UK Steering group discussions

What has been the impact of ICT on the delivery of IAG services?

As ICT becomes more sophisticated and accessible, so ever more aspects of our lives are affected. The provision of IAG services has not been exempt from this process. The client-practitioner relationship based upon the “traditional” face-to-face, one-to-one situation is increasingly being supplemented by telephone services or standardised web-based services. Although I`m sure there will continue to be a need for highly localised and personalised services, including those delivered by the community and voluntary sector, the bigger players like Jobcentre Plus and learndirect are able to exploit the market potential of ICT to deliver high profile, high volume services. Examples of these include the jobseekers` website and the recently launched e-telephone guidance service. These ICT-based developments recognise that not all clients will want to make an appointment for a full and in-depth guidance session, and that other, more abbreviated services need to be available at times and in ways convenient to the user. For example, Careers Scotland has made this recognition fully explicit by adopting a differentiated service delivery model to re-structure and shape their provision into “self-help”, “assisted” and “in-depth” services. The availability of a telephone help line and increasingly differentiated web-based services further strengthen this approach.

How effective are ICT-based services compared to other delivery methods?

We know that ICT-based solutions are an important way of extending both the range of IAG services on offer and their accessibility, but how effective and cost-effective are they? There is some research evidence, mostly from the USA , to indicate that although one-to-one guidance brought about the greatest gain for the individual client in the shortest amount of his/her time invested, computer-based and class-based interventions were more effective in providing the greatest gain for the greatest number of clients per unit of practitioner time. There is only minimal research evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of career interventions by telephone and by e-mail , although interventions by telephone appear to be shorter than face-to-face interventions and together with queuing facilities, this is likely to mean that more efficient use is made of staff time.

What can we learn from the e-telephone guidance initiative recently launched by learndirect?

 learndirect`s e-telephone guidance initiative, and the associated major evaluation study, should yield some fascinating in-depth results both in terms of the effectiveness of the new service but also in terms of its unit costs relative to alternative provision. One could argue that there are a number of reasons why this initiative might be particularly effective. It uses technology that is arguably especially effective in targeting and reaching its clientele, ie telephone supported by television advertising and website. In addition, it is a national initiative drawing upon a huge resource and so economies of scale are likely to apply. For example, the cost of learndirect`s current national television advertising campaign is relative to the potentially huge market it supports, and its contractual arrangements for the delivery of its telephone services means it can take advantage of competitive call centre practices. Although we await the results of the evaluation of this learndirect initiative, I would be very interested to hear what colleagues think about any of these issues. In particular, I would be very interested to hear from learndirect colleagues about the progress to date of the new e-telephone guidance service, its prospects for the future and the extent to which unit-cost calculations will feature within the evaluation.

Deirdre Hughes, Centre for Guidance Studies

In a previous blog I indicated that my colleagues from the National Library Resource for Guidance (NLRG) and I would be locating sources of information on e-guidance and telephone helpline services. At the same time, I also asked for opinions on how it would be best to present these sources of information via the EGCRF. Mike Malloch suggested that this weblog would be a good place to start, possibly using social book-marking services such as del.ici.ous. We`ve now identified a significant body of resources and I am keen eventually to present these, and other relevant material,in the way Mike suggested. However, in the meantime, I attach them above as a PDF document. I hope you`ll find the material of interest and that it supports and extends the discussion we started at our first UK steering group meeting in Warwick. Deirdre

My National Library Resource for Guidance(NLRG)colleague, Debra Brogarth, has started a literature search to find out more on this issue. Debra will be using a range of different search methods to gain an overview of findings in relation to e-guidance and telephone helpline services. I have also contacted the Head of the Careers Service at the Open University to gain further insights to this issue. When Debra and I have gathered the relevant material we need to decide how best to disseminate the findings. Two options come to mind; firstly, we could summarise and point to the resources through this weblog discussion feature for the UK Steering Group or secondly, we could showcase the summaries and findings more centrally through the EGCRF to give it more prominence and to encourage other users, beyond the UK Steering Group, to access the materials. I would welcome colleagues comments on how best to present our findings through the website.

The two summarised discussions brought to my mind the two different, but complementary, pathways by which the EGCRF  and its content might evolve over the months ahead. On the one hand, there is the pathway of discussion and content development within each of the five national steering groups, with perhaps most of  the discussion and material focused through the context specific to each country, though not exclusively so. On the other hand, there is the pathway of discussion and content development across the five national steering groups, with much  of  the discussion and material focused through trans-national themes and comparisons.

Obviously, the main and current priority is the first pathway, ensuring that all country steering groups are up and running and well-formed, and that the members of each are comfortable and “up to speed” with the website process within their own country context. However, I think the interesting challenge ahead is to what extent we eventually broaden out the discussion and content development to embrace a truly European, trans-national, process. Lucy reminds us of the possibility of identifying a number of themes that could form the basis of European comparisons and trans-national discussions. For example: equal opportunity-related legal entitlements that apply in the five partner countries; the status and development of telephone-based advice and guidance in each of the five.

Question: would the next project meeting in January in Athens, where all of the five partner countries will be represented, be a good opportunity to raise the possibility of identifying some common themes for the production of trans-national material and, better still though more problematic because of language, the stimulation of trans-national discussion? 

At the Warwick meeting there was a very positive mood about what might be achieved through this website, Sally's excellent contribution outlines the thoughts arising from one of the two discussion groups, I thought it might be useful to make a similar contribution to make sure the thoughts of the other group are also on record.

First though, a few general comments.  It was emphasised at this meeting, that the EGCRF website is a pilot.   That means it allows for that rare and precious thing - formative experimentation.  It is OK to test out different perspectives in order to find out what works, or might work and what doesnt in relation to the website.   There will be significant challenges in working across different European countires, not least the challenge of different languages and histories amongst the members of the partnership.  HOwever, alongside the challenges are the more fascinating potential of learning from each other.  What will 'guidance policy and practice' look like from these different perspectives.  It was recognised that for this website to resonate with the practitioner community (or indeed any of the target user groups) it needs to address those issues faced by colleagues working 'on the ground' - one immediate challenge for this website might be to start to document what those particular challenges are seen to be within each particular partner country.  The European dimension of this website will allow for sharing, so potentially allowing users of this website to discover which (if any) of these challenges are more widely shared, and which may either not have arisen, or have been more sucessfully challenged in different European contexts.

At the most basic level, there was an informal discussion around entitlements for maternity leave.  Anecdotally (can others confirm if this is accurate?) it was thought that both Slovenia and Finland have one year paid maternity leave, in Slovenia this is paid for by the state, and in Finland by the employer.  What might the implications of this be for women of child bearing age, and to what extent might the political context, e.g. communist past of Slovenia make a difference to the position of women in the workplace in relation to pregnancy?

During the steering group meeting, two subgroups held discussions to share ideas about what their expectations were for the possible content and future direction of the site.

I have recorded some reflections on what was discussed in one of those groups.  It is attached as a word document, as it was getting too long to leave in a blog.  Enjoy.

In summary though the following areas were felt to be important:

European Comparisons

The most ‘obvious’ expectation for the site was that it would use the different partner countries as a means of allowing comparison of guidance / equal opportunities related issues between the represented countries.  Two areas were felt to be of particular interest:

• Entitlements – that is, what is the legal framework for various entitlements in different countries e.g. maternity leave, holidays, and so on?
• Problems and challenges –what particular guidance challenges are at the forefront for the different European contexts?

Tools/ methods used working with clients - what ‘tools’ if any, do practitioners use within different European contexts.

How is career guidance marketed and promoted (which media)

Themes around delivery of guidance and counselling

• What is the training of practitioners in different countries, and what is the status of them on qualification?
• Mechanisms for delivery of CEG –Phone; email; face to face; group work; self help… there will be others.  What is the favoured medium for guidance, and what might the implications of this be for different user groups.
• Special initiatives for engaging different user groups/addressing equal opportunity themes – do any of the partner countries have direct involvement in targeted initiatives, if so what are they, and to what extent have they been successful?

Case studies to stimulate discussion

Case studies from a site user perspective.

In addition to the above ideas, some specific initiatives were suggested: 

To use the EGCRF as a vehicle to explore Telephone guidance and to provide NVQ specific resources.

This site has the potential to go in an infinite variety of different trajectories, so those who are game to join in this voyage of exploration and discovery could be in for an interesting ride!

What is understood by equal opportunities for guidance practice?

Three different perspectives of equal opportunities for guidance practice were pout forward by the group from their understanding and problems in practice:

1) It is difficult to get some organisations to understand the value of information, advice and guidance (IAG) and how it can help redress the under-representation of some groups in certain sectors. 

2) Employers want the best people working for them, but they are often only focusing on a small part of the population for requirement.  There are stereotyped ideas about who can work in the sector.

3) There is tension in recruitment and selection between the employer, the Human Resource (HR) specialist and the employee.  The value of IAG is often not understood by HR specialist/professionals for informing selection and recruitment particularly in regards to equal opportunities. 

What are the key challenges?

The key challenges identified by the group in light of these perspectives and problems for practice:

• geographical location and problems for individuals accessing leaning and employment opportunities
• impact and influence of local community and/or family on career decision making
• what is seen as acceptable employment by the community and/or family?
• language issues (particularly Welsh in the UK)
• understanding of social engineering
• career mobility and social mobility

They challenges raised some further issues:

How do practitioners deal with issues arising from the geographical location of an individuals and helping them achieving their aspirations?

How do practitioners deal with the tensions between keeping a skilled workforce in the region and giving an individual the opportunity to understand the opportunities available across the country?

What factors act as a barrier to career or social mobility?

A suggested theme put forward by the group for inclusion on the website:

‘Opening up opportunity and choice’ or ‘Opening up an individual’s world’

With questions such as:

• How do we achieve widening choice and opportunity?
• What strategies can we adopt in everyday practice?
• What tools and facts are needed by practitioners?

What would you expect to find in this website section?

• good/realistic information on the skills and attributes needed for different occupations for clients
• non-stereotyped information of skills which would include softer skills such as team-working and communication
• pointers to information about opportunities across the country and pay data (although it was noted to be difficult to collect and keep up-to-date)
• links to resources and other projects
• examples of career paths
• narratives
• case studies
• focus on strategic materials
• facts and tools on how to handle the barriers clients face