Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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CHAPTER 12<br />
Guiding <strong>and</strong> counselling adults in Portugal: new opportunities for a qualification 229<br />
Effective lifelong guidance provision is a crucial task of new opportunities<br />
centres. By encouraging <strong>and</strong> supporting individualsʼ participation in education<br />
<strong>and</strong> training they also support realistic <strong>and</strong> meaningful careers. The centres<br />
play a major role in helping adults design their academic <strong>and</strong>/or professional<br />
qualification pathways, through a somewhat extensive set of activities that aim<br />
to ʻrevealʼ each c<strong>and</strong>idatesʼ individual profile – personal <strong>and</strong> sociographical<br />
characteristics, academic <strong>and</strong> professional histories, motivations, interests<br />
<strong>and</strong> expectations. All adults enrolled in these centres undergo diagnosis <strong>and</strong><br />
guidance processes regarding their career <strong>and</strong> qualification pathways.<br />
Components of this stage are:<br />
(a) reception: welcoming <strong>and</strong> enrolment of adults, detailed presentation of<br />
several training paths in the national qualifications system where the adult<br />
lives or works;<br />
(b) diagnosis: analysis of the c<strong>and</strong>idateʼs profile, involving more individualised<br />
activities such as reviewing the CV, supported by an interview. This<br />
interview is vital, as a form of individual support, in helping adults build a<br />
degree of self-knowledge. Its aim is to work with c<strong>and</strong>idates to fit<br />
realistically their expectations to their pathway. The quality of the<br />
relationship between the adviser <strong>and</strong> the adult c<strong>and</strong>idate supports a<br />
proper diagnosis that will result in an equally well-adjusted route;<br />
(c) guidance: provide c<strong>and</strong>idates with all information to guide them towards<br />
the most appropriate qualification choice. Results from analysis of the<br />
c<strong>and</strong>idateʼs characteristics <strong>and</strong> track record (including prior education <strong>and</strong><br />
training, life experience, aspirations, motivations, needs <strong>and</strong><br />
expectations), identified during the diagnosis process. In addition to<br />
guiding each adult to the most suitable qualification solution, this step also<br />
encourages each c<strong>and</strong>idate to take responsibility for the choices made<br />
<strong>and</strong> for integrating into <strong>and</strong> pursuing their qualifications pathway.<br />
The method used in these three intervention stages/dimensions is clearly<br />
defined in a specific document (Almeida et al., 2008). In the centres, guidance<br />
practices are implemented through diverse individual <strong>and</strong> group activities,<br />
seeking provision <strong>and</strong> collection of information, as well as forms of skills<br />
development to support decision-making <strong>and</strong> career management.<br />
Responsibility for carrying out each of the stages lies with the diagnosis <strong>and</strong><br />
guiding counsellor. This advisor works directly with each c<strong>and</strong>idate as well as<br />
their immediate environment. This involves seeking out relevant information<br />
for guiding <strong>and</strong> integrating adults into training offers that meet their needs <strong>and</strong><br />
are available in the area where the adult lives or works, as well as researching<br />
the more pressing needs of the local labour market.