European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network Database, ELGPN Database

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Voluntary Labour Corps

Country

Poland

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

The Voluntary Labour Corps is a state budget entity supervised by the minister competent for the labour issues.

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)

The Voluntary Labour Corps fulfils the duties of the state in the field of employment policy and in the field of counteracting the marginalization and the social exclusion of young people. It has a network of specialized stationary and mobile units providing a range of services for young people.

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)

Level of implementation - national.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

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

Between 2009 and 2013 the Voluntary Labour Corps is carrying out a project co-financed by the EU within the ESF „The Voluntary Labour Corps as the provider of the labour market services”. The activities of the project will be directed to 25.000 young people aged between 15-25, including 600 unemployed and 2.440 people professionally inactive. The following persons will benefit from the assistance: unemployed or people seeking a job with different level of education and qualifications, requiring an assistance on the labour market; students and graduates preparing to enter the labour market and requiring an assistance in terms of professional counselling, job matching and vocational training; people at risk of social exclusion.

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?)

Project „The Voluntary Labour Corps as the provider of the labour market services” is compliant with the main activities undertaken to support young people entering the labour market.

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

Role (in policy initiative)

Organization name

Voluntary Labour Corps

Address

1 Tamka st., 00-349 Warsaw, Poland

Phone

Fax

E-mail

Website address

http://www.ohp.pl

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

Paulina Bogdanska

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, access, people at risk, unemployed, career information, Poland

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

The IQ Roma Service – The Centre for Counselling and Employment, Czech Republic

Country

Czech Republic

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

Background

IQ Roma Service provides accredited social services: social counselling, field work, drop-in facility for children and the young and activation services for families with children, in compliance with Social Service Law (108/2006) as amended and further complementary activities.
IQ Roma Service helps approx. 2000 people in need a year in Brno, Břeclav, Vyškov and in other localities of the South Moravian Region.
The clients are mainly Roma threatened by social exclusion, who want to resolve and change their adverse life situation actively. The social services are provided for free.

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)

Aims and targets

Vision of IQ Roma servis is “society of lively and friendly relations between Roma and other people…a world where Roma people have their dignified roles and respect as both individuals and a nation…“
Mission of IQ Roma servis is “to be a mediator which supports possibilities, opportunities and resolution of Roma in their development, social fulfilment and protects their rights and dignity within society.”
Employees of Centre of Counselling and Employment provide information and support in solving of adverse situation of people, mainly Roma and their children. They aim to improve or even solve their problems. The leading belief is that fact that someone is Roma should not be a complication in their life or on the life of their children.
IQ Roma Service wants to experience and assist success of young Romani generation in education, increase employment of Roma and set up their dignified place in the society, to support health, competencies of parents and good relationships within Romani families. An important goal is helping in ensuring accessible housing for active clients. The work also targets debts of the clients and provides help in finding active and systematic way in solving financial problems. The work aims at building positive image, pride and civic engagement of Roma. IQ Roma Services wants to be strong, independent and influential organization.

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)

The Program for Adults (which of the Centre of Counselling and Employment is a part) provides two ways of social work – field social work and advisory centres. The field social workers work mainly in Brno but also in other towns of South Moravian Region such as Břeclav Vyškov, Tišnov, Zastávka, Bučovice, Mikulov etc. IQ Roma servis has got four advisory centres – in Brno on streets Hybešova 41 and Cejl 49 and also in Vyškov and Břeclav. In this way a wide range of the clients´ needs is covered and also the regional structures are assisted through dissemination of the know-how and organizational methods.
Program for Children and Youth provides educational services in centres in Brno, Vyškov and Břeclav.
Apart from social and educational services the IQ Roma Service organizes various campaigns which reflect up-to-date events and trends within the whole society. “Dže andre lačchi škola” (“Go to a good school”) belongs to the most successful ones and aims to prepare children and their parents for a good start to educational system and choice of quality (non-segregated) school.
Campaign which brought a lot of attention in 2012 is “My pracujeme” (“We do work”). This campaign was launched on 1st August 2012 and aimed at showing positive examples of working Roma and so change negative attitude of the Czech majority and discriminatory tendencies. For more information on the campaign please see: http://www.mypracujeme.cz/
Similar campaign that attempted to point at discrimination on labour marked preceded on 2011 and was based on TV clip “Neviditelní” (“The Invisible”) which was broadcasted on Czech Television: http://www.ethnic-friendly.eu/nas_spot This campaign was part of concept of Ethnic Friendly Employer brand.

The strategic plan of IQ Roma servis is being updated on annual basis and is a living document that covers wide range of topics the service works on. It mainly contains goals related to social work (housing, debts, employment, social system), educational activities (catch-up classes for pupils/students, past-time activities, coaching of children to lead them to successful participation in education and decision making in further professional life, cooperation with parents, families, schools etc.), case-management (mainly work with families). The strategic plan is result of a wide cooperation of management of the organization but also participation of all employees and also clients´ ideas and opinions. Feedback from clients is gained on various occasions (feedback sessions, participation meetings, community meetings etc.)
The main strategy of IQ Roma Service is to provide complex service. It means that the focus is not on job seeking only. The aim is also to encourage the clients to set a reasonable budget in order to get rid of the debts. The assistance is provided in in financial matters, housing, family relationships etc. General aim is to set up a sustainable situation for the client.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

IQ Roma Service has got Analytic and Methodological Department that monitors ways how social work is being provided and also results of the work. These outputs are processed on regular basis and often published in various media, magazines, strategic documents, web pages of the organization etc.
All activities are reflected by several means such as cross-check interviews, focus groups on various topics and continuous gaining of feedback from clients.

Funding/Cost effectiveness

It is difficult (if not impossible) to calculate influence of social work or educational activities. However calculations from 2011 show that cost of services provided to one client of the Centre of Counselling and Employment were approx. 56.6 EUR. Activities of IQ Roma Service are funded by European projects, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, South Moravian Region, Brno municipality and also by private donors. These donors fund our effort repeatedly and regularly therefore we are sure that they believe that they are worth finances invested into them.

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

Outcomes

Outcomes of the IQ Roma Service are published regularly in the Annual report. Please see the last one on: http://www.iqrs.cz/download.php
To name some facts about the main outcomes:
In 2011 50 children were helped in registering at a quality school or kindergarten, 13 families assisted in cooperation with Department of Social and Legal Protection of Children, 1,663 clients of the Program for Adults helped in solving their problems related to employment, housing, debts and social system, 535 children participated on activities of Program for Youth, 58 applied for a secondary school and 42 of them passed, 149 of pupils/students attended catch-up classes and 217 attended PC courses.


Achievements

IQ Roma Service belongs to the most prestigious non-profit organizations in the Czech Republic and it is a leading expert in the area of social inclusion which is proven by the national & international awards, recognition and accreditation (please see: http://www.iqrs.cz/kvalita).
In first half of 2012 15 clients of Centre of Counselling and Employment managed to find a job with the help of IQ Roma Service, 28 clients have set up a plan how to get rid of their debts and other 6 clients managed to get rid of them, 3 clients found house/flat rented by a private owner (which is a big success in view of the fact that Roma are frequently discriminated in housing).

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?)

All activities are watched, monitored and evaluated on a regular basis. Strategic plan sets up specific targets and rates of clients who to be employed, find a housing, pay off their debts, apply for a school and graduate it etc.
These numbers are processed and if the intended targets are not achieved the management analyses the deficiencies and searches for solutions for improvements.


Unintended impacts

All the clients helped in finding a job, flat, pay off their debts and sort out their problems with bureaus, or the children who graduated school act as the best PR for community of Czech Roma. Through work with them the view of the Czech society on Romani people is positively influenced.

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

The main strength is the complexity of the services which cover problems that occurs in life of clients throughout their whole life – from early age, through school years, entering the labour market, maintaining good family relations, coping with a difficult economic situation up to the aging and retirement issues. Not only social or educational services are provided in high quality (as many other organizations do) but the impact of the services has also an aspect of social and civic activism and participation.
Although respected and recognised by public institutions and even government IQ Roma Service still works on finding its place among those who play strategic role in decision making related to complex work with socially excluded communities. Another area of improvement is in monitoring and measuring the impact of the services on the lives of the clients.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

Additional information

Name of contact

Role (in policy initiative)

Organization name

IQ Roma Servis

Address

Cejl 49 602 00 Brno Česká republika

Phone

+420 549 241 250

Fax

E-mail

iqrs@iqrs.cz

Website address

http://www.iqrs.cz/

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

Jana Kvapilová

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, goods, services, access, act, active citizenship, active job seeking, adult education, adult student, adults, advisory services, alcohol and substace abuse, career counselling, civil society organisations, Czech Republic, people at risk, social inclusion, guidance in schools, unemployed, older adults, disadvantaged groups, career information

Subject of the Policy document

Quality Standards For The Vocational Guidance and Selection Services At The Croatian Employment Service

Reference data

Adopted/Released by Croatian Employment Service

Year of adoption 2005

Reference number

Available at http:// http://www.hzz.hr/docslike/Standardi_kvalitete_usluga_profesionalnog_usmjeravanja_i_slekecije_u_HZZ-u.pdf

Available in English at http://

1. Additional narrative description of the reference to Lifelong Guidance

The material describes how career guidance services are provided in regional offices as well as those possible activities now provided in only some of the offices. Improving the career guidance system presumes introduction of new types of services for specific groups of users and ensures co-ordinated action between different departments of the CES. Precondition for introduction of new services is a continuous investment into upgrading of counsellors’ competences.

The overall goal in the quality management system is:
• CES services quality standardisation
• That the activities of the Employment Service are more visible and transparent to the users and public
• That the services provided are within the resources allocated and the legislation framed, that they match best the needs of the users
• Permanent training for the CES employees in order to gain needed competences
• That the changes i.e. adjustments are made in accordance with users’ needs and potential
• To ensure a nation wide concept in delivering services, with possibilities for regional variations

Attached files

This information was provided/updated by:

Croatian Employment Service (CES), Employment Preparation Department

No comments by users.

policy, access, administration, adult education, advisory services, apprenticeship, availability, career counselling, career guidance, career information, career management skills, career planning, co-operation and co-ordination, competence assessment, counsellor training, Croatia, guidance services, development plan, disadvantaged groups, education planning, education provision, effectiveness, employees, employer, employment services, evaluation criteria, evaluation data, evaluation guidelines, evaluation outcome, evidence-based, group counselling, guidance provision, human resource management, implementation, in-company training, individual counselling, information services, labour market, standard development, people at risk, people with disabilities, personality assessment, PES, quality assurance, quality evaluation, student counseling, young people, Staff working document, Regional level, quality assurance and evidence-base, schools, VET, higher education, employment, social inclusion

Subject of the Policy document

Act On Professional Rehabilitation And Employment Of Persons With Disabilities

Reference data

Adopted/Released by The Croatian Parliament

Year of adoption 2002/2005

Reference number Official Gazette 143/02, 33/05

Available at http:// narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/288162.html

Available in English at http://

1. Additional narrative description of the reference to Lifelong Guidance

Article 6
(1) A person with disabilities has a right to professional training and rehabilitation (hereinafter: professional rehabilitation) under general conditions and, if necessary, due to the severity and type of disability in question or success of the rehabilitation process in special schools and institutions for professional rehabilitation, under specially adapted or special programmes.
(2) Professional rehabilitation covers the following measures and activities:
– definition of other working and general abilities,
– professional information, counselling and assessment of professional abilities,
– labour market analysis, employment possibilities and inclusion in the world of labour,
– assessment of possibilities of performance, development and implementation of professional development programmes,
– professional training, additional qualification and programmes for maintenance and development of work and society-related skills and abilities in the employment,
– information and counselling on supplementary technologies in learning and working,
– individual and group programmes for improvement of work and society-related inclusion in the community,
– proposals on use of different technologies and techniques in the learning and working processes with the assessment of possible use,
– pre-professional learning, planning and implementing the chosen technology,
– development of motivation and training of persons with disabilities in use of the chosen technology,
– technical assistance, support, monitoring and assessment of results,
– information and support regarding financial resources.
(3) Duration of professional rehabilitation depends on the other working abilities and complexity of its organization and implementation.
(4) Professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities is organized and implemented by an organization for professional rehabilitation, secondary school or another legal entity which fulfils conditions prescribed by this Act and other acts.
(5) Practical dimension of training during professional rehabilitation is carried out at employers' premises, or, exceptionally, within an institution for professional rehabilitation or a specialised educational institution.

Attached files

This information was provided/updated by:

Croatian Employment Service (CES), Employment Preparation Department

No comments by users.

policy, rehabilitation, labour market analysis, society-related, skills, technical assistance, monitoring, access, act, active placement, adult education, assessment, career counselling, career information, social exclusion, social inclusion, special needs education, disability, disabled, disadvantaged groups, people at risk, Croatia, legislation, career management skills, co-operation and co-ordination, quality assurance and evidence-base, employment

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

The Berufswahlpass (career choice passport): A portfolio approach to support CMS and career orientation

Country

Germany

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

In Germany career orientation plays an important part in secondary school curricula. Educational matters are under the responsibility of the 16 federal states, the Länder. However, preparation for the world of work and career orientation has a long tradition in German secondary schools. It is of particular importance in the light of the choice of a career and the transition to the dual vocational education system. Hence, in all the Länder systematic vocational preparation and orientation are taught in a special subject which may be named differently e.g. lessons in working, work- economy-technology or they are embedded in other subjects. Here, career orientation and Career Management Skills (CMS) are key contents. In order to facilitate, support and document learning processes in the area of CMS and career orientation the portfolio Berufswahlpass (career choice passport) is used in 12 of the 16 Länder integrated into the lessons.

The Berufswahlpass was developed as part of the program “school/ economy and work” (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research) and is used since 2005. Continuous further development is ensured by a working group of the participating federal states which also runs the website and organizes professional exchange and further related activities.

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)

The Berufswahlpass aims to support young people in lower secondary education in their career orientation process and enables their parents, educators, guidance practitioners and employers to help them in various ways. Thus, it seeks to assess career learning and encourages critical reflection and exchange with other learners. Through the resource-oriented portfolio approach of the Berufswahlpass self-consciousness, self-esteem and self-efficacy is also strengthened.

The Berufswahlpass is a folder-based portfolio approach including information and provisions for career orientation. First it introduces important partners for making a career choice (e.g. it clarifies the roles of parents, schools, career guidance practitioners in the Employment Agencies EA , companies in the process). Further sections assess and evaluate personal interests and competences combining self- and external assessment. In addition, the Berufswahlpass contains checklists on various topics e.g. matching career profiles with personal strengths and provides documentation facilities. As the folder also includes practical information e.g. on public administrations, insurances and income, it not only focuses on vocational aspects but applies a broader understanding of life orientation.

Career education in the curriculum and the career choice process of the pupils are accompanied by career guidance activities of career counselors of the EA (lessons or short interviews in the school, visits to the Career Information Centre BIZ or counseling provision in the EA) .

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)

The tool is widely used in secondary schools with about 70%-80% of the pupils in 12 federal states. It is often combined with other provisions for career orientations such as printed information material and the Internet portal “Planet Beruf” both provided by the EA (see good practice/ Case Study 5 Planet Beruf: WP2, ELGPN, 2010) and the portfolio “ProfilPASS® for young people”.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

Self-evaluation is part of quality assurance in the context of the use of the Berufswahlpass in schools. Defined quality standards as input criteria structure this work and provide the basis of evaluation for which material is provided online.

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

The Berufswahlpass supports the acquisition and development of Career Management Skills. In particular, it strengthens self-reflection and evaluation-skills and builds self- esteem and self-efficacy. Hence, the self exploration of interests and abilities provides a contribution to a reflected and individual career choice. At the same time the Berufswahlpass increases the motivation of the young people to involve in further learning, job search and career planning. Further, the tool may help teachers to identify students at- risk of early school leaving and may help to refer them to another programme for pupils at-risk (see good practice/ Case Study: Educational chains WP 2).

The folder is not free of charge. The prizes differ depending on the mode, type and scope of delivery but range around 5 Euro per folder. These expenses may be paid by the schools, the pupils or it may be sponsored by a government or private body.

The Berufswahlpass supports CMS acquisition and development as well as self-assessment through intensive reflection and evaluation of personal strengths, competences and interests as well as through goal setting and career planning. As an integral part of the curriculum of secondary education it is linked with other tools and initiatives and activities concerned with career orientation and guidance such as online resources, visits to the BIZ and career counselling interviews in the EA... Hence, in many German Länder it supports and accompanies a longer and systematic process of career education, orientation and planning, continuously building CMS.

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?)

The tool may function as an accreditation instrument for those pupils who do not succeed gaining their secondary school certificate.

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

The folder based approach of the Berufswahlpass involves some challenges as it rather appeals to young people who are at with written work and with portfolios and folders. In addition, the intensive use of the portfolio in the school may attach the tool closely to the logic of school and to this period of time. Thus, there is a danger that young people will not go back using their folder after they have left school.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

On the whole, the Berufswahlpass contains the following sections:
- Introduction: Overview over the steps and stages of successful career orientation
- Part 1 “Providers and cooperation”: introduction to the important partners and their tasks (e.g. school, parents, guidance service of the EA, companies)
- Part 2 “Way towards career choice”: assessment and evaluation of interests, competences etc.; checklists on matching skills and interests with job demands (includes counselling of EA and planning the transition from school to VET)
- Part 3: Documentation: collection of all the information gathered
(e.g. interests, goals, practical experiences); arrangement and valuation of the collected documents and certificates

More details in German language under : www.berufswahlpass.de

Additional information

Name of contact

Dr. Bernhard Jenschke

Role (in policy initiative)

Vice President of German National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment ( nfb)

Organization name

National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment (Nationales Forum Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung e.V., nfb)

Address

Nationales Forum Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung e.V., Kurfürstenstr. 131, 10785 Berlin, Germany

Phone

+493025793741

Fax

+4930263980999

E-mail

bernhard@jenschke.de; info@forum-beratung.de

Website address

http://www.forum-beratung.de

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

http://www.berufswahlpass.de

This information was provided/updated by:

Dr. Bernhard Jenschke, nfb

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, assessment, best practice, career choice, career education, career guidance, career management, career management skills, competences, drop-out, early school leaving, educational, occupational, information, general upper secondary school, Germany, young people, guidance in schools, guidance in transitions, initial VET, instrument, parents, people at risk, portfolio, school curriculum, schools and training, secondary education, self-assessment, self-evaluation, teaching, teaching materials, schools, VET

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Jugendcoaching

Country

Austria

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

The services of the Austrian model of career guidance, professional information and individual support at the end of their compulsory school education is called ‚Jugendcoaching‘. It aims to reduce the risk of failing a sustainable integration into education and the labour market. The countrywide information concept ‚Jugendcoaching’ should provide a consulting plan to ensure that every endangered pupil has access to a wide range of individually adjusted and supportive services. The idea behind the initiative is that pupils at risk of drop out should obtain appropriate information and counselling in order to be able to make an independent and well-considered decision concerning their educational future. The concept of ‚Jugendcoaching’ is a bilateral agreement between the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Education and, therefore, a best practice example for an interagency collaboration. The construction of ‚Jugendcoaching’ follows the idea of the Austrian concept of Life Long learning (LLL).

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)

One of the main objectives of the initiative is that teenagers, who have to face integration constraints, can benefit from the provision of a wide range of services such as consulting, supervision and/or individual care. Another important aspect of ‚Jugendcoaching’ aims at motivating pupils to visit school as long as possible or to start an apprenticeship in the labour market. If the objective of encouraging teenagers to complete school successfully fails, a downstream network of mentors will work out possible solutions in form of case management strategies in collaboration with those affected. The focus should lie on identifying potential problems in the personal environment of the teenager concerned. The next step would focus on finding and communicating an adequate and reasonable solution.

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)

The pilot scheme started at the beginning of the school year 2012 initially in Vienna and Styria and, according to the schedule, measures will soon expand all over the country.
The services of ‚Jugendcoaching’ should not replace existing offerings, such as school social work and school psychology services. They rather claim to be unterstood as complementary counselling-orientated services. With the regional implementation of ‚Jugendcoaching‘ we aim to guarantee an open and equal access to information, support and individual counselling. A country-wide development is planned for the year 2013, which requires an adequate range of services all over the country.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

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

Since the program was implemented in Vienna and Styria a few months ago, we can determine that the concept enjoys great popularity among youngsters. By now we can record very satisfying figures. Eight months after the pilot project was introduced, we count as many as 4.600 consultations.
We estimated an annual budget for the implementation of the pilot project of around EUR 8.5 million. Up to now an approximate amount of EUR 4.5 million of the available sum was spent.

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?)

It is too early to make a clear statement.

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

A pilot scheme took place in selected federal states, starting in the school year 2012/2013. The goal is to establish a well-structured and comprehensive model within the next years.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

Additional information

Name of contact

Dagmar Brandstätter

Role (in policy initiative)

Organization name

Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affaires and Consumer Protection

Address

Stubenring 1

Phone

+4301711002004

Fax

E-mail

dagmar.brandstaetter@bmask.gv.at

Website address

www.bmask.gv.at

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

 

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, drop-out, young people, access, people at risk, disadvantaged groups, career information, Austria

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Job Exposure

Country

Malta

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

The Job Exposure consists of a two-week national project where a selection of Form 4 students are placed for one week within a workplace context either related to the Financial sector, such as a bank or an insurance company, within the Health Sector, such as a hospital or a healthcare centre or within the ICT Sector such as a software or hardware company. Students have the opportunity to observe workers on the job.

The importance of linking schooling with the world of work has always been given importance in Malta. The National Curriculum Framework – Towards a Quality Education for all (Document 2) (2011, p. 29) identifies as one of the educational objectives, the effective and productive participation in the world of work. It states that students should be exposed to direct work orientation experiences (p. 62). The document also emphasis the importance of students acquiring employability skills such as the skills of creativity, problem solving, teamwork, responsibility, time management, job search skills and others – skills which students experience during work orientation experiences.

Participants: A cross-section of Form 4 students within state schools. The selection of students is carried out on the basis of structured personality-based interviews, carried out by a three-member board set up within each school. The format of the interviews is based on research carried out by the team, and each board consists of a team member, a college-based trainee career advisor and a school-based guidance teacher. This is done following the student’s submission of a letter of application and curriculum vitae. In this way, a ‘real-life’ learning experience in interviewing is also provided to those students who sit for the interview but are not selected for participation in the experience.

Students are also prepared for the experience through weekly e-mailed tutorials, addressing the following topics:
• gathering industry and health related information;
• making a good first impression;
• planning your way to the place of work;
• and making good use of the log book.
Queries are followed up and appropriate guidance provided.

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)

AIMS of the initiative:
- expose students to real life contexts and situations, providing them with a glimpse/view of what is in store for them in the future;
- serve as a bridge between compulsory school and the world of work;
- expose students to workplace ethics common to different work environments;

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- understand the relevance of school regulations to the world of work;
- understand the importance of acquiring employability skills such as team work; communication, leadership, responsibility and accountability etc;
- Acquire a number of job search skills: writing of a letter of application, the filling-in of a CV, preparation for an interview (for which students are also encouraged to look up information), sitting for an interview.
- entice students who find schooling ‘difficult’ to see the relevance of school subjects to different careers;
- broaden students’ knowledge of career options by encouraging them to explore careers they would never have thought of considering;
- widen students’ exposure to careers in a particular sector, e.g. the different career options found in the tourism sector;
- help students to assess whether their perceptions of a particular career is realistic and help in deciding whether or not to take up that career.
- encourage students to enquire about post-secondary/other courses and hence realise the importance of taking school seriously;

Target Group: Fourth Formers (14-15 year old students)

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)

The Job Exposure is a national initiative. This ensures that all secondary state schools are involved in the implementation of the initiative. Collaboration was sought by the Directorate for Educational Services with entities such as the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) for the financial sector placements, the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) for the ICT sector placements and entities in the health sector for placements in health sector. The initiative is co-ordinated by the Career Guidance Teachers at the central unit at the Directorate for Educational Services, Student Services Deparment. Career Advisors and/or guidance teachers are responsible for coordinating work at school level. The job exposure is conducted during the summer period, thus complementing the career initiatives which are undertaken during the scholastic year. In this way students are well prepared for the experience.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

Monitoring: Students are monitored during the week of the job exposure by career advisors from the Directorate of Educational Services. A minimum of 3 visits are conducted by the supervisor during the week. During these visits time is dedicated for helping the student to critically reflect on workplace issues such as conditions of work; career prospects, employee relations, etc. Students are also helped to engage in self-reflection through the use of a log-book. This helps them to assess whether their perception of the career is realistic. This provides the student with an opportunity to think concretely about their career path and to decide whether to take up a particular path or not. Students are also informed about the right educational route and qualifications needed to pursue the career in question.

Evaluation: Students are asked to fill in an evaluation questionnaire at the end of the experience outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative. An evaluation exercise is also conducted by the entities responsible for choosing the work placements thus assessing the viability of the students’ placements.

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

Specific results – Strenghtening the link between education and the world of work in a number of emerging sectors in Malta.

Cost effectiveness :
The job exposure poses a number of cost effective advantages:
- These expos are often aimed at motivating students to study. Students often do so on becoming aware of subject/educational relevance. Research suggests that early school leavers often cite lack of work and life relevance of their schooling as a factor in their dropping out. Dropping out of school has serious and lifelong consequences for young people. One of the strategies for retaining young people in the school system is through job exposure experiences which provide students with an opportunity to understand this link between what they are learning in school and work opportunities beyond schooling. These students are more likely to attend to their class work and build a positive mental image of their future.

- Students obtain a realistic image of the career observed. If at the end of secondary schooling the student eventually opts to follow this career path, there is more guarantee that he/she will follow through and not drop out of the course of studies;

Budget - the expenditure comes out of the national educational budget

Innovative aspects – These initiatives are being followed through at College level where colleges are organising their job exposure initiatives thus targeting the needs of their students.

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?)

Lessons learnt
Job exposure experiences have been successful for the following reasons:
- Cooperation between the entities involved – Directorate for Educational Services, MITA, MFSA and health sector entities;
- Involvement of career guidance professionals who co-ordinate and or/supervise students both at college level and at the place of work;
- Cooperation from Colleges;
- Cooperation and support of parents of students participating in the initiative

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

Challenges
- Coordinating job expos at national level and thus providing all students with the opportunity to experience work place exposure;

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

Additional information

Name of contact

Dorianne Gravina/Sandra Cortis

Role (in policy initiative)

Policy initiators and implementers

Organization name

Directorate for Educational Services, Student Services Department

Address

Fra Gaetano Pace Forno Street, Hamrun, HMR1100

Phone

0035621225943

Fax

0035621220838

E-mail

dorianne.gravina@gov.mt; sandra.cortis@gov.mt

Website address

No links specified.

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

https://www.education.gov.mt/MediaCenter/Docs/1_BOOK%202%20ENG.pdf

This information was provided/updated by:

Dorianne Gravina/Sandra Cortis

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, schools, guidance in schools, people at risk, career information, Malta

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Development and Elaboration of the Open Information, Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS)

Country

Lithuania

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

Main problems and challenges before the start of the project:
– The need of further development of the Open Information, Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS) portal (www.aikos.smm.lt) in order to improve it’s usability, user-friendliness, appropriateness to different target groups, to ensure accuracy of information, to introduce on-line career information services. The need to develop and ensure effective interconnection of AIKOS and PLOTEUS II (Portal on Learning Opportunities throughout the European Space).
– The need to broaden the existing network of career information services by establishing 640 new Career Information Points (CIP).

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)

The project had two main objectives:
1. elaboration of the Open Information, Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS).
2. developing of the career information system facilities and establishing the network of Career Information Points (CIP).

Direct beneficiaries – students of general education, vocational education and higher education schools, career advisors, teachers. Indirect beneficiaries – all citizens interested in learning opportunities.

Methodologies and tools: applying IT technolgies, making research, creating models.

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)

1. Development of the elaborated AIKOS portal programme equipment (new functional components, new contents produced according to the Standard – descriptions of occupations, qualifications, study programmes, other)
2. Development of the model of establishing the network of Career Information Points in the country. Establishing the CIP’S in the general schools, vocational schools, libraries, labour exchanges, prisons, etc. Equiping the CIP’s with the computors and other office facilities.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

The main indicators are:
1. number of the new AIKOS portal functional components and new content items (e.g. number of the descriptions of occupations, etc.).
2. number of the instititions in which the Career Information Points were established.

The Ministry had contracted the IT company (JSC “Sintagma”) for the development of the AIKOS portal, this company worked together with the project partner – Centre of Informations Technologies of Education.
The Ministry worked in cooperation with the 60 municipalities in order to ensure the establishment of the network of Career Information Points in the country.

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

1. New programme equipment of the Open Information, Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS) portal.
2. 640 Career Information Points established in various institutions.

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?

The main strength – usability of project results, free and easy access of the AIKOS portal and the network of Career Information Points for the beneficiaries (various groups of users).
The main weakness – need to find financial resoursces for persistent mainteneance of the AIKOS portal and support of the established Career Information Points.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

Additional information

Name of contact

Aleksandra Sokolova

Role (in policy initiative)

Representative from the The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania in regard with the information about the Project

Organization name

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania

Address

A. Volano g. 2/7, LT-01516, Vilnius

Phone

00370 5 219 1190

Fax

00370 5 261 2077

E-mail

Aleksandra.Sokolova@smm.lt

Website address

http://www.smm.lt/es_parama/projektai/smm_projektai/projektas_%20aikos.htm

Documents and publications

General information about the project (in Lithuanian) and it’s results is available on the official web-site of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania (www.smm.lt)
Direct link to the poject’s information:
http://www.smm.lt/es_parama/projektai/smm_projektai/projektas_%20aikos.htm

Attached files

Links

http://www.smm.lt/es_parama/projektai/smm_projektai/projektas_%20aikos.htm; http://www.smm.lt

This information was provided/updated by:

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania and Euroguidance

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, guidance, career management skills, access, quality, guidance in schools, people at risk, tertiary education, unemployed, employed, older adults, disadvantaged groups, career information, qualifications, Lithuania

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

The approach to Early School Leaving in the Netherlands

Country

the Netherlands

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

Tackling the problem of early school leaving is one of the priorities of the European Commission. Currently,
1 in 7 young Europeans leave school early without gaining a basic qualification. The aim is to reduce the
average percentage of early school leavers from 14.1% to less than 10% by 2020. This will involve all young
people aged between 18 and 25 who are not undertaking education/training. Measured according to the
European definition, the Dutch target is 8% in 2020. The Rutte-Verhagen Government has decided on a
more ambitious target than that for the EU, namely a maximum of 25,000 early school leavers by 2016.
The Netherlands compares well with other European countries. In 2010, the European average fell from
17.6% to 14.1%. In the Netherlands, the figures for 2010 again showed a decrease, from 15.4% in 2000 to
10.9% in 2009 and to 10.1% in 2010, making the country one of Europe’s leaders in tackling the early school
leaving problem. Better cooperation between the EU Member States, exchange of know‑how, best practices,
and focussed use of EU funding can help solve the problem.
Early School Leaving in the Netherlands – Pupils leaving school early – is an economic, social, and individual problem. Each young person has his or her own aims, wishes and ambitions, and having a good education increases the likelihood of achieving them. The Dutch knowledge economy requires well-educated employees, while Dutch society also finds itself confronted by dejuvenation and the ageing of the population, with the pressure on the labour market consequently increasing.
Tackling the problem of pupils leaving school early is one of the priorities of the Dutch government implemented by the “Drive to Reduce Drop-out Rates” approach. The Dutch target is to have no more than 25,000 new early school leavers each year by 2016.

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)

In 2010, the Rutte-Verhagen Government tightened up the target, setting it at a maximum of 25,000 new early school leavers by 2016. Efforts to achieve the new, tighter target will primarily be based on what has been achieved so far. This is why that policy will continue to be pursued: systematic improvements in education, support from the youth care, public safety and employment sectors, closer monitoring, and
stricter enforcement. These measures, combined with close coordination by the municipalities, have led to success. It is
an approach that requires long-term policy and the certainty of structured, long-term funding. To achieve the 25,000
target, long-term performance agreements and transparent figures have again been decided on. The motto continues to be “prevention is better than cure”.
Continuing the approach means:
* New agreements for 2012-2015; regional cooperation;
* Truancy policy: improvements are still possible. Agreements with those in the field;
* Improved education, specifically at secondary vocational education levels 3 and 4;
* Early school leaving figures: clear and more thorough;
* Continuous learning pathway from pre-vocational secondary education to secondary vocational education;
* Focus on first year of secondary vocational education;
* Integrated approach by the youth care, public safety, and the labour market

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 2011, the Netherlands set a new and ambitious objective: maximum 25,000 new early school leavers in 2016. To achieve this objective, the current approach will be sustained and strengthened where necessary. The five key measures are:

1. Adequate and complete non-attendance and ESL registration.

2. Long-term performance covenants between the government, municipalities and schools. Schools are held to strict percentage targets and receive a performance bonus if they reduce ESL.

3. 39 regions throughout the country will work together to implement measures to combat ESL. The regions will receive funding to develop policies themselves. Good examples are actively promoted online and during regional and national conferences.

4. Extra facilities for vulnerable youth: a combination of regular education with care and support and vocational training if necessary.

5. In secondary vocational education: intensification of first year teaching, close pupil supervision and career guidance.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

The report The approach to Early School Leaving Policy in the Netherlands and the provisional figures of the 2010-2011 performance agreements http://www.aanvalopschooluitval.nl/userfiles/file/2012/2012026_OCW_VSV_UK-versie_VSV_beleid_LR_internet.pdf gives extensive information on monitoring and evaluation

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

At national level, there were 38,600 new ESL’s between 1 October 2010 and 1 October 2011. This figure is based on more accurate records than previously.1 The national ESL percentage for the 2010-2011 school year has fallen to 2.9%. At secondary schools (VO), that figure has fallen to 1.0% and at schools for (senior) secondary vocational education (MBO) to 7.2%.
None of the regions saw a rise in the number of ESL’s compared to 2005-2006.

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?)

The consistent theme of the Dutch approach is the collaboration between the ‘golden triangle’ of the government, municipalities and schools. Together they are responsible for reducing ESL numbers. This collaboration is set down in long-term covenants per region, while the national government initiates, stimulates and co-ordinates.
At the regional level, the approach begins with the day to day assurance of quality education and effective organisation. Inspiring teachers, challenging lessons, reliable schedules, a smooth transition to the labour market, pupils’ self-confidence: these all play a role in motivating pupils to stay at school. Moreover, we approach ESL not only as an educational issue, but as a social issue too. Pupils are frequently faced with various social problems that affect their performance at school, such as debt, addiction or neglect. To combat these issues, schools offer their pupils care tailored to individual needs. More investment in career guidance helps pupils to choose follow-up programmes that offer them realistic perspectives and match their talents.

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

The collaboration between the ‘golden triangle’ of the government, municipalities and schools is one of the succes factors. Another success factor of the Dutch approach is the reliable Student Number registration system. This makes it possible to track exactly who leaves school and when, so that immediate and targeted action can be taken if necessary.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou had this to say about the Dutch approach: “Tackling early school leaving is a challenge because it means so many sectors have to work together. In most Member States, this does not yet happen in a systematic way, though some countries such as the Netherlands show the way forward.”. A number of European countries have expressed an interest in the integrated approach and accurate record-keeping system adopted by the Netherlands.

Additional information

Name of contact

Martine Soethout

Role (in policy initiative)

Projectsecretaris

Organization name

Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. Directie Voortijdig Schoolverlaten (VSV)

Address

Phone

Fax

E-mail

m.m.f.soethout@minocw.nl

Website address

http://www.aanvalopschooluitval.nl/english

Documents and publications

1. Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (2012). The approach to Early School Leaving Policy in the Netherlands and the provisional figures of the 2010-2011 performance agreements
http://www.aanvalopschooluitval.nl/userfiles/file/2012/2012026_OCW_VSV_UK-versie_VSV_beleid_LR_internet.pdf

2. Van Bijsterveldt, Marja. Preventing Early School Leaving: the Secret of the Dutch Approach. Government Gazette. http://governmentgazette.eu/?p=3701

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

Peter van Deursen

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, early school leaving, career management skills, evidence-based policy, co-operation, guidance in schools, people at risk, qualifications, The Netherlands

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Partnership based URIHO's model of CMS for persons with disability in Croatia

Country

Croatia

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

According to conducted researches (UNDP/CES research 2007) and monitoring of labour market situation in Croatia it is visible that persons with disabilities have difficulties to enter open labour market because of their inadequate educational structure, lack of work experience and long term unemployment what additionally decrease their employability because of disuse of professional knowledge and diminished motivation. Prejudices of employers and general public about their working abilities also contribute to their hard placement on open labour market.
The Strategy on Equalization of Possibilities for Persons with disabilities in Croatia (2007-2015) among others states: “to allow access to career management for persons with disabilities...to develop new employment models for persons with disabilities”.

Croatian Employment Service in cooperation with URIHO (organization for rehabilitation), Fond for vocational rehabilitation and local communities have developed model to enhance the employability of unemployed persons with disabilities by improving their career management skills using tailor made work-related and social activities.

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)

The objective of established new model of professional rehabilitation is to enhance the employability of persons with disabilities by improving their career management skills using tailor made work-related and social activities. Target groups of participants are long-term unemployed persons with disabilities and in smaller extent other vulnerable and marginalized groups.

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)

New model includes activities which take place in group settings, individual sessions and social-related activities - assessment and upgrading of their vocational competences, their key competences - communication in mother tongue, mathematical and digital competences, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; social skills, job-searching skills including how to write CV-s, knowledge and skills needed for their interview with potential employer. They also have possibility for self-evaluation by using “My Choice” - career guidance software. In addition, individual counseling on career possibilities leads towards improving their career management skills. Group work is organized once a week (1, 5 hour) and is focused on themes such as: communication and presentation skills, non-violent conflict resolution, recognition and expression of emotions, stress management, decision- making, creative and critical thinking, building effective relationships, team work, self-assessment, ect. Group work is based on interactive approach which includes group discussions, role plays, working in pairs, presentations.

The described model of professional rehabilitation has started as model at national level followed by setting up similar regional professional rehabilitation centers.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

The evaluation of this programme proves that after 6 months participants improve their working potential including different aspects related to career management skills.

Croatian Employment Service is involved in process of monitoring the participants’ progress, conducting evaluation of the program and works on improvement of this form of vocational rehabilitation along with the other partners. Additionally, new model of professional rehabilitation contributed to the increased level of cooperation among all partners: Croatian Employment Service, URIHO (Institution for Rehabilitation of Persons With Disability by Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment), the City of Zagreb and Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of People with Disabilities.

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

Participants have learnt how to write CV, how to make active job search and effective interview with potential employer. They have improved their career management skills through self-evaluation techniques, by using “My Choice” career guidance software, individual and group counseling. According to the survey and follow up 45% of unemployed persons with disabilities who used URIHO facilities found their jobs on open labor market.

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?)

The main factors which led to success of this model were: improved vertical and horizontal communication between all key players who were indispensable for CMS policy implementation. CMS policy implementation was incremental and gradual due to bottom up process which relayed on constant observation and assessment of needs of participants involved in the activities of professional rehabilitation.

The factors that hindered success were unclear legislation regulations about participant’s compensations during the rehabilitation process which influenced their motivation. This issue was resolved through communication with the relevant ministry.

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

Mirjana Zećirević

Role (in policy initiative)

Head, Employment Preparation Department

Organization name

Croatian Employment Service

Address

Radnička cesta 1, 10 000 Zagreb

Phone

+385 1612 6091

Fax

+385 1612 6039

E-mail

mirjana.zecirevic@hzz.hr

Website address

www.hzz.hr

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

 

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, assessment, key competences, self-evaluation, vocational rehabilitation, disabled, Croatia, adult education, employment, social inclusion, people at risk, unemployed, disadvantaged groups, career information, qualifications, effectiveness

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Federal Programmes Educational Chains and Coaching for the transition to work for at-risk youth in Germany

Country

Germany

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

With the aim to prevent early school leaving as well as to ensure the successful transition from school to vocational education the Educational Chains (Bildungsketten) initiative of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) connects and integrates existing projects and tools. In 2008 the Federal government and the Federal States (Länder) determined as part of the “Initiative for Qualification” quantitative targets for education in the “Dresden statement” These includes the aim to reduce early school leavers from 8% to 4 % and young adults without a vocational education certificate from 17% to 8,5%. In this context the initiative intends to develop a “community of responsibility” among the actors and stakeholders involved in transition from school to vocational education and work. This system will be systemically enhanced to become more efficient in order to respond to demographic changes and the lack in qualified workforce. (Schuck, 1)

In combining different programmes of the labour and education sectors the “Educational Chains” initiative is a good example of inter-sectoral cooperation and coordination (Council resolutions 2004, 2008). It is also a good example of preventive action tackling drop-out and early school leaving. With preventive career guidance activities, the programme also follows the Council Recommendation on the policies to reduce early school leaving (2011/C191/01) where it also is recommended that the members “ensure comprehensive strategies” (like in the “Educational Chains” initiative).

Involved actors and stakeholders are the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Länder, the Federal Employment Agency and the social partners .

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)

The programme “Educational Chains” aims to support the transition from general into vocational education in the dual system as well as to prevent drop-outs in both systems. It supports young people to prepare for their general school certificate and their vocational education. The central idea is to use existing programmes, that have proved to be successful, and to connect them like links in a chain in order to ensure transparency and efficiency. Among others the initiative in particular involves the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) which was also expanded by the BMBF.

The target groups are pupils and young adults in general education and vocational education who are at risk of dropping out or who are facing difficulties with the transition from school to work. They are selected for participation through an analysis of their potentials. The initiative also aims to provide parents, teachers, social workers, guidance practitioners and vocational education teachers with a professional framework for networking and cooperation.

The “Educational Chains” programme contains 3 elements. It starts with an analysis of potentials in the 7th or 8th year in participating secondary general schools. The analysis focuses on key competences and assesses interests and strengths of the pupils. The results of this analysis constitute the basis for individual curricular and extra-curricular measures. It works like a compass for a structured and systematic career orientation process.

During the career choice process (constituting the 2rd element) measures and activities are intensified and coordinated. Young people make their first vocational experiences, test their interests and talents and gain confidence and optimism. During this phase schools, Employment Agencies (EA) and companies cooperate supporting the pupils with career orientation and with the search for an apprenticeship placement. Young people are encouraged to make an appointment with the career counsellor in the EA and to use the information provided at the Career Information Centre (BIZ). All career orientation activities are of course supported by online resources such as www.planet-beruf.de or www.berufe.tv.

Strengthening vocational orientation of pupils in full-time vocational schools, the career orientation programme of the BMBF offers all young people insights of various professional fields through short internship placements and so called workshop-days which they spend in companies.

(For further projects and programmes involved see the narrative below.)

The third element involves the intervention of Educational Coaches as part of the programme “Coaching for the transition to work”. Young people at risk who are selected in cooperation with teachers and social workers are supported individually. Intensive coaching starts one year before reaching the secondary school certificate and continues into the first year of vocational education in order to ensure the continuation of vocational education in the company. The coaches guide the young people; they help with problems and difficulties following an individual support plan on the basis of the results of the analysis of potentials . They also assist the young people with career orientation. The whole process is supervised by the career counsellor of the EA who is responsible for the integration of the young person into a vocational training. Further, the Educational Coaches, who are based in lower secondary schools, cooperate with parents, teachers, voluntary mentors and r companies and other partners who may be involved.

The Educational Coaches are experienced in the dual vocational education system as trainers or social education workers.

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 order to manage and coordinate the process, the BMBF set up a steering group of the federation and the Länder. This group is also intended to coordinate and match federal and Länder measures. A further group on federal level is working on proposals to better integrate and coordinate programmes and instruments for NEET. At last, a service office has been set up at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) to accompany, evaluate and communicate the initiative. (Schuck, 5-6)

Previously, in 2008 the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs initiated the programme educational coaches, which is organised by the Federal Employment Agency (FEA). Since then it has been extended to run at 1.000 schools supporting about 30.000 young people. The initiative “Educational Chains” by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research now complements and expands the programme since 2010 with additional 1000 coaches reaching many more young people through the different programmes involved.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

Monitoring and evaluation is ensured by the ministries funding the initiative and its integrated programmes.

First reports have been published, particularly on the programme “Coaching for the transition to work”. These use the statistical data base of the FEA as well as questionnaires and telephone interviews with the participating youth, coaches, educators etc. In addition, qualitative case studies are provided.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has commissioned the evaluation of the outcomes and success of the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” and reports to the German Parliament (the Deutscher Bundestag).

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

Outcomes are not available yet as the programme started 2009/2010. First results are expected in 2013/2014 when the pilot phase of the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” ends.

However, first intermediate reports on the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” based on questionnaires of all the involved actors and participants show that positive effects on the integration of at-risk youth into vocational education and training are suspected (Straif, 70).

The programmes and tools have been coordinated in the initiative “Educational Chains” in order to become more efficient. The initiative prevents young people from droping-out of schools or spending time waiting for placements in the dual vocational education system or in continuing projects and initiatives. This is intended to save costs for youth unemployment and related societal costs.

The “Educational Chains” programme involves a budget of € 362 million Euros 2010-2014; a longer term approach is already intended.

The cooperation and coordination of programmes and projects run by different federal ministries is an innovative aspect of the initiative. Linking and coordinating different successful projects and programmes so that they effectively work together and build on one another is an important measure to enhance the previously intransparent transition system. In this context it affects positively the cooperation of different responsibilities and hierarchies in the federal structure of Germany.

Voluntary mentoring projects have functioned as examples for the programme “Coaching for the transition to work”. Hence, the programme also involves voluntary work but provides professional support and structures for the voluntary mentors (Straif, 21).

The holistic approach of the initiative “Educational Chains” and the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” takes besides the aquiaition of career management skills also life management skills and career orientation into account. In this context, the municipality, schools, projects and programmes on career orientation follow an coordinated overall concept with a common understanding of career orientation.

On the micro-level the coaches take time with each young person and follow a person-centered approach which differs from the usual logic of the school system (BT DRS 17/3890).

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?

Strengths: First intermediate evaluations of the programme “Coaching for the transition to work” showed that the Coaches value their freedom of action.

Challenges:

First evaluations showed that fluctuation is high among the professional coaches and guidance practitioners because of their status of being only temporarily employed. Hence, continuous personal coaching which has been intended for at-risk youth could not always be delivered (BT DRS 17/3890).

A further challenge for all actors involved is to overcome situation-focussed approaches and crisis-intervention, which have been characteristic for the transition system in the past. It is necessary to reach an ongoing, holistic and preventive guidance process which continues after the young people have left school and therefore change into another system (BT DRS 17/3890).

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

In addition to the programme “Coaching for the transition to work”, the initiative “Educational Chains” involves the following projects and programmes:

• the senior expert programme (VerA – Initiative for Vocational Education) supports and guides young people in their first year in vocational education and helps them to accustom to the new system, a period which is particularly critical for dropping-out. Senior experts may accompany the young person until the end of vocational education. The senior experts are elder professionals who work voluntarily as coaches in a one-to-one tandem model.
• The career orientation programme (Berufsorientierungsprogramm BOP) which supports practical experiences in companies as part of the career orientation process. For 2 weeks pupils work in 3 different fields in out-plant vocational training centres where they can try out different professions.
• The programme Jobstarter which supports regional projects to increase the number of vocational education opportunities in local companies.
• The programme Jobstarter Connect which tests modules for vocational education to ease the transition into dual vocational education for those young people who could not transfer successfully into dual vocational education after school.
• The special programme coach@school aims at these schools, which are not part of the “coaching for the transition to work” - programme. Coaches in this programme work voluntarily in the schools similar to the senior experts.
All these programmes and tools have been coordinated so that they become more efficient. This prevents also that young people spend time waiting for placements in the dual vocational education system or in continuing projects and initiatives.
For further information see: http://www.bildungsketten.de/de/276.php

Additional information

Name of contact

Dr.Bernhard Jenschke

Role (in policy initiative)

reports on behalf of Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF

Organization name

National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment (Nationales Forum Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung e.V., nfb)

Address

Nationales Forum Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung e.V., Kurfürstenstr. 131, 10785 Berlin, Germany

Phone

+493025793741

Fax

+4930263980999

E-mail

bernhard@jenschke.de; info@forum-beratung.de

Website address

http://www.forum-beratung.de

Documents and publications

Council of the European Union. Council Recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving. 2011/C191/01. 28 June 2011.

Council of the European Union. Better Integrating Lifelong Guidance into Lifelong Learning Strategies, Doc 14398 EDUC 241 SOC 607, 2008

Council of the European Union. Strengthening Policies, Systems and Practices on Guidance throughout Life. Doc. 9286/04, EDUC 109 SOC 234, 2004.
Deutscher Bundestag: Drucksache 17/3890 Unterrichtung durch die Bundesregierung Zwischenbericht 2010 zur Evaluation der Berufseinstiegsbegleitung nach §421s des Dritte Buches Sozialgesetzbuch.Berlin 2010

Schuck, Ulrich: Abschluss und Anschluss – Bildungsketten bis zum Ausbildungsabschluss“ BBE Newsletter 4/2011. http://www.b-b-e.de/fileadmin/inhalte/aktuelles/2011/04/nl4_schuck.pdf

Straif, Charlotte: Berufseinstiegsbegleitung: Unterstützung individueller Wege in den Beruf. Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung, Good Practice Center Benachteiligtenförderung GPC (Ed.). Bonn, 2011.

See also: http://www.bildungsketten.de/de/276.php

Attached files

Links

http://www.bmbf.de/de/14737.php , http://www.bildungsketten.de/ , http://www.good-practice.de/infoangebote_beitrag3544.php

This information was provided/updated by:

Dr. Bernhard Jenschke, National Guidance Forum

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, schools, VET, social inclusion, guidance in schools, people at risk, disadvantaged groups, Germany

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

National Quality System for Guidance Provision - Portugal

Country

Portugal

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

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

The present initiative stands as the first articulated attempt to create a fully comprehensive system of quality assurance for guidance activity in Portugal.
Although previous measures existed, providing the quality of instruments and methods used in PES-supplied guidance, as well as basic training for professionals, there was a clear need for a more integrated instrument, with adequate monitoring tools.
Given its institutional mission of assuring the adaptability and adequacy of guidance provision, the national public employment service, IEFP, has taken initiative in establishing a national standard, which will also account for the visions of an advisory network of relevant participants.
Other entities will be enrolled in the project to guarantee diffusion and improvement of standards, namely: the Portuguese Ministry of Education; Universities with research on guidance; professional/scientific associations; inter-national structures.

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)

The objectives of the initiative can be resumed in three main points:

- Gaining efficacy and efficiency in guidance provision through implementation and constant check of clear standards, measures and practises
- Increasing autonomy of citizens in establishing critical learning and labour pathways, both by competence building and ease of access
- Sponsoring innovation through systematic research on critical factors in guidance for employability and job stability/success

The end target of the system is the guidance user, although we can also consider both guidance professionals and employment/educational service managers as being targeted by the measures undertaken.
The system is implemented by understanding guidance activity as part of a value chain and acting upon the phases of that chain, considering inputs, process and outputs. Primarily is considered the intervention of the PES and its creation of public value and economic spillovers.
Up-date of instruments, improvement of registry tools, accessibility, competence-assessment and of management information supports and fluxes are part of the methodology, affecting all aspects of guidance provision (materials, contents, technology).

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)

The system has a national scope and is sustained in an incremental and progressive logic. Firstly, its scope is the operation of the PES services with a test run in some of its main job and training centres. Secondly, the initiative should be generalised to the full PES network. A third step should enable the adjusted diffusion of the system to different sectors and networks, namely education and private operators. As early as step two, the standard is to be shared and discussed in a advisory forum of external participants.
Common standards and information tools are already under development.
Some key measures to undertake are:
- Set periodic updates and testing of diagnosis tools, guidance methodologies, information supports, on-line contents/tools
- Improvement of registry and information transitions that allows for interchangibility of user information while guarantying users' rights
- Improvement of accessibility by development of comprehensive e-guidance tools and the improvement of information to disabled people (paper and online) and immigrant users
- Set evaluation and update of guidance professionals' competencies, with strict standards and ethical conduct
- Development of adequate tools for the follow-up of guidance users
- Balanced score-cards for guidance management and multi-level modelling of supervised

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

Monitoring and evaluation is primarily undertaken by the Guidance Directorate of IEFP in articulation with other network participants.
A monitoring mechanism has been established, measuring the efficacy of the planned measures affecting inputs and process as well as a system of indicators aimed at measuring impact variables.
Input variables are monitored through direct control of measures and by user enquiring.
Process/organisation variables are monitored by tools' assessment, management enquiring and technical staff enquiring.
Outputs are monitored by follow-up of PES users (with and without guidance), defining samples that have as basic statistical unit the job/training centres. Follow-up focus on job stability/success, job mobility, autonomy assessment (labour and education), educational success, labour market queuing, entrepreneurship capacities.
A balanced scorecard has been defined with all the assessment dimensions deemed relevant.
A statistical modelling process is being developed to enable research-based adjustments to guidance policy, using as a methodology multi-level analysis.

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

Specific results: only planning and tools have been developed
Cost effectiveness: progressive implementation and thigh instrument control should allow for low costs of project and improvement of present cost-result ratio in provision
Innovative aspects: Research-based approach

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

Pedro Moreno da Fonseca

Role (in policy initiative)

Organization name

IEFP

Address

Phone

Fax

E-mail

pedro.fonseca@iefp.pt

Website address

No links specified.

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

Pedro Moreno da Fonseca PhD

No comments by users.

ELGPN, good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, career management skills, access, quality, evidence-based policy, co-operation, guidance in schools, people at risk, unemployed, employed, disadvantaged groups, career information, qualifications, effectiveness, Portugal