Page 10 - euroguidance-insight-newsletter-2016-autumn

Initiatives to Improve the Access and Quality of Lifelong Guidance
in Estonia

Lifelong guidance has been practiced in Estonia for years. The services have been provided for differ-
ent target groups in different kind of centres and have also been known by different names – the latest
version being differentiated lifelong guidance system.

Major Changes in Lifelong
Guidance

The new overarching Lifelong
Learning Strategy 2020 covers
lifelong guidance and stresses
the most crucial issues. The core
idea is to reduce the fragmentation
of the service provision, improve
access and raise the quality of
lifelong guidance, including pro-
fessionalisation of guidance prac-
titioners. The strategy also urges
the need for cooperation between
stakeholders. The authorities
responsible for the development of
lifelong guidance are the Ministry
of Social Affairs and the Ministry of
Education and Research.

Merges in the guidance centres
for youth

Differentiated lifelong guidance
service provision was first intro-
duced in the education sector.
Since autumn 2014, 24 fragment-
ed youth guidance centres were
replaced by 15 centralised public
centres. Foundation Innove es-
tablished the agency for lifelong
guidance and opened Rajaleidja
(Pathfinder in English) centres
in all counties to support young
people in their studies and career
related issues. The centres provide
career information, career coun-
selling, psychological, socio-ped-
agogical and special education
counselling, and speech therapy
to children and youth, co-operating
closely with school personnel,

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