Page 17 - euroguidance-highlights-2020

understanding the viewpoints of national stake- tion towards small groups/communities. Instead it
holders, establishing contacts and partnerships at should reach and include all guidance counsellors. 1.3 International /
national/international level).
Besides the above-mentioned recommendations,
Additionally, respondents appreciated the involve- respondents made a lot of suggestions which
ment of Euroguidance Centres and the Network should be considered at both Network and national
in policy development; Euroguidance being seen level when designing both policies and action plans Cross Border
as a strategic partner for promoting the European related to the future of the Network and national
dimension in career guidance. Therefore, the Eu- centres. The opinion of the respondents was that
roguidance Network received many congratulations the Euroguidance Network should undoubtedly
and thanks for its activities. 88% of stakeholders continue the services and the support offered. For Cooperation and
(732 responses) considered that the Euroguidance future Euroguidance activities, most respondents
Network’s support for training and developing were interested in the topics of innovation (includ-
professional competencies in the field of lifelong ing digital tools) in career guidance, the delivery of
guidance was extremely valuable or good. 93% career guidance services (guidance methodologies,
of respondents (773 responses) would strongly techniques, management), and learning mobility Conferences
recommend or recommend Euroguidance services opportunities for educators and guidance profes-
to guidance professionals for developing their sionals. The participants to the survey suggested
knowledge and competencies. that the Euroguidance Network should organise
more events (conferences, training, exchanges)
We can also learn a lot from what our stakehold- and should increase the frequency of events. It
ers consider that needs to be improved. According should continue to offer support for international
to respondents` views, in sketching its future, the cooperation, exchanges, mobilities and it should
Network and centres should bear in mind not to focus more on ICT and digital solutions as a pro-
act as information points only, but to become a active response to the challenges encountered in Several international seminars and conferences are organised and attended by individual Euroguidance
relevant player for innovation and expert training. these uncomfortable pandemic times (webinars, Centres and by representatives of the Network every year. These bring guidance experts together to
The participants in the survey also drew attention digital tools, online events, newsletter, more online support knowledge sharing and networking. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these planned
to the fact that there were not enough opportuni- and video seminars/webinars for all counsellors). for 2020 had to be cancelled or postponed, however some were facilitated remotely; with cross
ties for all practitioners to engage. Therefore, they national Euroguidance members coordinating and in attendance. Other Cross Border cooperation can
suggested expanding the number of eligible places In conclusion, the Euroguidance Network is seen as include the common development of ‘tools’ for guidance practitioners.
and the possibilities for training/exchanges so that a valuable resource for European stakeholders in
they could involve more practitioners. Another im- the field of career guidance. The activities, actions
portant aspect mentioned by respondents was the and events organised by Euroguidance Centres are Euroguidance Cross-Border Cross-Border Seminar
relatively weak communication and dissemination, highly relevant, and they should be intensified, so Seminars (CBS) ‘Voice of the Client in Career Guidance’
as the Network seems to disseminate the informa- as to reach a larger proportion of practitioners.
Euroguidance Cross Border Seminars (CBS) bring On the 30 of September 2020, this seminar was
th
together guidance counsellors, policy makers, held for the first time in its history as an online
experts, and other practitioners from different one-day event. It was organised by the Slovak Eu-
European countries to exchange their expertise roguidance Centre in cooperation with the Eurogu-
and innovative guidance practices. Experts lead idance Centres from 9 other European countries:
thematic workshops on current European guidance Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany,
topics and guidance methods during a two-day Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia.
seminar. It all started back in 2005 when Eurogu- The main theme of the seminar was ‘Voice of the
idance Centres from three neighbouring countries –
Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia – decided to
join forces and gather national experts to discuss
current trends and important guidance-related
topics. Over the past years, more and more nation-
al Euroguidance Centres in neighbouring countries
as well as in Portugal have joined this initiative.
Today, the countries regularly participating in the
Cross Border Seminars are Austria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. You can
find more information and ‘compendia of results’
in the CBS Section of the Euroguidance Network
website. The first two articles here relate to two
such Cross Border Seminars that took place (re-
motely) in 2020.

16 1. EUROGUIDANCE NETWORK LEVEL ACTIVITIES 1. EUROGUIDANCE NETWORK LEVEL ACTIVITIES 17