Presented at the 2014 Student Affairs and Services Symposium at York University. Learn how an interactive board game can help students conduct a multi-faceted self assessment in a casual, engaging and fun group setting. “Who Am I?” is a self-discovery board game utilizing the principles of Narrative therapy and developed by York University’s Career Centre to support students in exploring the many factors—both internal and external—that impact their career decision making.

1. Let’s Play!
Using an Interactive Board Game for Student Self Assessment

2. Agenda:
• Game Development
• Theoretical Foundations
• “Who Am I?”
• Game components
• Game play

3. • Challenges:
• The Students
• The Career Centre
• The Career Counsellors
• Student Feedback

4. Game Development
• Developed & piloted in 2007
• Modified 2008-10
• Played in groups
• Delivered 1-2x/month
• 1 facilitator per 2 boards

6. Narrative Therapy
• We produce the meaning of our lives from the
stories we create about ourselves
• We select the evidence that support our stories
• We have multiple stories & influences
• Our stories are not neutral
• We change our stories from problematic to helpful
by externalizing them and “re-authoring” them

7. In essence, with a narrative therapy approach, the
focus is not on ‘experts’ solving problems, it is on
people discovering through conversations the
helpful, preferred, and previously unrecognized
and hidden possibilities contained within
themselves and unseen story lines.
Narrative Therapy Centre of Toronto

8. Playing the Game
• 5 players
• Career Statement
• 1 game piece
• No winners or losers
• Anyone can pass

11. Game Space:
My Story
Students tell their life
stories in four chapters
and important ideas about
self begin to emerge.

12. Game Space:
Temperament
Students identify their own
personality styles and try
to determine what aspects
of their temperaments may
determine their satisfaction
criteria for work
environments.

13. Game Space:
Curiosities
Students talk about anything they
may be curious about in the world
of careers and identify areas they
would like to explore.

14. Game Space:
Assets
Students identify the
personal assets they may
bring to their careers, such
as interests, degrees,
credentials, skills and
knowledge.

15. Game Cards:
Desires
Students consider what
they want and what is
important to them in the
world of work.

16. Desires

17. Game Cards:
Abilities
Students clarify which
abilities, skills, knowledge
or competencies they
would like to use in the
world of work.

18. Abilities

19. Game Cards:
Career Insights
Students get new ideas
to expand their thinking
about careers and life
through quotes from
experts, authors and
other role models.

20. Career Insights

21. Game Cards:
Other People &
Other Factors
Students become
mindful of the ways in
which other factors may
influence their career
decision making.

22. Other People & Other Factors

23. Game Card: Career Landscape
Students learn
more about
different career
possibilities.

24. Career Landscape

25. How can a game help the students re-author their
career stories to include the previously unrecognized
and hidden possibilities within themselves and thus
provide themselves with new avenues for
exploration?
• Students tell their stories and listen to the stories of
others while playing
• Students externalize and evaluate their “problem”
stories
• Students begin to make connections between stories
and career possibilities

26. How can we make career exploration less
overwhelming and anxiety-provoking and more fun,
educational and motivational?
• Game format
• Social experience
• Group support and inspiration

27. How can the Career Counsellors better prepare
students for career exploration in order to maximize
the effectiveness of individual appointments?
• Students are already familiar with the Career
Decision Making Model
• Students begin career counselling with a better
understanding of themselves
• Students have already began thinking about their
career possibilities

28. How can the Career Counsellors assist students in
developing the skills to conduct their own self-
assessments as needed throughout their lives?
• Active process
• Translating stories and experiences into material
for career exploration

29. How can the Career Centre effectively serve more
students given our limited resources and high no-
show rate for individual appointments?
Up to 25 students per 3-hour game

30. Student Feedback
“It has had a tremendous impact. Although I know myself
somewhat, it made me realize my passions and what
my real interests are.”
“It has provided me with a better understanding of what's
important to me and has given me more confidence.”
“The game has more clearly defined my desires, abilities,
the type of person I am and what assets I have.”

31. “This workshop was a great way to strengthen my faith in
my decisions and justify my confidence.”
“Very detailed and helpful workshop. The social
interaction in small groups was nice. I can move
forward with a clearer view on what I value most in the
workplace.”
“This is important for me because I feel like I’m at a
crossroads in my life. It’s a start for me in making
career decisions. I’m glad I came!”

32. Questions?

33. Dianne Twombly, MSW
Manager, Career Development
Career Centre
York University
dtwombly@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 x33308