Page 111 - Guiding-at-risk-youth-through-learning-to-work-Lessons-from-across-Europe

Guiding at-risk youth through learning to work
Lessons from across Europe

and the preparation of written materials for basic and secondary education
schools. The distinctive feature of RAM is their comprehensive and integrated
approach of personal, social and career guidance. MONE has also recently
developed a new web-based career information system and RAM will become
one of the major access points; this is likely to extend further their career
information function.

6.2.3. Online guidance tools for at-risk groups
Use of online career information services is now considered a core element of
the career guidance offer in many European countries. As well as signposting
organisations, providing information, advice and guidance services, online portals
can also provide information on education, training and employment
opportunities, and easy-to-use interactive assessment tools, to assist young
people in making career decisions.
Our research found nearly 60 examples of Internet-based career platforms
and portals in 24 countries (this figure excludes public employment service
portals). These Internet-based measures comprise three main types:
(a) signposting, which provides information/links to other types of online career
guidance provision and identifies where young people should go for careers
advice, including other web based services;
(b) information, on education and training opportunities and/or the skills
requirements of various sectors or occupations which help increase young
people’s awareness of available opportunities;
(c) interactive assessment tools, to help young people to make decisions by
matching their skills and capabilities to potential career pathways, which can
lead them into transition learning and/or employment.

The range of information covered by these web-based career guidance
services varies. Some specifically focus on providing information on education
opportunities while others include information about careers and employment
opportunities. Where services are developing, they are responding to the lifelong
learning agenda or to the need to identify career and/or training pathways
between education and training and related job opportunities.
Most of the platforms are universal services rather than facilities targeted at
vulnerable young people. Technological developments and the social inclusion
agenda are, however, shifting the way in which online guidance services are
delivered. Almost all study countries are trying to broaden access to career
information and guidance without labelling their target group as hardtoreach,
using diverse and often innovative strategies (Cedefop, Sultana, 2004). For

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