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Guidance Policies across Europe: meeting the LLL Challenge Dublin 30 April 2004. Ronald G. Sultana University of Malta. Key points. Guidance on the European agenda The reviews exercise Core guidance issues across Europe Rationale: why invest in guidance?
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Guidance Policies across Europe:meeting the LLL Challenge Dublin 30 April 2004 Ronald G. Sultana University of Malta
Key points • Guidance on the European agenda • The reviews exercise • Core guidance issues across Europe • Rationale: why invest in guidance? • Delivery: how best to deliver in education/LM? • Human and financial resources for guidance • What leadership for LLG paradigm shift? • Issues and challenges for LLG
The European agenda • Europe as a competitive, dynamic KB society • Europe as an inclusive society • Promotion of employability and social inclusion • Implications for education and training systems LLL Memorandum (1999)… Consultation (2000) Communication (2001)… Quality Indicators (2002) Objectives for education & training systems (2002+) Increased European co-operation in VET (2002+) Tertiary Education (Bologna process: 1999+)…
Role of lifelong guidance • Key component in national strategies • Priority area for action at EU level • Policy development and initiatives: - Expert Group on Lifelong Guidance - Opinion on quality issues – citizen perspective - Policy Handbook on Guidance - Virtual community (CEDEFOP) - Research review on guidance across Europe
Four reviews: 29 European countries • ETF review: 11 Acceding and candidate countries • Cedefop review: 12 ACCs, plus 15 MS, plus Iceland, Norway • World Bank Report: included Poland and Romania (again) and Turkey
Key structuring themes and the EU defining challenges for public policy needs of young needs of adults GUIDANCE widening access career information staffing funding strategic leadership
Services intended to assist individuals and groups of any age at any point throughout their lives to make educational, training & occupational choices and to manage their careers Offered in education & training institutions, PES, companies, voluntary & private… Face-to-face or at a distance… Include career information, assessment tools, interviews, career management, work tasters, transition services Defining ‘guidance’
Key common issues across Europe Rationale Delivery Resourcing Leadership
Why invest in guidance? • Public-policy goals: - learning goals - labour market goals - social equity goals • LLL + sustained employability • Not just expansion but transformation • Role in development of human capital
Key features in delivery…education • Most guidance at key points in school context • In/across curriculum – the ‘G-oriented school’ • Focus on personal – guidance crowded out • Emphasis on provision, not self-directed • Aspiration to offer services to all (including HE) • Strategies for target / client groups still to be developed (e.g. out-of-school youth; post-16)
Key features in delivery… Labour Market • Services for adults: remedial and narrowly targeted to the unemployed (PES) • Few developments in guidance with employed, and in leisure, 3rd age, retirement counselling • Weak involvement of social partners • Private provision underdeveloped/unregulated • Increasing use of ICT and shift to self-service • Weak connectivity: career, education, LM data
Resourcing • Career guidance not professionalised yet: few offer specialised pre-service training • Great variety within/between European states in terms of qualifications/training for staff • Need for competence frameworks • In general no mutual recognition of guidance qualifications between education /LM sector
Resourcing…ctd. • Staff tend to have multiple roles • PES staff over-burdened • Feminised profession • Professional associations emerging • Lack of information re. expenditure • Funding models: devolve, outsource, and stimulate private markets
Leadership • Rare to find determined strategic leadership • Evidence base tends to be weak • Stakeholder involvement is underdeveloped • Need for stronger co-ordination • Strategic instruments - Legislation - Staff competence frameworks - Organisational quality standards • Only some European countries have detailed goals • Most European countries lack monitoring system
Key issues and challenges • Develop national strategies for LLG • Improve training provision • Improve transparency / ease of access • Encourage flexibility and innovation to meet needs of diverse client groups • Strengthen social partner involvement • Stimulate voluntary and private sectors • Improve access to integrated career information
More issues and challenges • Strengthen the employability focus • Stimulate career management programmes • Improve evidence base • Strengthen quality assurance • Generate more dialogue via national forums (practitioners and policy makers) • Enhance international co-operation & exchange of good practice
YOU… …can make the difference Thank you