UK Steering group discussions

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!