DOCUMENT RESUME ED 442 970 CE 080 387 AUTHOR Clayton, Pamela M., Ed.; Fojcik, Vavrinec; Greco, Silvana; Hulkko, Johanna; Kelly, Eimer; Kostka, Miroslav; McGill, Paul; Machackova, D.; Maiello, Marco; Makela, Eija; Sinorova, Lenka; Troska, Robert; Ward, Mary TITLE Access to Vocational Guidance for People at Risk of Social Exclusion. ISBN ISBN-0-86389-072-5 PUB DATE 1999-02-00 NOTE 373p.; The research for this publication was funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme of the European communities, the Foundazione Regionale Pietro Seveso, the Government of the Czech Republic, University College Cork, the University of Glasgow, and the University of Helsinki. CONTRACT UK/96/1/30021/EA/III.2.a/CONT AVAILABLE FROM For full text: http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/AdultEd/Research/Leonardo.html. PUB TYPE Collected Works - General (020)-- Reports - Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC15 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Access to Education; Adult Learning; *At Risk Persons; Career Education; *Career Guidance; Case Studies; Education Work Relationship; Educational Needs; Educational Opportunities; Educational Policy; Enrollment Trends; Foreign Countries; Information Sources; Internet; *Lifelong Learning; Needs Assessment; Organizations (Groups); Postsecondary Education; Public Policy; Questionnaires; *Social Isolation; Trend Analysis; *Vocational Education; World Wide Web IDENTIFIERS Czech Republic; Finland; Ireland; Italy; United Kingdom ABSTRACT This document contains 7 papers that evolved from 44 case studies of access to vocational guidance for people at risk of social exclusion in 5 European countries. The following papers are included: "Introduction" (Pamela Clayton); "Access to Vocational Guidance in Italy" (Silvana Greco, Marco Maiello); "Access to Vocational Guidance in Ireland" (Mary Ward, Elmer Kelly); "Access to Vocational Guidance in the United Kingdom" (Pamela Clayton, Paul McGill); "Access to Vocational Guidance in Finland" (Eija Mikela, Johanna Hulkko); "Access to Vocational Guidance in the Czech Republic" (Robert Troska, Vavrinec Fojcik, D. Machackova, Lenka Sinorova, Miroslav Kostka, Pamela Clayton); and "Conclusions" (Pamela Clayton). The following are among the topics discussed: the problem of social exclusion; the role of lifelong learning and vocational guidance and counseling in preventing social exclusion; barriers to vocational guidance and what can be done to eliminate them; and educational and labor market policies favoring adult groups at risk of social exclusion. Each report also includes case studies and country-specific recommendations. The bibliography contains 305 references. Appended are the following: lists of case study locations and the case studies by target group; interview schedules; and list of 77 useful Web sites. (MN) Reproductions .Implied EDRS arc the hest that can be made from the original document. Distributed by DynEDItS, Inc. ACCESS TO VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE FOR PEOPLE AT RISK OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION Edited by Dr Pamela M Clayton University of Glasgow February 1999 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS EDU TIONAL RESOURCES CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. oula Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 BEST COPYAVAILABLE 2 The research for this publication was funded by the LEONARDO da VINCI programme of the European Communities, under contractUNITED KINGDOM/96/1/30021/EA/III.2.a/CONT; the Fondazione Regionale Pietro Seveso, Milan, Italy; the Government of the Czech Republic, Prague; University College Cork, Ireland; the University of Glasgow, Scotland; and the University of Helsinki, Finland. The ideas expressed in this book are the personal views of the authors and are not to be taken as representing the official policies or opinions of the European Commission. © 1999 Pamela Clayton, Vavrinec Fojcik, Silvana Greco, Johanna Hulkko, Eimer Kelly, Miroslav Kostka, Paul McGill, D Machackova, Marco Maiello, Eija Makela, Lenka Sinorova, Robert Tro§ka and Mary Ward The authors listed above assert, jointly and severally, their moral rights in this work: this work must at all times be identified as the work of its authors. Verbatim copying and free distribution of this entire publication is permitted, by any individual or organisation who does not hold the copyright, in any country and in any medium, with the following qualifications: only the entire publication may be so distributed; it must not be shortened, altered, elaborated, extended or adapted in any way, with the sole exception of translation into other languages; it is not to be sold, rented, loaned for a fee or in any other way traded; any individual or organisation to whom this publication is given has the same rights as the donor. ISBN 0 86389 072 5 Published by the Department of Adult and Continuing Education, University of Glasgow, 59 Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LW, Scotland, United Kingdom 2 CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements 4 The research team 5 Executive summary 8 List of acronyms used 9 Chapter One: Introduction, by Pamela Clayton Social exclusion 12 Lifelong learning and vocational guidance and counselling 14 Barriers to access 16 Access to vocational guidance: what can be done 21 Chapter Two: Access to vocational guidance in Italy, by Silvana Greco and Marco Maiello Active labour market policies in favour of adult groups at risk of social exclusion 23 Transformations in the labour market and developments in vocational guidance 35 Case studies 45 Recommendations for guidance services and policymakers 99 Chapter Three: Access to vocational guidance in Ireland, by Mary Ward and Eimer Kelly Social exclusion in Ireland 108 Lifelong learning opportunities in Ireland 115 The provision of vocational guidance for adults in Ireland 117 Case studies 120 Recommendations 142 Chapter Four: Access to vocational guidance in the United Kingdom, by Pamela Clayton and Paul McGill Social exclusion in the United Kingdom 152 Lifelong learning opportunities in the United Kingdom 162 Lifelong learning in the United Kingdom: policy development to May 1997 165 Access to lifelong learning for those at risk of social exclusion: government policy and initiatives since May 1997 167 Adult vocational guidance in the United Kingdom 170 Case studies 179 Recommendations for guidance services and policy-makers 238 Chapter Five: Access to vocational guidance in Finland, by Eija Make la and Johanna Hulkko Statistics on disadvantaged persons and socially excluded groups 255 A review of official policy and initiatives on adult vocational guidance and counselling 259 A brief summary of lifelong learning opportunities 262 A review of official policy on lifelong learning 265 The take-up of lifelong learning opportunities by members of groups at risk of social exclusion 268 Case studies 270 Recommendations 306 Chapter Six: Access to Vocational Guidance in the Czech Republic, by Robert 321 Troika, Vavrinec Fojcik, D Machickova, Lenka Sifiorova, Miroslav Kostka and Pamela Clayton Chapter Seven: Conclusions , by Pamela Clayton 335 Bibliography 351 Appendix A: Location of the case studies 367 Appendix B: Case studies by target group(s) 369 Appendix C: Interview schedules 370 Appendix D: Useful websites 373 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to acknowledge with gratitude our funders, the LEONARDO da VINCI programme of the European Communities; the FondazioneRegionale Pietro Seveso, Milan; University College Cork; the University of Glasgow; and the University of Helsinki. We also thank all those who assisted us through their generous provision of time, thought and printed materials, namely, all the vocational guidance services and practitioners; the experts in lifelong learning, social exclusion and vocational guidance; and the social partners for their support from the initial bid through to the conclusion of this project. Finally, but not least, we owe gratitude to the support staff of the participating institutions: the secretaries, administrators and central service personnel. 4 5 THE RESEARCH TEAM Carol Black, BA (Community Education), Community Education Worker, Glenrothes College of Further Education, Scotland, identifies potential target group areas of need and current participation of other agencies providing adult education or guidance; assists in the design and implementation of adult education initiatives targeted at specific groups, such as women returners, over 50s, young unemployed; liaises with other agencies in the development of initiatives and collaborative projects; supports and provides guidance to committees of local groups; advises on appropriate marketing strategies targeted at non-traditional participants in adult education; monitors, assesses and evaluates the effectiveness of programmes and projects in the area; and contributes to the work of the college staff team responsible for developing community links. The project scientific coordinator, Dr Pamela Clayton, BA(Econ)(Hons) in politics, PhD in sociology, is Research Fellow in the Department of Adult and Continuing Education, University of Glasgow, Scotland. She was theBritish researcher for Vocational Guidance and Counselling for Women Returners, Study No. 94- 00 -A26- 0028-00, co-ordinated by Dr Lynne Chisholm (CYRCE e. V). Other research includes