Page 161 - valuing-diversity-guidance-for-labour-market-integration-of-migrants

Valuing diversity: guidance for labour market integration of migrants

Integration measures also need to identify and consider individual needs and
potential (qualifications, skills, entrepreneurial attitude, among others). Such
evaluation could help define distinct degrees of guidance provision and social
entitlements (according to readiness to work or learn). Socialising contexts
(schools, firms, local associations) should be used as opportunities to develop
guidance interventions. This requires providing guidance and career training to
teachers, managers and older workers, and directly engaging them in the
activities.

8.1.7. Ensuring guidance quality and assessing its impact
Structured databases which register the effects and impact of guidance in
integration initiatives are needed to understand their effectiveness, rationalise
their provision and allow for objective exchange of experiences and practices.
This is closely related to the general development of evidence bases on the
effects of guidance practices. However, it is a complex process, as guidance
activities are spread across policy fields, frequently without any linking
mechanisms. The impact of guidance on people’s careers is difficult to measure,
which also makes monitoring and assessment complex. Nevertheless, there is a
fundamental need to document better the impacts of guidance to rationalise
investment in these activities.
From a policy perspective, this process needs to be implemented at: national
and European levels:
(a) at national level, by adopting minimum harmonised standards for monitoring
and evaluation, disseminating them and then monitoring labour market
integration initiatives accordingly. Education policies in general, VET,
employment and integration policies (when developed autonomously) can be
the starting point, obliging jointly-financed promoters to adopt these
standards;
(b) at European level, implementation can be achieved by reaching common
agreement on a minimum of shared standards across national systems,
which can allow for objective comparability of practices across countries.

The adoption of standards will also lead to better accountability in guidance
activities, from both cost and benefit perspectives. Guidance for integration
should be part of organisational accountability systems in schools, VET
providers, employment agencies and other organisations, with explicit positive
impacts and with criteria for the allocation of resources to its activities.
A structured evidence base also makes the results of integration activities
visible and understandable, important for both the political and social perception
of the utility of the services. Once an evidence base exists, the results of

151