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ELGPN TOOLS

Guidelines for Policies and Systems Development


for Lifelong Guidance
A REFERENCE FRAMEWORK FOR THE EU AND FOR THE COMMISSION

ELGPN Tools No. 6


Guidelines for Policies and Systems Development for
Lifelong Guidance:
A Reference Framework for the EU and for the Commission
This is an independent work commissioned by the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN), a
Member-State network in receipt of EU financial support under the Erasmus+ Programme. The views expressed
are those of ELGPN and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission or any person
acting on behalf of the Commission.

The framework and content of the Guidelines are based on the knowledge and experience of members of the
European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network in consultation with relevant policy units of DG EAC and DG EMPL,
CEDEFOP and ETF, EUPARL, and other European (ETUC, FEDORA/EAIE, European Network of Public Employment
Services, Euroguidance) and international organisations (IAEVG, ICCDPP). The Guidelines also draw on knowledge
gained from policy studies and reviews of career guidance undertaken by the OECD, The World Bank, UNESCO, ILO
and EU agencies such as CEDEFOP, and ETF, and from the experiences of non-EU countries. This tool synthesises
the policy development work undertaken by the members of ELGPN in 2007–15. The ELGPN acknowledges the
support of Dr John McCarthy in the development of the Guidelines.

© The European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN)

Co-ordinator 2007-2015
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER)
http://elgpn.eu
elgpn@jyu.fi

Cover and graphic design: Martti Minkkinen / Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER)
Layout: Taittopalvelu Yliveto Oy

ISBN 978-951-39-6346-0 (printed version)


ISBN 978-951-39-6347-7 (pdf )

Printed by Kariteam
Jyväskylä, Finland 2015
Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Background......................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.2 Policy and administrative responsibility for lifelong guidance.....................................................................................6
1.3 Aims....................................................................................................................................................................................................6
1.4 Methodology of development of the Guidelines..............................................................................................................7
1.5 Why lifelong guidance is important........................................................................................................................................8
1.6 The scope of the Guidelines.......................................................................................................................................................8
1.7 Principles underpinning the EU Guidelines..........................................................................................................................8
1.8 Tools to support the implementation of the Guidelines.................................................................................................9
1.9 The presentation and format of the Guidelines...............................................................................................................10
1.10 Application of the Guidelines..................................................................................................................................................10
1.11 How to use the Guidelines........................................................................................................................................................12
2. Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems............................................13
Guideline 1: Career Management Skills..........................................................................................................................................13
Guideline 2: Access to Lifelong Guidance Services....................................................................................................................15
Guideline 3: Assuring the Quality of Lifelong Guidance Provision.......................................................................................17
Guideline 4: Assessing the Effectiveness of Lifelong Guidance Provision.........................................................................18
Guideline 5: Strategic Leadership: Co-operation and Co-ordination..................................................................................19
Guideline 6: Improving Careers Information................................................................................................................................21
Guideline 7: The Training and Qualifications of Practitioners................................................................................................23
Guideline 8: Funding Lifelong Guidance Services......................................................................................................................25
Guideline 9: Information and Communications Technology in Lifelong Guidance.......................................................26

3
3. Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector.......................29
Guideline 10: Lifelong Guidance for School Pupils....................................................................................................................29
Guideline 11: Lifelong Guidance for Vocational Education and Training (VET) Students and Participants...........33
Guideline 12: Lifelong Guidance for Higher Education Students.........................................................................................36
Guideline 13: Lifelong Guidance for Adult Learners..................................................................................................................39
4. Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors............41
Guideline 14: Lifelong Guidance for the Employed...................................................................................................................41
Guideline 15: Lifelong Guidance for Unemployed Adults...................................................................................................... 44
Guideline 16: Lifelong Guidance for Older Adults......................................................................................................................47
5. Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk..............................50
Guideline 17: Lifelong Guidance for Young People at Risk......................................................................................................50
Guideline 18: Lifelong Guidance for Disadvantaged Groups.................................................................................................53

ANNEX 1: ELGPN Tools that Support the Implementation of the Guidelines....................................................................55

4
Introduction
1

Introduction

1.1 Background national and wider EU labour markets. There is une-


qual access by citizens to quality education systems
Lifelong guidance has been defined by the European and outcomes. Lifelong guidance prepares citizens
Council (2004, 2008) as ‘a continuous process that to make meaningful choices of learning and work
enables citizens at any age and at any point in their opportunities and to choose the appropriate learning
lives to identify their capacities, competences and inter- pathways to those work opportunities. It supports
ests, to make educational, training and occupational citizens’ transitions including for internal and trans-
decisions, and to manage their individual life paths national mobility for learning and work.
in learning, work and other settings in which those The importance of the provision of career
capacities and competences are learned and/or used’. guidance/”lifelong guidance”3 to support citizens in
Guidance covers a range of individual and collective accessing all types of learning (including Open Edu-
activities relating to information-giving, counselling, cation Resources) and work opportunities and for
competence assessment, support, and the teaching of mobility has long been recognised by citizens4 and
decision-making and career management skills1. It is governments5, individually and collectively6. It is
one of the few active labour market measures that have acknowledged in European Area of Skills and Quali-
impact on learning (education, vocational training)
and labour market outcomes for citizens2 .
3
See the ELGPN Glossary (2012) which provides an agreed set of 75
The European citizen faces many challenges in definitions for lifelong guidance (LLG) policy development and related
entering and re-entering the labour market. These guidance terminology. It has been translated into 5 languages.

http://www.elgpn.eu/publications/browse-by-language/english/
include knowing and evaluating the diversity of ELGPN_tools_no2_glossary/
learning programmes and pathways, particularly in 4
Special Eurobarometer European Area of Skills and Qualifications June
2014 is the most recent EU citizen survey that addressed this question.
the context of the national and European qualifica- 70% of those surveyed deemed career guidance to be useful in helping
tion frameworks, and of the constant flux of knowl- them to choose the right course of study while 60% reported it as valu-
able in helping them to find a job.
edge and skills supply and demand in the local, 5
European Social Charter Article 9 (1961; revised in 1996), International
Labour Organisation’s Recommendation on Human Resource Develop-
ment (1975, revised in 2004).
1
European Council (2008) Resolution on better integrating lifelong guid- 6
The EU Council of Ministers (Education) adopted two Resolutions in
ance into lifelong learning strategies. 2004 and 2008 which highlighted the political importance of the provi-
2
European Council (2010) Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the sion of career guidance throughout one’s life, “lifelong guidance”, and
Member States Guideline No. 8 set EU priorities for action.

5
Introduction

fications policy, in the EU Education and Training include education and skills, higher education and
Introduction

2020 Strategy, and in the Guidelines for the Employ- research, vocational training, employment, youth,
ment Policies of the Member States. However a sig- and social affairs. Many Member States have estab-
nificant number of EU citizens do not yet have access lished national councils or forums for lifelong guid-
to lifelong guidance provision.7 A European Lifelong ance and/or joint administrative units/committees to
Guidance Policy Network was established in 2007 ensure co-operation and co-ordination on lifelong
to improve lifelong guidance policies and systems guidance from both policy and administrative per-
in Member States through EU collaboration8. The spectives. The present Guidelines reflect the shared
present Guidelines are an outcome of this inter- nature of policy and administrative responsibility.
governmental co-operation. They are organised according to policy guidelines
The provision of lifelong guidance is a public inter- which address issues in common (transversal) to
est that transcends education, training, employment, all policy relevant ministries and policy guidelines
and social inclusion policies at national and EU levels. which fall under the responsibility of some indi-
Individuals and communities/groups in society differ vidual ministries. Administrative responsibility for
in their capacities to source information about learn- the development and delivery of lifelong guidance
ing and work opportunities, to interpret such informa- services and tools to citizens can be devolved by min-
tion, to make meaningful decisions, and to implement istries to organisations and institutions9.
those decisions successfully in their life paths. Lifelong At EU level, lifelong guidance is a shared policy
guidance provision has a key role to play as a socio- responsibility across the education, training, youth,
political response to such differences. While there are employment and social affairs policy fields. From an
significant differences in how individual EU Member EU policy development and co-operation perspec-
States construct such a response for their citizens, there tive, the Council of Ministers (Education, Youth)
are certain commonalities as to what constitute good and Council of Ministers (Employment and Social
elements of policies and systems. These commonali- Affairs) have responsibility for setting policy direc-
ties provide the basis for the Guidelines. tions for lifelong guidance. These are supported by
relevant EU committees, networks, expert groups
and by policy units in DG EAC, DG EMPL, and the
1.2 Policy and administrative European Parliament.
responsibility for lifelong guidance
Lifelong guidance is a shared policy and administra- 1.3 Aims
tive responsibility of several ministries at national
and regional levels. Ministries typically involved The Guidelines have been developed by the Euro-
pean Lifelong Guidance Policy Network. They build
7
Special Eurobarometer European Area of Skills and Qualifications June on the common aims and principles for lifelong
2014. 45% of respondents reported having had no access to such ser-
vices. guidance provision agreed by the Member States in
8
www.elgpn.eu The current membership of the Network consists of 200510. They are informed by the work and experi-
teams of national policy developers (education, employment), other
national authority representatives, professional leaders, and experts
from 30 EU and EEA countries and one observer country, Switzerland;
representatives of the relevant policy units of the European Parliament
9
«Institution” in the text of this document refers to delivery settings for
and of the European Commission (DG EAC and DG EMPL) and its agen- life long guidance such as schools, VET centres and colleges, adult and
cies ETF and CEDEFOP; European organisations – Public Employment higher education centres, public employment services’ offices, and
Services Network, European Trade Union Confederation, European other organisational settings.
Youth Forum, Euroguidance, and the European Forum for Student 10
CEDEFOP (2005) Improving lifelong guidance policies and systems
Guidance (formerly FEDORA); and of international partner organisa- – using common European reference tools Luxembourg: Office for Offi-
tions: IAEVG, ICCDPP. cial Publications of the European Communities

6
Introduction

ence of ELGPN supplemented by international best The Guidelines are addressed to policy-makers in the

Introduction
practice. education, training, employment and social inclu-
• The ultimate goal of the Guidelines is to help sion fields, to social partners, to lifelong guidance
improve the quality and efficacy of the career providers, and to EU citizens themselves.
learning experience of all EU citizens. They
contribute to improving the consistency of
such experience across the education, training, 1.4 Methodology of development
and employment sectors and to strengthen- of the Guidelines
ing the professionalism of services, tools and
products. The framework and content of the Guidelines have
• They are an easy reference guide for national been derived from a number of sources:
and EU policy-makers to identify dimensions • The experience of Member States, associate and
of policy to be taken into account when decid- observer countries, working together in the
ing on lifelong guidance services and products ELGPN on lifelong guidance policy and systems
in a variety of settings across the education and issues over the past seven years, and in partner-
employment sectors. ship with the European Commission (DG EAC,
• The Guidelines act as a source of common DG EMPL) and its agencies CEDEFOP (which
reference points, knowledge, expertise and gave a formal response to the Guidelines) and
assistance for Member State and region self- ETF, the European Parliament (Policy Unit A),
review, self-improvement, for peer review and and with other European (ETUC, FEDORA/
other external review (e.g. OECD, CEDEFOP, EAIE, PES Network, Euroguidance) and inter-
ETF, EHEA Ministerial Conference,), and for EU national organisations (IAEVG, ICCDPP)
neighbouring countries. • The national experiences of education and
• They support dialogue/exchange and mutual employment ministry officials, members of
policy learning, and provide inspiration at ELGPN, in shaping national policies and sys-
national, EU and international levels. They are tems for lifelong guidance
intended to add value to a country’s policies • Knowledge gained from policy studies and
and systems while recognising that countries’ reviews of career guidance undertaken by
policies and systems are at different stages of CEDEFOP, ETF, OECD, and the World Bank,
development. and in which several members of ELGPN par-
• They enable Member States to respond coher- ticipated
ently to common challenges in education, • EU policy instruments such as the Resolutions
youth, training, employment and social inclu- of the Councils of Ministers (Education, Youth)
sion policies such as those identified in ET on Lifelong Guidance, and EU co-operation
2020 by facilitating the exchange of learning on VET (Copenhagen Process – see Riga Con-
and experiences and provide a framework for clusions 201511) and relevant European Parlia-
further action on lifelong guidance policy at ment Resolutions.
EU level.
• They permit the European institutions to The framework and content have been the subject of
strengthen co-operation and co-ordination of an iterative process that commenced at an ELGPN
policies between the Member States and with
neighbouring countries. 11
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/doc/2015-
riga-conclusions_en.pdf

7
Introduction

Policy Review meeting in May 2013 and that contin- sion of lifelong guidance services in the education
Introduction

ued both at ELGPN Plenary meetings and between and training sectors, the labour market sector, and
meetings over the following two years. social inclusion. They also cover policy issues that are
common to all sectors.
The Guidelines recognise that countries organise
1.5 Why lifelong guidance is important their lifelong guidance systems in different ways, for
example, segmented sector approach versus all-age
Lifelong guidance provision contributes to a range of services.
public policy goals and outcomes in the social and
economic policy fields:
• Education and training: participation and 1.7 Principles underpinning
engagement with learning; retention and the EU Guidelines
course completion; performance and achieve-
ment; progress to further learning and work; Principles of development and application:
mobility; lifelong learning • Developed through Member State collabora-
• Labour market: participation in work; employ- tion (ELGPN) and with the advice of the Euro-
ability and job retention; income and salary pean Commission (DG EAC and DG EMPL)
potential; better balancing of labour market and its agencies CEDEFOP and ETF, Policy Unit
demand and supply; reduced time on unem- A of the European Parliament, and other stake-
ployment benefit; engagement, work perfor- holders (see 1.4 above)
mance, and productivity; employer investment • EU policy sharing and learning as means of
in employee skills development; mobility and improving national policies and systems using
employment transitions; workplace learning; the Open Method of Co-ordination
workforce development • Respect for the diversity of national policies
• Social inclusion: social and economic integra- and of contexts for the development of career
tion of individual and groups; reduction in guidance policies and systems
long-term unemployment and poverty cycles; • The autonomy of Member States in choosing to
overcoming barriers to accessing learning and apply or not to apply the Guidelines.
work; active ageing; gender and social equity
• Economic development: returns from higher Operational principles for lifelong guidance provi-
workforce participation, productivity, and sion:
development; addressing skills mismatches • Citizen-centred: publicly funded lifelong guid-
ance services and products exist to serve citi-
Lifelong guidance enables the EU citizen learner to zens. Such services and products are accessible,
make the best reasonable choice to progress to fur- without discrimination, in a flexible and secure
ther learning or work. manner allowing for the personalisation of ser-
vices. Citizens have a key role in their design
and evaluation.
1.6 The scope of the Guidelines • Holistic inclusive approach: publicly funded
lifelong guidance services and products recog-
Given that most EU citizens engage in learning and nise the life experience, the life-stage, diversity,
work across the lifespan, the Guidelines provide gender, and the social and economic circum-
policy advice and information that cover the provi- stances of citizens.

8
Introduction

• Ease and equity of access: citizens can access developed and implemented in accordance

Introduction
publicly funded lifelong guidance services and with national standards. Staff who perform
products through multi-channel service deliv- lifelong guidance activities have the required
ery (face to face, letter, phone, email, and inter- professional knowledge, competence, and
net). All citizens have access to the same level qualifications.
of services. • Integrated policy approach: policies for life-
• Transparency: citizens are made aware of and long guidance are an integral part of education,
understand the nature of the lifelong guidance training, employment, youth, and social poli-
services and products provided, the processes cies. Coherence of policies for lifelong guid-
and procedures involved, and the rationale ance across each of those sectors is supported.
behind these.
• Individual and group differences in career
management skills: policies for publicly 1.8 Tools to support the implementation
funded lifelong guidance services and products of the Guidelines
recognise that individuals, groups and com-
munities differ in their competence to manage The European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network
their learning and work pathways. They sup- (ELGPN) has produced a range of tools to enable
port citizens to become competent at planning policy-makers and other stakeholders to implement
and managing their learning and work paths many of the Guidelines. These include a Resource
and the transitions therein. Kit, Glossary, Concept Notes, and EU Policy Brief-
• Stakeholder participation and openness: All ings. These are referenced as appropriate in the text
stakeholders participate in the development of each Guideline. Other relevant resources are also
of policies and systems for lifelong guidance referenced. A complete list of the ELGPN Tools with
and are willing to share knowledge (e.g. strate- a brief description may be found in Annex 1. These
gies, methods, concepts, tools, policy evalua- tools should be read in conjunction with the relevant
tions) and stimulate debate in order to advance Guideline.
knowledge and improve problem solving at EU,
national, regional and local levels.
• Efficiency and effectiveness: publicly funded
lifelong guidance services and products are able
to demonstrate their added value and return on
investment to governments and taxpayers.
• Evidence based policy development: research
evidence including policy evaluation is incor-
porated into policy debates and decisions on
lifelong guidance policy and systems develop-
ment.
• Outcome focused: policies support and pro-
mote learning, economic, and social outcomes
from lifelong guidance activities.
• Professionalisation of services and tools: life-
long guidance services (face to face, distance,
telephone) and tools (in any media form) are

9
Introduction

1.9 The presentation and format Each Guideline has four parts: (i) Definition of the
Introduction

of the Guidelines content; (ii) Why it is important- rationale; (iii)


What is good practice – elements of good policies
The Guidelines are presented in four sections: and systems and iv) Resources for policy-makers.
Good practice in policies and systems is based on
Transversal policy components (9 Guidelines) a shared consensus of all members of ELGPN, both
1. Career Management Skills education and labour ministry representatives, and
2. Access to Lifelong Guidance Services
3. Assuring the Quality of Lifelong Guidance Provision
on the findings of international reviews and com-
4. Assessing the Effectiveness of Lifelong Guidance Provision parative studies (1.4 above).
5. Strategic Leadership: Co-operation and Co-ordination
6. Improving Careers Information
7. The Training and Qualifications of Practitioners
8. Funding Lifelong Guidance Services
9. Information and Communications Technology in Lifelong
1.10 Application of the Guidelines
Guidance
Education and training sector (4 Guidelines) All of the transversal Guidelines (1-9) may be used
10. Lifelong Guidance for School Pupils to review each sector as shown in the following table:
11. Lifelong Guidance for VET Students and Participants
12. Lifelong Guidance for Higher Education Students
13. Lifelong Guidance for Adult Learners
Employment and Third Age sectors (3 Guidelines) Member States may use Table 1 to decide which
14. Lifelong Guidance for the Employed
15. Lifelong Guidance for Unemployed Adults
transversal guideline(s) they wish to use to review a
16. Lifelong Guidance for Older Adults relevant sector(s) in their country.
Social inclusion (2 Guidelines) While each Guideline has been written as a stand-
17. Lifelong Guidance for Young People at Risk
18. Lifelong Guidance for Disadvantaged Groups alone text to be used independently of the other

Table 1: Reviewing sector guidance provision using the transversal guidelines

Schools VET Higher Adult Employed Un- Older Youth Disadvantaged


education education employed adults at risk Groups

CMS

Access

Quality

Evidence

Leadership

Careers
information

Training

Funding

ICT

10
Introduction

Guidelines, there are strong and obvious links Training and Qualifications). Table 2 below permits

Introduction
between some Guidelines and others, for example readers to visualise internal relationships between
between Guideline 9 (Funding) and Guideline 4 the transversal components and to decide at national
(Assessing Effectiveness), and between Guideline 3 level which combination of guidelines should be
(Ensuring Quality) and Guideline 7 (Practitioner used for national sector review purposes.

Table 2: Links between the transversal guidelines

CMS Access Quality Evidence Leadership Careers Training Funding ICT


information

CMS XXX

Access XXX

Quality XXX

Evidence XXX

Leadership XXX

Careers XXX
information

Training XXX

Funding XXX

ICT XXX

11
Introduction

1.11 How to use the Guidelines the Guideline, they may then refer to and use the
Introduction

Resources mentioned in the Guideline.


The Guidelines can be used at national, regional The Guidelines may also be used at national and
and local levels by stakeholders who are interested regional levels as reference points for policies for
in benchmarking, reviewing and improving existing education, training, employment and social inclu-
policies and systems for lifelong guidance. Stake- sion.
holders may select one (or more) Guideline(s) such At EU level, the Guidelines may act as reference
as Guideline 11: Lifelong Guidance for VET Students points for EU education, training, employment, and
and Participants, and proceed to examine how their social inclusion policies. They may be used also by
existing policy for lifelong guidance provision in CEDEFOP for its national reviews and comparative
VET compares with elements of good policies and studies, and provide inspiration to the ETF in its sup-
systems presented in the Guideline. If the stakehold- port work in neighbouring EU countries.
ers wish to deepen their reflections on the basis of

12
Transversal
2

Guidelines for Transversal Components of


Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

This section provides Guidelines on nine policy evaluating and analysing information about learning
issues that are common to lifelong guidance provi- and work opportunities and their requirements, relat-
sion in the education, training, and labour market ing this information to one’s self-knowledge, making
sectors. The first five (career management skills, career decisions, and making successful transitions.
access, quality assurance, assessing effectiveness, and The knowledge, skills and attitudes develop over
co-ordination and co-operation) refer to the priori- time with different expectations of competence mas-
ties of the 2008 Council Resolution and have been tery at different stages of life. Some of these skills are
the focus of the work of the ELGPN. generic across life situations; others are specific to
learning and work identity formation and decision-
making.
Guideline 1: Career Management Skills
Why it is important
Definition • Career identity formation is a continuous pro-
Career management skills (CMS) refers to a set of cess of development from the early years of life.
competences (knowledge, skills, attitudes) that In a formal education and training context, the
enable citizens at any age or stage of development to teaching and acquisition of career management
manage their learning and work life paths. skills contribute to participation in and engage-
The knowledge, skills and attitudes concern per- ment with learning, to learning performance
sonal management, learning management, and and progression, to progression to work, to
career management. Examples of personal manage- progression through working life and further
ment include self-knowledge of one’s capacities and learning, and to enhancing one’s employability.
interests, self-evaluation, social skills, and planning. • The development of career management skills
Examples of learning management include participa- contributes to workforce development, to
tion and engagement with learning, and understand- enterprise performance, to career and work
ing the relationship between self, learning and work. progression for individual citizens, and to their
Examples of career management include sourcing, continuing employability.

13
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

• For citizens who are outside of the workforce • Support the evaluation and assessment of the
for whatever reasons, the development of their outcomes of such teaching and training
career management skills can contribute to • Take into account the context of learning (cul-
their workforce integration, social inclusion, ture, education, training, retraining, curricular
and active citizenship. and pedagogical tradition)
Transversal

• CMS contribute to workforce productivity, to • Make use of the advantages of diversity in CMS
workforce competitiveness, adaptability, and teaching and use it as a source of enrichment
mobility, and to individual, family and com- and better understanding
munity prosperity • Adopt a cross sector approach, including the
• CMS give the individual a focus for achieve- collaboration of different stakeholders, that
ment and enable the identification of strategies supports the continuity of learning of CMS
and tasks necessary to achieve goals across sectors.

What is good practice Resources for policy-makers14


Policies and systems that: • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
• Support the development of a framework that and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
outlines the competences a citizen needs to effec- agement Skills (CMS)
tively manage their learning and work choices in • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
a long-term perspective and that differentiates in ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
CMS expectations and outcomes according to 1, Chapter 4 Career Management Skills.
the developmental stage of the citizen Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
• Support the teaching and acquisition of CMS in English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
formal education and training settings as either Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
specialised education programmes or as cross- Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
curricular competences • Gravina, Dorianne and Lovšin, Miha (2012)
• Support the teaching of CMS by the public Career Management Skills: Factors in Implement-
employment service to its target groups12 ing Policy Successfully, ELGPN Concept Note
• Training the trainers: promote staff and practi- No. 3
tioner13 training to ensure that they are effective Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, German,
in assisting citizens to acquire CMS Greek, Latvian, and Portuguese
• Favour the teaching, acquisition and develop- • Hooley, T., Watts, A.G., Sultana, R.G., and
ment of CMS in workforce settings (human Neary, S. (2013) The ‘Blueprint’ framework for
resource development, retraining, and inter- career management skills: a critical exploration.
ventions for unemployed and for groups at risk British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, Vol. 41,
of unemployment) No. 2, 117131
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/
03069885.2012.713908
12
Public Employment Services’ contribution to EU 2020. PES 2020 strat-
egy output paper.

http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docld=9690&langld=en
13
‘Practitioner’ in the context of these Guidelines refers to persons
whose main role and speciality is the conduct of career guidance
activities, in whichever work setting these are undertaken. ‘Guidance
counsellor’ is an example of this. ‘Staff’ refers to persons for whom the
conduct of career guidance activities is a minor part of their official 14
All ELGPN publications are available at http://www.elgpn.eu/publica-
function. ‘Teacher’ is an example of this. tions

14
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 2: Access to Lifelong Guidance of Open Education Resources for professional


Services development
• Improved access supports the implementa-
Definition tion of the recommendation on citizen access
Access refers to the means and conditions by which contained in the Council (Education/Youth)

Transversal
citizens can engage with lifelong guidance services, Resolution on lifelong guidance 200816 and
tools and resources, and participate in career devel- the exercise of a European citizen’s right to
opment activities over the life-span to enable them to guidance17 services arising from the European
make meaningful learning, career and work choices15 Social Charter.
and to develop CMS. Lifelong guidance services
include self-help, brief staff-assisted, and individ- What is good practice
ual case-managed services to assist citizens to make Policies and systems that promote access to services
informed and meaningful decisions about occupa- which:
tional, educational, training, employment and life • Are citizen friendly: delivered by means and
management choices. These services are delivered at times pertinent to citizen availability, in a
face-to-face (individual and group) or at distance via manner that facilitates both distance access
the Internet or telephone. Career resources include such as the use of ICT ( telephone and web-
assessments and information that are designed to based support tools) and physical access, and
help individuals clarify what they know about them- in a manner that differentiates between per-
selves, their options, and their approach to decision sons who require some or a lot of assistance
making. Service-delivery tools help citizens use career and those who can use self-help.
resources in a way that is appropriate for their needs. • Offer a clear range of easily accessible services
Demand for lifelong guidance provision in the based on an evaluation of people’s aspirations
general population exceeds the supply of services. and needs, and taking account of their living
Many people cannot access it for a variety of reasons- and working environments, and of their cul-
physical, geographical, economic and social, and in tural preparedness for the use of services (espe-
some cases from a lack of awareness of what exists cially users with migrant background), at key
and of its benefits. decision points and transitions over the life-
span.
Why it is important • Promotes career education within the curricu-
• Improved access to lifelong guidance services, lum as a cost-effective measure to reach a whole
activities, tools and resources supports equal- age cohort.
ity of citizen opportunity, social equity, social • Target groups at risk of social and economic
mobility, and social cohesion. exclusion.
• Access to lifelong guidance services increases • Use the mainstream language and, as appropri-
the awareness of the citizen learner of the Euro- ate, other languages (regional or foreign).
pean Area of Skills and Qualifications, of EU • Communicate the nature of lifelong guidance,
mobility tools for learners and workers, and

15
Improving access to lifelong guidance was a priority area for the atten-
16
“Guidance services, as services of general interest, should be accessible
tion of Member States in the Council (Education) Resolution 2008 on to everyone, irrespective of their knowledge base or their initial skills,
Better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies. It and should be readily understandable and relevant. A particular effort
was also identified as an area for Member State action in the Council should be made to improve access to guidance services for the most
(Education) Resolution 2004 on Strengthening policies, systems and disadvantaged groups and persons with special needs.”
practices for guidance throughout life. 17
European Social Charter, Turin, 18.X.1961.

15
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

its benefits to citizens, and the services avail- Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
able through social marketing. English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
• Use a partnership/collegial approach in the Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
broadening the reach of guidance activities in Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
any work setting. • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
Transversal

• Work through non-formal and informal guid- ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
ance partnerships with disadvantaged com- Lifelong Guidance
munities, groups and individuals, and, as • OECD (2001): The Role of Information and Com-
appropriate, through mobile services. munication Technologies in an integrated career
• Promote co-ordination and collaboration of information and guidance system
services, tools, and resources within and across http://www.oecd.org/edu/research/2698249.
sectors. pdf
• Promote open access to information resources Available in English and French
of all media type especially taking advantage of
the potential of ICT.

Resources for policy-makers


• ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
1, Chapter 5 Access.

16
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 3: Assuring the Quality of What is good practice


Lifelong Guidance Provision Policies and systems that:
• Promote stakeholder (users and potential users
Definition of services, taxpayers, social partners, service-
Quality assurance in lifelong guidance refers to poli- delivery managers, practitioners) interests in life-

Transversal
cies, standards and procedures that assist in evaluat- long guidance quality-assurance systems, taking
ing guidance services, products and activities from into consideration the diversity of such interests.
a citizen and other stakeholder perspective and that • Promote the development of commonly shared
lead to their continuous improvement. professional quality standards that apply to
both public- and private-sector lifelong guid-
Why it is important ance provision and products, and within and
• Quality assurance in lifelong guidance protects across education, employment and social fields.
EU citizens’ interests by ensuring that the life- • Support monitoring and feedback systems, par-
long guidance services and products are refer- ticularly from a service-user perspective.
enced according to pre-established professional • Focus on practitioner competence: support the
quality standards.18 initial and continuing professional training of
• It assures comparability of lifelong guidance staff who deliver lifelong guidance services and
support to citizens within and across sectors, activities.
over the life-span, and regardless of the citi-
zen’s geographical, social and economic cir- Resources for policy-makers
cumstances. • CEDEFOP (2005) Improving lifelong guidance
• It also ensures that taxpayers’ and private fund- policies and systems – using common European
ing of lifelong guidance activities is well spent, reference tools Luxembourg: Office for Official
in particular where governments devolve the Publications of the European Communities
responsibility of provision of lifelong guidance Available in English, French, German, Italian,
activities to a region, municipality and/or insti- Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish
tution. • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
Lifelong Guidance
• ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
1, Chapter 6 Quality and Evidence, and Annex D
Quality Assurance and Evidence-Base Framework
Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian

18
The Council (Education/Youth) Resolution (2008) on Better integrating
lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies identified the devel-
opment of quality assurance of guidance provision as a priority area for
Member States.

17
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 4: Assessing the Effectiveness indicator development and application within


of Lifelong Guidance Provision and across the education, training, employ-
ment and social fields.
Definition • Promote research to support evidence-based
Assessing effectiveness refers to the collection and policy-making, including market and academic
Transversal

analysis of data through research and other means research, longitudinal and time-series impact
on the usage and effectiveness of lifelong guidance evaluation, and cost-effectiveness studies.
policies, systems and interventions, and their evalu- • Support data-gathering strategies to identify
ation. Such data collection includes information on the needs for new, different and expanded ser-
outcomes, outputs, processes and inputs, in the edu- vices and target-groups.
cation, training, employment and social fields. • Pay attention to user-benefit and user-satisfac-
tion data and career learning outcomes data
Why it is important for citizens.
• The collection and analysis of such data assists • Support the collection and evaluation of data
in developing evidence-base policies. on private-sector provision.
• It contributes to many aspects of policy and • In a mixed model of provision, provide a clear
systems development: for example, the shaping rationale, supported by evidence, on how fund-
of strategic goals, the planning of services, the ing is allocated to different channels and to
development of programmes, the identification different priority groups.
of gaps in service delivery, the training needs of
professional practitioners and the optimal use Resources for policy-makers
of resources and of investment in delivery. • ELGPN (2014) ELGPN Tool No. 3: The Evidence
• It addresses accountability issues, supports Base on Lifelong Guidance: A Guide to Key Find-
comparability of guidance methodologies, ings for Effective Policy and Practice
tools and practices, and provides a critical per- Available in English and German in full,
spective on transferability of these across con- extended summary, and brief forms, Finnish
texts and their adaptability to new contexts (brief form), Latvian (extended summary)
• Having a reliable evidence base on the effective- • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
ness of career guidance interventions is a pre- ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
requisite for good policy development.19 Lifelong Guidance
• ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
What is good practice ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
Policies and systems that: 1, Chapter 6 Quality and Evidence, and Annex D
• Support the regular collection of data on the Quality Assurance and Evidence-Base Framework
outcomes, outputs, and inputs of career guid- Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
ance and the monitoring and evaluation of English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
such data in terms of cost-benefits to individu- Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
als and governments. Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• Support a common approach to policy-relevant

19
The Council (Education) Resolution (2008) on Better integrating lifelong
guidance into lifelong learning strategies invited Member States to give
pay attention to evidence-based policy development.

18
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 5: Strategic Leadership: tive and more diverse service delivery.


Co-operation and Co-ordination • The absence of co-ordination contributes to
the lack of continuity and consistency of life-
Definition long services experienced by EU citizens as they
Strategic leadership refers to how policy and systems move both within and between the education,

Transversal
development for lifelong guidance are managed in training and employment sectors. They expe-
a country, region, and locality. In particular it refers rience duplication of effort and little or no
to co-operation and co-ordination mechanisms that attempts to co-ordinate their participation as
implicate all of the relevant stakeholders in policy clients in the career guidance process.
and systems development. In many countries lifelong • Co-ordination and co-operation is particu-
guidance has historically been planned and organ- larly important from a citizen perspective
ised within sectors, with little concern for within-sec- where individualised career guidance solutions
tor and cross-sector co-ordination and co-operation. require a co-ordinated response from a variety
Key variables in planning and organisation of life- of agencies as in the case of unemployment and
long guidance provision include: policy and admin- school-drop-out
istrative responsibility (ministry); knowledge sharing • From a policy and delivery perspective, co-ordi-
between ministries; centralised v. decentralised gov- nation and co-operation across sectors with
ernment responsibility (region, municipality, institu- stakeholder involvement in lifelong guidance
tion); stakeholder involvement; and inclusive policy help to overcome policy fragmentation, and
frameworks such as human resource development, duplication of effort, and to promote efficiency
lifelong learning, and employability, which are a of investment in lifelong guidance services and
shared responsibility of several ministries. products.20
• Co-ordination and co-operation can also help
Why it is important to ensure that lifelong guidance is properly
• Co-ordination and co-operation arrangements considered in the development of a country’s
facilitate the development of the lifelong education, training, employment and social
nature and dimension of guidance policy and inclusion policies, and in national human
of citizen access to services and products. They resource development strategies and pro-
enable citizens to see clearly a continuity of grammes.
service across sectors over the life-span, and
to identify easily what has been designed and What is good practice
provided for their particular age-group and for Policies and systems that:
their social, economic and geographical cir- • Use citizen entitlement to lifelong guidance
cumstances. and user needs as policy levers for co-ordina-
• Co-ordination and co-operation support tion and co-operation.
convergence in understanding and in quality
improvement among services and practitioners
through the sharing of information, method-
ologies, and tools.
20
Member States were invited in the Council (Education/Youth) Resolu-
tions of 2004 and 2008 on lifelong guidance to improve co-operation
• Co-ordination and co-operation between and co-ordination among all stakeholders in the provision of lifelong
guidance services in order to widen access and ensure coherence of
stakeholders in the use of new emerging tech- provision. See also: CEDEFOP (2008). Establishing and Developing
nologies makes access to lifelong guidance and National Guidance Forums: a Manual for Policy-Makers and Stakehold-
ers. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Com-
information more feasible by creating innova- munities.

19
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

• Promote cross-sector co-ordination and co- Resources for policy-makers


operation for lifelong guidance policies and • CEDEFOP (2009) Establishing and developing
services in the education, employment and national lifelong guidance policy forums: A manual
social fields. for policy-makers and stakeholders
• Support policy and systems coherence within http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5188_
Transversal

and across sectors. en.pdf


• Promote standardised cross-sector information Available in English, French and German
sharing on client learning outcomes (e.g. CMS • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
acquisition), assessment results, and client ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
interactions with career services and products, 1, Chapter 7 Co-ordination and Co-operation; and
respecting national legislation on data protec- Chapter 3 Key Features of a Lifelong Guidance
tion. System
• Support the emergence and development of Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
mechanisms for such co-ordination and co- English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
operation such as national guidance forums, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
inter-ministerial groups, or policy units. Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• Involve stakeholder interests, e.g. the general • The ELGPN Tool No. 2 ELGPN Glossary (2012)
public and social partners, in the design of poli- provides a common set of definitions for life-
cies and delivery systems for lifelong guidance. long guidance (LLG) policy development and
• Promote inclusive policy frameworks such as related guidance terminology. Policy-makers
lifelong learning and employability for work- may find the Glossary useful in the context
force preparation and development, of which on exchanges on policy development across
lifelong guidance is an integral part. the education, training, employment and social
• Ensure equitable access to services and compa- inclusion sectors.
rable standards in service delivery in decentral- Available in Albanian, Croatian, Czech, Eng-
ised systems. lish, Greek, Hungarian, Latvian, Portuguese,
• Take advantage of ICT as a means of policy and and Swedish
systems partnership and of joint action by the
partners for the benefit of citizens.

20
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 6: Improving Careers • Access to, and competence in sourcing, under-


Information standing, evaluating, and applying careers
information, are significant factors in social
Definition equity, educational participation and perfor-
Careers information refers to any kind of information mance, and labour market participation. Such

Transversal
in any medium that assists citizens to make meaning- competence is a key part of CMS.
ful choices about learning and work opportunities. • Individuals and groups in society differ in their
It includes information on occupations, the labour capacity to source, interpret, and apply careers
market, education, VET, and higher education study information and need specific guidance assis-
programmes, and pathways between these. Informa- tance for personal implementation. Providing
tion on National and European Qualification Frame- careers information on its own, as an “informa-
works and transfer mechanisms is an important part tion dump”, without appropriate accompany-
of pathway information. The labour market (public ing career guidance support, does not recognise
and private employment services and employers) the differential capacity of individuals and
is a significant source of information on employ- groups to source and use information.22
ment trends (supply and demand) in sectors and
on emerging and dying occupations. Labour market What is good practice
information, transformed into careers information, Policies and systems that:
is critical to good career decision-making. • Promote the following standards of careers
Careers information refers also to information information23 for ICT and for other forms of
obtained through experiential learning, e.g. work career learning and media:
shadowing, work experience and work simulation. – designed taking users’ needs (what are their
questions) and social milieu into account;
Why it is important – help users to identify their own needs and to
• Careers information gives EU citizens the ask themselves questions;
opportunity to: (a) compare themselves, their – be comprehensible (language, multi-modal-
circumstances, and their interests and aspira- text image, graphics, sound);
tions with the requirements and demands of – be user friendly and pedagogical in design;
jobs, work, education and training programmes – be accurate, up-to-date, precise and non-dis-
and labour market opportunities; (b) identify a criminatory;
range of pathways towards these opportunities; – be independent of sector and institutional
and (c) make meaningful choices. interests.
• Good-quality and reliable labour market and • Improve the quality and ensure the objectiv-
careers information enables EU citizens to ity and gender fairness of career information,
make choices of learning and work opportuni- taking account of users’ expectations and
ties and pathways that are based on the realities labour market realities.
of occupations and labour markets.21 • Ensure the reliability of labour market informa-
tion

21
The Council (Education/Youth) Resolution (2008) on Better integrat-
ing lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies invited Member
States to provide citizens and guidance stakeholders with reliable and
comprehensive information resources and set down a number of policy
22
Grubb, W.N. (2002). Who Am I? The Inadequacy of Career Information
recommendations on improving the quality of careers information in an Information Age. Paris: OECD
which are included in this Guideline. 23
Tricot, A. (2002). Improving Occupational Information. Paris: OECD.

21
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

• Promote the co-ordination of the collection pations) EUROPASS, EURES, YOUTHPASS,


and distribution of labour market information EUROPEAN SKILLS PASSPORT, EUROPASS
through partnerships between key stakehold- LANGUAGE PASSPORT, and PLOTEUS.
ers: ministry, social partners, sector, and profes-
sional associations Resources for policy-makers
Transversal

• Relate information on education and train- • NCDA (Revised 2007) Guidelines for the Prepa-
ing provision to local, regional, national and ration and Evaluation of Career and Occupational
international labour market opportunities. Use Information Literature
tools and resources for jobs and skills forecast- http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/asset_man-
ing to enrich careers information, building on ager/get_file/3399
both national and EU resources. • NCDA (1992) Guidelines for the Preparation and
• Enable EU citizens to have access to experi- Evaluation of Video Career Media
ential and non-experiential forms of careers http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/asset_man-
information. ager/get_file/3401
• Promote EU citizen acquisition of the career • NCDA (1997) Guidelines for the Use of the Inter-
management skill (CMS) to source, understand, net for the Provision of Career Information and
and apply careers information, and to evaluate Planning Services
such sources http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/guide-
• Promote careers education and career manage- lines_internet
ment skills in education and training curricula • OECD (2002) Improving Occupational Informa-
as a means to address individual and group tion
differences in the capacity to source, interpret, http://www.oecd.org/edu/innovation-educa-
evaluate, and apply careers information tion/2485392.pdf
• Pay attention to developing the career informa- Available in English and French
tion knowledge and skills of guidance practi- • OECD (2002) Who am I? The inadequacy of
tioners in initial and continuing professional career information in an information age
development http://iccdpp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/
• Provide information in different media form 03/OECD-Inadequacy-of-Career-Info-2002.pdf
including internet and enable their usage. Available in English and French
• Create awareness among EU citizens of EU • OECD (2001): The Role of Information and Com-
mobility tools for learners and workers in the munication Technologies in an integrated career
European Area of Skills and Qualifications and information and guidance system.
of Open Education Resources for professional http://www.oecd.org/edu/research/2698249.
development. Examples of EU mobility tools pdf
include ECVET, ECTS, EQF, ESCO (European Available in English and French
Skills, Competencies, Qualifications and Occu-

22
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 7: The Training and and expectations of both citizens and policy-
Qualifications of Practitioners makers.24
• Qualifications in lifelong guidance ensure that
Definition certain minimum standards of learning and
Training refers to the initial preparation and continu- competence have been achieved.25

Transversal
ous professional development of guidance practitio-
ners, persons whose main work function is lifelong What is good practice
guidance. It refers to the knowledge, skills, com- Policies and systems that:
petences and attitudes required to undertake life- • Protect the interests of EU citizens through pro-
long guidance roles and tasks in whichever setting moting the professionalisation of career guid-
career guidance is provided. Qualifications refer to ance activities.
the formal outcome (e.g. certificate, diploma) of an • Promote initial and continuous training for
assessment and validation process, obtained when individuals involved in the management and
a competent body determines that an individual delivery of career guidance activities, and
has achieved the learning outcomes to a given stan- require them to hold relevant qualifications.
dard in order to perform lifelong guidance roles and • Promote initial and continuous training for
tasks with citizens. Some lifelong guidance activities guidance professionals and other staff with par-
require intensive and specific training (e.g. career ticular focus on cultural and gender sensitive
counselling and assessment, careers education/peda- guidance and counselling
gogy) while other activities require less intensive and • Enable individuals to progress in an incremen-
specific training (e.g. recording statistics of career tal way from non-specialist to specialist career
service usage). guidance roles and qualifications, and recog-
nise and validate their prior learning.
Why it is important • Promote ethical standards and behaviour of
• Citizens need to have confidence that the life- practitioners
long guidance activities offered are provided by • Promote mobility of career guidance practi-
persons with the knowledge, competence and tioners across sectors, e.g. education, training,
ethics to do so. employment, community.
• Citizens need to be enabled and assisted to • Strengthen links between government policies
identify their lifelong guidance needs and to for career guidance and practitioner training
have those needs addressed in a competent and objectives.
professional way, so that they can make mean- • Draw on international and EU studies and
ingful and efficient learning and work choices. frameworks for competences and qualifica-
• Practitioners and other staff who undertake tions for guidance practitioners to inform their
guidance activities are more likely to be able national developments.
to help citizens to achieve good decision and
transition outcomes if they (practitioners, staff) 24
The Council (Education/Youth) Resolution (2008) Better integrating
have received appropriate training. lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies.
• Training enhances the professional profile and
25
The EU Council (Education) Resolution (2004) on Strengthening policies,
systems and practices for lifelong guidance invited Member States to
standards of guidance practitioners and of improve the initial and continuing training of guidance practitioners.
The training of guidance practitioners was also the focus of an OECD
other staff who undertake guidance activities, expert paper The Skills, Training and Qualifications of Guidance Work-
enabling them to respond better to the needs ers (Paris: OECD, 2002), and of a CEDEFOP study Professionalising
Career Guidance (Luxembourg: Office for the Official Publications of the
European Communities, 2009).

23
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Resources for policy-makers • European Commission (2014) European Ref-


• CEDEFOP (2009) Professionalising Career Guid- erence Competence Profile for PES and EURES
ance: Practitioner Competences and Qualification counsellors, DG Employment, Social Affairs, and
Routes in Europe Inclusion: Brussels
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5193_ • OECD (2001) The Skills, Training, and Qualifica-
Transversal

en.pdf tion of Guidance Workers


Available in English and German http://www1.oecd.org/edu/innovation-educa-
• ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen- tion/2698214.pdf
ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of Available in English and French
Lifelong Guidance

24
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 8: Funding Lifelong Guidance What is good practice


Services Policies and systems that:
• Promote the adequate funding of careers ser-
Definition vices, activities and products to support the
Lifelong guidance activities and products can be citizen’s right to vocational guidance as per the

Transversal
funded in a number of ways26: direct funding of ser- European Social Charter and its accessibility.
vices by central government or through funding rel- • Promote the collection of expenditure and
evant government agencies (such as in the education resource-usage data to understand the effi-
and employment sectors); devolved public funding ciency of use of existing investment and the
to regions or municipalities or institutions; through identification of additional investment needs
funding raised in regions and municipalities; through for different aspects of delivery.
public subcontracting of services to private, non-profit, • Promote accountability for the use of funds
and voluntary organisations; market-based provision dedicated to career guidance provision
for which individuals pay privately; employers and • Address cost-effectiveness issues of service and
trade union contributions; and a mix of the above. product provision such as co-ordination within
and across sectors, bodies, institutions.
Why it is important • Support research on the effectiveness of and
• Lifelong guidance is a public good as well as a outcomes from career guidance provision.
private good. It contributes significantly to the • Ensure that all bodies and organisations who
achievement of public-policy goals in education, receive public funding for career guidance pro-
employment, social inclusion, and to the econ- vision meet pre-established quality standards
omy in general (see 1.2 above). It is recognised for services and products and practitioner com-
by the EU Council of Ministers27 as a “service petence.
of general interest” that should be accessible • As appropriate, encourage private sector invest-
to everyone. Such access cannot occur without ment in the provision of career guidance ser-
substantial investment of public funding. vices and products, developed in accordance
• A citizen’s right to vocational guidance is with pre-defined national standards
enshrined in Article 9 of The European Social • As appropriate, encourage career guidance
Charter28 with an additional protocol29 on resource sharing between private and public
gender equality of opportunity and treatment sectors
in the application of this right. Public fund-
ing of lifelong guidance services supports the Resources for policy-makers
implementation of this right. • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
• This Guideline also recognises that the private ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
sector can contribute to the provision of life- Lifelong Guidance
long guidance services and products and that • OECD (2002) An Occupation in Harmony: The
citizens may pay for such services. Role of Markets and Governments in Career Infor-
mation and Career Guidance
http://www.oecd.org/education/innovation-
26
EC-OECD (2004). Career Guidance: a Handbook for Policy-Makers.
27
The EU Council of Ministers (Education/Youth) in its Resolution (2008) education/1954694.pdf
on Better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies Available in English and French
28
European Social Charter, Turin, 18.X.1961.
29
Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter, Strasbourg,
5.V.1988.

25
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

Guideline 9: Information and • As an administrative tool to support, among


Communications Technology in Lifelong others, evidence collection, evidence based
Guidance policy development, accountability, quality
assurance, and policy and systems co-ordina-
Definition tion and coherence within and across sectors
Transversal

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) • As an integrative agent, providing a common


in lifelong guidance refers to the products, infrastruc- conceptual framework for the design and deliv-
ture, and electronic content that enhance policy and ery of lifelong guidance services, resources and
systems development for lifelong guidance and the tools across different sectors (education, train-
delivery of lifelong guidance services, resources, and ing, employment, and social).
tools. It refers to how interactive services, resources
and tools are designed and developed for citizens, Why it is important
how citizens use these, and how such uses in turn • ICT supports a citizen-centred approach to
reshape that design. It also refers to the digital com- making all public services, including lifelong
petency required to use ICT in a lifelong guidance guidance services, resources, and tools, more
context. accessible to citizens.
ICT applications range from career and labour • ICT has the potential to act as an integrative
market information files and telephone support to factor in lifelong guidance policy development.
sophisticated online web-assisted guidance systems, • Citizen behaviour change: ICT products, infra-
resources and tools, to apps, 3D multiuser virtual structure, and electronic content have changed
environments, and distance services, and to social the behavioural pattern of citizens. This includes
media sites that facilitate interaction between citi- the frequency and duration of communications
zens and guidance practitioners and between the (phone, email, social media), time-usage pat-
users themselves. These latter include: peer to peer terns, and more recently the uptake of online
coaching, on line career support communities, job apps, and web based services housed in the
seeker and employer connections, and user driven cloud where there are faster and freer online
real time mentoring. Experiencing career options peer to peer options to connect with. There is
through gaming and apps (e.g. job search and job intensive use of the internet as an information
networking), can provide instant signposting to next source and library and a huge growth in the
step researching/information discovery. ICT applica- online purchasing of products and services. Pol-
tions also include national portals linking the life- icies and delivery practices for lifelong guidance
long guidance work of several ministries which share need to respond to these behavioural changes.
this policy responsibility. • Individuals, groups and communities have, in
ICT in lifelong guidance may play several different turn, been highly creative in developing uses
roles: for ICT products, infrastructure, and electronic
• As a tool to assist, enhance, and further develop content, for example the creation of commu-
traditional approaches to the provision of career nities of interest focused on a specific objec-
development services, resources and tools. tive. ICT enables collaborative local, regional,
• As an alternative to traditional approaches to national and international action and projects
such provision in lifelong guidance. Lifelong guidance provi-
• As an agent of change on how existing career sion has to take advantage of new vistas that
development services, resources, and tools can ICT is opening for potential users of services,
be transformed, accessed, used, and managed resources and tools.

26
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

• New ICT tools have great potential for balanc- tions in lifelong guidance; and provide accom-
ing self-help and staff assisted services for citi- panying support for those who need it
zens thus allowing the widening of access and • Support digital inclusion in lifelong guidance
the maintenance of equity in service provision (social inclusion that ensures that individuals
in a cost-effective way. and disadvantaged groups have access to and

Transversal
• ICT facilitates communication and the col- the skills to use ICT for lifelong guidance)
laborative construction of knowledge for life- • Support a “plain language” approach for web-
long guidance derived from users, using social site navigation for lifelong guidance including
media and mobile devices. These resources are for careers information provided through the
used with or without the help of career profes- medium of ICT
sionals. Social media in lifelong guidance is a • Encourage citizen online interaction with life-
medium for new communication, an interac- long guidance services, resources, and tools
tive working space and an impetus for para- • Allocate resources for public access to online
digm change and reform. career services (e.g. in education and training
• The use of ICT in lifelong guidance demands a settings, public employment services, libraries)
rethinking of institutional contexts and profes- • Integrate the use of ICT in career education
sional competences, and requires a new men- programmes in order to help the citizens to
tality and culture based on co-ordination and develop skills to evaluate and use the online
co-operation in order to make efficient use of assessments and information related to their
scarce resources. career development.
• Support the use of 3D multiuser virtual plat-
What is good practice forms in order to provide highly immersive
• Policies and systems that: career learning experiences for end users e.g.
• Treat ICT in lifelong guidance as part of wider work based simulations.
national e-Government mechanisms • Support blended learning: face-to-face, dis-
• Ensure that the ministries that share respon- tance practitioner support, website, providing
sibility for lifelong guidance provision have a support for citizens to effectively benefit from
common agreed framework for the role and the learning.
use of ICT in lifelong guidance provision and • Ensure that through initial and in-service train-
communicate this to all service providers and ing, new and existing guidance practitioners
stakeholders are up-skilled and understand the nuances of
• Provide the necessary infrastructure for the this ICT medium, the ethics, and the demand
development and implementation of ICT driven time response complexities.
resources, especially training and support for • Systematically integrate the use of ICT in exist-
service providers ing lifelong guidance services as appropriate,
• Acknowledge ethical issues (e.g. online identity, and adapt guidance services to ICT.
privacy) and professional standards in the use • Make use of big and open data (data that can
and design of modern technology in lifelong be used, reused, and redistributed) for the
guidance services development of an evidence base for lifelong
• Recognise individual citizen and group differ- guidance policies
ences in general and digital literacy; and dif- • Integrate the use of ICT in national quality
ferences in their capacities to source, interpret, assurance mechanisms for lifelong guidance
evaluate and apply information and instruc- • Develop and continuously improve standards

27
Guidelines for Transversal Components of Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems

of practice for the use of ICT in lifelong guid- • NCDA (1997) Guidelines for the Use of the Inter-
ance services and programmes net for the Provision of Career Information and
• Conduct research and evaluation to appro- Planning Services
priately guide the evolution of modern tech- http://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/guide-
nology and its pedagogical consequences for lines_internet
Transversal

lifelong guidance services, resources, and tools. • OECD (2001): The Role of Information and Com-
munication Technologies in an integrated career
Resources for policy-makers information and guidance system.
• ELGPN (2012): European Lifelong Guidance Poli- http://www.oecd.org/edu/research/2698249.
cies: Progress Report 2011-12. A Report of the Euro- pdf
pean Lifelong Guidance Policy Network. Available in English and French

28
Education
3

Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and


Systems for the Education and Training Sector

This section consists of four Guidelines covering guidance services for pupils may be provided from
policies for the provision of lifelong guidance to par- within the school or from outside the school, or by a
ticipants in general education, vocational education combination of both approaches.
and training, adult learning, and higher education Making decisions about learning and work options
is a complex process that requires pupils to be able to
critically evaluate both internal cognitive and emo-
Guideline 10: Lifelong Guidance tional variables such as self-knowledge, and external
for School Pupils variables such as family, peer, and societal expec-
tations and stereotypes, learning pathways and the
Definition labour market opportunities. Thus persons delivering
Guidance for school pupils refers to a range of peda- a guidance programme for school pupils need spe-
gogical services, structured programmes and activities cialist training in the pedagogy of careers guidance.30
including e-learning, and products or tools that assist
pupils to understand learning pathways and choices Why it is important
within a school’s education programme, to link these • Key indicators of the success of a school’s edu-
to post-school learning and work opportunities, to cation programme are pupil participation and
make successful transitions to those opportunities, retention, pupil motivation and engagement
and to acquire CMS. Lifelong guidance helps pupils with learning, school performance and achieve-
and their families to plan the next steps especially ment, and progression through and beyond
at the end of compulsory education when students school. By providing pupils with learning
are required to make meaningful decisions on their opportunities on the links between school edu-
future general or vocational education and training, cation and post-school options including work
or on entry to the labour market.
Support for parents, teachers and school man-
agement to understand such pathways and links
30
The Council (Education/Youth) Resolution (2008) on Better integrat-
ing lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies called for better
forms part of lifelong guidance provision. Lifelong teacher/trainer preparation and support.

29
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

and learning, lifelong guidance plays a criti- educational and vocational streams. Lifelong
cal role in the implementation of the school guidance support is necessary to help young
education programme and in supporting pupil people, parents and teachers to deal with the
learning and teachers’ work.31 unexpected consequences of choice limitation
• There are significant individual differences and of allocations of pupils by such selection
Education

in an individual pupil’s capacity to identify, systems, which may not be compatible with a
source and interpret information concern- young person’s wishes, competences, interests
ing themselves and future learning and work and circumstances.
opportunities, family and societal expectations, • Per capita costs per pupil from public funding
and to make choices. There are also signifi- increases as a child progresses from primary
cant differences in the pace of development of through tertiary education and VET. General
young people’s intellectual, emotional, social education in secondary school often acts as
and career decision-making maturity in both the last stage of progression to tertiary and VET.
childhood and teen-age years. The majority The provision of good-quality lifelong guid-
of them need some lifelong guidance support ance in secondary school contributes to the
over the course of their schooling; a significant efficient use of public funding beyond school
minority need a lot of support with learning by ensuring that pupils and their parents make
and work choices. wise and meaningful choices for tertiary educa-
• The occupational and labour market knowl- tion and VET, reducing taxpayer exposure to the
edge base of parents, communities, peers and cost of drop-out.
teachers is very limited, as is their knowledge • Education systems are charged with equipping
of the relevant learning pathways. Timely career students with “the key competences for lifelong
guidance activities during schooling can thus learning”, particularly “learning to learn”32 and
enhance their capacity to assist young people to motivate and to promote successful learn-
with learning and work choices. ing mobility. Guidance and counselling provi-
• Given how education and training systems are sion is pivotal in the comprehensive strategies
structured in any country and how they link against early school-leaving as regards the three
to the labour market, the early subject and aspects defined by the Council Recommenda-
programme choices that pupils make e.g. at the tion (2011): prevention, intervention and com-
beginning of lower secondary or earlier, have pensation.33
significant impact on subsequent choices made
at later key decision points such as at upper What is good practice
secondary and at school graduation. Thus life- Policies and systems that:
long guidance activities have to be provided • Support a comprehensive approach to career
to pupils (and their parents) from an early learning for school pupils combining career
age. education programmes within the curriculum,
• Some education systems operate selection pro- experience-based learning, out-of-school/work-
cedures for pupils progressing from one stage of place learning using community and alumni
education to the next and for transfers between resources, telephone and web support, and face-

31
Resolution of the EU Council of Ministers (Education/Youth) (2004) on
32
Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council (2006).
Strengthening policies, systems and practices in the field of guidance 33
Council (Education) Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to
throughout life in Europe. reduce early school-leaving.

30
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

to-face individual and collective careers activities. • As appropriate, provide the necessary resources
• Promote careers education and career manage- to school management so that they can provide
ment skills in the curriculum as a means to a quality lifelong guidance service.
address individual pupil and group differences • Support the monitoring of guidance pro-
in their capacity to source, interpret, evalu- grammes for school pupils, including by pupil,

Education
ate, and apply careers information, especially parent, teacher, and employer feedback.
where such is obtained from internet and social • Promote consistency in the quality of lifelong
media sources. guidance provision across schools and regions
• Develop a comprehensive strategy for the teach- where responsibility and funding for this is
ing and learning of career management and devolved to schools, municipalities and regions.
entrepreneurial34 skills from primary school • Promote pre-established standards of guidance
through secondary school and in vocational services and products where a lifelong guid-
streams. ance programme or elements of it are delivered
• Promote a comprehensive lifelong guidance through external agencies and contractors.
programme in and/or out of schools that assists • Support the collection of data on the education,
pupils, parents, teachers and school manage- training and work destinations of school-leav-
ment at key learning and work decision-mak- ers and of tracking mechanisms for such data.
ing points for pupils. • Create an awareness of the European Area of
• Promote career learning outcomes as a means Skills and Qualifications, of EU mobility tools
of monitoring the quality and effectiveness of for learners and workers, and of Open Educa-
guidance programmes for school pupils. tion Resources for lifelong learning.
• Provide specific guidance and counselling sup-
port to pupils at risk of early school-leaving, Resources for policy-makers
particularly in terms of motivation through • CEDEFOP (2011) Guidance Supporting Europe’s
career management skills curricula and through Aspiring Entrepreneurs
acquisition of the basic skills for access to on- http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
line services. tions/ 18285.aspx
• Are sensitive and responsive to pupil diversity • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
and gender. ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
• Support and improve the initial and in-service 1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the
training of guidance practitioners, and of other Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance
school staff involved in the delivery of guid- in schools
ance, and of school management, particularly Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
in terms of career management skills teaching English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
and assessment, and methods for preventing Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
early school-leaving. Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
34
European Commission Communication (2006) on Fostering entrepre- agement Skills (CMS)
neurial mind-sets through education and learning. Sense of initiative
and entrepreneurship was one of the 8 key competences identified in • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
the Recommendation 2006/962/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
learning (Official Journal L 394 of 30.12.2006). See also the European Lifelong Guidance
Parliament Resolution (September 2015) on promoting youth entrepre-
neurship through education and training. • European Parliament Resolution (2015) Pro-

31
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

moting youth entrepreneurship through education • Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo
and training (2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid-
• Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4
(2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our Available in Croatian English, German, Latvian,
Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in and Portuguese
Education

Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand, • Oomen, Annemarie and Plant, Peter (2014)
ELGPN Concept Note No. 2 Early School Leaving and Lifelong Guidance,
Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, Greek, ELGPN Concept Note No. 6
Latvian, and Portuguese Available in English and Portuguese

32
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

Guideline 11: Lifelong Guidance for or professional development.37 It may also include
Vocational Education and Training (VET) postgraduate tertiary vocational training.
Students and Participants Lifelong guidance in CVET may take a vari-
ety of forms, e.g. workplace mentoring and staff
Definition appraisal, and may be combined with municipal

Education
VET refers to vocational education and training or external lifelong guidance provision such as the
which aims to equip people with knowledge, know- public employment service, national all-age lifelong
how, skills and/or competences required in particular guidance services, or private provision. It may also
occupations or more broadly on the labour market.35 include support for transition to self-employment.
In addition, there are special training programmes,
typically aimed at young people at risk to enable Why it is important
them to improve their employability by gaining the • The individual differences in young people’s
basic skills to enter employment or to participate in knowledge, capacity, and maturity for making
IVET. VET may be divided into initial vocational edu- meaningful career decisions (refer to Guideline
cation and training (IVET)36 and continuing voca- 9 above) impact on their choice of vocational
tional education and training (CVET). pathways. Just because they have made an ini-
Lifelong guidance in IVET refers to a range of activ- tial VET choice is no guarantee that they will
ities and products that assist young people to know continue with such a choice; they will need
and understand vocational learning pathways and guidance support to continue to engage with
choices prior to and at entry to VET to link these to learning and to make a successful transition to
further vocational learning and work opportunities, the labour market. The necessity of acquiring
and to make successful transitions to those oppor- career management skills applies to VET stu-
tunities. Support for parents, teachers and school dents as it does to general education students.
management to understand such pathways and links This has been recognised in the Bruges Com-
forms part of lifelong guidance provision. It also muniqué (2010).
includes support for the guidance work of teachers • Several distinct challenges face young people
in special training programmes for young people at and their parents when confronted with
risk, and for workplace mentors where workplace making choices about VET. These include the
learning is a key feature of VET programmes. age at which a decision has to be made, the
Continuing vocational education and training (CVET) nature of the decision (default or voluntary),
refers to education or training undertaken by an whether a selection process operates, and the
individual after completion of initial education and point of vocational specialisation. Information
training or after entry into working life. It aims to and guidance can help young people to better
assist individuals to improve or update their knowl- understand the transfer and progression conse-
edge and skills, to acquire new skills for a career quences of their choices, to make a wise choice
move or retraining, or to continue their personal of vocational specialisation, and to engage
with learning. Lifelong guidance can also assist
35
CEDEFOP (2011). Vocational Education and Training at Higher Qualifi- course transfers where a pupil’s initial choice of
cation Levels. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. VET or VET specialisation proved subsequently
36
Initial vocational education and training (IVET) takes place at several
different levels of education: to be untenable.

•  lower secondary school;

•  upper secondary school;

•  apprenticeship; 37
CEDEFOP (2008). Terminology of European Education and Training

•  post-secondary non-tertiary education; Policy – a Selection of 100 Key Terms. Luxembourg: Office for the Offi-

•  tertiary education. cial Publications of the European Communities.

33
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

• For young people at risk and for potential and on promoting youth entrepreneurship through
actual early school-leavers, the special train- education and training.
ing programmes provided are often their last • In the European Area of Skills and Qualifica-
chance to acquire employability skills. Life- tions, lifelong guidance can help VET learner
long guidance support from teaching staff and and worker mobility by making them aware
Education

specialists can help them to understand better of the existence of mobility tools such as the
their barriers to learning, to employment, and European Skills Passport and ECVET.
to active citizenship, and how to take advan- • Finally, the per capita cost of VET provision to
tage of workplace learning to help them over- taxpayers is significantly higher than the per
come these barriers and avoid drop out. capita cost of general education. The cost of
• IVET and CVET are recognised38 as having a drop-out or failure to qualify from VET is also
key role in any economy in workforce prepa- more expensive to taxpayers and/or to employ-
ration and development, in meeting employ- ers who provide work-based training. On the
ers’ needs, and in assisting the employability other hand, progression through VET leads to
of those most vulnerable to changes in the having a skilled workforce responsive to chang-
labour market. Lifelong guidance provision ing labour market needs. The provision of early
helps to make VET systems more efficient by and timely lifelong guidance provision will sig-
assisting citizens with initial VET choices and nificantly reduce taxpayer exposure to potential
subsequent CVET choices, supporting learning and actual losses.
and performance during VET programmes, and
supporting labour market or further learning What is good practice
transitions. They also help to create awareness Policies and systems39 that:
of Open Education Resources for VET. • Encourage the provision of high-quality infor-
• Lifelong guidance can support the work of mation and guidance, including experience-
policy-makers and employers to signpost new based careers learning, which enable young
arrangements such as transfer mechanisms at pupils in compulsory education, and their par-
national level between vocational and general ents, to become acquainted with different voca-
academic streams, mechanisms for progression tional specialisations, progression and transfer
within and between pathways, including to ter- pathways, and career possibilities.
tiary and postgraduate tertiary, and the attrac- • Support teaching and learning activities which
tiveness of VET as a career option. foster the development of career management
• Many VET graduates ultimately make a transi- skills in IVET and CVET.
tion to self-employment and to the establish- • Promote entrepreneurship as a positive career
ment of small and medium-sized enterprises option in career education programmes.
(SMEs). The provision of careers education • Support the use of feedback from guidance
on entrepreneurial opportunities to IVET and services on the transition of VET graduates to
CVET participants will support successful tran- work or to further learning in order to improve
sitions. This is recognised in the Resolution the quality and relevance of VET to the labour
of the European Parliament (September 2015) market.

38
Maastricht Communiqué on co-operation in vocational education and
training in Europe (2004); Helsinki Communiqué on co-operation in
vocational education and training in Europe (2006); Bruges Communi- 39
Most of these policy recommendations are in the Bruges Communiqué
qué on supporting vocational education and training in Europe (2010). (2010) on Supporting vocational education and training in Europe.

34
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

• Are sensitive and responsive to trainee/partici- • CEDEFOP (2011) Guidance Supporting Europe’s
pant diversity and gender. Aspiring Entrepreneurs
• Actively encourage individuals and VET provid- http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
ers to use lifelong guidance services to enhance tions/ 18285.aspx
workers’ further participation and performance • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-

Education
in CVET, with a particular focus on people ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
facing transitions within the labour market 1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the
(such as workers at risk and the unemployed) Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance
and on disadvantaged groups. in VET
• Promote and support the use of lifelong guid- Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
ance in helping citizens to identify and have English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
validated their competences acquired through Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
non-formal and informal learning. Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• Create awareness among VET participants of • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
EU mobility tools for learners and workers in and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
the European Area of Skills and Qualifications, agement Skills (CMS)
and of Open Education Resources. • Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors
(2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our
Resources for policy-makers Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in
• CEDEFOP (2014) The Attractiveness of Initial Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand,
Vocational Education and Training: Identifying ELGPN Concept Note No. 2
What Matters Available in Croatian, English, Dutch, Greek,
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica- Latvian, and Portuguese
tions/ 22510.aspx • European Parliament Resolution (September
• CEDEFOP (2013) Keeping Young People in (Voca- 2015) Promoting youth entrepreneurship through
tional) Education: What Works? education and training
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/9084_ • Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo
en.pdf (2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid-
Available in French, German, Greek, Italian, ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4
Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish Available in Croatian, English, German, Lat-
vian, and Portuguese

35
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

Guideline 12: Lifelong Guidance for immediacy of the demands of the labour market on
Higher Education Students graduation. The acquisition of these skills may form
part of optional learning, or of compulsory learning
Definition with academic credit attached. Such career orienta-
Guidance in higher education refers to a range of tion programmes may be delivered centrally by a
Education

activities and products that help students to students careers service, or by faculty or department with cen-
to select appropriate study programmes and to cope tral support or with external support. Co-operative
with the transition to higher education. It supports education/workplace learning, where it exists as part
students to enhance the potential of their academic of a tertiary education programme, contributes sig-
experience and to link it to their personal and career nificantly to careers learning.
development. It fosters their ability to explore and Lifelong guidance and entrepreneurial education
learn about labour market, further learning (e.g. activities may be collective (class/group) or indi-
postgraduate) and entrepreneurship opportunities, vidual, and delivered with telephone, web, e-mail,
and to make successful transitions to those oppor- and face-to-face collective and individual interven-
tunities. It encourages students’ ability to effectively tions, often accompanied by careers fairs, on-campus
transfer their academic knowledge to professional employment recruitment, alumni and entrepreneur-
context. ial mentoring.
Guidance in higher education also provides sup-
port for course changers, i.e. the re-orientation of Why it is important
those students whose initial choices of higher edu- • Higher education and research are crucial to
cation programmes did not prove subsequently to economic growth and development and to
be successful or meaningful40, and to the guidance workforce preparation and development; career
needs of an increasing number of adult learners/ guidance in tertiary education is the corner-
returners who are seeking further professional devel- stone of a better and more flexible skills match
opment. It also concerns citizens who pursue higher with the needs of the economy and of techno-
education through distance learning and/or through logical changes.
Open Education Resources. • With the massification and internationalisa-
Career management skills are essential learning tion of higher education (including by distance
for higher education students since they connect education expansion and Open Education
self-reliant and reflective learning in the disciplines Resources), the success of graduates in the job
studied with the demands of students’ career devel- market has become an asset test of higher edu-
opment and entrepreneurial competences in modern cation institutions. The enhancement of stu-
knowledge societies. They foster the education of dents’ employability ensures the professional
creative, innovative, critically thinking and respon- relevance of higher education programmes.
sible graduates as well as the students’ employa- • There has been huge growth in the diversity
bility.41 Given the immediacy of the demands of the of student participation. Consequently there
labour market on graduation, competences related is a need for more extensive lifelong guidance
to job search, and entrepreneurial skills, are essen- services delivered in a wide range of modes to
tial learning for higher education students given the accommodate the increasing variety of student
learning and work transitions and of students’
circumstances.
40
Conclusions of the European Council (Education) (2011) on The mod-
ernisation of higher education. • It can help the swift and efficient reorientation
41
Bologna Process: Bucharest Ministerial Communiqué, 26 April 2012 of students who discover too late that their

36
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

initial choice of higher education programme by informing them of the level of achieve-
does not correspond with their competences, ment required in the various higher education
interests, and labour market realities. courses and of the career destinations of gradu-
• The promotion of student mobility though ates
European programmes, the harmonisation of • Ensure that higher education students are able

Education
the degree structure in the framework of Bolo- to relate their learning experiences to the world
gna Process, the modular structures of course of work, including the development of the
delivery, and the adoption of the European skills and attitudes that enable successful inte-
Qualifications Framework at national level, all gration and adaptation to work contexts, and
make higher education pathways more com- develop a sense of responsibility towards their
plex, and career guidance more necessary. career decisions
• Effective and efficient guidance services • Promote the career management and entrepre-
in higher education contribute to the mod- neurial skills learning of students, especially
ernisation of higher education systems42 to where students have not been exposed to these
student-centred learning, and to their social in prior education and employment
dimension43. • Promote entrepreneurship as a positive career
• Learner and worker mobility in the EU: lifelong option in career education programmes.
guidance supports the promotion and usage by • Promote the active involvement of the indi-
learners of EU mobility tools in the European vidual student in the development of his/her
Area of Skills and Qualifications. careers project/plan.
• Are sensitive and responsive to student diversity
What is good practice and gender: pay attention to the identified needs
Policies and systems that: of particular target-groups, e.g. older learners,
• Strengthen links between higher education international students, students with disabilities,
institutions, employers and labour market students with limited financial means.
institutions in order to respond more effec- • Ensure the continuing improvement of practi-
tively to the needs of economic world and tioners’ qualifications and competences
society as a whole • Provide students with updated information on
• Promote the involvement of students, employ- mobility opportunities, EU mobility tools, the
ers and other stakeholders in the design and European Area of Skills and Qualifications, EU
delivery of lifelong guidance activities and ser- labour market requirements, and Open Educa-
vices tion Resources
• Promote the provision of lifelong guidance • Provide disadvantaged and under-represented
centrally and within the faculties in higher edu- groups with more transparent information on
cation institutions educational opportunities in order to ensure
• Strengthen the links between higher education the right choice of study
institutions and upper secondary schools and • Promote the collection and publication of
VET institutions graduate employment data (including tracking
• Supporting the transitions of potential students graduate employment outcomes data). Include
information and counselling in processes
42
EC Communication of 20.9.2011 on An Agenda for the modernisation related to validation of non-formal/informal
of Europe’s Higher Education Systems Council (Education) Conclusions
(2011) learning for potential and existing students
43
Bologna Process: Bucharest Ministerial Communiqué, 26 April 2012. • Develop evaluation system for guidance ser-

37
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

vices, including databases and follow-up of Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
students Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• Link the provision of lifelong guidance in ter- • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
tiary education institutions to quality-assur- and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
ance arrangements, strategic planning, and agement Skills (CMS)
Education

performance targets • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-


• Link student-centred learning approaches of ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
active learning with the development of career- Lifelong Guidance
management skills in the faculties and on the • European Parliament Resolution (September
central level 2015) Promoting youth entrepreneurship through
• Support the investigation of student drop-out, education and training
the actual costs of non-completion, and the • Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors
cost-benefit ratio of providing lifelong guid- (2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our
ance prior to course entry and during course Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in
participation. Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand,
ELGPN Concept Note No. 2
Resources for policy-makers Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, Greek,
• CEDEFOP (2011) Guidance Supporting Europe’s Latvian, and Portuguese
Aspiring Entrepreneurs • Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica- (2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid-
tions/ 18285.aspx ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4
• ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop- Available in Croatian English, German, Latvian,
ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No. and Portuguese
1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the • ENQA (2009) Standards and Guidelines for Qual-
Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance in ity Assurance in the European Higher Education
higher education Area, (Sections 1.5-1.7)
Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, http://www.enqa.eu/wp-content/uploads/
English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, 2013/06/ESG_3edition-2.pdf

38
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

Guideline 13: Lifelong Guidance for Adult obsolete, and new ones have emerged; some
Learners economic sectors have declined, others have
grown, others again have just emerged. New
Definition pathways through all stages and types of learn-
Adult learning is a vital component of the lifelong- ing have opened up. This can be bewildering

Education
learning continuum, comprising general and voca- for adults. Specialist guidance support is neces-
tional education and training (CVET), undertaken by sary for many to find their way in a new learn-
adults after leaving initial education. It covers: ing and work world.
• formal, non-formal and informal learning for • Adult learners are not a homogenous group.
improving basic skills, obtaining new qualifica- Some have had successful experiences of formal
tions, or up-skilling or re-skilling for employ- school learning; others have a lot of informal
ment and non-formal learning experiences which
• participation in social, cultural, artistic and need to be acknowledged/ recognised; many
societal learning for personal development and have had negative experiences. Guidance sup-
fulfilment. port for the latter group is essential to enable
Lifelong guidance in adult learning refers to a range of their participation, retention, engagement,
activities and products that enable adults to participate achievement and progression through learning,
and engage with learning and, where appropriate, to and to overcome barriers to learning.44
progress to qualifications and further learning and • Adult learners in general have accumulated
work transitions. It includes processes for the identi- multiple roles and responsibilities: this adds
fication and validation of non-formal and informal to the complexities of the learning and work
learning. Guidance may be delivered in collective set- choices they have to make. Their family, eco-
tings such as the classroom and on an individual basis nomic and social circumstances can be enablers
such as career counselling, and using web-based and or barriers to their progression. Specialist guid-
telephone supports. Those involved in its delivery may ance support is sometimes necessary for them
have specialist career guidance training or other rel- to arrive at an understanding of the conse-
evant training. Experience-based careers learning such quences of this complexity and to enable them
as subject and work tasting/experience are very relevant to find meaningful solutions to learning and
programme responses in addressing adults’ needs. work choice dilemmas.
• Participation in learning may be a significant
Why it is important financial and other resource investment for an
• Lifelong guidance provision is an integral part adult. Making a wise choice with guidance sup-
of lifelong learning policies. It has a key role to port can reduce the risk of financial and other
play in stimulating demand for adult learning, loss.
and in providing information and counselling, • By supporting the development of adult learn-
complemented by effective outreach strategies, ing, career guidance makes an important con-
aimed at raising awareness and motivation tribution to social inclusion, active citizenship
among potential learners, including awareness and personal development.
of the existence of Open Education Resources. • In the interests of economic competitiveness of
• The worlds of learning and work and path- the EU workforce, the low rates of participation
ways between them have changed significantly
since the time/date when many adults com- 44
Council (Education) Conclusions (2008) on adult learning (Official Jour-
pleted basic education. Many jobs have become nal C 140 of 6.6.2008).

39
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Education and Training Sector

of adults in lifelong learning must be increased in order to help citizens to cope with diverse
to an average of at least 15% by 2020.45 Life- challenges throughout their lives as well as to
long guidance has a key role to play in achiev- manage their career and transitions in a life-
ing that target. Adults are often not informed of long perspective47
the qualification or recognition opportunities • Promote entrepreneurship as a positive career
Education

and learning pathways that they may access, option for adults
including Open Education Resources. • Support the training and professionalisation of
all staff who deliver career guidance in different
What is good practice roles in adult learning settings
Policies and systems that: • Ensure that career guidance is an integral part of
• Support an integrated information and guid- adult learning programmes in publicly funded
ance service involving multi-channel delivery education and training institutions
(web, telephone, face-to-face) • Support co-operation with enterprises, employer
• Provide adult learners with the opportunity of associations, public employment services, and
personalised, individual guidance community organisations to facilitate access to
• Support the provision of career guidance in adult learning, including to lifelong guidance, for
adult learning settings, particularly prior to example through the use of learning vouchers.
learning engagement, during course participa-
tion, and at progression points to further learn- Resources for policy-makers
ing and/or work • CEDEFOP (2011) Guidance Supporting Europe’s
• Enabling citizens to benefit from support in Aspiring Entrepreneurs
obtaining validation and recognition of their http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
formal, non-formal and informal learning tions/ 18285.aspx
• Promote subject and work tasting as means of • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
experience-based career learning ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
• Are sensitive and responsive to learner diversity 1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the
and gender Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance in
• Make a specific focus on disadvantaged groups, adult education.
early school-leavers, young people not in Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
education, employment or training (NEETs), English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
long-term unemployed, and adults with low Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
qualifications,46 in order to improve their abil- Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
ity to manage transitions and adapt to changes
• ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
in the labour market and society
and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
• Support the social marketing of learning
agement Skills (CMS)
(including Open Education Resources) and
• European Parliament Resolution (September
lifelong guidance, and of the validation of non-
2015) Promoting youth entrepreneurship through
formal and informal learning
education and training
• Support the development of career manage-
ment skills in adult education programmes,
47
“Career management skills refer to a range of competences which
provide structured ways for individuals and groups to gather, analyse,
45
Europe 2020 Strategy. synthesise and organise self, educational and occupational informa-
46
Council Resolution setting out a renewed European agenda for adult tion”. ELGPN: Lifelong Guidance Policies: Work in Progress 2008-10,
learning (2011). p.23.

40
4

Employment
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems
for the Employment and Third Age Sectors
This section consists of three Guidelines covering guidance for the employed are provided by outplace-
policies for the provision of lifelong guidance to ment agencies, coaching consultancies, and adult
adults in the workforce and for the Third Age sector. learning centres (see Guideline 12 on adult learn-
ers). The internet is the first contact point for many
employed adults seeking to explore new learning and
Guideline 14: Lifelong Guidance work opportunities for themselves. It is a rich source
for the Employed for social networking dedicated to career develop-
ment as well as for careers information and advice.
Definition Workplace training, mentoring and appraisal are also
Lifelong guidance for the employed covers a range of occasions for informal career information and advice.
learning activities and products that enable them to
take stock of their present work situation (role, condi- Why it is important
tions, content), the competences they have acquired • Lifelong guidance provision has strong added
from work and life-wide learning and their validation, value for the employed, for employers and for
and to plan further learning and work transitions and policy-makers.49 It helps employees to main-
life-wide transitions such as retirement. tain their employability as well as to gain a
Lifelong guidance activities for the employed can better qualification through relevant training
take place within enterprises as part of a human courses and through the validation of their
resources development strategy, or as a trade-union learning experience. It enables employers to
activity, but are more likely to be delivered through a have better skilled and competent staff. It
national careers service, through the public employ- assists the progression and development of
ment service, through specialist careers services or employees both at work and at a personal level.
through private providers.48. Other forms of lifelong At work, it supports individual and enterprise
decision-making on training and up-skilling

48
CEDEFOP (2008). Career Development at Work: a Review of Career
Guidance to Support People in Employment. Luxembourg: Office for 49
European Social Partners (2002). Framework of Actions for the Lifelong
Official Publications of the European Communities. Development of Competences and Qualifications.

41
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

pathways in order to adapt to changes in tech- What is good practice


nology and the business environment, and to Policies and systems that:
move and to manage the transitions from one • Seek ways to widen the role of public employ-
job to another. ment services in providing lifelong guidance to
• For employers, lifelong guidance is a major tool employed adults
for human resource development, for main- • Ensure access for the employed to guidance
taining a high level of productivity in the work- for the validation of their non-formal/infor-
force, for attracting, motivating and retaining mal learning i.e. provide the employed with
good-quality employees, and for matching the information and support for the analysis of
Employment

skills level of the staff with forecasted compe- their workplace and life-wide learning, accom-
tence needs. pany them through the accreditation process,
• For both employers and employees, lifelong and advise them on further training pathways
guidance has a key role to play in flexicurity inside and outside the enterprise
strategies.50 It supports the redeployment of • Support partnership collaboration (trade
human resources to meet new business chal- unions, professional bodies, employers’ organ-
lenges, and helps persons rendered unem- isations, educational institutions, public and
ployed/redundant to both re-assess their private employment services, and community-
competency profile and take advantage of based organisations) for the provision of guid-
learning opportunities to up-skill and improve ance services for the employed
their employability. • Market the benefits of lifelong guidance to
• For policy-makers, lifelong guidance for the both employers and employees and make the
employed assists the competitiveness of the employers and employees aware of careers ser-
economy at large, through supporting the vices that currently exist
development of an efficient and competent • Stimulate guidance support in enterprises,
workforce, a knowledge economy and an inclu- particularly in small and medium enterprises
sive society. It supports workforce adaptability (SME), by introducing incentives: for exam-
and sustainability, and workforce re-integra- ple, making lifelong guidance an allowable
tion goals51. expenditure under training levy schemes; or
• Lifelong guidance services can help create introducing schemes that give public recog-
awareness and usage of EU worker mobility nition to enterprises that provide exemplary
tools such as EURES in the European Area of programmes
Skills and Qualifications, and of the existence • Ensure that workforce/human resource devel-
and usage of Open Education Resources for opment policies stress the importance of life-
workforce development. long guidance, and that human resource staff
have the professional training to undertake this
activity
• Promote the development of career manage-
ment skills for the employed
50
Sultana, R.G. (2012). Flexicurity: Implications for Lifelong Career Guid-
ance. Jyvaskyla: ELGPN, 2012. Flexicurity refers to a social arrangement • Promote entrepreneurship as a positive career
between employers, employees and government that favours loose option
employment protection combined with generous unemployment ben-
efits and active labour market policies, giving flexibility for employers • Ensure that lifelong guidance for employees
and security for employees.
features on the negotiating table in the collec-
51
Communiqué from the Third International Symposium on Career Devel-
opment and Public Policy, Sydney, Australia, 2006. tive bargaining of the social partners at national

42
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

and sector levels http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-


• Recognise the role of private sector markets for tions/ 23963.aspx
lifelong guidance for the employed • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
• Extend services that are already available in ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
the adult and continuing education sectors to 1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the
employed adults Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance in
• Encourage the development of national multi- the employment sector
channel approach (telephone, web, face to face) Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
for guidance for the employed for information English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,

Employment
and advice on further learning and work oppor- Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
tunities, including Open Education Resources Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian
• Ensure that the European Area of Skills and • Sultana, Ronald G (2012) Flexicurity: Implica-
Qualifications and the international dimension tions for Lifelong Career Guidance, ELGPN Con-
of the labour market is presented to job-seekers cept Note No. 1
and workers seeking career change, including Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, German,
(in Europe) through the use of EURES (the Greek, Latvian, and Portuguese
European PES Network) and other EU mobility • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
tools for learners and workers. and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
agement Skills (CMS)
Resources for policy-makers • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
• CEDEFOP (2008) Career Development at Work: ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
A Review of Career Guidance to Support People in Lifelong Guidance
Employment • European Commission (2014) European Refer-
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica- ence Competence Profile for PES and EURES coun-
tions/ 12936.aspx sellors, Brussels: DG Employment, Social Affairs,
Available in English and German and Inclusion
• CEDEFOP (2014) Navigating Difficult Waters: • European Commission (2011) European Public
Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions Employment Services and Lifelong Guidance, PES
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5542_ to PES Dialogue Analytical Paper, Brussels: DG
en.pdf Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
• CEDEFOP (2014) Use of Validation by Enterprises
for Human Resources and Career Development
Purposes

43
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

Guideline 15: Lifelong Guidance for response to the varying intensity of needs of different
Unemployed Adults individuals and groups.

Definition Why it is important


Guidance for unemployed adults refers to a wide • Lifelong guidance helps unemployed adults
range of career guidance activities and products to cope with the negative psycho-social con-
that help unemployed job-seekers to improve their sequences of (long-term) unemployment and
employability skills and reintegrate in the labour encourages and empowers them to self-manage
market52. These activities include: assessment, profil- their future career and to avoid disqualification
Employment

ing or screening, assistance in managing job changes, processes and loss of their employability.
coaching in career management and social skills, job- • Lifelong guidance for unemployed adults assists
broking and advocacy, job-search assistance activi- in preventing inflows into unemployment, par-
ties, counselling, job club programmes, provision of ticularly into long-term unemployment.
labour market information, and, if relevant, use of • It supports the development of a skilled work-
psychometric tests. Employment counselling, a basic force responding to labour market needs and
service delivered by PES counsellors is aimed at the the promotion of lifelong learning.53It helps to
sustainable activation and labour market integration reduce skills mismatches in the labour market.
(assessment, profiling, etc.) of the unemployed. Spe- • It encourages EU and regional labour mobility,
cialist career guidance may be provided by PES– for and supports employability skills development,
those who are seeking a more comprehensive solu- especially in the European Area of Skills and
tion e.g. a low-skilled unemployed young person or Qualifications, drawing on EU mobility tools
adult who wishes to pursue a VET programme. Career for learners and workers and on Open Educa-
guidance is recognised as one of the most effec- tion Resources.
tive interventions of active labour market policies. • It helps to reduce the time citizens spend receiv-
Unemployed adults are not a homogenous group but ing unemployment benefit and the cost of such
comprise groups with quite different characteristics benefits and of the social welfare budget to the
and needs (for example, older workers, persons sud- taxpayer. These goals are part of national and
denly made redundant, women returning to work European employment strategies.
after child-rearing, ethnic minorities, people with
disabilities, students seeking a first job, early school- What is good practice
leavers without qualification, long-term unemployed, Policies and systems that:
migrants) that require special short-term or long- • Support flexible and sustainable solutions for
term support and measures. people with diverse social, work and learning
Guidance services for unemployed people are backgrounds, and unemployment experiences,
mainly delivered by public employment services rather than being focused on quick reintegra-
(PES), with private agencies and community organi- tion in the labour market at the expense of
sations having targeted and outreach roles. individual competence, interest and aspirations
The development of e-guidance services (telephone, • Are sensitive and responsive to clients’ diversity
email, web chat, SMS) and self-service approaches and gender
allow the emergence of a tiered service approach in • Promote a case management approach: indi-

52
European Integrated Guidelines for Implementing the Europe 2020 53
European Council (2010) Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the
Strategy. Member States Guideline No. 8

44
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

vidual action plans for unemployed people • Support a tiered approach to lifelong guidance
with multiple obstacles that include co-oper- service provision such as: (i) access to informa-
ation with a number of other services to cope tion for all through multi-channelling services,
with health problems, personal, family prob- in self-service or with personal support; (ii)
lems, debts etc. user needs analysis; (iii) help on a collective
• Integrate lifelong guidance activities in both basis for those who need it through career man-
preventive and remedial policies for unem- agement skills learning or through job-clubs;
ployed people. and (iv) individualised guidance to those who
• Implement guidance support in preventive need more help.

Employment
measures to help persons on a pathway of
unemployment such as early school-leavers Resources for policy-makers
without qualification, young people not in • CEDEFOP (2008) Career Development at Work:
education, employment or training (NEETs), A Review of Career Guidance to Support People in
and workers in restructuring sectors of industry Employment
• Promote lifelong guidance as a tool in active http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
labour market strategies. Where guidance for tions/ 12936.aspx
unemployed is obligatory as part of active Available in English and German
labour market measures, the guidance delivery • CEDEFOP (2014) Navigating Difficult Waters:
and methods should be in accordance with Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions
quality standards for products and services. The http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5542_
long-term career development perspective of en.pdf
the unemployed should be recognised. • CEDEFOP (2014) Use of Validation by Enterprises
• Support customised lifelong guidance delivery for Human Resources and Career Development
to different target groups of unemployed adults, Purposes
using partnership and outreach strategies http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
• Support close co-operation between the public tions/23963.aspx
employment services (PES) and education and • CEDEFOP (2013) Return to Work: Work-based
training institutions Learning and the Reintegration of Unemployed
• Promote better links between lifelong guidance Adults into the Labour Market
providers and employers, economic sectors and http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/6121_
trade unions en.pdf
• Invest in lifelong guidance training of PES per- • CEDEFOP (2013) Returning to Learning, Return-
sonnel ing to Work: Helping Low Qualified Adults out of
• Promote and support entrepreneurship, self- Unemployment
employment, social enterprises and business http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/9082_
start-ups through adequate information, guid- en.pdf
ance and counselling • ELGPN (2012) Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop-
• Encourage guidance services to use the national ment: A European Resource Kit. ELGPN Tool No.
and EU instruments that forecast and antici- 1, Chapters 4 to 7 cover the application of the
pate skills needs, in order to identify emerging Resource Kit to policies for lifelong guidance in
skills shortages in specific occupations across the employment sector
and within sectors and regions, and to bring Available in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch,
these to the attention of unemployed adults English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,

45
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, and Slovenian and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
• Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors agement Skills (CMS)
(2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand, Lifelong Guidance
ELGPN Concept Note No. 2 • European Commission (2011) European Public
Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, Greek, Employment Services and Lifelong Guidance, PES
Latvian, and Portuguese to PES Dialogue Analytical Paper, Brussels: DG
Employment

• Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
(2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid- • European Commission (2014) European Refer-
ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4 ence Competence Profile for PES and EURES coun-
Available in Croatian English, German, Latvian, sellors, Brussels: DG Employment, Social Affairs,
and Portuguese and Inclusion

46
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

Guideline 16: Lifelong Guidance for Why it is important


Older Adults • Older workers have a higher risk of long-term
unemployment. Many have undertaken a
Definition variety of life roles and responsibilities which
“Older adults” refers to a wide category of persons: impact on their career decision-making. Timely
full-time older workers, part-time older workers, career guidance provision can help them make
older unemployed, fully retired. Older adults have meaningful decisions in the economic and
specific career concerns. Guidance aims at providing social circumstances in which they find them-
them with specialised information and advice to sup- selves.

Employment
port “active ageing”.54 Active ageing implies measures • Older workers are an important source of cor-
that are focused on employment, unpaid work/social porate knowledge and memory and of work
participation, independent living, and capacity for experience. They are key to inter-generational
active ageing (individual characteristics and environ- knowledge transmission and to the guidance
mental factors).55 of younger workers.
Older workers are increasingly encouraged or • Active ageing policy is based on making use
required (in order to address public and private pen- of the potential of older people in paid and
sion fund deficits) to work longer, until and, in an non-paid work (e.g. care provision to family
increasing number of cases, beyond statutory retire- members, volunteering) and is a form of social
ment age. Ageing workforce development entails investment (active social policies can yield high
a life-cycle approach to the needs of older adults, economic and social returns). Thus the provi-
including retirement. sion of career guidance to older adults will
In order to help keep their employability skills help to maximise economic and social returns
up-to-date and to prevent employment obsolescence, to this group, as it does to other groups during
successful guidance activities for older adults include: the life-cycle.
career management skills development; identifica- • Older people form a growing segment of the
tion of their transferable skills and validation of com- population, while the share of the working
petences gained through non-formal and informal population is declining. By 2060 there will be
learning; access to information on further training only two people of working age (15-64) in the
and learning opportunities; and individual coun- European Union for every person aged over
selling to stimulate and strengthen their learning 65 years. Thus policies need to ensure that as
motivation as well as their capacity of change to a people grow older, they can continue to con-
different occupation. tribute to the economy and society, and help to
The life-cycle approach supports flexible transi- maintain economic prosperity and social cohe-
tions and pathways between full-time work and full- sion. Timely and appropriate career guidance
time retirement. Guidance including easy access to for this age-group can support their continuing
information enables the pre-retired to identify their economic and social participation.
capacities and interests to get further involved in • Lifelong guidance provision for older adults
voluntary work, and in social and leisure activities. supports the European Commission’s Social
Investment Package for Growth and Cohesion.56
• The Europe 2020 Strategy seeks to increase
54
European Council (EPSCO) (2012). Declaration on the European Year for
Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.
55
EC-UNECE Policy Brief: Introducing the Active Ageing Index, March 56
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1044&newsId=
2013. 1807&furtherNews=yes

47
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

employment rates to 75% of the population • Activation policies which facilitate redeploy-
in order to pre-empt future labour shortages ment within the enterprise or transition to
arising from demographic trends. This can be other employment for older workers who lose
better achieved if older adults have the guid- their job following restructuring.
ance information and support to enable longer • The development of career management skills
participation in the workforce. throughout life, including preparation for
active ageing and retirement, and for social
What is good practice and economic participation during retirement.
Policies and systems that support: • Stimulating lifelong guidance provision for
Employment

• The consideration of older workers as a distinct older adults by outsourcing to associations that
category in diversity policy, with innovative work closely with them.
approach of service delivery: for example, sup- • Campaigns focused on the correlation between
port through online career guidance service. active ageing and health, informing employers
• Intergenerational knowledge transfer, includ- on how to accommodate an ageing workforce
ing: succession planning; involving older and how career guidance can assist in this
employees in mentor and training roles; and • Stimulating research on lifelong guidance for
recording of the knowledge accumulated active ageing.
during their career.
• The involvement of the public employment Resources for policy-makers
service in dedicated guidance support for older • CEDEFOP (2008) Career Development at Work:
adults A Review of Career Guidance to Support People in
• Ensuring that lifelong guidance is an integral Employment
part of adult learning programmes in publicly http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
funded education and training institutions, tions/12936.aspx
including the preparation of older adults for Available in English and German
active ageing • CEDEFOP (2014) Navigating Difficult Waters:
• Consideration of the needs of older adults in Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions
special initial and continuing training of guid- http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/5542_
ance practitioners and adult VET trainers en.pdf
• The development of integrated or comprehen- • CEDEFOP (2014) Use of Validation by Enterprises
sive all-age information and guidance services for Human Resources and Career Development
at national, regional and local levels Purposes
• Incentives for employers to help older-aged http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-
workers keep their skills up-to-date and pre- tions/ 23963.aspx
serve their work ability through guidance sup- • CEDEFOP (2013) Return to Work: Work-based
port for lifelong learning Learning and the Reintegration of Unemployed
• A dedicated and integrated age-management Adults into the Labour Market
human resource development policy focused http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/6121_
on general training, skills development, career en.pdf
guidance and information, and flexible work- Available in French, German, Greek, Italian,
ing including redeployment to develop skills Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish
and adaptability among older employees and • CEDEFOP (2012) Working and Ageing: The Ben-
maintain them in employment. efits of Investing in an Ageing Workforce

48
Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for the Employment and Third Age Sectors

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica- • CEDEFOP (2015) Increasing the Value of Age:


tions/ 20649.aspx Guidance in Employers’ Age Management Strate-
• CEDEFOP (2011) Working and Ageing: Guidance gies, Research Paper No. 44 Luxembourg: Pub-
and Counsellors for Mature Learners lications Office of the European Union
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica- http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publica-
tions/ 19076.aspx tions-and-resources/publications/5544

Employment

49
Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk

Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies


Social Inclusion

and Systems for Groups at Risk

This section consists of two Guidelines covering poli- leavers. Given that early school-leavers and NEET
cies for the provision of lifelong guidance to sup- are not a homogeneous group facing similar social
port the economic and social inclusion of groups in environments, lifelong guidance support starts with
society. interviews and activities that lead students to reflect
on their strengths, weaknesses and capabilities, to
identify school and life-wide barriers to learning,
Guideline 17: Lifelong Guidance for Young and to encourage them to continue schooling or to
People at Risk undertake apprenticeship or another training path-
way. Early intervention also entails engaging with
Definition their families and communities.
Guidance for young people at risk consists of a range For those who have left school and are not in edu-
of services, measures and activities that aim to pro- cation, employment or training (NEETs), lifelong
vide career education and guidance in compulsory guidance (remediation) provided by career guidance
education (prevention), or to assist potential early services, employment services or social services, helps
school-leavers to stay in school (prevention), or them to make full use of all relevant information
assisting those who have left and who are not in edu- channels, and provides them with personalised and
cation, employment or training (NEET) to re-enter tailored advice so that they are able to understand
learning pathways, apprenticeship, training, intern- clearly the relationship between their personal inter-
ship or job (remediation). ests, abilities and circumstances, and educational
Prevention within schools entails career education and labour market opportunities.
and guidance, and the development of career man- In addition, the follow-up of early school-leavers
agement skills in or across the curriculum for young includes further guidance assistance to agree indi-
people at risk. Prevention and intervention both aim vidual action plans and to assist them to manage
at early intervention, including early involvement their next steps.
of school or other staff and of guidance practition-
ers, to detect and engage with potential early school

50
Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk

Why it is important to find meaning in staying at school or to have


• It is well-recognised and established within well-planned exit strategies that will enable
the EU that early and unqualified school-leav- them to re-engage in learning, and successfully
ers have higher risks of unemployment and of complete their basic or secondary education
drifting into long-term unemployment. and training
• The economic as well social costs of youth • Promote career management skills acquisition
unemployment are significant: the equivalent in the curriculum at school, including through
of 1.2% of GDP, and annual loss of 153 billion experience-based learning for those at risk.
euro across the EU57. • Support a comprehensive strategy for young
• The long-term economic and social costs to people at risk, including schemes for the Youth
both individuals and to taxpayers of early and Guarantee and early intervention by school
unqualified school-leaving accumulate signifi- and other personnel including guidance prac-

Social Inclusion
cantly over the life-span. Early prevention mea- titioners
sures can significantly reduce such costs. • Ensure that lifelong guidance is part of commu-
• Early and unqualified school-leaving impacts nity-based services in easy accessible guidance
on the achievement of three EU 2020 Strat- points or one-stop shops that are targeted at
egy headlines targets: that early school-leaving early school-leavers, designed so that users can
rates should be below 10%; that 75% of the age identify with the staff that work with them and
range 20-64 should be employed; and that at can feel at home with them
least 20 million people should be lifted out of • Develop the capacity of communities where
poverty and social exclusion. high levels of early school-leaving occur to
• Lifelong guidance is a key success factor in assist potential young school-leavers to stay in
signposting and supporting the Youth Guaran- school or, having left school, to help them to
tee that “within 4 months of leaving school or re-engage with learning or employment
losing a job, people under 25 should receive a • Make use of community outreach measures
good-quality offer of employment, further edu- (delivered where young people congregate)
cation, an apprenticeship or a traineeship”58. and work through significant adults that are in
“Good-quality offer” means in particular: offer- daily contact with these young people to pro-
ing personalised guidance and developing an vide lifelong guidance to at-risk young people
individualised action plan which result in an • Ensure that every early school-leaver has an
offer suitable to the individual (employment, individual action plan for further learning,
continued education, an apprenticeship or a work and other life goals
traineeship). • Ensure that schools undertake a follow-up of
early school-leavers, providing lifelong guid-
What is good practice ance assistance where required and where pos-
Policies and systems that: sible, for up to two years after the pupil has left
• Ensure that lifelong guidance is part of schools’ school
strategies to detect and assist potential early • Develop early-intervention strategies working
and/or unqualified school-leavers to help them with and through families, meeting them in
their homes, and organising assistance such as
57
Eurofound (2012). NEETs – Young People Not in Employment, Educa- homework clubs
tion or Training: Characteristics, Costs and Policy Responses in Europe.
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. • Provide specialised training for all staff working
58
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-4102_en.htm with young people at risk

51
Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk

• Ensure that lifelong guidance is an integral • Promote collaboration, co-ordination and


part of second-chance training programmes for referral between all organisations and services
young people at risk providing guidance services in schools includ-
• Given that the starting-point for delivering the ing school staff involved in lifelong guidance,
Youth Guarantee to a young person should be PES, and community-based staff such as youth
registration with the Public Employment Ser- workers, social workers and community work-
vice, employment services should be able: to ers, in order to maximise the impact of support
provide NEETs with personalised guidance and for young people at risk and provide them with
individual action planning, including tailor- credible and coherent assistance
made individual support schemes at an early • Strengthen co-operation between employment
stage, based on the principle of mutual obliga- services, lifelong guidance providers, education
tion; to provide continued follow-up with a and training institutions, and youth support
Social Inclusion

view to preventing a flow into long-term unem- services


ployment; and to ensure progression towards • Use the Cohesion Policy funding instruments
education and training or employment in 2014-20 to support the establishment of life-
• Promote a case management approach: indi- long guidance services within the framework of
vidual action plans for young people with mul- Youth Guarantee schemes.
tiple obstacles that include co-operation with
a number of other services to cope with health Resources for policy-makers
problems, personal, family problems, crime etc. • Oomen, Annemarie and Plant, Peter (2014)
• Are sensitive and responsive to clients’ diversity Early School Leaving and Lifelong Guidance,
and gender ELGPN Concept Note No. 6
• Involve the social partners at all levels in Available in English and Portuguese
designing and implementing policies targeted • Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors
at young people, including information on (2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our
labour market opportunities and apprentice- Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in
ships Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand,
• Strengthen partnerships between employers, ELGPN Concept Note No. 2
schools and guidance services in order to boost Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, Greek,
employment, apprenticeship and traineeship Latvian, and Portuguese
opportunities for young people • Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo
• Encourage schools, vocational training centres (2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid-
and employment services to promote and pro- ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4
vide continued guidance on entrepreneurship Available in Croatian English, German, Latvian,
and self-employment for young people and Portuguese
• Improve the initial and continuing training of • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
schools principals, teachers and guidance prac- and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
titioners so that they are able to work in cross- agement Skills (CMS)
disciplinary teams to detect potential early
school-leaving and provide timely assistance

52
Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk

Guideline 18: Lifelong Guidance for • All citizens have the possibility of contributing
Disadvantaged Groups to the social and economic well-being of soci-
ety. Marginalisation and exclusion have social
Definition and economic costs such as health and jus-
This Guideline concerns targeted lifelong guidance tice. Timely and preventive interventions with
services and products designed to assist the most specialised career guidance support the public
marginalised and disadvantaged groups in society good and can lessen the long-term costs for
to find their place in society through learning and society as a whole.
work and other societal participation. Such groups • Career guidance can help people at risk of exclu-
include special needs, disabled, immigrants, refugees, sion or who are excluded by bringing them to
the children of immigrants and refugees, and others institutions which can support them, to rec-
whose personal, economic, social, cultural, and lin- reate their motivation, to offer guidance and

Social Inclusion
guistic circumstances act as barriers to their integra- advice, to prepare together with them an indi-
tion in learning and work opportunities and to active vidualised action plan showing concrete steps
citizenship. Lifelong guidance may take the form of: including training and education if needed.
• Guidance by social workers, rehabilitation • Lifelong guidance can provide disadvantaged
counsellors and case management to tackle groups and communities with hope and a posi-
complex problems (personal, health, social tive vision for the future. Many such groups
context) tend to be unaware of and/or reluctant to use
• Career guidance, employment guidance services and products that are administered in
• Outreach strategies to bring people back to the formal institutional contexts. Ways to reach out
system including information and guidance at to them have to be devised to facilitate a better
places where the people are or can be reached, response rate.
for example cultural centres for ethnic com-
munities What is good practice
Policies and systems that:
The lifelong guidance activities and products may be • Are sensitive and responsive to clients’ diversity
part of outreach and/or of specialised education and and gender
training programmes and part of transition support • Prioritise the role of lifelong guidance as an
to learning and work. instrument of social equity and social inclusion
• Favour a diversity of outreach and other
Why it is important approaches (e.g. mentors, tutors, families, spe-
• Groups and communities in society differ in cial communities and networks of these groups,
their capacities to source information about for instance of migrants or of institutions/asso-
learning and work opportunities, to inter- ciations for the disabled) to help disadvantaged
pret such information, to make meaningful groups to overcome their difficulties or reluc-
decisions, and to implement those decisions tance to approach formal services for assistance
successfully. Without external and additional • Involve these groups and their representatives
support, their pathways through learning and in the design, planning, implementation, and
work, already difficult, become extremely monitoring of lifelong guidance services and
difficult. Lifelong guidance can support and products for them according their specific
develop their capacity to respond. strengths and their specific needs

53
Social Inclusion: Guidelines for Lifelong Guidance Policies and Systems for Groups at Risk

• Build the capacity of those groups by training http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publica-


some of their leaders to be lifelong guidance tions/21318.aspx
facilitators • Hughes, Deirdre and Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors
• Support working through agencies and organ- (2012) Youth Unemployment: A Crisis in Our
isations that are experienced in working with Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance Policies in
specific disadvantaged groups, and building Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand,
their career guidance capacity ELGPN Concept Note No. 2
• Ensure lifelong guidance practitioners have the Available in Croatian, Dutch, English, Greek,
training to enable them to work effectively with Latvian, and Portuguese
these groups, including inter-cultural training • Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors and Hutchinson, Jo
and culturally sensitive guidance and counsel- (2013) The Youth Guarantee and Lifelong Guid-
ling ance, ELGPN Concept Note No. 4
Social Inclusion

• Support the collection and analysis of usage, Available in Croatian, English, German, Lat-
satisfaction and outcome data of lifelong guid- vian, and Portuguese
ance services and products for disadvantaged • Oomen, Annemarie and Plant, Peter (2014)
groups. Early School Leaving and Lifelong Guidance
ELGPN Concept Note No. 6
Resources for policy-makers Available in English and Portuguese
• CEDEFOP (2014) Valuing Diversity: Guidance for • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 4: Designing
the Labour Market Integration of Migrants, Work- and Implementing Policies Related to Career Man-
ing Paper No. 24, Luxembourg: Publications agement Skills (CMS)
Office of the European Union • ELGPN (2015) ELGPN Tool No. 5: Strengthen-
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publica- ing the Quality Assurance and Evidence-base of
tions-and-resources/publications/6124 Lifelong Guidance
• CEDEFOP (2013) Guidance for Immigrants: The • Launikari, M. and Puukari, S (Editors) (2005)
Labour Market Potential of Diversity, Presenta- Multicultural Guidance and Counselling – Theo-
tions and papers from a peer learning event. retical Foundations and Best Practices in Europe.
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/events/ http://ktl.jyu.fi/img/portal/5258/BookMulti-
22313.aspx culturalGuidance.pdf
• CEDEFOP (2013) Empowering Vulnerable Adults
to Tackle Labour Market Challenges

54
ANNEX 1: ELGPN Tools that Support the Implementation
of the Guidelines

ELGPN Tools No. 1. Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop- the continuous improvement of lifelong guidance
ment: A European Resource Kit: provides approaches policies and practices, focusing on strengthening
to policy solutions for the four key themes identi- quality assurance and evidence-based policy systems
fied in the 2008 EU Council Resolution on lifelong development.
guidance:
• Career management skills. In addition the ELGPN has produced Concept
• Access, including accreditation of prior experi- Notes  and a Research Paper which explore and
ential learning (APEL). debate current policy issues from a lifelong guidance
• Co-operation and co-ordination mechanisms policy development perspective:
in guidance policy and systems development.
• Quality assurance and evidence base for policy ELGPN Concept Note No. 1 - Flexicurity: Implica-
and systems development. tions for Lifelong Career Guidance by Ronald G. Sultana
ELGPN Concept Note No. 2 - Youth Unemployment:
ELGPN Tools No. 2. Lifelong Guidance Policy Develop- A Crisis in Our Midst - The Role of Lifelong Guidance
ment – Glossary: provides a common set of definitions Policies in Addressing Labour Market Supply and Demand
for lifelong guidance (LLG) policy development and by Deirdre Hughes and Tibor Bors Borbély-Pecze
related guidance terminology that have been agreed ELGPN Concept Note No. 3 - Career Management
by members of the ELGPN to support the use and Skills: Factors in Implementing Policy Successfully by
translation of all other ELGPN tools and materials. Dorianne Gravina and Miha Lovšin

Annexes
ELGPN Concept Note No. 4 - The Youth Guarantee
ELGPN Tools No. 3: The Evidence Base on Lifelong and Lifelong Guidance by Tibor Bors Borbély-Pecze
Guidance: A Guide to Key Findings for Effective Policy and Jo Hutchinson
and Practice by Tristram Hooley: synthesises the exist- ELGPN Concept Note No. 5 - Work-based Learning
ing international research findings on the impact and Lifelong Guidance Policies by Tibor Bors Borbély-
of lifelong guidance, including its educational out- Pecze and Jo Hutchinson
comes, economic and employment outcomes, and ELGPN Concept Note No. 6 - Early School Leaving
social outcomes. and Lifelong Guidance by Annemarie Oomen and
Peter Plant
ELGPN Tools No. 4: Designing and Implementing Poli- ELGPN Concept Note No. 7 - Career Guidance in
cies Related to Career Management Skills (CMS): pro- Initial and Continuous Teacher Training
vides approaches to solutions for the development NVL/ELGPN Concept Note: A Nordic Perspective
and implementation of policies for Career Manage- on Career Competences and Guidance by Rie Thomsen
ment Skills. ELGPN Research Paper No. 1 - An Analysis of the
Career Development Items in PISA 2012 and of their
ELGPN Tools No. 5: Strengthening the Quality Assur- Relationship to the Characteristics of Countries, Schools,
ance and Evidence-base of Lifelong Guidance: provides Students and Families by Richard Sweet, Kari Nissinen
materials for stakeholder discussion and action for and Raimo Vuorinen

55
EUROPEAN LIFELONG GUIDANCE POLICY NETWORK (ELGPN) aims to assist the European Union
Member States (and the neighbouring countries eligible for the Erasmus+ Programme) and the European
Commission in developing European co-operation on lifelong guidance in both the education and the
employment sectors. The purpose of the Network is to promote co-operation and systems development
at member-country level in implementing the priorities identified in EU 2020 strategies and EU Resolutions
on Lifelong Guidance (2004; 2008). The Network was established in 2007 by the Member States; the Com-
mission has supported its activities under the Lifelong Learning Programme and the Erasmus+ Programme.

THE AIM OF THESE GUIDELINES is to provide advice and reference points for lifelong guidance policies

Cover: Martti Minkkinen


and systems across the education, training, employment and social fields in order to improve the career
learning experience of EU citizens and strengthen the professionalism of career services and tools. The
Guidelines also aim to demonstrate how coherent guidance policies and systems contribute to achieving
education, employment, youth and social policy goals. The Guidelines can be used by policy-makers and
developers, social partners, civil society, career guidance services and professional leaders, guidance
practitioners, and trainers of guidance practitioners. This tool synthesises the policy development work
undertaken by the members of ELGPN in 2007–15.

The ELGPN represents a major development in support of national lifelong guidance policy develop-
ment in Europe. It currently has 30 member countries (AT, BE, BG, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, EL, ES, FI,
FR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LV, LT, LU, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, and SK), with CH as an obser-
ver. The participating countries designate their representatives in the Network, and are encouraged to
include both governmental and non-governmental representatives. As a Member-State-driven network,
the ELGPN represents an innovative form of the Open Method of Co-ordination within the European
Union (EU).

ISBN 978-951-39-6347-7 http://elgpn.eu

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