The IQ Roma Service – The Centre for Counselling and Employment, Czech Republic
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
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
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
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
The Hungarian LLG Council and LLG System development
Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy
The Hungarian LLG Council and LLG System development
Country
Hungary
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
In Hungary there is no official central ownership of guidance issues. While guidance activities and development are overseen by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour (Szociális és Munkaügyi Minisztérium), the Ministry of Education and Culture (Oktatási és Kulturális Minisztérium) is also a key actor in the field. However, the two ministries do not have a long term strategic agreement on the issue. On the other hand, neither the citizens, nor the employers have a clear idea of the aims, methods or the benefits of guidance, counselling and vocational orientation.
Since the establishment of the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN) at EU level, national developments have pushed ahead. The Hungarian LLG Council (Nemzeti Pályaorientációs Tanács, NPT) was founded in January 2008 and in September of the same year a new national programme was launched in the framework of the Social Renewal Operational Programme (Társadalmi Megújulás Operatív Programja, TÁMOP) of the New Hungary Development Plan (Új Magyarország Fejlesztési Terv, ÚMFT) 2007-2013 which includes the development of a new national LL guidance network.
The national LLL strategy (2005) as well as the National Reform Programme (2008-2010) also specifies the development of some elements of career guidance activities but a policy document was elaborated by the new Hungarian LLG Council.
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 main aim of the national council is to develop and promote a framework for lifelong guidance policy. The work of the council is strongly related with the national development programme for LLG System in Hungary. According the Hungarian Government decision (2007) this programme was designed for the 7 years period of the NSRF (2007-2013) and cover 22,6 millions EUR total. Within this main aim the subtasks are the followings:
1. unifying the meaning of career guidance within the educational and employment, social regulations in national level
2. re-establish and also reinterpretat policy mechanism in the field of career guidance after the 70’s
3. develop an unified regulation for career guidance and also develop the financing mechanism
4. develop a cross-sectoral common understanding in the field of lifelong guidance/ carrier education and career counselling
5. develop a web-based unified cadastre for career counselling professionals and for other professionals whose are working in related fields (i.e. teachers, social workers etc.)
6. develop unified guidelines for career counselling professionals
7. upskilling professionals for LLG
7a. offering in-service trainings at two different levels:
- for career counselling professionals
- and for professionals in the related fields
7b. develop tools for all age guidance
7c. publishing a new review (Életpálya Tanácsadás) for the professional community
7d. widening access for career guidance services as a common project of different stakeholders
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)
SROP 2.2.2. under the professional supervision of the NPT implementing a numerous new features in the field of career guidance. The main items within the first 2 year-long period are:
- Development a new toolkit for career guidance professional (questioners for all-age services, web based databank)
- Get together the professionals and the related professionals of career guidance
- Provide in-service training for 2000 people whose working in related professions
- Provide 2 year-long post-graduate diploma for career guidance professionals as widening the network of trained professionals
- Develop a national and regional network of the professionals
The programme SROP 2.2.2 supports development in the areas of IT and methodology. In the area of IT development, the development of a new national guidance portal is envisaged, targeting the youth, adults and professionals/experts, with the aim of providing integrated, up to date, and user friendly information related to education and the labour market. The webpage would also offer a portal for the career guidance professionals, where they could reach all the information and tools regarding the project. It has four main functions:
- Social networking
- Knowledgebase
- Special functions: online storage of counselling case diaries, nameless statistical treatment of their facts, tools that make possible to analyse the offline questionnaires
Monitoring and evaluation
- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?
- What actors are involved?
The first round of monitoring will be carried out in 2010 before than end of the first phase. Internal evaluation is must of the Hungarian Development Agency (NDA) and the National Agency of European Social Fund. Four internal evaluations are compulsory within these 2 years:
- May 2009
- October 2009
- May 2010
- December 2010
NDA and ESA Agency are monitoring the programme outcomes. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour will get a professional summery before the second programme proposal will be submitted to the National Development Agency Human Resources Managing Authority till June 2010.
Two independent external evaluations are also planed within this period.
- one in policy context,
- another for measuring the performance of the 50 career counsellors’ activates working in the programme
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
Project indicators and their status:
- Number of clients receiving guidance services - base: 30 000 persons/year, aim: 40 000 persons/year, status: achieved (2009)
- Trained persons (from the fields related to guidance) - base: 0, aim: 2000 persons, status: in progress
- Number of persons who successfully finished trainings - base: 0, aim: 1900 persons, status: in progress
- User satisfaction of clients included in guidance activities - base: N/A, aim: + 20%, status: in progress
- Persons attended in post-gradual trainings - base: 0, aim: 50 persons, status: achieved
- Newly developed occupation folders - base: 202, aim: 302, status: in progress
- Updated occupation folders - base: 172, aim: 222, status: in progress
- Newly developed training materials (and courses) - base: 0, aim: 10, status: achieved
- Newly developed occupation films - base: 344, aim: 364, status: in progress
- Unique visitors of the newly developed national guidance portal - base: 223 200 visitor/year, aim: 268 000 visitor/year, status: achieved (2009)
Budget: 2,08 Bn HUF - 7,8 M EUR - is to be used in the first 2 years.
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?)
A strong professional view of the programme management and the international developments (ie. EU Resolutions 2004, 2008, EU-OECD 2004. ILO 2006. UNESCO 2002 publications etc.) help in the implementation period.
Strengths and weaknesses
- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?
- Are there still challenges ahead?
Lack of evidence of the real economic impact of career guidance and a very segmented human resources development system make the ongoing development and further implementation very fragile. Lack of national resources for the maintaining of the ESA founded development is also an important issue, especially after 2013/2014 for the next development period (2014-2020) of the EU. A national level and cross-sectoral unfiled re-regulation of this field is essential for the success and the marinating of the developments.
4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative
Additional information
Name of contact
Borbély-Pecze, Tibor Bors, NPT
Role (in policy initiative)
Secretary of NPT
Organization name
Nemzeti Pályaorientációs Tanács
Address
Nemzeti Pályaorientációs Tanács Titkársága Foglalkoztatási és Szociális Hivatal (Borbély-Pecze Tibor Bors, titkár) Budapest Kálvária tér 7. 1089 Hungary
Phone
+36.30.216.0095
Fax
+36.1.459.2099
beneiv@lab.hu; borbelytibor@lab.hu
Website address
http://internet.afsz.hu/engine.aspx?page=full_kulfoldi_palyaor_eu_magyar_llg_tanacs
Documents and publications
Attached files
- File: coordination anc cooperation HU NPT case.pdf (416 KB)
- File: Hungary policy statement - 2008 EN.pdf (287 KB)
Links
http://internet.afsz.hu/resource.aspx?resourceid=full_kulfoldi_palyaor_eu_magyar_llg_szakpol_ang
This information was provided/updated by:
BORBÉLY-PECZE Tibor Bors
No comments by users.
ELGPN, good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, national development, LLG system development, cadastre, career guidance counsellor, ICT, effectiveness, national standard development, education policy, PES, cross policy coordination, training of the guidance professionals, access, quality, co-operation, co-ordination, guidance in schools, unemployed, employed, older adults, career information, qualifications, Hungary
Development and Elaboration of the Open Information, Counselling and Guidance System (AIKOS)
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
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
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
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