Page 48 - euroguidance-highlights-2020

Adapting to Changing Times; practice in both schools and VET settings. Links
Empowering the Guidance were also provided to other relevant national
Community Online guidelines and services available, to further
inform guidance provision.
2. Over the course of 2020 Euroguidance Ireland
(through NCGE) delivered three ‘webinar
series’. The first of these was in May 2020
and comprised a series of 4 x webinars for
the school guidance community. In July 2020
2 x webinars were provided to staff members
of Irish ‘Adult Education Guidance Services’.
Between August and November 2020 a further
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, series was delivered, once again targeting
in March 2020, to determine the support required the school guidance community. This series
by guidance counselors in secondary schools and comprised 12 x webinars under the overarching
VET, Euroguidance Ireland, through its host or- theme of ‘supporting the well-being of school
ganisation – the Irish National Centre for Guidance communities on the return to school’.
in Education (NCGE), created and distributed two 3. In late 2020, Euroguidance Ireland (through
online ‘contingency planning’ surveys. One survey NCGE) launched a new podcast. This podcast
was distributed to guidance counsellors working in aims to broaden the perspective of guidance
The conference was addressed to Greek counselors of the successful approach to the labor market schools and the other to guidance practitioners in in broadly ranged areas of interest and best
working at the Ministry of Education, the Ministry and the new Europass portal as a tool to promote VET. Both sets of survey responses indicated that practice, locally, nationally and internationally.
of Labor, Career Offices of Universities, private transparency of qualifications. guidance counsellors and guidance practitioners A series of episodes relevant to schools, VET
lifelong learning centers, private practitioners Despite the lack of face-to-face communication, required guidelines for the provision of remote / and European considerations for guidance are
and European counselors from Cyprus and other more than 350 guidance counselors participated online guidance, additional resources and indicated available on the 'Soundcloud' platform.
Euroguidance Centers. The aim of the conference actively at the event, asking interesting questions that they required further training. These survey
was: from the speakers via chat, taking part in the polls responses helped to inform the development of ‘Career Code’ – Youtube Channel
• To support the career guidance counselors and sharing their good practices, needs and ideas subsequent guidelines and the continued provision for the Youth of Lithuania
working in schools, higher education and en- for improving career guidance services. of additional resources and training. As 2020 was the year of challenges and op-
trepreneurship in preparing young people for 1. Euroguidance Ireland and NCGE established portunities, the Lithuanian Euroguidance Centre
the labour market and exploring the necessary The experience of the event for both the partic- new dedicated sections of their websites as found a new opportunity for youth audience
skills and aptitudes of both the counselors and ipants and EOPPEP as organiser was really inter- a ‘one-stop-shop’ for these resources and engagement. A communication channel for youth
the end users; esting. With the use of technology, we had the coordinated Continuing Professional Develop- audiences was created in collaboration with
• To promote the exchange of good practices chance to interact with professionals from different ment (CPD) opportunities; informing guidance Europass Lithuania – a Youtube channel called
and policies on this subject between Greek areas of Greece, Cyprus and Europe and to learn
and European career guidance counselors and from each other, thus turning the difficulties of the
centers. COVID-19 era to opportunity.
The speakers at the conference were Greek and The evaluation of the event from the participants
European career guidance professionals, leaders was very good and their proposals are going to
of career guidance services, representatives of be used by the Euroguidance Center of Greece in
public and private bodies, active in labour market planning future training activities.
and entrepreneurship, EOPPEP executives and
European career counselors, members of the ‘Guidance Club’
Euroguidance national centers of other European Euroguidance Hungary effectively took part in
countries. All the participants attended the event the promotion of the guidance Club (Palyaori
via a special e-platform and there was a parallel Klub). It is a virtual community where guidance
translation from and to English during the whole practitioners get the opportunity to communicate
event. The programme consisted of five theoretical and share their best practices. In cooperation
sessions: ‘School and Occupational Information’, with the developer, the Economic Development
‘Fight Against Unemployment - Entrepreneurship and Innovation Operational Program, in 2020 we
and Career Development’, ‘Skills Needed for the organized webinars every other week, aiming to
Connection with Labor Market’, ‘Higher Education provide up-to-date information and knowledge
and Interconnection with the Labor Market’, and discuss best practices. In December 2020
‘European Networks and Tools For Supporting Job the Guidance Club had over 800 members. This
Search’ and 3 workshops regarding the ‘secrets’ number is growing continuously.

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