European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network Database, ELGPN Database

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

The Retirement Compass

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 the light of the changing demographics and the future manpower shortage elder people are becoming increasingly important as active citizens. Active aging is an aim and necessity both of the Council of the European Union as well as of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Retirement Compass (Ruhestandskompass) is a new tool to support people with the transition from work to retirement promoting active aging.

It has been developed as part of the Federal programme ‘Local Learning’ (Lernen vor Ort) in the city of Leipzig/ Germany. ‘Local Learning’ (Lernen vor Ort) is a public-private partnership between the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and some German foundations funded by the ESF and the Federal Government with the overall aim to promote coordinated Lifelong Learning of the individual. The programme supports municipalities to strengthen education management in the region. In addition to better regional cooperation and coordination and educational monitoring, the programme aims to facilitate transitions from one life-phase to the other.

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 Retirement Compass aims to support orientation and planning of retirement and thus helps to manage the transition into a self-determined retirement as a conscious step and should assist to make this phase of life as active as possible.

The tool targets people who will retire shortly (around the age of 65 – but also those who may retire earlier or later). It can be applied individually but consulting a guidance practitioner during the process of working with the compass is highly recommended. Thus, the Compass creates an occasion for guidance and actively encourages elder people, who rarely approach guidance services, to use guidance provisions. It also encourages to exchange reflections, ideas and plans with friends, family and colleagues.

Following a portfolio approach and inspired by such approaches for young people and for competence assessment, the tool also helps to improve self-knowledge and self-reflection, assessing and acknowledging personal interests as well as planning of the future life phase.

The Retirement Compass is open to all possible outcomes including the decision, not to plan anything and leave open space for the retirement. It further provides information on opportunities for volunteer work, and possibilities of leisure, sports and other activities and related services in the municipality.

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)

After its development the Retirement Compass was piloted in 2010 with staff personnel of the municipial administration of Leipzig. Since June 2011 the tool is offered to all employees of the municipal administration who will go into retirement shortly. They are encouraged to use the retirement compass and to see a guidance practitioner. The educational guidance service of Leipzig which has also been established as part of the programme ‘Local Learning’ provides a special guidance offer for the Retirement Compass. The Compass and guidance provision is open to all citizen of the city of Leipzig. It is also available in a fully accessible version for blind and visually impaired people ( developed in cooperation with the German Central Library for the Blind).

This regional implementation results from the context of the development of the tool in the programme ‘Local Learning’ in Leipzig. But, through the exchange between the municipalities taking part in the programme at conferences and working groups, tools and experiences are communicated and shared. In general, the tool is designed to be easily adaptable in all regions.

Other cities have already become interested and are planning to implement the tool. In the city of Dresden the Office for Senior Citizens has made a cooperation agreement with the city of Leipzig to adapt and implement the Retirement Compass. Steps have been taken in the city of Dresden to evaluate the demand and ways of use and dissemination of the tool. Another cooperation agreement has been made with the city of Erfurt. Particularly, the information part on regional opportunities is specific to one region and must be adapted to the provisions and offers available elsewhere.

Monitoring and evaluation

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

- What actors are involved?

In Leipzig educational guidance on the Retirement Compass is regularly evaluated on the basis of questionnaires handed out to clients. The evaluation of the 1st edition of the Retirement Compass was broadened by involving senior citizen’s clubs and associations as well as providers of continuing education for senior citizen’s. On the basis of these questionnaires and further reactions and responses a second revised and updated edition of the Retirement Compass was developed.

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
Results from the piloting show that individuals who have used the Retirement Compass felt better informed about opportunities in their region. Further, they had clearer plans for retirement which they were confident to realize.

- Cost effectiveness
The tool is free of charge and is available online as well as in print.

- Budget
The budget is part of the overall budget of the “Local Learning” project in Leipzig which is funded by the city of Leipzig, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, partly by the ESF and which is supported by private foundations.

- Innovative aspects
In the aging society the elder generation is becoming more and more important for the society. Many retired people are still healthy and motivated to work or engage themselves voluntarily. It is important to keep social contacts and to ensure participation in the society. This may also support well-being and health as some studies suggest. The transfer of knowledge and experience to new generations is also of importance to the individual as well as to the society.

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?)

Despite the need for orientation at the transition to retirement and the growth of further education for senior citizens confirmed by the Senior Citizen’s Council in Dresden (Seniorenbeirat), the actual demand for the tool is low. Elder citizen are not usually accustomed to using guidance provisions and hesitate to visit places they are not familiar with. Hence, the Retirement Compass needs to remain a voluntary tool which may be used in easily accessible guidance provisions. Thus, the tool is intended to be offered and guidance may be provided in places which older citizens frequently visit, such as libraries, senior’s citizen’s centres etc.

The information on provisions and offers in the region supports local networks between the relevant stakeholders in the field of education and social work for senior citizens.

Strengths and weaknesses

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

- Are there still challenges ahead?

The Compass may be used individually without consulting a guidance practitioner which may not lead to the same results as if a professional practitioner supports the reflection of the personal interests and aims.

Implementing the Retirement Compass more strongly in public administration and to involve more organisations (e.g. the Job Centers for the long-term unemployed, the local PES) remains to be a challenge in Leipzig. In addition, the Retirement Compass shall be disseminated to as many employers as possible. It should be offered more openly than before in the educational guidance service of Leipzig.

Another critical question which is discussed in other cities is the question of publishing. If the tool is published by the municipality it may, on the one hand, receive a higher level of authority. On the other hand, it runs the risk of becoming part of public administration. The question of publishing through the public authorities or the local agencies and non-profit organisations for education or senior citizen’s and social well-fare is also a question of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms of cooperation and coordination with all its implications.

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

The Retirement Compass is organised in three parts:
1. Reflection of working life (positive and negative aspects, leaving and new beginning)
2. Clarification of interests (hobbies, commitments voluntary work)
3. Information and service including adresses, profiles and courses offered of providers adult education etc.
Discussions on the contents of the Retirement Compass and their organisation and arrangement are still going on. While some exoperts feel that the contents and their representation in the tool is banal, others argue that the simplicity of the tool enables all citizens to easily access the Compass by themselves encouraging them to access educational guidance and to review their past, present and future.

Additional information

Name of contact

Stadt Leipzig, Amt für Jugend, Familie und Bildung, Stabsstelle “Lernen vor Ort”

Role (in policy initiative)

Bureau responsible for Local Learning in the city of Leipzig

Organization name

Stadt Leipzig, Amt für Jugend, Familie und Bildung, Stabsstelle “Lernen vor Ort”

Address

Postfach, 04092 Leipzig

Phone

Fax

E-mail

jugend-familie-bildung@leipzig.de, lernen-vor-ort@leipzig.de

Website address

http://www.leipzig.de/lernen-vor-ort

Documents and publications

Attached files

Links

No links specified.

This information was provided/updated by:

Bernhard Jenschke

No comments by users.

good practice, initiative, interesting practice, policy, access, active ageing, citizenship, transition, continuing education, elderly persons, employed, Germany, hobbies, guidance services, information, instrument, libraries, life planning, lifelong, guidance, municipal, administration, municipalities, portfolio, project, Regional level, self-assessment, social welfare, transitionadult education, older adults

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

“Early intervention” activities with pupils – partnership based holistic approach 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

The importance of creating social, educational and other conditions for the welfare of young people and their responsible participation in community, including the prevention of early – school leaving is emphasized as priorities in European strategies (e.g. Europe 2020, New Skills for New Jobs) and many national strategies in Croatia (National Youth Program from 2009 - 2013, Development Strategy of the Vocational Education System in the Republic Of Croatia 2008-2013, National Strategy for Entrepreneurial Learning, National Strategy of Equalization of Possibilities for Persons with Disabilities 2007 – 2015).

Presently, career guidance in Croatia is a transversal and comprehensive activity with a cross - sectored approach in youth policy implementation. A clear mandate is given to Croatian Employment Service (CES) to provide support to the educational system through vocational and career guidance services. This approach has been developed on partnership bases between CES, schools, employers, health and social welfare organizations.

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)

Croatian Employment Service includes “early intervention” activities in career guidance as an integrated part of its responsibilities to prevent early – school leaving. This approach has proven to be successful since Croatia has a very low rate of early school leavers (3.9%) in comparison to the European countries (where the average rate is close to 15%).

A key feature in Croatian model is client-oriented approach aiming at providing tailor-made services for pupils at risk (early - school leavers, pupils with health and social problems, learning difficulties, behavioral disorders, etc). Educational, psychological, medical and social aspects are assessed for these target groups which are most in need of comprehensive vocational and career guidance services.

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)

Career guidance services are provided to pupils and students using the so-called ˝tiered services˝, starting from the fact that the largest number of pupils need to be informed about their future possibilities in order to make decision; some of them need additional counseling and are included in group counseling sessions and the smallest number (about 10%) are offered the most intense and complex services which could include psychological-medical assessment as well (for those with the risk of being early – school leavers, pupils with health and social problems, learning difficulties, behavioral disorders, etc). Secondary schools students who achieve poor results are also referred to the expert team for career guidance.

Croatian Employment Service conducts a Survey on Vocational Intentions of Primary and Secondary School Pupils on a yearly basis. Under the leadership of CES professionals, expert teams are set-up in each primary and secondary educational institution in order to analyze the outcomes of the Survey and identify priority groups who may require special attention. Analysis is conducted on individual level (for each pupil), regional level (in relation to labor market needs) of and national level (trends in vocational intentions).

Each year the Ministry of Education adopts the Decision on Elements and Criteria for Candidate Selection for High-School Enrolment enabling pupils with developmental disabilities, health difficulties, learning difficulties, behavioral and emotional difficulties as well as pupils from the Roma minority to achieve direct enrolment or receive extra points to the score set in the enrolment valuation process. In order to obtain these rights, pupils among other documents enclose an expert opinion of the CES career guidance service on their abilities and motivation with a list of recommended educational programmes. In expert opinions on the most adequate choice of further education, needs of the labour market and education opportunities are taken into account, as well as the student's individual abilities and needs. In case of pupils with developmental disabilities (physical or mental disability), career guidance expert team’s opinion enables them direct enrolment in specialized schools or training programs.

Monitoring and evaluation

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

- What actors are involved?

Monitoring and evaluation of career guidance services in Croatia is carried out periodically by Croatian Employment Service in co-ordination with secondary and tertiary educational institutions. According to the results of the Survey on pupil’s intentions, approximately 60% of the pupil population expresses a need for professional assistance in their choice of further education program. It indicates a further need for further development of group methods and e-counseling services for pupils and students. Career guidance services are planned on a yearly basis according to the expressed needs.

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

In a partnership based approach and coordination between employment and educational sectors, it is considered more cost effective to the entire society to provide adequate support to those of greater need at primary and secondary school rather than spending public money for unemployed citizens when adults.
Career guidance services in Croatian Employment Service are considered a key element in preventive activities in order to avoid potential social exclusion. On average, 30% of the pupil/student population in Croatia is included in the “early intervention” activities of CES career guidance services.

In addition, aggregate results of the Survey on pupil’s intentions indicate the trends in pupils'/students' vocational intentions and are delivered to the stakeholders in the field of education and employment on the county and national level. According to the Survey and forecasting the needs of the labor market for certain occupations, every year recommendations for enrollment policy and scholarship policy are made and referred to the educational institutions, local and regional stakeholders, sector councils and the Ministry of Education.

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 key feature of the ˝early intervention˝ model is client-oriented approach aiming at providing tailor-made services for pupils at risk. It represents a multidisciplinary approach that involves co-operation and co-ordination of experts in the fields of education, employment, health and social welfare. It has proven to be successful since Croatia has a very low rate of early school leavers (3.7%).

Strengths and weaknesses

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

- Are there still challenges ahead?

One of the challenges is the positive discrimination of pupils at risk as a way of addressing their disadvantages in educational and labor surroundings. A necessity to develop more efficient tailor-made CG services for pupils at risk exists, which leaves fewer opportunities for providing CG services to other target groups (undeceive pupils, talented pupils, etc.).

Currently, Croatia is in the process of establishing a LLCG National Forum and drafting legislation for guidance provision. The awareness of inter-institutional cooperation is increasing, including the need to define the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders on national, regional and local levels.

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

http://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, career counselling, career guidance services, disabilities, health difficulties, learning difficulties, co-operation, co-ordination, Croatia, drop-out, early school leaver, effectiveness, employment services, expert opinion, group counselling, young people, schools, guidance provision, labour market information, PES career guidance service, prevention, professional informing, school children, secondary education, self-assessment, survey, transition, vocational guidance, youth education, VET, employment, guidance in schools, career information

Subject of the Policy document

Ordinance On Active Job Seeking And Availability To Work

Reference data

Adopted/Released by The Croatian Parliament

Year of adoption 2009

Reference number Official Gazette 39/09

Available at http:// narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2009_03_39_886.html

Available in English at http://

1. Additional narrative description of the reference to Lifelong Guidance

Article 7.
(1) CES also organises targeted career guidance that can include a psychological-medical examination of the unemployed person.
(2) The expert team for career guidance carries out the procedure of targeted career guidance, with the possibility of inviting an occupational health specialist into the team as needed.
(3) The unemployed person is obliged to get involved in the targeted career guidance based on arrangements made with a CES official prior to determining a professional plan or based on activities from the already determined professional plan.
(4) The unemployed person is informed about the time of career counselling during their individual counselling meeting by means of a referral that has to be signed, letter, telegram or phone, with an official note being made about the information sent.

Article 8.
(1) Group counselling allows the unemployed person to gain and develop skills for active job seeking and competences to manage their own career development.
(2) Group counselling is carried out in four modules:
– writing cover letters and resume,
– active job seeking techniques,
– preparing for interviews,
– self-assessment of professional possibilities.
(3) The unemployed person is obliged to get involved in the targeted group counselling based on arrangements made with a CES official prior to determining a professional plan or based on activities from the already determined professional plan.
(4) O The unemployed person is informed about the time of group counselling during their individual counselling meeting by means of a referral that has to be signed, letter, telegram or phone, with an official note being made about the information sent.

Attached files

This information was provided/updated by:

Croatian Employment Service (CES), Employment Preparation Department

No comments by users.

policy, assessment, career guidance, targeted career guidance, unemployed persons, professional plan, working profile, career counselling, individual counselling meeting, group counselling, career development, active job seeking, job placement, self-assessment, career management skills, skills development, Croatia, legislation, access, quality assurance and evidence-base, adult education, employment, social inclusion