Towards a National Conceptual
Framework of Regional Co-operation:
A Lay-Out for Lifelong Guidance
Services in Finland
Antti Laitinen
Ari Hyyryläinen
Pasi Savonmäki
Raimo Vuorinen
Salmia Training and Development Centre, Jyväskylä
IAEVG 26.9.2013, Montpellier
Project LAITURI
• Funded by European Social Fund ESF and administered by
The Ministry of Employment and the Economy
• Hosted by Salmia Training and Development Centre
www.salmia.fi
• Part of a nationwide ESF program Opin ovi (‘Door to
Learning’) – aiming at holistic regional guidance and
councelling strategies, where guidance and councelling is
seen as an important part of regional development (services
for those looking for information on study options and jobs,
or wish to improve their professional knowledge, or move to
a new job, or wish to improve the professional skills of their
workplace or community)
A New Lay-out for Lifelong Guidance
• Lifelong guidance services provided by various
organisations in the region will be coordinated in a new
manner
• Guidance services – including information giving,
advice and councelling – will be coordinated by one
party in the region: ELY Centres (Centre for Economic
Development, Transport and the Environment)
• There are 15 ELY Centres altogether
Strategic Aims for Lifelong Guidance in
Finland
Aims set by Ministry of Education and
the Ministry of Employment and the Economy
1 Equal access to lifelong guidance and counselling services
2 Strengthening of individual Career Management Skills
(CMS)
3 Ensuring the competence of career practitioners
4 Development of the quality management system and
feedback mechanisms
5 Co-ordination of the cross-sectoral guidance services
and policy development
Key Elements of the Reform
• Regional players within guidance activities will form a new
representative structure (>network), based on existing cooperation networks
• The new network invites ELY Centre specialists,
representatives of employment offices, educational staff,
project staff and industry representatives, as well as other
parties involved, e.g. voluntary organisations
• The current emphasis is on adults, e.g. in career transitions
• Consultative support will be provided for the network
The Need
• The approaches of the practioners coming from different
organisations need to be linked: ’We share the same mission and
target group – although maybe focusing on a different stage at their
individual learning paths’
• A new mindset for practitioners is encouraged: to perceive the
expertise in the region widely ’The network has the answers if I or
my organisation don’t’
• Adopting a counselling approach in general
• Defining lifelong guidance by the network: ’What is our definition
for lifelong guidance? How do we cover the needs recognised?’
• Training of career practitioners cross-administratively
Steps
YEAR 2013
• Composing the lifelong guidance coordination group: ‘Which
organisations to join, who to represent the organisation?
• Focusing: ‘Where to start in our region, where to focus?’
• Action plan
• The core of the new structure: employment authorities and
educational authorities
YEAR 2014
• Once the regions have came up with their action plans, a
national model will be outlined, on the basis of the
experience gained
Thank You!
Antti Laitinen
Project Consultant
LAITURI project
[email protected]
+358503962677
www.salmia.fi
www.opinovi.fi