Guidance System in Greece

OVERVIEW

Guidance Services in Greece, are implemented:

In the public sector

• in the Education field supervised by the Ministry of Education, & Religious Affairs at:
• Centers of Educational and Counselling Support (KESYs)
• Career Guidance Bureaus of Universities
• Second Chance Schools of Foundation for Youth and Life Long Learning (INEDIVIM)
• in the Employment field at Centers for Promotion to Employment (KPAs) supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs ypakp.gr/
• in the social welfare field at Counselling Bureaus supervised by other Ministries, such as the Ministry of Health, by Local Government Authorities such as Municipalities, by nonprofit organizations or NGOs etc.

In the private sector

• at the Centers of Life Long Learning (KDBM), licensed by the Ministry of Education
• at Job Finding Bureaus and Τemporary Εmployment Companies licensed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

The National Organisation for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) www.eoppep.gr/index.php/en/, operating under the supervision of the Minister of Education & Religious Affairs is the national body providing scientific and technical support to the Ministry.  

POLICY

Career Guidance Policy in Greece is designed and implemented by the Ministries of Education & Religious Affairs www.minedu.gov.gr/ Labour,and Social Affairs www.ypakp.gr/., Health etc

The Ministry of Education supervises the KESYs, operating at prefectural level through its Regional Educational Planning Centers (PEKES), while both KESYs and PEKESs are supervised by the Regional Education Directorates of the Ministry. The Ministry of Labour supervises the Centres for Promotion to Employment (KPAs) through the Career Guidance Directorate of the Greek Manpower Organization (OAED) www.oaed.gr/ . The Ministry of Health supervises mainly separate bodies providing career guidance services to special target groups such as addicted persons.

The National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) provides scientific and technical support to the Ministry in designing and implementing a national career guidance policy. EOPPEP is the national contact point for Euroguidance , Europass, EQAVET, EQF, ECVET and ELGPN networks. It is also a management body of the National Lifelong Learning Network according to Law 3879.

SERVICES AND PRACTICE

According to law 4547 the Centres of Career Guidance and Counselling (KESYPs) were replaced by Centers of Educational and Counselling Support (KESY) which offer career guidance as well as psychosocial evaluation and pedagogical services to students, teachers and parents at prefectural level. There are 71 KESYs all over Greece, that are supervised by the Regional Educational Planning Centers (PEKES), operating  at prefectural level. They aim to support school students to ensure equal access to education and to their harmonious psychosocial development and progress. As far as career guidance is concerned, KESYs implement programs in individual and group level aiming to support students in their career development (a. comprehensive knowledge of their interests,  abilities and skills b. information on studies, professions and labour market c. exploration of their educational and vocational alternative paths, decision making etc.).

The Institute of Youth and Lifelong Learning (INEDIVIM) supervises 62 Career Guidance Bureaus (Grafeia Symvouleytikis) that operate inside the Second Chance Schools (Scholeia Defteris Efkairias) all over Greece for adult citizens above 18 years who haven’t finished compulsory education.

35 Career Services (Grafeia Diasyndesis) of the Employment and Career Development Structures (DASTA) of the Universities of Greece offer career guidance and counselling to students and graduates supporting their smooth transition to the labour market.

The Ministry of Labour and in particular the Greek Manpower Organization directs the Greek Public Employment Services (PES services). These consist of 118 Centers for Promotion to Employment (KPAs). OAED provides a wide range of subsidized programmes for employers who offer job positions or professional experience opportunities to unemployed young people. It is offering young people vouchers which can be exchanged for training programmes or work or for specialized career guidance programme to support transition to the labour market. Moreover, career guidance counsellors of OAED are supporting unemployed people interested in working abroad through the EURES network and its portal https://ec.europa.eu/eures/public/el/homepage.

In the private sector the private and municipal Lifelong Learning Centers (Kentra dia Viou Mathisis) licenced by the Ministry of Education  are providing among others career guidance services to support the career development of adult trainees. According to law 4052 career guidance services to adults are also offered by the Private Job Finding Bureaus (Grafeia Evreseos Ergasias) and the Temporary Employment Enterprises (Epixirisis Prosorinis Apasxolisis).  Furthermore career guidance services are offered by other organizations like the General Workers’ Confederation of Greece (GSEE), social services like KETHEA (Centre for Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts), KETHI (Center for Research on Gender Equality), the army and the church.

EOPPEP’s responsibilities according to Law 4115 include, among others,:

• Organizing Training Seminars for career guidance counsellors of the public and private sector on a regular basis.
• Setting the criteria, requirements and procedures for the accreditation of career guidance counsellors and the establishment of a register of accredited professionals.
• Observing the Code of Ethics for career guidance counsellors.
• Keeping a Register of Private Career Guidance Services,
• Facilitating the networking and cooperation of all public and private career guidance stakeholders
• Setting a National Education and Labor Market Information Network with the aim of providing timely information to interested citizens and stakeholders etc
• Developing ICT career guidance tools: The Career Guidance Portal for adolescents eoppep.gr/teens , The Lifelong Career Development Portal for adults www.e-stadiodromia.eoppep.gr , and the National Learning Opportunities Database “PLOIGOS” http://ploigos.eoppep.gr.
• Contributing to the development of the new Europass Platform and issuing Europass Documents such as the Europass Certificate Supplements and the Europass Mobility Documents for Greeks citizens traveling abroad for study/training or work.

TRAINING

Specialized training in career guidance is offered only by postgraduate programmes in Greek Universities. Such programs have been organized by the  University of Athens, the University of Patras and by ASPETE, University of Pedagogical & Technological Education. Continuous training programs in career guidance are also organized by Life Long Learning Centers and have to be certified by EOPPEP, according to law 4547.  

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

EOPPEP is conducting regular scientific studies in several career guidance fields, targeting in the design and implementation of actions focused on the needs of guidance counsellors and end users. Such studies include a National Framework of Career Management Skills and Life Competences, Career guidance for NEETs, Entrepreneurship Career Guidance, Quality assurance and evidence Frameworks and Self Evaluation Guides, Informational Guides on Professional Fields in demand of the labour market etc. Moreover the universities that offer postgraduate studies in the Career Guidance field as well as other training or research organizations conduct regular studies and research on several career guidance subjects usually in the context of relevant European projects.

ETHICS

EOPPEP, the National Euroguidance Centre of Greece, in the context of its responsibility for upgrading and assuring the quality of career guidance provision in Greece has developed a Code of Ethics for Career Guidance Counsellors www.eoppep.gr/images/SYEP/ENTYPO%20KODIKAS%20DEONTOLOGIAS%20SYEP.pdf which sets the minimum ethical standards for the professional behaviour in the career guidance sector.  The observance of the code of Ethics by the career guidance stakeholders is measured through specific quality indicators of the National Framework for the Quality Assurance in Lifelong Learning called p3. EOPPEP has also contributed to the development of the European Guidelines for Policies and Systems Development http://www.elgpn.eu/publications/elgpn-tools-no-6-guidelines-for-policies-and-systems-development-for-lifelong-guidance