Page 2 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2011-autumn

eGuidance in Denmark: Short news

Service Improves Contact to the Client New ICT Tools for Counsellors

In January 2011 the Ministry of Education launched a new guidance service and established The Polish Euroguidance Centre
it as part of the Danish guidance portal www.ug.dk. Every person in Denmark who seeks for Education created two ICT
information on education will get guidance from experienced counsellors via various tools for guidance counsellors in
communication channels (hotline, chat, email or sms) every day of the week. Please read the 2009. Both tools are based on
the platform Moodle.
following interview with the manager of eGuidance, Kirsten Hahn Larsen, about the first

results after 10 months in action. Educational Virtual Space (EVS)
addresses counsellors working in
educational institutions such as
Mrs. Hahn-Larsen, how is eGuidance This is of course a management challenge
schools or psychological-pedago-
organised in Denmark? but it provides an incredibly good synergy gical centres. Users must have at
We are part of the Danish Ministry of between the different ways of working. least basic IT skills, adhere to the
Education and located in an agency called rules and the e-contract. Use of
UNI-C. We have 37 employees; 12 of Who are your target groups and how do the tool is free. The main idea for
creating EVS was to allow guidan-
them work full time for eGuidance. they find you?
ce counsellors room for interact-
We provide guidance in education for ion and cooperation. Via EVS
everyone. The target groups can roughly they can exchange their work ex-
be divided into young people in lower perience, knowledge and opini-
ons. They can discuss methodo-
secondary schools who are about to make
th
th
their next choice after the 9 or 10 year logical topics suggested by users
or the moderator and develop a
of school; adolescents in upper secondary common methodological soluti-
education who will choose among higher on (moderators are members of
education offers and adults seeking the EG Poland team):
http://bit.ly/uF0sPF
continuing education and training or who

wish to choose a programme within the
An online-training on cultural di-
higher education system. versity was created due to the
increasing number of immigrants
Those who seek guidance find us through in Poland. Immigrants need sup-
UG.dk but also via our new app. Besides, port in both the education and
labour sector. This is a relatively
information about our offers is available in
new task for guidance counsel-
primary schools and in youth education
lors. The aim was to prepare
institutions. them for working with pupils and
students who come from a differ-
What are your first experiences? ent cultural background. The trai-
Kirsten Hahn Larsen Now we know how it works. For in-stance ning was designed for counsel-
chatting on the Internet is a relatively new lors who work in schools or psy-
Furthermore we have a large group of tool within the guidance field. Almost chological-pedagogical centres,
for example. Having completed
colleagues who work part-time for 50 % of our sessions are via the chat, the training participants are able
eGuidance. They are employed in other which has made us pretty experienced in to recognise and define areas of
guidance units (Youth Guidance Centres, guiding people this way. As a result we are difficulties for immigrants and to
Regional Guidance Centres or Job now developing a methodology of characterise cultural values,
Centres) and work for eGuidance guidance via the chat. We have also which are important for immi-
grants during the decision-ma-
between 40 to 60 % of their time, which is realised that the chat is a unique guidance king process.
about 2-3 work days per week. In this way tool. People can address us exactly when
we can maintain close communications they want to and abandon the Anna Dziedzic/Marta Łuczak
and co-operation with the numerous conversation if they do not wish to Euroguidance Poland
(education)
guidance centres we have throughout continue.
Denmark.