DIAPLUS CAREER-MANAGEMENT TOOL. AN OPEN METHODOLOGY FOR THE LIFE-LONG CAREER-MANAGEMENT (2003-2005)

Programs of Women Counselling: DIAPLUS Career-management tool. An open methodology for the life-long career-management (2003-2005)

The pilot Project "DIAPLUS Career-management tool. An open methodology for the life-long career-management" was materialised in the framework of European Program Leonardo da Vinci II (priority for Counselling and Orientation) during the period time September 2003-September 2005. Coordinator institution of the program is the Institute of Educational and Professional Orientation (IEKEP), whereas partners are: National Center for Vocational Orientation OEEK and Association of Information and Communication Technology Enterprises of Greece- SEPE (Greece), Cypriot Association of Counselling and Professional Education Teachers -KSKSEA and the Institute of Researches and Training of Mitsingas (Cyprus), the Women's Training Centre in the Information technology - FCZB (Germany) and the National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling -NICEC (England).

Women and Men, unemployed and workers, who (re)plan their career and are interested in being occupied or developed in the field of Information and Communication Technologies constituted the target groups of the project; in every group, particular significance was given to women. The Project was also addressed to Experts of Human Resources/Counselling-orientation management, who staffed corresponding structures of the private or public sector.

The main aim of the Project was the production of a new European life-long career management tool, which will help the individual to make an account of his career and to re-plan his future course in every stage of his professional life, realising the life-long education/training; this tool will facilitate the continuous definition of the needs, qualifications and objectives, for the individual, for the training systems and for the enterprises of Information and Communication Technologies. The information for the job market directly by the enterprises of Information and Communication Technologies, the transparency of individual's knowledge and skills, the rational connection of Initial Professional Training with the Continuing Training and the life-long education, the encouragement of as much as possible wider groups in order to be trained and work in the dynamic field of Information and Communication Technologies and the sensitization of Information and Communication Technologies enterprises for their social responsibility for the human resources development are further objectives of the program.

Particular emphasis was given to women, through specialised fields of support. During both the planning and the concretisation, the evaluation and the distribution of the proposed project, a catholic strategy had been incorporated, which will run through every stage and every action of the project, aiming to the fighting against the professional stereotypes, the elimination of inequalities on orientation training and work issues and the positive support of women to these subjects.

The major actions of the Project were the following:

• The development of a tool which is constituted by the following 7 vertebral modules: The professional profile, the profile of professional experience, the personal profile, the information from the environment of enterprises, the long-lasting personal and professional objectives and the individual's educational needs and the action plan.
• The pilot application of the tool
• Dissemination actions which aim to both the wide usage of the tool and its transport to more professional sectors.
• Internal and external evaluation of the project.

In the framework of the concretisation of the Project the following Products - Results were produced:

• Orientation Tool DIAPLUS: 1000 prints, 1000 DVD
• Experimented application to 75 individuals
• Manual for the Orientation /Human Resources Expert: 1000 prints
• Web page
• Four Meetings/Informative meetings
• Informative booklet of DIAPLUS: 1000 prints

Equal potential - equal opportunities - Family and Children Support Centre (KMOP) 2005-2007.

Programs of women counselling: Equal potential - equal opportunities - Family and Children Support Centre (KMOP) 2005-2007.

The action plan "Equal potential - equal opportunities" is included in the measure 5.3 "Interventions in favor of women" in the framework of European Programme "Occupation and professional training", it takes place during the period time 2005-2007 and is part-financed at 75% by the European Social Fund of the European Union and at 25% from national resources. The Action Plan is run by a network of institutions having in their disposal specialization, know-how, experience and substructure. Coordinator institution is the Family and Children Support Centre (KMOP), whereas the participants partners are distinguished in:

• a) Counselling and support services institutions: the Municipal Development enterprise of the Municipality of Zografou (DEADIZ), the Municipality of Agia Varvara, the Municipal enterprise of Civilizing and Social Development of the Municipality of Kallithea, Social and Civilizing support of Immigrants enterprise-Nostos, the Greek Council for the refugees (ESP), Anaptuxiaki of Municipalities of Piraeus (ANDIP AE) and
• b) publicity institutions: The Prefectorial self-government of Athens - Piraeus, the Prefecture of Athens, the Prefecture of Piraeus and Islands, Regional Committee of Equality of Attica, Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), Local Union of Municipalities and Communities of Attica (TEDKNA), Developmental Contact of Western Athens (ASDA), Information - Training - Local Development (PETA AE), the Workers and Employees' Centre of Athens, the Workers and Employees' Centre of Piraeus, Women's Union of Greece (EGE), AMKE-Not governmental Organization "ATHINA", Contact of Greek Women Scientists (SEE), Greek Network for the fighting against poverty, Union of Qualified Greek Women Engineers (EDEM), Social Intensification.

The General Secreteriat of Equality (GGI) is the final beneficiary of the Program, which is part-financed by the European Union and the Greek State, whereas the scientific counselor is the Centre of Researches for Equality Issues (KETHI).

The action plan is addressed to 2.309 women, who live in Attica and more precisely in the prefectures of Athens (34 municipalities) and of Piraeus and Islands (13 municipalities) and are faced with social exclusion and multiple marginalisation problems. Target groups are: unemployed young women or unemployed women for a long time, women leaders of single families, and persons with special needs, women discharged from prison, detoxified substance users, economical immigrants, and refugees.

The aim of the project is the intervention for the women's unemployment problem, the approximation of unemployed women and the confrontation of multiple reasons reinforcing their social exclusion and hindering their professional placement.

The attainment of that aim is pursued through some actions in 4 directions:

• Supply of personalized counselling/vocational orientation and support services to the participants, aimed to mobilize them in developing vocational culture and to adopt similar attitudes and behaviors which are indispensable for their professional settlement.
• Participants training through their promotion to professional training programs for the development of professional skills and the formation of favorable conditions for their occupation in qualitative job positions in the enterprises.
• Promotion to the occupation services supply. In this framework, the following programs of promotion to the occupation proclaimed by the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) are developed: a) subsidy of employment for the creation of 573 new full or part timed job positions b) enterprising plans allowance for the support of 299 unemployed women for the creation of their own enterprise, c) job experience and special skills acquisition (STAGE) aiming to the placement of 207 participant women in the labor market.
• Sensitization, mobilization and social solidarity promotion-development of a network fighting against women's exclusion from the labor market (a network with Local Authority, enterprises, and institutions of the target groups is anticipated).

Interventions in favor of women in South Athens and east Attica.

Laura Alibrandi

The action plan "Interventions in favor of women in south Athens and east Attica" is included in measure 5.3. "Interventions in favor of women" in the framework of European Programme "Occupation and professional training" and takes place during February 2005-December 2006. Coordinator associate is the Social Politics Centre of Municipality of Kifissia (KEKIPO). In the working group also participate: The Municipality of Haidari, the Municipal Development enterprise of the Municipality of Egaleo, the Social Solidarity Centre of the Municipality of Melissia, the Municipality of Heraklion, the Municipal Development enterprise Ôf the Municipality of Vrilissia, the Municipal enterprise of Civilization and Athletics Development of Keratea, the Health Promotion Centre Dribetio of Nea Erithrea, the Multiclinic of the Municipality of Pefki, the Municipality of Nea Makri, and Marathoni Anaptixiaki. The General Secreteriat of Equality (GGI) is the final beneficiary of the program, which is part-financed by the European Union and the Greek State, whereas the scientific counselor is the Centre of Researches for Equality Issues (KETHI).

The project is addressed to 360 women who have difficulty in getting in the labor market and/or are threatened by work exclusion. The women who gain profit of the project can be up or under the age of 25.

The basic objectives of the project are the assuring and/or the improvement of women's access in the labor market. The women's strengthening and the acquisition of self-consciousness of their role and their rights, the women's social support and their professional preparation in order to understand and improve their skills so that they can get new or better jobs or to develop enterprising activity, are common pursuits for the women who gain profit of the project.

The actions of the project are distinguished in two wider categories:

• Counselling activities included: women's counselling and psychosocial support, vocational orientation and development of existing vocational skills, training in the finding job techniques, information for institutional, vocational and legist issues, training in the enterprising development, support and placement to job. At the same time, women will gain profit through their participation in programs carried out by the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) (acquisition of working experience, allowance of new job positions, allowance of new non commitment professionals, in training programs or in other enterprising programs activities. The institutions carried out the counseling activities are the Social Politics Centre of Municipality of Kifissia, the Social Solidarity Centre of the Municipality of Melissia, The Municipality of Haidari and the Municipal Development Enterprise of the Municipality of Egaleo (DEADA).
• Sensitization and local development activities. In that framework are included actions like: information/sensitization of the public opinion for the advantages of the women' s entering the labor market; organization of meetings; selection, distribution, creation of printed material; announcements in Mass Media; volunteers' activation; networking and collaboration with institutions and enterprises, participation in national and international nets and creation of supporting mechanisms.

2nd & 3rd Community Support Framework
By STELIOS K. KRASSAS

Within the boundaries of the 2nd Community Support Framework a special Act was created with the objective of Career Guidance. Within the framework of this Act the following 11 projects were realized:

Footnotes

• ¹ SEP Counselors are Career Guidance Counselors who staff the Regional Educational and Career Counseling Centers. Before the inauguration of the 3rd Community Support Framework they had these positions by attending short-term training programs.
  
• ² Before the 3rd Community Support Framework the offices of SEP Counselors were located at Secondary Education Headquarters.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF EQUALITY 'POSITIVE ACTIONS FOR THE EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN SMALL TO MEDIUM AND LARGE COMPANIES' 2002- 2006

The measure 'POSITIVE ACTIONS FOR THE EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN SMALL TO MEDIUM AND LARGE COMPANIES' (measure 5. 1) is included in the Entrepreneurial Program (Employment and Educational Training) of the 3rd KPS...edited by Laura Alipranti

The measure 'POSITIVE ACTIONS FOR THE EQUALITY BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN IN SMALL TO MEDIUM AND LARGE COMPANIES' (measure 5. 1) is included in the Entrepreneurial Program (Employment and Educational Training) of the 3rd KPS and belongs in the axis 5, concerning the improvement of women access at the labour market. The target group is women employed in small to medium and large companies (it is expected that about 5.000 working women will benefit directly by the materialization of the action).

Goal of this action is to contribute to the promotion of equal opportunities between men and women by developing plans of positive actions on behalf of the companies, which will aim to the balanced participation of the two sexes in their evolution in the occupational hierarchy, make easier the combination of both family and professional responsibilities, as well as give women the supply needed for their career advancement.

For the achievement of these goals, the development of various actions is needed, including:

• The development of models and suggestions for the company's organization based on the quality principal of the two sexes
• The elaboration of studies which will: a) specialize the possibilities and the results from the implementation of equal opportunities programs for every company and b) concern the acquisition or the expansion of the already existing ISO certification about the equal opportunities for occupational equality of men and women.
• Actions for informing and sensitizing, which will aim to the updating of a company's employees (men and women) on issues of equal opportunities in the work field and equality between the two sexes in general.
• Actions for the education and the preparation of career women (participation in educational programs of every level as well as in programs of continuous educational training) which will help them in their career advancement, additional in supporting competitiveness of the company and her ability to fill in the vacant position may occur from the existing workforce.
• Actions for counselling which will include a series of activities contributing to the expansion of women in their future professional life and to helping them become aware and develop their professional competencies and goals.
• The development of innovative actions concerning new ways of employment (e.g. Telework)
• The creation of pre school kinder garden inside the company's building.

Implement (2004-2006)

Laura Alibrandi

The project "Implement" (completed mentoring project for the more effective districtive occupational management) is included in the Article 6 (innovator measures) of the European Social Fund. The period of its carrying out is between November 2004-October 2006. Coordinator institution is the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBEA), whereas the partners participated in this project are: Knownet Ltd, Institut Technik Und Bildung Universitaet Bremen, Deis-Cork Insitute of Technology, the Centre of Researches for Equality Issues (KETHI), ATHINA AMKE, the Social Encouragement AKME, the Centre for Vocational Training Integration AE, the Centre for Vocational Training Ergon KEK, Evrimathia AE, Quality and Reliability SA, Singular Integrator AE, Hotel Athens Acropol, Hotel King George II, Tekmor AE.

The aim of Implement, which is a pilot project, is to foresee and to cope with the results of the economical re-organization on the feminine occupation and career progress and to reinforce the feminine employability and the perspectives in job positions of medium and high specialization in the section of Tourism, Information and Communication Technologies. The population of Attica constitutes the target group, whereas, 300 employees and 75 counselors-supervisors (women and men) will gain profit of the project. Special aims of the project are:

The job adaptation, the evolution and the improvement of the women's job position through the upgrading of their skills and their qualifications and the improvement of their adaptation ability; the planning, the development and the pilot application of new tools and mentoring systems for the confrontation of the reorganization in the sections of Tourism, Information and Communication Technologies and the reinforcement of women's social-economic position, through their promotion to qualitative jobs; the adaptation and the adoption of innovative tools and methodologies for the human resources development; the development of experience and good practices and the generalization and dissemination of the new program results to other economical sectors locally, nationally and in European level.

The materialization of the project contains actions like:

• Inquiry of target group's needs
• Description of mentors' profile
• Description of guided women's profile
• Description of enterprises' profile
• Creation of a procedure manual, creation of educational packages for mentors and guided women
• Mentors' selection, orientation and training
• Guided women's selection, orientation and training
• Combination of mentors and guided women
• Materialization of Mentoring system inside and outside the enterprises

For further information: http://www.implement.gr

Equal-mevel: Women, employment and local economy in Aegean (2001-2004).

Laura Alibrandi

The project "Mevel: Women, employment and local economy in Aegean" is included in the framework of Community Initiative Equal (Measure 4.2.: Encouragement for the abolition of the professional separation) and it took place during the period November 2001-October 2004. Coordinator institution of the program was the Centre for Vocational Training Professional Technique (Techniki Epagelmatiki) whereas the other partners were: Region of Southern Aegean, Region of Northern Aegean, Professional Training Centre Epikentron AKME, Accompanying Services Centre (KE.S.Y.P) NELE Dodekanisou, The Chamber of Cyclades, Feminine Studies and Researches Centre (KGME), the Workers and Employees' Centre of Cyclades, Urban not speculative Company of Social Care and Development of Municipality of Pomegranates, Developmental Company of Cyclades, AGO HELLAS LTD, INFOREC LTD, Agro-touristic Women's Cooperative of Polyhnitos Mitilini, the Centre for Vocational Training of Samos, Enterprise of Development of Prefecture of Samos (N.E.A.N.S.), the Centre for Vocational Training Mentor Educational, Developmental Company of Ikaria Province, Municipal Developmental Enterprise of Chios (D.E.A.H.), Diodos, the Centre for Vocational Training KEKANAL, Developmental Company of Lesvos Prefecture, Cyclades Self-government Prefecture, Chamber of Samos. In inter-country level, there was a collaboration with institutions from France ( "Mevel val de Sarthe" and "Questembert") and from Spain ("Equal Don-Quijote" "Equal Poniente Granadino" and "Equal-Valles Ulla e Umia").

The women living in the regions of Northern and Southern Aegean are the population gaining profit of the project. More precisely, target groups are: a) women in unseen works b) unemployed women c) women working in private and public sector d) businesswomen and e) immigrants.

The project aims to fight against the gender professional separation, to promote the incorporation of the gender dimension in the working sector, to promote the women's occupation and access to job positions in new economical sectors (p.e. new forms of tourism, new technology) and also in high positions of the professional hierarchy, to mark out and to search for the women's unseen work issue.

Fundamental actions

• Creation of a network consisted of five "Centers of feminine entrepreneurship", which will provide professional counselling and information services and promotion to employment services and they will be connected to enterprises, relevant institutions and services, other networks etc.
• Installation of an applied tele-information system in the five provinces of Aegean.
• Carrying out research/enlistment of women's unseen occupation in this region.
• Training in alternating and new forms of tourism (supply of special knowledge and other equipment, counselling support)
• Development of a methodology of qualification certification and of tools of quality certification of products to new types of tourism.
• Production of a Good Practice Guide for environmental management and protection focusing on professions which are of high feminine employability in that region.
• Pilot application of training and sensitization to groups of counselors-animators in the role of mediators.
• Construction of tools for personalized approach of women working in unseen works, of their family environment and of their employers.
• Personalized approach of women working in unseen works, of their family environment and of their employers by groups of counsellors-animators (pilot application).
• Construction of educational tools and sensitization models for the application of equality politics in work places-pilot application of workshops in regional enterprises.
• Projection and publication of issues related to the equality between the two sexes and to the feminine employment as well as the expansion of public dialogue.
• Encouragement and strengthening of both target groups and other groups contributed to the application of equality politics through the establishment of an institution of rewarding "good practices".