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Section 2: Work Package reports

• Communication. This might include exchanging • A reactive approach which mirrors and supports
information, and exploring possibilities for co- national/regional guidance policies.
operation and co-ordination. • A critical approach which questions national/
• Co-operation between partners, within existing regional guidance policies.
structures. This might be informal in nature, • A proactive approach which formulates national/
and based on a co-operation agreement, with regional guidance policies.
decision-making powers being retained by each
partner. These distinctions may help to create greater trans-
• Co-ordination. This is likely to require a co- parency regarding the expectations of the policy-
ordinating structure, with operational powers making or policy-formulating roles of such forums.
and funding (and possibly a contract or legal At present, most forums play a reactive or critical role
mandate). to some degree, but few perform a truly proactive
role in terms of formulating guidance policies, let
More specifically, with a particular focus on alone actually implementing guidance policies.
regional aspects of establishing coherence, such
approaches may take several forms, all of which may 2.3.3 Links to other WP themes
facilitate co-operation and co-ordination across sec-
tors, borders, and other dividing lines: As the theme of WP3 by definition cuts across other WP3
WPs, links to other WPs are pivotal in relation to
• Intra-regional: linkages within the region, across validation of prior learning, to access, to career man-
structural silos and different sectors. agement skills, to the integral use of ICT, and to the
• Inter-regional: linkages across regional boundar- overall lifelong guidance policies of the EU. There
ies. is a need for and benefits from bi- and multilateral
• Trans-regional: linking several regions in the- transnational exchanges within the common ELGPN
matic clusters. development processes in general, including the
• Cross-national: regional linkages across national development of instruments like those in the ELGPN
boundaries. Resource Kit. In practical terms, the implementa-
tion of the themes and activities of the other WPs
A regional approach may be a fruitful way forward, is dependent on firm and systemic linkages which
in particular in countries with devolved and decen- serve to facilitate co-operation and co-ordination in
tralised administrative structures, and may also serve a seamless and coherent lifelong guidance system.
to overcome difficulties in establishing or maintain- More specific links to other WPs include:
ing national forums: in such cases regional or even
local forums may serve a number of lifelong guid- • Easy access to a coherent guidance system builds
ance co-operation and co-ordination needs, without on systemic co-operation and co-ordination
having a national umbrella under which to operate. (WP2).
Ideally, in most cases, a dualistic and holistic bottom- • Career management skills development through-
up and top-down approach will serve the purpose of out life is greatly facilitated by co-operation and
linking national and regional/local guidance policies co-ordination across guidance sectors (WP1).
and priorities. • Quality development in lifelong guidance is
When developing co-operation and co-ordination significantly enhanced by co-operation and co-
mechanisms, a policy-making taxonomy may be ordination across guidance sectors (WP4).
helpful, distinguishing between:

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