COORDINATION AND COHERENCE IN LIFELONG GUIDANCE: AN

INTERNATIONAL POLICY PERSPECTIVE

Presentation to the Danish National Dialogue Forum Conference

Kopenhagen, 4 November 2010

By Dr John McCarthy, Director,

International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy, Wellington, New Zealand

jmc@iccdpp.org

WHY A LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEM NOW?

• Transition to a knowledge based economy and society

• Changes in the labour market and government policy responses (including active labour market policies)

• Uncertainty of an economy’s well-being in a global economy

• Lifelong learning as a pillar of flexicurity policies• Increased recognition of how education

contributes to labour market outcomes

RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

• Changes in how education is organised to improve learning quality, diversity, mobility, and labour market relevance

• Widening individual choices (and the stress it brings!)

• Creating systems that can respond to changing individual needs over the lifespan

LIFELONG LEARNING AND LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS

• Lifelong learning as the organising conceptual framework/principle to encompass the diversity of existing guidance provision, and to

• overcome fragmentation of such guidance provision (CN RES 2004)

• Lifelong guidance provision is necessary to support lifelong learning policies

WHAT IS A LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEM?

• Who defines it?

• OECD?• EU Council of Ministers of Education?• EU Common Reference Tools?• ELGPN?

• What is defined?

WHAT IS A SYSTEM?

• A functionally related group of elements, especially a network of structures or channels to deliver a service?

• An integrated set of elements that accomplish a defined goal?

• A group of interacting, interrelated or interdependent elements forming a complex whole?

OECD MARKERS/FEATURES (2004)

• Transparency and ease of access, responsive to a diverse range of citizens

• Attention to key transition points• Flexibility and innovation in service delivery• Access to individual guidance from qualified

staff for those who need such help• Programmes to develop career management

skills

OECD MARKERS/FEATURES (2004)• Opportunities to investigate learning and work

options before choices are made• Service delivery independent of institutional and

enterprise interests• Access to comprehensive, integrated

educational, occupational and labour market information

• Involvement of relevant stakeholders• Processes to stimulate regular review and

planning

EU MARKERS/FEATURES (2004 RES)

• Similar but different to OECD• Lifelong guidance as an active tool and positive

encouragement to use it• Centrality of the beneficiary• Strengthen structures for policy and systems

development by involving appropriate key players (ministries, PES, social partners, guidance services and practitioners, consumer interests, parents, youth)

• Ensure effective cooperation between providers at all levels in order to widen access and ensure coherence of provision

EU MARKERS (2008 RES)• Priority actions: career management skills,

broadening access, quality assurance and evidence, cooperation and coordination

• Method:

• Role of ELGPN: to develop policies, systems and practices for lifelong guidance, focusing on priority actions

• Use European instruments and tools to implement priority actions

EU MARKERS (2008 RES)

• Coordination and cooperation:• Establish mechanisms for coordination and

cooperation• Develop a guidance dimension in national

lifelong learning and labour market policies and strategies (coherence?)

• Strengthen local networks including pooling resources as appropriate

• Develop a common culture through QA (coherence?)

AIMS OF EU COMMON REFERENCE TOOLS

• STATEMENT OF SHARED POLICY AND VALUES • PRESCRIPTION FOR EXCELLENCE• A BENCHMARK_• SELF-EVALUATION/STAGE OF

DEVELOPMENT____________________________ • TO IMPROVE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SYSTEMS• TO IMPROVE SERVICES OF INSTITUTIONS AND

ORGANISATIONS• TO DEVELOP COMPARABILITY OF TREATMENT FOR

EUROPEAN CITIZENS• TO SUPPORT THE EUROPEAN SPACE OF LIFELONG

LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT

EXAMPLES OF COMMON EUROPEAN REFERENCE TOOLS

• COMMON PRINCIPLES FOR THE VALIDATION OF NON AND INFORMAL LEARNING

• COMMON EUROPEAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

• COMMON FRAMEWORK FOR KEY COMPETENCES FOR LLL

• COMMON QUALITY ASSURANCE REFERENCE FRAMEWORK FOR VET

• COMMON INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEMS, AND FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

• INTEGRATED GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYMENT ________________________________________________________________

• COMMON AIMS AND PRINCIPLES FOR LIFELONG GUIDANCE PROVISION

• COMMON REFERENCE POINTS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS FOR GUIDANCE PROVISION

• KEY FEATURES OF LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS

COMMON EUROPEAN PRINCIPLES OF LIFELONG GUIDANCE PROVISION (2004)

• SEE SECTION 2.4• CENTRALITY OF THE BENEFICIARY 2.4.1• (independence, impartiality, confidentiality, equal

opportunities, holistic approach)• EMPOWERMENT OF CITIZENS 2.4.2• (empowerment, active involvement)• IMPROVEMENT OF ACCESS 2.4.3• (transparency, friendliness, continuity, availability,

accessibility, responsiveness)• ASSURING QUALITY 2.4.4 • (appropriateness of methods, continuous improvement,

right of redress, competent staff)

COMMON EUROPEAN REFERENCE POINTS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS FOR LIFELONG

GUIDANCE PROVISION (2004)

• SEE SECTION 3• CITIZEN AND USER INVOLVEMENT 3.1 (entitlement information,

user consultation, use of consultation findings, role of user in design, monitoring and evaluation)

• PRACTITIONER COMPETENCE 3.2 (having the required competence and relevant qualification, monitoring of work performance, continuous professional development)

• SERVICE IMPROVEMENT 3.3 (defined service standards, measuring impact of improvements, target group needs, working through non-formal guidance sources, technical specifications for materials, especially tests)

• COHERENCE ACROSS SECTORS 3.4 (government ministries, sectors, target groups, links between providers)

• COVERAGE OF SECTORS 3.5 (application to non-state providers such as private agencies, employers, trade unions)

KEY FEATURES OF LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS (EC EXPERT GROUP ON LIFELONG

GUIDANCE 2004)

1. CITIZEN-CENTRED FEATURES (incorporates the two other tools: common aims and principles, common reference points for QA)

2. POLICY DEVELOPMENT FEATURES (EU and national policy frameworks; coordination of policy development; stakeholder involvement)

KEY FEATURES OF LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS

• 3. SYSTEM COORDINATION FEATURES (coordination of services across sectors; formal networks and partnerships; stakeholder involvement; central consistency arrangements in/for decentralised structures)

• 4. TARGETING WITHIN UNIVERSAL PROVISION (inclusive strategies)

KEY FEATURES OF LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS

• 5. REVIEW FEATURES (periodic reviews; research to support evidence-based policy and systems development; for setting priorities and establishing strategies; for improving knowledge, theory and practice; for improving careers information)

• 6. INTERNATIONAL FEATURES (Member State collaboration in lifelong guidance policy and programme development through a variety of means including thematic networks and research cooperation)

WHICH ARE THE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL LEVEL?

1. Common activity theme focus - across sectors: exchange of knowledge and practice; consulting other sectors; planning and undertaking joint action e.g. national guidance portal; joint evaluation

• Possible outcomes: confidence/mutual trust established; improved knowledge of contexts, personnel and practices across sectors; constructing a common guidance culture; more efficient services and products; seeing each others’ relevance; beginning to see we are parts of a system!

WHICH ARE THE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL LEVEL?

2. Collaboration mechanisms: national forum, national initiative groups, inter-ministerial delegation, councils, committees

Possible outcomes: confidence/mutual trust; policy sharing; policy learning and enrichment; reciprocal consultation; coordination, cooperation, collaborative actions; coherence

WHICH ARE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL LEVEL?

3. Agreeing and adopting common principles, guidelines, standards, standarised approaches and methodology, within and across sectors

-Joint implementation and review

-Common brand/trademark for services applying these standards (government approval?)

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FOR NO. 3

• Provision of comparable treatment to all citizens regardless of who provides the service

• Increased public confidence in the quality of the services provided

• Improved transparency of services for the public

• Development of a common culture of guidance provision among practitioners and oranisations

• Increased mutual confidence among providers

WHICH ARE THE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL LEVEL?

4. Legislation; formal partnership agreements between different providers both within and across sectors and with government

Possible outcomes: increased cooperation and coordination of policies and services; synergy in the delivery of services; efficiency in the use of resources of all kinds; clearer roles, targets; coherence

WHICH ARE THE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL

LEVEL?

5. Participation in ELGPN and other European programmes and initiatives:

• Possible outcomes: policy sharing; policy learning; policy testing; policy enrichment; coordination, cross-sector collaborative actions; new reflections on national challenges

WHICH ARE THE TOOLS FOR SYSTEMS BUILDING AT NATIONAL

LEVEL?6. Use of Common European Reference Tools

for Lifelong Guidance (self-evaluation; stage of development)

• Possible outcomes: new reflections on national challenges; opening/initiating a cross-sector dialogue; cross-sector selection of some of the items for use in the development of common principles, standards, guidelines; stimulus for review, reform, fine-tuning; comparable guidance provision/treatment for EU citizens

ALL-AGE MODEL: SCOTLAND

• CAREER GUIDANCE AND EMPLOYABILITY SERVICE

• INTEGRATION OF 80 ORGANISATIONS AND 1270 PERSONNEL

• COMMON FRAMEWORK FOR CAREER SERVICE DELIVERY INCLUDING:

• DIRECT AND PARTNERSHIP DELIVERY• COMMON BRAND NAME

• FUNDED BY MINISTRY/DEPT FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

ALL AGE SERVICE: SCOTLAND

• A SINGLE BUT COMPREHENSIVE CAREER TOOL – THE CAREER PLANNING JOURNEY

• ACCESS: WALK-IN, PHONE-IN, LOG-IN, LOOK-IN, OUTREACH

• CUSTOMER RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• COMMON QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR STAFF

• COMMON STANDARDS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY

CAREERS SCOTLAND

• Customer segmentation: future workforce; employed; unemployed

• Customers in need of a lot, a little or no individualised assistance

CONCLUDING COMMENTS• How does the Danish guidance system

compare with international markers?• Access; transition points; delivery flexibility• Career management skills; independence; labour

market information• Stakeholder involvement; review; • Marketing of services; centrality of the beneficiary;• Cooperation between providers at all levels;

evidence collection

SOME DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE DANISH SYSTEM

• Responsibility of municipalities• Segmentation: resourceful and vulnerable• Personal education plan• The role of the Ministry of Education division

for guidance• The Knowledge Centre for Guidance• The interest of legislators in this issue• The quiet revolution!

SIX MAJOR ISSUES IN CREATING AND MANAGING LIFELONG GUIDANCE

SYSTEMS (OECD 2004)

1. Priority in resource allocations to systems that develop career management skills and career information, and for delivery systems that match the levels of personal help required

2. Greater diversity: types of services available; ways in which the services are delivered; in staffing structures; wider use of self-help; more integrated approach to use of ICT

SIX MAJOR ISSUES IN CREATING AND MANAGING LIFELONG GUIDANCE

SYSTEMS (OECD 2004)

3. Initial and continuing training improved to support the the development of career management skills, better career information, and more diverse service delivery

4. Improving the information base: financial and human resource input; client need and demand; client characteristics; client satisfaction; outcomes and cost-effectiveness of career guidance

SIX MAJOR ISSUES IN CREATING AND MANAGING LIFELONG GUIDANCE

SYSTEMS (OECD 2004)

• 5. Better quality assurance systems linked to funding

• 6. Stronger structures for strategic leadership

LIFELONG GUIDANCE SYSTEMS: TO BE IMPLEMENTED

• Ireland: National Guidance Forum outputs (2006): drew heavily on OECD review and 2004 CN Res. : cross-sector focus: competency of practitioners; QA for services; local and national structures for implementation

• France: Law on LLG (2009): central policy responsibility; centrality of beneficiary/citizen entitlement; centralised QA and branding