worksheet, reviewed job ads, applied for a job and done an interview (optional). You have been hired and have your Job Role 1.

Personal Reflections

ü How might you feel when you apply for your first real job? Are you ready? How can you prepare for a real job search?

ü How might your allies help you in your job search?

ü What tips would you share with a friend trying to find a job? What are the most important things to prepare?

Items to add to my journal:

· Résumé Worksheet

· Job Application

· Job Role 1

· Interview Evaluation (optional)

Session 4: My Lifestyle Choices

You have imagined your future lifestyle by choosing your future home, transportation, leisure items and activities.

Personal Reflections:

ü How do your lifestyle choices differ from your parents’ or guardians’ choices?

ü How affordable are your lifestyle choices? Do you know how much money you would need to make to pay for your choices?

ü Does education affect lifestyle options?

ü Will your lifestyle choices help you balance life and work?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Lifestyle Choices

Session 5: Life/Work Balance

Managing time is key to balancing life and work roles. You have explored how your adult character spends his/her time between “must do” activities and leisure.

Personal Reflections

ü What were your toughest choices in budgeting time?

ü Could leisure activities lead to a career change?

ü Can leisure activities produce income?

ü How can volunteering help people looking for work?

ü Adults with children have extra responsibilities. What activities would you give up to make time for parenting?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Life/Work Balance (My Zone)

· Life/Work Balance

Session 6: My Monthly Budget

Lifestyles and job roles? Needs and wants? These are things you explored as you balanced a monthly budget based on your lifestyle choices and you character’s monthly income.

Personal Reflections

ü What were the hardest choices to balance your budget?

ü How do math skills apply now in your life?

ü Why is budgeting important?

ü How might money in a savings account be used?

ü How can you learn more about managing your money and planning for future financial security?

ü Does this session help you understand why adults can’t buy everything their families they want?

ü How different do you think your character’s lifestyle will be from your own?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Monthly Budget (My Zone)

· Financial Literacy Handout

Session 7: Change is Constant

You job role has changed but your allies have helped you cope with the transition. You made a transition plan and prepared for a new job search by updating your résumé and identifying new job roles to pursue.

Personal Reflections

ü How might your allies help if you lose your job?

ü What positives can come out of losing your job?

ü How can you be the last person your employer wants to lay off?

ü What can you do if you think your company might have to lay you off?

Items to add to my journal:

· Job Change Notice and Job Change Strategies

· Updated Résumé Worksheet

· Job Transition Plan

Session 8: Focus on the Journey

Challenges like job loss always bring new opportunities. Being prepared and open to change helps people manage transitions. You practiced job search skills by updating your résumé, networking, and applying for a new job role that fits your character’s skills and experience. You were hired and got your job role 2.

Personal Reflections

ü Were you interested in ads that your character isn't qualified for? Should a person apply for jobs they're not fully qualified for?

ü Why might an employer to discard a résumé without a serious look?

ü What is an employer looking for when reviewing cover letters, résumés and applications, or interviewing people?

ü Is your own résumé up-to-date? Are you proud of it?

Items to add to my journal:

· Job Application Form (2)

· Job Interview Evaluation

· Updated Résumé worksheet

Session 9: My Lifestyle Adjustments

Changing work roles impact lifestyle choices. With your new job you adjusted your lifestyle choices to meet your character’s new financial and time realities.

Personal Reflections

ü Are money and possessions what will make you most happy?

ü What have you learned about the impact of career choice on lifestyle?

ü Why is money is a major cause of stress for many people?

ü Can only people with big incomes save and invest?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Lifestyle Choices updated

· My Monthly Budget updated

Unit 2

The Personal Journey: Creating My Future

Now you step out of your character’s role. Building on what you learned in Unit 1 you will now imagine and plan for your own future. You will do activities to help you identify your dream role and associated career and learning pathways. You will identify potential employers, write your life story, and build a personal job search toolkit and portfolio.

Session 1: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Success – how do you define it? Job satisfaction – how do you find it? Using the job roles in Unit 1 you looked at your character’s roles and determined your preferences. Understanding your work preferences helps you identify careers that best satisfy your preferences.

Personal Reflections

ü What factors most determine job satisfaction?

ü Do you expect to find work in which you are always happy and satisfied?

ü Service to others or to a cause makes us feel good about ourselves. Is service important to you in work or other roles?

ü At your retirement, what would you like people to say as they honour your career and life?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Work Preferences

· My Personal Exploration Chart

· Other: (specify and add)

Session 2: Who Am I Really?

You have done self-assessments so you can search for career opportunities that suit the real you. You continue to add information to your exploration chart.

Personal Reflections

ü Do you feel sure enough of your skills, interests, and abilities to recognize the best career pathways for you?

ü How might you further explore your unique talents?

ü Are there any character traits you need to work on?

ü Are your essential skills ready for the working world?

ü Do you know how to find reliable career information?

Items to add to my journal:

· Interests Checklist

· Skills Handout

· Basic Work Skills Checklist

· Learning Styles Checklist

· Looking Ahead Checklist

· Other: (specify and add)

Session 3: My Dream Role

You researched career options that appear suitable based on your self-assessments. Using your dream role checklist you compared your career path options to your interests, personality, values, work and life preferences before choosing your dream role.

Personal Reflections

ü What factors most influence your happiness right now? Might they change in the next 10 years?

ü Why is it important to enjoy the work you do?

ü Does your dream role help the environment?

ü Will you have to leave home for your dream role?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Dream Role Checklist

· Gateways to My Future

· Other: (specify and add)

Session 4: Making Connections

You presented your dream role and explored local businesses and organizations that employ people in your dream role.

Personal Reflections

ü Are prospects for jobs you want getting better or worse in your area?

ü Is staying near family, friends and familiar places more important to you than finding the perfect job?

ü Is your dream role available locally? Are you willing to move?

ü Do you feel confident about meeting employers you have identified? How can you increase your chances of success when you do?

Items to add to my journal:

· List of potential contacts on My Personal Exploration Chart

Session 5: My Life Story

Imagining the future you want to live. You authored your own life story describing how you would like your life to unfold.

Personal Reflections

ü What will get better in your life as you get older?

ü What things in your life will make you happiest?

ü Has doing your life story changed your feelings about your parents/guardians and grandparents?

ü Do you believe what you do today influences your future?

ü What did you learn from your life story?

Items to add to my journal:

· My Life Story

· My Life Story Rubric

· Other: (specify and add)

Session 6: My Job Search Toolkit

You created your own job search toolkit including searching for work, résumé, cover letter, application form and interview practice. You presented your BR journal and portfolio as proof of your learning from The Be Real Game.

Personal Reflections

ü Are you confident of success in your job search? Is there anything you still need to work on?

ü What are your next steps towards your dream role?

ü Have you shared what you have learned from this program with your parents or guardians? They can be among your best allies.

Items to add to my journal:

· Résumé

· Cover Letter

· Interview Assignment Sheet

· Interview Tips

· Searching for Work

· Application Form

· My Life Work Survey

Session 7: A New Beginning

You shared with your parents, guardians and other important adults what you learned from The Be Real Game. They now have a better idea of the future you are creating.

Personal Reflections

You are encouraged at this point to transfer any items from your BR Journal and My Zone to your own career portfolio (digital or hard-copy). If your BR Journal is the start of your personal career portfolio, review it and keep any items that are meaningful and may be helpful in your career planning.