Transcript Guidance and counselling system in Finland

Special features of the Finnish
educational system
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No dead-ends, one can apply for the polytechnic or
university after completing upper secondary ( either
the national matriculation examination or the the
vocational qualification)
After the compulsory comprehensive school an
additional basic education (an extra tenth grade
year) or preparatory training year for the
vocational education
high percentage takes part in the secondary level
education
Modules to get to know the working life
Guidance and counselling system in
Finland
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Guidance is a part of public services
Two main systems of guidance that complement
each other:
- pupil / student counselling by the educational
system
- counselling by the labour administration in
employment offices
- workshops, different projects e.g. EU-projects
Guidance at educational institutions
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- qualifications and degrees allow students a great
deal of freedom and choice.
- credits from previous study can be transferred
- educational guidance aims to support, help angd
guide pupils so that each pupil performs as well as
possible in studies and is able to make appropriate
decisions concerning the education and career
choices
1) Pre-primary education
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one year, at the age of 6
participation voluntary, 97 % take part
mostly in day-care centres, the aim is to observe
the child´s development and learning and to foster
social skills and ability to learn
2) Basic education ( comprehensive
schools)
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7-16 year-olds
nine grades: 1-6 lower grade, 7-9 higher grade
compulsory education finishes at the completion the
comprehensive school syllabus
basic education seeks to educate and to nurture
the aim is to help the pupils grow as human beings and
members of society and give them necessary knowledge
and skills
all teachers contribute to the provision of guidance
In the lower grades 1-6 (primary level) educational
guidance is integrated into normal class teacher´s instruction
In grades 1-6 talk about different professions and visits to
work places
guidance councellors in lower
secondary level (grades 7-9)
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- there should be one counsellor for 250 7-9 graders)
What does a guidance counsellor do in
comprehensive school?
-teaches lessons, guidance is a subject among others, the
national curriculum affords 76 hours of guidance and
counselling during grades 7 to 9), about one third on
counsellors work is teaching his/her guidance lessons.
However he/she doesn´t need to test or evaluate the
subject as other subject teachers have to do
Counsellor`s jobs, continue
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- gives private personal guidance to the pupils in the
office, talks about the optional subjects, further
education opportunities and career choices, career
planning, problems at learning, mobbing etc
- works closely together with subject teachers, class
head teachers, special needs teachers, school nurse...
- works with the parents of his/her pupils (gives
information, often the parents come to the counsellorstudent discussions
Counsellor´s jobs, continue
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- goes to talk with the six-graders about the change
when they turn to 7th graders and divides the pupils
into classes for the school years 7-9
- arranges visits/ excursions to educational
institutions, companies, firms, employment office…
- arranges work experience models for 7th -9th
graders. Pupils are in workplaces (companies, firms
etc) about 2 days in 7th grade, a week in 8th grade
and two weeks in 9th grade). The aim is to get
knowledge about working life.
Counsellor´s jobs, continue
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follows the student´s progress and graduation
arranges the joint nationwide application of the 9th
graders (online system)
is a member of the pupil welfare team, it meets once
in a week or two weeks
arranges for his/her part the parents´ evenings
And does all the other jobs that the headmaster gives
you…
Comprehensive school (9 years)
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In charge of guidance and conselling:
Class teachers
Subject teachers
Guidance counsellors
Methods:
In classes
Study excursions
Workplace visits and periods
Individual guidance
Web-based guidance
Guidance councellors in upper
secondary education (secondary-level)
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Two main lines after the compulsory comprehensive:
- general upper secondary school (3 years), finishes in
the matriculation examination
- upper secondary vocational education and training
(trade school, 3 years), ends in getting a trade
certificate ( a cook, a gardener, a car mechanic etc)
( also the double qualification/ combining is possible)
There is possibility to an additional year for those who
don`t get in to neither of these two ( the 10th grade or
preparatory training year)
Counselling in the secondary level
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A lot of same works as in compulsory level
Counsellors
help with choosing of the courses, study plans and
the exams
discuss about study skills, the future plans,
give information (to dio this they have to keep upto-date about the curriculums in higher education
( polytechnics and universities)
train the tutoring students
General upper secondary school/
Vocational college
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In charge of the guidance:
Teachers
Group advisers
Guidance counsellors
In vocational college also the workplace instructors
Methods:
Workplace visits and study excursions (upper sec.)
Individual guidance
On-the-job learning (vocat. institution)
Web-based guidance
Counselling in higher education
After general upper secondary school or vocational
qualification the student can apply to a
 polytechnic (universities of applied sciences, 3.5 ys
 university, 5-7 years
through a national joint application system ( on line),
there are entrance exams
 Both have student councelling services to applicants
and existing students.
 Also all polytechnics and universities have their own
careers and recruitment services
Higher education
(polytechnics, universities)
In charge of guidance and counselling:
Specialist counsellors
Teachers
 Methods:
individual guidance
integrated into teaching
careers and recruitment services
study affairs guidance
web-based and distance guidance
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Adult education institutions
In charge of guidance and counselling:
teachers
guidance counsellors
Methods
individual guidance
integrated into teaching
web-based and distance guidance
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Guidance and counselling services in
Employment Offices
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1) Educational and vocational information services
by education advisers
Methods:
Individual guidance
Information and guidance in groups
Self-study facilities
Guidance and counselling services in
Employment Offices
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2) Vocational guidance and career planning
by vocational guidance psychologists
Methods:
Individual guidance
Psychological assessments
Work and education try-outs
Guidance and counselling services in
Employment Offices
3) Vocational rehabilitation
by special employment advisors, rehabilitation
advisors (for disabled jobseekers) and
vocational guidance psychologists (for all individual
clients)
Methods:
individual guidance on employment and rehabilitation
individual vocational guidance and career plannind
health checks and aptitude tests
specialist consultations and work/education try-outs
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Guidance and counselling services in
Employment Offices
4) Employment service
by employment advisers and counsellors
Methods:
individual employment service
jobseeking information
self-study facilities
All citizens use the services, not only the unemployded
Special efforts for the young unemployded, e.g. a
SANSSI-card (the employer can get 550€ a month
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Training on guidance and counselling
practitioners in Finland
As a rule a counsellor needs a teacher´s qualification
Master´s degree in the University of Eastern Finland or
Jyväskylä (300 credits)
Also guidance counsellors to the vocational sector can
take their qualification (60 credits) at the HAMK or
Jyväskylä Universities of Applied Sciences
 In Swedish (the other official language 5,4%) Åbo
Akademi University in Vaasa
 Ways to get the qualification:
 A degree programme for guidance counsellors
 If you are a teacher (higher education degree) you can
gain the qualification by multiform training
Education for advisers and vocational
psychologists in employment offices
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Vocational guidance psychologist reguires a
master´s degree ( the highest grade in psychology)
Many of the education advisers or employmenty
advisers/ consellors have a higher degree from a
polytechnic or university
In-service training and advanced study programs
provided by the employer
What lies ahead
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Life-long education
Individual needs
Various information and communication networks
CHALLENGES:
Economy
Ageing population
The demand for skills and competencies
Constant change and fragmented working life
Multiprofessional co-operation
Jorma Etto:
SUOMALAINEN - FIN A FINN
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Suomalainen on sellainen, joka vastaa kun ei kysytä,
kysyy kun ei vastata, ei vastaa kun kysytään,
sellainen, joka eksyy tieltä, huutaa rannalla
ja vastarannalla huutaa toinen samanlainen:
metsä raikuu, kaikuu, hongat humajavat.
Tuolta tulee suomalainen ja ähkyy, on tässä ja ähkyy,
tuonne menee ja ähkyy, on kuin löylyssä ja ähkyy
kun toinen heittää kiukaalle vettä.
Sellaisella suomalaisella on aina kaveri,
koskaan se ei ole yksin, ja se kaveri on suomalainen.
Eikä suomalaista erota suomalaisesta mikään,
ei mikään paitsi kuolema ja poliisi.
Jorma Etto:
SUOMALAINEN - FIN A FINN
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A Finn is the one who answers when not asked,
asks when not answered, does not answer when asked,
the one who loses the way, yells on the shore,
and on the opposite shore yells another of the same
kind:
the forest clangs, echoes, the pines hum.
There comes a Finn and groans, is here and groans,
goes there and groans, is as in the sauna and groans
when the other one throws water on the stove.
That kind of a Finn always has a partner,
he is never alone, and that partner is a Finn.
And nothing separates a Finn from a Finn,
nothing except the death and the police.