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2.8 Study visits Study Visit “Inclusion through
Education and Employment with the
Focus on NEETs”

In October 2019, aspire-igen, the UK Euroguidance
Centre, welcomed 5 Swedish career counsellors -
based in Laholm and all working with NEETs - for
the study visit “Inclusion through Education and
Employment with the focus on NEETs”. The contact
between the Swedish participants and aspire-igen
All Euroguidance Centres across Europe have ance and counselling in schools. Additionally, the was established through the Euroguidance Net-
taken active measures to support the professional study visit recognised good work that practitioners © Euroguidance Ireland work. Through the study visit the municipality of
development of guidance professionals regarding had been doing, since participants were selected Laholm and ‘Arbetsmarkndasinsatser’ hoped to get
the international and intercultural dimension of through the open call in which they presented a good insight into how aspire-igen works with
their daily work practice. In this way internationally their experiences. number of site visits to guidance related services issues relating to NEET.
in the Dublin area.
aspired clients and clients with a different cultural The study visit included mutual exchange and
background can be better guided on their learning During the study visit, the participants had the There was an information sharing session where learning, the presentation of projects as well as
opportunity to present their experience with
and career paths. As well as this, cross-border the participants offered their knowledge and visits to different places such as the aspire2work
networking, active engagement in European proj- the planning and implementation of activities in experiences of multicultural guidance through (https://www.aspire-igen.com/aspire2work) Horti-
the context of career guidance and counselling.
ect cooperation and participation in international short presentations on their guidance systems and culture course in Wakefield where they were able
events and study visits are having an increasing Moreover, they talked about the challenges and practice in their countries. This provided an oppor- to interact with students in attendance and to see
directions of the further development of those
importance for guidance counsellors’ ongoing tunity to reflect on the similarities and differences the course allotment.
professional development. The study visits in 2019 activities in interactive discussions and looked for in guidance provision between European countries
ways to develop cooperation at European level
were centred around guidance in education, career and some of the challenges which emerge. The visitors also met with the ‘Accelerate’ team - a
management skills, NEETs, and guidance in multi- through group work activities. programme for young people aged 15-24 who are
cultural context. Some study visits, especially those Participants reported that this helped them to There was a reflection workshop session on the at risk of disengaging from education, employment
under the Erasmus+ Academia programme, were become aware of common challenges in the field final afternoon in NCGE for the visiting group and training. The programme creates career path-
organized for participants from different countries, of career guidance and counselling, but also to try to think about and evaluate the large range of ways for young people through both regulated and
providing transnational exchange of experience out some new ideas that they heard from others. presentations and site visits which they had non-regulated learning, employability skills, training
and best practice within the study visit group itself. experienced during their visit. They were invited and work experience. Aspire-igen delivers the
Event photos available at: https://tinyurl.com/ to identify their own beliefs and assumptions. In Accelerate programme in schools and community
EGstudyvisitCZRS2019 their groups they shared their reflections on how settings throughout Yorkshire and the Humber. The
Joint seminar for teachers from Czech they might work with the challenges and practice Swedish visitors met face-to-face with the young
Republic and Serbia in Belgrade Exploring the challenges of providing issues in providing guidance in a multicultural and learners and the Manager of the programme
The Euroguidance Centres of Serbia and Czech meaningful guidance in a multicultural upskilling context in their national contexts. in Wakefield and were given a comprehensive
Republic organized a study visit in Belgrade in April context All the participants were impressed by the con- overview of the programme. The visit was a great
2019. This event brought together 20 career guid- tinuous references by staff and students alike to success, and fulfilled the criteria required and calls
ance practitioners – Czech and Serbian teachers From 19 – 21 February 2019, Euroguidance Ireland the National Framework of Qualifications and how for further future cooperation.
and professional associates from elementary and hosted a study visit on 'Exploring the challenges embedded it is in the Irish education system. The https://www.aspire-igen.com/accelerate
secondary schools - with the aim of exchanging of providing meaningful guidance in a multicultural ENIC-NARIC process was discussed at intervals
experiences and ideas for improving career guid- context in the Further Education and Training (or throughout the study visit and how important it
VET) system in Ireland'. It was open to guidance is as a supportive guidance tool for multicultural Employability and Career Management
practitioners across Europe and promoted discus- clients. The group felt that they received an excel- Skills at the University of Southern
sions on the theme in a wider European context. lent overview of guidance in the Further Education Denmark (SDU)
This study visit focused on the Further Education and Training area in the national context in Ireland. Many recent graduates experience challenges,
and Training (FET) system in Ireland (combining They commented that the presentations from when they try to enter the labour market after
what is adult education and known as Vocational NCGE, Euroguidance, QQI, AEGS and Community their graduation. In order to address this and
Education Training (VET) in Europe) with particular Education together with group discussion provided prepare the students for the future labour market
reference to upskilling and 'The New Skills Agen- them with ideas and inspiration to continue the while still studying, the career advisers at Univer-
da'. Participants were from Estonia, Luxembourg, development of guidance practice in their coun- sity of Southern Denmark (SDU) have for several
Belgium (FL), the Czech Republic and Romania. tries. years implemented career learning into teaching.
The study visit was based in the National Centre More information and all presentations can be The goal is to make students more career-con-
for Guidance in Education (NCGE) and included a viewed at https://euroguidance.ie/study-visits scious. The course is ECTS-based and is now a part
© Euroguidance Serbia

48 2. EUROGUIDANCE – NATIONAL LEVEL ACTIVITIES 2. EUROGUIDANCE – NATIONAL LEVEL ACTIVITIES 49