Guidance Policies across Europe:Guidance Policies across Europe:meeting the LLL Challengemeeting the LLL Challenge

DublinDublin30 April 200430 April 2004

Ronald G. SultanaRonald G. SultanaUniversity of MaltaUniversity of Malta

Key pointsKey points

Guidance on the European agendaGuidance on the European agenda The reviews exerciseThe reviews exercise Core guidance issues across EuropeCore guidance issues across Europe Rationale: why invest in guidance?Rationale: why invest in guidance? Delivery: how best to deliver in education/LM?Delivery: how best to deliver in education/LM? Human and financial resources for guidanceHuman and financial resources for guidance What leadership for LLG paradigm shift?What leadership for LLG paradigm shift? Issues and challenges for LLGIssues and challenges for LLG

The European agendaThe European agenda Europe as a competitive, dynamic KB societyEurope as a competitive, dynamic KB society Europe as an inclusive societyEurope as an inclusive society Promotion of employability and social inclusionPromotion of employability and social inclusion Implications for education and training systemsImplications for education and training systems

LLL Memorandum (1999)… Consultation (2000)LLL Memorandum (1999)… Consultation (2000)Communication (2001)… Quality Indicators (2002)Communication (2001)… Quality Indicators (2002)Objectives for education & training systems (2002+)Objectives for education & training systems (2002+)Increased European co-operation in VET (2002+)Increased European co-operation in VET (2002+)Tertiary Education (Bologna process: 1999+)…Tertiary Education (Bologna process: 1999+)…

Role of lifelong guidanceRole of lifelong guidance Key component in national strategiesKey component in national strategies Priority area for action at EU levelPriority area for action at EU level Policy development and initiatives: Policy development and initiatives:

-- Expert Group on Lifelong Guidance Expert Group on Lifelong Guidance-- Opinion on quality issues – citizen perspective Opinion on quality issues – citizen perspective- - Policy Handbook on GuidancePolicy Handbook on Guidance- - Virtual community (CEDEFOP)Virtual community (CEDEFOP)- - Research review on guidance across EuropeResearch review on guidance across Europe

Four reviews: 29 European countriesFour reviews: 29 European countries

ETF review: 11 Acceding and ETF review: 11 Acceding and candidate countriescandidate countries

Cedefop review: 12 ACCs, plus 15 Cedefop review: 12 ACCs, plus 15 MS, plus Iceland, NorwayMS, plus Iceland, Norway

World Bank Report: included Poland World Bank Report: included Poland and Romania (again) and Turkeyand Romania (again) and Turkey

Key structuring themesKey structuring themes

and the EUand the EU defining definingchallenges for public policychallenges for public policy

needs of youngneeds of young needs of adults needs of adults

GUIDANCEGUIDANCEwidening accesswidening access

career informationcareer informationstaffing funding staffing funding

strategic leadershipstrategic leadership

Defining ‘guidance’Defining ‘guidance’ Services intended to Services intended to

assistassist individuals and groupsindividuals and groups of any ageof any age at any point throughout at any point throughout

their livestheir lives to make educational, to make educational,

training & occupational training & occupational choiceschoices

and to manage their and to manage their careerscareers

Offered in education & Offered in education & training institutions, training institutions, PES, companies, PES, companies, voluntary & private…voluntary & private…

Face-to-face or at a Face-to-face or at a distance…distance…

Include career Include career information, assessment information, assessment tools, interviews, career tools, interviews, career management, work management, work tasters, transition tasters, transition servicesservices

Key common issues across EuropeKey common issues across Europe

RationaleRationale

DeliveryDelivery

ResourcingResourcing

LeadershipLeadership

Why invest in guidance?Why invest in guidance? Public-policy goals:Public-policy goals:

- learning goals- learning goals- labour market goals- labour market goals- social equity goals- social equity goals

LLL + sustained employabilityLLL + sustained employability Not just expansion but Not just expansion but

transformationtransformation Role in development of human Role in development of human

capitalcapital

Most guidance at key points in school contextMost guidance at key points in school context In/across curriculum – the ‘G-oriented school’In/across curriculum – the ‘G-oriented school’ Focus on personal – guidance crowded outFocus on personal – guidance crowded out Emphasis on provision, not self-directedEmphasis on provision, not self-directed Aspiration to offer services to all (including HE)Aspiration to offer services to all (including HE) Strategies for target / client groups still to be Strategies for target / client groups still to be

developed (e.g. out-of-school youth; post-16)developed (e.g. out-of-school youth; post-16)

Key features in deliveryKey features in delivery…education…education

Key features in delivery… Key features in delivery… Labour MarketLabour Market

Services for adults: remedial and narrowly Services for adults: remedial and narrowly targeted to the unemployed (PES)targeted to the unemployed (PES)

Few developments in guidance with employed, Few developments in guidance with employed, and in leisure, 3rd age, retirement counsellingand in leisure, 3rd age, retirement counselling

Weak involvement of social partnersWeak involvement of social partners Private provision underdeveloped/unregulatedPrivate provision underdeveloped/unregulated Increasing use of ICT and shift to self-serviceIncreasing use of ICT and shift to self-service Weak connectivity: career, education, LM dataWeak connectivity: career, education, LM data

ResourcingResourcing

Career guidance not professionalised yet: few Career guidance not professionalised yet: few offer specialised pre-service trainingoffer specialised pre-service training

Great variety within/between European states Great variety within/between European states in terms of qualifications/training for staffin terms of qualifications/training for staff

Need for competence frameworksNeed for competence frameworks In general no mutual recognition of guidance In general no mutual recognition of guidance

qualifications between education /LM sectorqualifications between education /LM sector

Resourcing…ctd.Resourcing…ctd.

Staff tend to have multiple rolesStaff tend to have multiple roles PES staff over-burdenedPES staff over-burdened Feminised professionFeminised profession Professional associations emergingProfessional associations emerging Lack of information re. expenditureLack of information re. expenditure Funding models: devolve, outsource, Funding models: devolve, outsource, and stimulate private marketsand stimulate private markets

LeadershipLeadership Rare to find determined strategic leadershipRare to find determined strategic leadership Evidence base tends to be weakEvidence base tends to be weak Stakeholder involvement is underdevelopedStakeholder involvement is underdeveloped Need for stronger co-ordination Need for stronger co-ordination Strategic instrumentsStrategic instruments

- Legislation- Legislation- Staff competence frameworks- Staff competence frameworks- Organisational quality standards- Organisational quality standards

Only some European countries have detailed goalsOnly some European countries have detailed goals Most European countries lack monitoring systemMost European countries lack monitoring system

Key issues and challengesKey issues and challenges Develop national strategies for LLGDevelop national strategies for LLG Improve training provisionImprove training provision Improve transparency / ease of accessImprove transparency / ease of access Encourage flexibility and innovation to meet Encourage flexibility and innovation to meet

needs of diverse client groupsneeds of diverse client groups Strengthen social partner involvementStrengthen social partner involvement Stimulate voluntary and private sectorsStimulate voluntary and private sectors Improve access to integrated career informationImprove access to integrated career information

More issues and challengesMore issues and challenges Strengthen the employability focusStrengthen the employability focus Stimulate career management programmesStimulate career management programmes Improve evidence base Improve evidence base Strengthen quality assuranceStrengthen quality assurance Generate more dialogue via national forums Generate more dialogue via national forums

(practitioners and policy makers)(practitioners and policy makers) Enhance international co-operation & exchange of Enhance international co-operation & exchange of

good practicegood practice

YOU…YOU…

Thank youThank you

… …can make the differencecan make the difference