Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy
Using quality manuals to develop a culture of learning within and across career development services
Country
Estonia
I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database
No
1. Background
What makes this an example of good/interesting practice/initiative/policy?
- The motivation of the initiative (What is the history/background of the policy?)
- Linkages with LLG policy priorities (Please add references to other national/EU policies or documents)
- Participants
Aims and targets
- Objectives of the initiative (What did the policy set out to achieve?)
- Target group
- Methods applied to reach the objective (technological and /or pedagogical)
2. Implementation
Strategy and actions (Please describe the approach adopted to make the reform work and any actions taken.)
- Level of implementation (national, regional etc.)
- Implementation (description)
In Estonia, three inter-related services currently operate: career education, career information and career counselling.
Career service developments are informed and supported by the introduction of three quality manuals which contain ideas and resources on: (i) how to ensure the quality of career education in schools, aimed at teachers and directors of general education and vocational training institutions, linking pedagogical principles to lifelong guidance policies and practices; (ii) how to develop service quality-assessment reviews and requirements concerning service delivery and record management systems; and (iii) how to understand the management and delivery of careers services, which in turn affects the quality of careers provision.
The main manual is the quality manual of career services, which formulates the basic principles of all the career services that are provided. There are two specific manuals, one on career education and second to support career information provision and counselling. These manuals visualise the process of providing the service, the expected outcomes and the indicators of the efficiency of the process. To ensure systematic service improvement the manuals are revised annually and updated if necessary.
Some examples of quality indices include:
- satisfaction of the users of careers services: measured using on-line questionnaire;
- satisfaction of stakeholders (mainly representatives of the National Career Guidance Forum): measured using questionnaire;
- satisfaction of career service professionals: measured using questionnaires, ‘on-the-spot’ inspections;
- attainment of the objectives set: measured using actual results measured against intended results;
Monitoring and evaluation
- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?
- What actors are involved?
In 2011, manuals were piloted in 17 regional youth information and counselling centres. Currently the system is being expanded to the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (national employment offices) and career centres in the institutions of higher education.
3. Outcomes
Achievements (Please describe the main outcomes/results according to the following headings. Each option can be answered - up to 50 words)
- Specific results
- Cost effectiveness
- Budget
- Innovative aspects
Success factors (What key success factors have led to or prevented success?)
- Lessons learnt
- Unintended impacts (Have there been any unintended impacts? Positive or negative?)
Strengths and weaknesses
- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?
- Are there still challenges ahead?
4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative
Additional information
Name of contact
Margit Rammo
Role (in policy initiative)
Head of Centre; Program Manager
Organization name
INNOVE, National Resource Centre for Guidance
Address
Lõõtsa 4, 11415 Tallinn
Phone
372 735 0700
Fax
margit.rammo@innove.ee
Website address
http://www.innove.ee/en
Documents and publications
Attached files
Links
No links specified.
This information was provided/updated by:
Marjo Halmiala
No comments by users.
good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, career education, career counselling, career services, quality, schools, VET, guidance in schools, career information, Estonia