Page 26 - euroguidance-highlights-2020

1.5 Network Euroguidance Denmark Euroguidance Sweden Euroguidance Norway

Close contact with
Ministry officials
'Peer Reviews' 30
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agency for
with guidance 20 Close to
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Associations guidance
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Critical friendship among Euroguidance centres is a valuable source for exchange and development. with educators agency for
In 2020 4 x ‘Peer Review’ initiatives began within the Network. The aim of these initiatives was in Guidance Mobility
to maintain and develop quality standards, improve delivery and performance and further provide
credibility to work undertaken by Euroguidance Centres and their communities. Examples of two of
these initiatives are provided below, with additional ones having been coordinated by Euroguidance
Other relevant
Slovakia and Euroguidance Italy. In total approximately 12 x centres engaged in a peer review process, mobility tools in same
equating to approximately 1/3 of the Network. It is intended that peer review should become an Office
integral part of the working of the Euroguidance Network - as a truly effective instrument for mutual
learning and service development.

The reflections and learning by each of the three positive aspects of the Network management and
‘Critical Friend’ Approach The three partners have agreed on a common countries on the peer-review process have been suggesting areas of improvement.
methodology. The peer-reviews focus on three considered and will inform future next steps.
In Spring 2020, the Euroguidance centres in Esto- quality areas which are: activities and services for The first review was conducted in Norway. Inter-
nia, France and Ireland, decided to adopt the peer the guidance community, including tools and con- Scandinavian Peer Review for views were performed both in-house and online
learning process using a ‘critical friend’ approach tinuous professional training; relevance of services, Improved Euroguidance Services since the ministry itself and guidance stakeholders
to assess current practices. The aim was to build considering the national and international context; in Sweden, Denmark and Norway are placed in different cities as network centres. As
on past achievements while also providing insights and communication with partners. On the occa- the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, the
that might guide future activities and support new sions of each peer-review, the process included Quality assurance of the national Euroguidance review of the Swedish centre was performed online
areas of growth. In light of COVID-19 circumstanc- the partners (i.e the Euroguidance colleagues) from activities is important both for accountability only. Again, in the autumn, the travel ban made
es, the analysis process took place virtually. in relation to the European Commission and likewise the Danish review an all-digital event.
the two other countries acting as the review panel. national host agency and for the quality in rela-
The goal of the exercise was to learn from one The review panel then considered the information tion to relevant stakeholders and users. A peer Three quality areas were examined:
another while also providing quality information to provided utilising examples of questions in the five review is beneficial to both parties, as it is a • Quality area 1: External relationships and
the Commission and to relevant national authori- quality elements taken from the ELGPN Quality As- source for competence development and mutual networking activities;
ties. This exercise is a way to evaluate the quality surance and Evidence-Based Framework. As critical learning. • Quality area 2: Services and activities aimed at
of the services provided by the Network and to friends, the review panel examined the national end users and stakeholders;
reflect on the impact of its activities. It takes place context paper, and considered the reflections of The objective of conducting a peer review of • Quality area 3: Information for stakeholders
in a professional context of reflection, exchange the stakeholder interviewees, in accordance with Scandinavian Euroguidance Centres was to obtain and end users.
of practices and mutual learning. The aim is to these elements. critical yet sympathetic feedback on the quality of Common features for both successes and areas
formulate recommendations for the future of the our provision from external colleagues who work for improvements were presented at the Eurogu-
Network at national and at European levels. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the agenda. The in a similar environment and have specific exper-
Estonian peer-review took place with all interviews tise and knowledge in the same field. It can reveal idance Network meeting in October 2020. All
The review process would examine the national conducted online, the French peer-review adopted blind spots and weaknesses and all participants three centres were deemed to have delivered high
context of each country and interview identified a hybrid mode with some interviews conducted can take part in discovering good practices and quality services to their guidance communities. The
stakeholders, bearing in mind the main tasks and with a group of stakeholders physically attending areas of improvement. connection between guidance activities across
mission of Euroguidance. The recommendations the meeting with the services of a translator, Europe relevant for the domestic public, was
from the recent Network-level Review of EG Eval- the Irish peer-review is due to take place in The peer review between Denmark, Sweden highlighted as highly valued by the stakeholders.
uation and Impact Measures were also considered 2021. and Norway was conducted between December However, the Euroguidance centres are vulnerable
in the process, in particular the recommendation 2019 and September 2020. The process consisted due to scarce human resources. The common
to ‘focus future peer learning, collaboration and Overall, the peer-review teams felt the review was of qualitative interviews with key stakeholders denominator for the peer review was that all
exchange efforts, for Network staff, on evaluation a success. It has been a great opportunity to invite and end users from the national guidance com- centres make use of all relevant tools available to
and impact measurement and on the development a different perspective and receive constructive munity, reading of annual and midterm reports reach their national guidance communities to offer
and use of associated tools, mechanisms and feedback from peer organisations, who share and conversations with Euroguidance staff. After competence development and information about
approaches’. the same objectives, which is a valuable practice. each review, a report was written, pointing out the European dimension of lifelong Guidance.

26 1. EUROGUIDANCE NETWORK LEVEL ACTIVITIES 1. EUROGUIDANCE NETWORK LEVEL ACTIVITIES 27