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Section 2: Work Package reports

countries have focused on the quality of service • WP3:
provision and improvements, with practitioner – Influencing the intelligent application of the
competence and impact of their work posi- QAE Framework across all sectors.
tioned centrally within the current dialogue. – Identifying opportunities to extend com-
The QAE Framework data provide concrete munication, collaboration and cross-fertili-
examples of countries applying this to policy sation of good and interesting EU policies
development activities. and practices on lifelong guidance service
• Those responsible for lifelong guidance ser- design and improvement; the development
vices should be informed and supported to of a robust set of indicators applied across
demonstrate both economic and social returns member countries which act both as evi-
on investment, not only in practitioners’ work dence and as stimuli material for develop-
with clients, but also in the context of demon- ing quality-assurance systems and reporting
strating impact to maintain and improve the mechanisms; the impact of the economic
range and quality of such services. downturn, resulting in new demands placed
on policy-makers to produce reliable and
2.4.3 Links to other WP themes robust data on impact and added-value
returns on investments.
• WP1:
– Terminology used to define career man- 2.4.4 Next steps
agement skills; the relevance of career
management skills embedded within qual- • A stronger evidence base is required for report-
ity-assurance systems and processes for vali- ing on the impact and added value of lifelong WP4
dation of formal and informal learning; the guidance services set alongside other compet-
systematic collection of evidence on clients’ ing priorities. Individuals tend to find their
personal, social and economic outcomes; way in and out of learning and work through
the active involvement of citizens and users very differing support networks. As a result,
of lifelong guidance services; and the impact lifelong guidance policies need to foster stron-
of online and offline services on individuals’ ger partnerships between public, private and
career management skills. voluntary/community sectors to help improve
self-reliance and social responsibility.
• WP2: • National quality-assurance frameworks should
– Defining the actual size and shape of the have, as a minimum, five key domains: prac-
careers sector workforce, linked to improv- titioner competence; citizen and user involve-
ing individuals’ access to lifelong guidance ment; service provision and improvement; cost
services; the content of training for guidance benefits to governments; and cost benefits to
practitioners; the process of embedding individuals.
quality standards for guidance practitioners • Greater attention must be given to cost analyses
in validation processes; and the application of differing types of lifelong guidance services
of performance indicators to measure the and specific interventions. This requires con-
quality of guidance and counselling in vali- tinuous professional development activities
dation processes for informal/non-formal that build specific knowledge and skill-sets in
learning. this regard.

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