Transcript Document
Policy making in guidance: Hindrances and facilitators Gudbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir and Sif Einarsdóttir Faculty of Social and Human Sciences IAEVG conference in Jyväskylä, June 2009 UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Why policy making? • Develop high quality, broadly accessible guidance provision • Improve quality assurance mechanisms for guidance • Strengthen structures for policy and systems development at national and regional levels – Education Council resolution, 2004 UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Dimensions of guidance • Policy dimension (national educational and labour market policy) • Contextual dimension (legislation, norms, national curriculum, municipal level decisions) • Organizational dimension (Organizational level, management of services) • Responsability dimension (rationale for responsibilities for different services) • Division of labour dimension (Job descriptions, operational plans) • Content dimension (career education, career information programmes) • Methodological dimension (different service delivery mode, self help, brief staff assisted, individual case-managed services) UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND SWOT analysis of guidance in Iceland • Strengths • Solidarity in the profession • All school and career counsellors are trained in the same MA programme • Innovation: Workplace guidance, guidance for dropouts, career counseling in prisons • New legislation on guidance stating that all students should have access to guidance provided by licenced school /career counsellors • Weaknesses • No unified portal of educational and vocational information and lack of teaching material for careers education • Little know about the quality of guidance Little impact of research • Policy making has been weak • No one is responsible for guidance in the education ministry • Half of counselor time in personal counseling and careers education is provided in 50% of compulsory schools UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND SWOT analysis – cont. • Threats • Financing in jeopardy because of economic crisis (hrun) • Counselors lack knowledge on labour market • Non professionals who think they can act as professionals • Opportunities • The new school legislation stating that all students have a right to school and career counselling • The new legislation on guidance counsellors • Management of the opportunities created by the new legislation • Collaboration with other countries UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Policy making – On paper • European Union – Iceland is in EEA • LLG (Life long guidance) • ELGPN (European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network) • Leonardo projects on guidance • Nordic Countries: NVL • Quality in guidance : What is the value of guidance in the Nordic countries? • National • Legislation (Important acts passed in 2008 and 2009) • Reports (Some have an impact, others do not) UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Policy making - In reality • No results most of the time • Hindrances: disinterested stakeholders, other professionals, lack of solidarity within the profession, low self esteem of professionals (feminine helping profession that is there to serve not make demands), lack of money... • Results occur when a window opens up UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Why does a policy window open up? • Impetus for policy in guidance: – Problems identified: Increasingly complex school system and transition to work, dropout, social problem of youth, gender equality, competitiveness in the world economy • Objectives of guidance – Make educational and vocational information and guidance available and accessible to all children • • • • Origin of the guidance movement Theoretical foundation Adoption of guidance by stake holders Responsibility of guidance UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Facilitators • • • • Professionalism and professional solidarity Expectations from users and stakeholders Support of labour unions International co-operation – Nordic countries (NUAS, (Nordiska Universitetsadministratörssamarbetet) Nordic Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, NVL (Nordens vuxen læring)) – ELGPN (European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network) UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES New legislation on March 30th this year • Contents • How did it happen? • A new platform UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND Role of counselors • Qualified and competent professional – Prerequisites: Good training and licensure • Work organised according to a guidance programme and evaluation of guidance – Based on standards and objectives so that guidance can be accessible to ALL • Advocate of users of guidance – “Be there” with the counselees and be prepared to fight for them (assertiveness as well as attentiveness) UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Training counsellors • Quality of professional training • Programme not position • Advocacy UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND