Page 40 - Euroguidance-Networkys-Highlights-of-the-Year-2016

A peer review of the Italian Euroguidance Cen- deal with mobility related issues simply because
tre was conducted in 2016. This was done in they lack experience in them and they do not
conjunction with the European Commission and always trust their abilities in interpreting mobility
the aim was to support Euroguidance Italy in information. To address the above challenges, the
developing new initiatives and improving the centre created a model of the different stages of
quality of services in line with EU policy objec- the mobility process and explicitly described the
tives. This peer review was carried out as an roles, tasks and duties guidance counsellors have
external evaluation by colleagues from two other in relation to providing support to those seeking
Euroguidance Centres: Jennifer McKenzie (from learning opportunities abroad. This process model
Ireland) and Graziana Boscato (from France). In is now integrated by Euroguidance Finland in the
their evaluation, they focused on services and ac- guidance counsellors’ training programmes of-
tivities towards end-users and stakeholders and fered by Finnish higher education institutions as
on external relation and networking activities. well as in all in-service training sessions provided
The peer review was an important opportunity to guidance practitioners dealing with mobility-
to assess Euroguidance activities in Italy and to related issues.
foster peer learning on common challenges and The United Kingdom’s referendum on EU mem-
tasks across national Euroguidance Centres. bership overshadowed the question of inter-
In Bulgaria a national children’s essay contest national mobility in 2016. Whilst much of the
was held on the topic What I want to become political debate focussed on high-level state-
when I grow up? The competition was aimed at ments surrounding the economy or immigration,
raising the awareness of career choices from an it quickly became hard for careers professionals
early age and encouraging participants to look at to understand the impact of European pro-
their own talents and dreams. grammes and cooperation on their everyday
work. Therefore the UK Euroguidance centre has
The Romanian Euroguidance Centre was actively undertaken a year-long programme of promotion
involved in the development of the national cur- with the aim of highlighting (the often hidden)
riculum for counselling and personal develop- impact of international cooperation, mobility
ment for secondary schools (grades V-VIII). To and funding within the country. It was felt that
this end, the centre organised two face-to-face new digital media and social networks offered
meetings of the group that had been charged the best possibility to reach the widest audience
with this work. Euroguidance Romania coordina- and their impact was enhanced through the use
ted the group and provided scientific consultancy of infographics and short, snappy facts about to-
to support the work along the way. The result is pics such as EU policy, migrant communities in the
the new national curriculum for counselling and UK, and the benefits of international experience
personal development that is being presented for UK workers. These social media updates were
nationally for a public debate and will be signed complemented by longer blog posts promoting
by the Ministry of Education. This new curriculum European programmes (such as Erasmus+) or fact
has strong implications for the Romanian school checking some of the more extreme claims made
guidance community. by politicians during the referendum campaign
In 2015-16 Euroguidance Finland carried out a (such as on the contribution of EU workers to the
service design project to explore how guidance UK economy).
practitioners perceive the international dimension The overall uncertainty has left many advisors
in their daily work and how they provide infor- confused, as they are unsure as to both what has
mation on international studying, training and changed so far and what is likely to change in the
working opportunities to their clients. One of the future (a situation which could have a potentially
key findings was that guidance practitioners do negative impact on their guidance work). As a
not have a holistic understanding of the mobility result it quickly became clear that the promotion
process and thus they cannot professionally sup- campaign needed to continue beyond the refe-
port it as fully as they should. Another outcome rendum. Furthermore it was felt that an approach
was that guidance practitioners find it difficult to was needed which allowed for a more detailed

40 6. NEW INITIATIVES AND CAMPAIGNS