Page 2 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2014-spring

As professionals in career counselling, we should be philosophers:

A Czech seminar links two disciplines in an innovative way.

For a person to identify his/her own merits, (s)he must ask him/
herself questions that are troubling and frightening. A similar-
form of interrogation should also come into play when people try
to understand society as a whole; we must look on the problems
of our age - such as high levels of unemployment- as responses
to hidden questions to which these phenomena are the answers.
The Czech philosopher Josef Šmajs talked about the topic of
changes in our contemporary society, which lead to man’s de-
tachment from traditional forms of work. Since the beginning of
human existence, work has linked people with nature, providing
them with fulfilment and harmony. Current forms of work do not
benefit either man or nature. The fields in which we work are di-
vorced from basic needs and human understanding. Our work is
increasingly more efficient and more perfect, but we are less and
less aware of what its purpose is. Education and career coun-
selling must bring an understanding of what people are doing in
this world we have created and where we are heading together.
The last paper was given by the publicist, Alena Wagnerová. She
When searching for possible solutions, it can be useful to look presented a European initiative for the introduction of an un-
beyond our previous experience, examine connections be- conditional basic income. This means “giving each resident
tween our actions and learn the art of asking questions. Ca- of a given state or another society, regularly, the same sum
reer counsellors have some knowledge of this type of change. of money, which is not a reward for work done and whose
This was one of the main conclusions of a seminar held purpose is to secure existential needs, ensuring an existence
in the Czech Euroguidance Centre in September, 2013. worthy of human dignity, as is enshrined in the Universal
The Inspiration for this focus of the Czech Euroguidance Cen-
tre`s activities in 2013 came from the IAEVG conference – Ca- Declaration of Human Rights”. The greatest obstacle to its in-
reer guidance for Social Justice, Prosperity and Sustainable Em- troduction can be seen in our own ideas about the world of
ployment – Challenges for the 21st Century, which was held work. In our minds, any income is associated with the sale
in October 2012 in Mannheim. The highlight was a seminar, of labour on the labour market. This conviction is well cap-
which would address career counselling in a broader context. tured in the saying – “(s)he who does not work, shall not eat”.
The seminar was launched by the Czech philosopher, Anna Hog- In summary, when searching for possible solutions, peo-
enová. She defined her lecture as a philosophical letter, in which ple have to be willing to think beyond ideas derived
she anchored today’s performance-based society in a philosoph- from their experience, to look for connections between
ical context. As people join the rat race, trying to achieve higher their actions and learn the art of asking questions. Ca-
and higher levels of performance, they fail to wonder why perfor- reer counsellors have an insight into this type of change.
mance is so important for them, and who determines its focus.
Alice Müllerová, Euroguidance Czech Republic
‘Diagnosis’ of competences is an essential tool

Cross Border Seminar in Warsaw, Poland Almost a hundred counsellors from 10 countries (Austria, Cro-

Every career counsellor knows the importance of an appropriate atia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slo-
‘diagnosis’. Although the aim of counselling is to be the contact vakia, Slovenia and Switzerland) participated in the seminar.
with the client, ‘diagnosis’ is the tool a counsellor’s work needs
to be based on. For this reason the Euroguidance Centre Poland At the beginning of the opening session, Poland’s educational and
organised a seminar on “Competences, methods, techniques guidance system was introduced, followed by a discussion on com-
and diagnostic tools” which took place in Warsaw in May, 2013. petences and an exchange of views. The career guidance service in
Poland’s Public Employment Services was subsequently presented.
It is extremely difficult to analyse the potential of a client. Never- In the aftermath, participants had the opportunity to learn from
theless, it is an important stage during a counselling process. First good practices presented by experts from the 10 countries in
of all, the specialist must know the competences he wants to ex- 20 workshops. Further information about these can be found at
plore, and thereafter try to choose the appropriate method(s). http://www.euroguidance.pl/cbs/index.php?id=materials.
Being aware of this challenge, which the counsellors face nearly
every day, the Cross Border Working Group initiated a seminar on It was generally agreed that an appropriate ‘diagnosis’ of compe-
“Competences, methods, techniques and diagnostic tools” which tences is an important tool in modern labour markets. It has also
was organized and carried out by the Euroguidance Centre Poland. been acknowledged that there is a need to broaden this topic,
especially on soft skills. There is consensus that the better the ‘di-
The main aim of the seminar was to explain the mean- agnosis’, the easier it is for a client to create own career. We hope
ing and importance of competences as well as to debate the that Cross Border Seminar in Warsaw was fruitful and inspiring for
available techniques and tools which may be appropriate. further work. How will it turn out next year? We’ll know soon.
Anna Sowińska, Euroguidance Poland (education sector)