Brain Drain - Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Brain Drain – Brain Gain 

Qualification Modules for Counsellors 

A Leonardo da Vinci-Project 

(Transfer of Innovation) 

HdBA Bericht 

HdBA Report 

Nr./No. 1

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Brain Drain – Brain Gain 

Qualification Modules for Counsellors 

A Leonardo da Vinci Project 

(Transfer of Innovation) 

HdBA Bericht 

HdBA Report 

Nr./No. 1 

Editors 

Bundesagentur für Arbeit 

Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV) 

and 

Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (HdBA) 

(University of Applied Labour Studies of the Federal 

Employment Agency) 

Seckenheimer Landstraße 16 

68163 Mannheim, Germany 

Phone +49 (0) 621 4209-0 

hochschule@arbeitsagentur.de 

www.hdba.de 

Publisher 


(University of Applied Labour Studies of the Federal Employment Agency) 

E-Mail: hochschule.bibliothek@arbeitsagentur.de 

ISSN 1869-8506 

January 2010

BRAIN DRAIN – BRAIN GAIN 

QUALIFICATION MODULES FOR COUNSELLORS 

A Leonardo da Vinci-Project (Transfer of Innovation) 

CONTRACTOR AND CO-ORDINATION 

Bundesagentur für Arbeit 

Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV) 

Public institution 

Villemombler Str. 76 

D-53123 Bonn 

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_29928/Dienststellen/besondere-Dst/ZAV/A01- 

Allgemein-Info/hauptseite.html 

together with 



University 

Seckenheimer Landstr. 16 

D-68163 Mannheim 

www.hdba.de 

Co-ordinator and Contact Person: 

Regina Korte 

Berufsberatung/U25 

Agentur für Arbeit Stade 

Am Schwingedeich 2 

D - 21680 Stade 

Tel.: +49(0) 4141 926 636 

Fax: +49(0) 4141 926 238 

E-Mail: Regina.Korte@arbeitsagentur.de

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS 



A Leonardo da Vinci-Project (Transfer of Innovation) 

National Agency for Vocational 

Education & Training 

BG-Bulgaria 


http://www.navet.government.bg 

SRH Hochschulen gGmbH 

Ludwig-Guttmann-Str. 6 

D – 69123 Heidelberg 

University 

http://www.srh.de/de/hochschulen/index.html 

Centre de Psychologie et 

d'Orientation Scolaires 

280, route de Longwy 

L - 1940 Luxembourg 


http://www.cpos.public.lu/ 

Careers Europe 

Onward House 

2 Baptist Place 

BD 1 2PS Bradford 

UK-United Kingdom 

Association/non-governmental organisation 

http://www.careerseurope.co.uk/ 

Akademia im Jana Dlugosza 

w Czestochowie 

ul. Waszyngtona 4/8 42-201 

PL- Czestochowa 

University 

http://www.ajd.czest.pl/ 

�tátny in�titút odborného vzdelávania 

(SIOV) 

Bellova 54/a 837 63 

SK-Bratislava 


http://siov.cmsromboid.sk/ 

Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi 

Kurtulus Deresi Cad. No: 47 Dolapdere 34440 

TR-Istanbul 

University 

http://www.bilgi.edu.tr/

Contributors 



A Leonardo da Vinci Project (Transfer of Innovation) 

Avsar, Servan Adar Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi 

(Turkey) 

Besrest-Butler, Cecile Careers Europe, Bradford 

(United Kingdom) 

Carey, Mick Careers Europe, Bradford 

(United Kingdom) 

Detko, Josef 

Statny Institut Odborneho Vzdelavania, 

Bratislava (Slovak Republic) 

Ener, Sevinc 

Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi 

(Turkey) 

Ertelt, Bernd-Joachim Akademia im Jana Dlugosza 

w Czestochowie (Poland) 

Górna, Joanna Akademia im Jana Dlugosza 

w Czestochowie (Poland) 

Gressnerová, Laura �tátny in�titút odborného vzdelávania, 


Kirova-Katzarova, Antoaneta National Agency for Vocational 

Education & Training, Sofia (Bulgaria) 

Korte, Regina Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Agentur für 

Arbeit Stade (Germany) 

Naumova, Silvia National Agency for Vocational 


Pavlova, Mariyana 

National Agency for Vocational 


Rakovska, Nevena Business Foundation for Education, 

Sofia (Bulgaria) 

Reissert, Bernd Hochschule der Bundesagentur für 

Arbeit, Mannheim (Germany) 

Rückemann, Gustav SRH Hochschulen GmbH, Heidelberg 

(Germany) 

Ruppert, Jean-Jacques Centre de Psychologie et d'Orientation 

Scolaires, Luxembourg (Luxembourg) 

Rus�ak, Jan �tátny in�titút odborného vzdelávania, 


Sikorski, Grzegorz Akademia im Jana Dlugosza 

w Czestochowie (Poland)

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Table of Content 

INTRODUCTION (Bernd-Joachim Ertelt, Regina Korte, Bernd Reissert) 

MODULE I Management of Information, Institutional and 

Regulatory Conditions 

Sub-module I a) Information Gathering and Information 

Management 

Overview 

Page 

1 

4 – 68 

4 – 18 

1. Course 1: Introduction to Information Management 4 

1.1 Learning Objectives 4 

1.2 Unit 1: Definition, Ethics and Scope of Information 

Management 

5 

1.3 Unit 2: Knowledge Management and Information Acquisition 6 

1.4 Unit 3: Information Marketing 7 

1.5 Unit 4: Taylor Made Information According to Clients’ Needs, 

Motivation of Clients for Self-Information 

7 

1.6 Methodology - Proposals 8 

1.7 Tasks and Learning Questions - Proposals 8 

1.8 References 

9 

2. Course 2: Knowledge of Valid and Reliable Information 

Sources in Selected Countries 

10 


2.2 Unit 1: Basic Categories of Information for BDBG Counselling 10 

2.3 Unit 2: Analysis and Evaluation of National and International 

Media and Information Systems in BDBG Counselling in the 

Country 

11 

2.4 Unit 3: Social Networking and Migration Guidance 11 




14 

3. Course 3: Knowledge of Legislations Pertaining to 

Education, Training and Work at Local, 

National and International Level 

15 


3.2 Unit 1: Relevant Legislation Pertaining to Education, Training 

and Work at Local, National and International Level 

15 


3.4 Tasks and Learning Questions 16 


16 

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4. Course 4: Knowledge of Equivalence of Degrees and 

Professional Qualifications Obtained in 

Different Countries 

16 


4.2 Unit 1: Main Regulations on the Equivalence of Degrees and 

Professional Qualifications Obtained in Different Countries, 

Recognition Procedures 

16 

4.3 Unit 2: University Entrance Requirements, Regulated 

Professions, Special Labour Market Segments 

17 

4.4 Methodology – Proposals 17 



17 

5. Case examples from Germany 

Sub-module I b) Marketing and Programmes for Mobility 

Overview 

II 

18 

19 – 68 

1. Course 1: Dimension of Marketing in the Sector of Non 

- Profit Services 

20 


1.2 Unit 1: Basic Ideas in Marketing 20 

1.3 Unit 2: Leading Thoughts and Leading Objectives of 

Marketing 

21 

1.4 Unit 3: Planning of Social Marketing – Strategy for Vocational, 

Education and Careers Guidance 

21 


1.6 Examples of Good Practices 

27 

2. Course 2: Careers Counsellors in Private Practice and 

Marketing the Services 

31 


2.2 Unit 1: Types of Services (with potential clients) 31 

2.3 Unit 2: Offering Services 31 



34 

3. Course 3: European and International Programmes 

(EURES, Euroguidance, Financial Support) 

36 


3.2 Unit 1: The EURES Network 37 

3.3 Unit 2: The Euroguidance Network 38 

3.4 Unit 3: Other Networks 39 

3.5 Unit 4: Financial Support in Selected Areas and Countries 54 



19

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3.8 Cases (Examples) 62 


62 

4. Course 4: National Programmes for Outgoing, Incoming 

and Returning 

64 


4.2 Unit 1: National Programmes for Outgoing, Incoming and 

Returning 

65 

4.3 Methodology – Proposals 67 


67 

5. References referring to Module I (on the whole) and Other 

General Sources of Information 

67 

III

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MODULE II Working and Living Conditions 69 – 128 

Sub-module II a) Push and Pull Factors 

69 – 104 

Overview 

1. Course 1: Migration-specific Psycho-social Issues – 

Push and Pull Factors and Psychological 

IV 

Effects of Migration 


1.2 Unit 1: Different Push and Pull Factors 70 

1.3 Unit 2: Historic Development of Migration 72 

1.4 Methodology – Proposals 

73 

2. Course 2: Intercultural Counselling and Case 

Management 

73 


2.2 Unit 1: Cultural and Transnational Factors of Intercultural 

Management 

74 

2.3 Unit 2: Intercultural Management – Practical Aspects 74 

2.4 Unit 3: Counselling Structure 74 

2.5 Unit 4: Development of Case Management 74 



76 

3. Course 3: Working and Living Culture in Other 

Countries 

Overview 


3.2 Unit 1: Multicultural Environment 79 

3.3 Unit 2: Counselling Against Cultural and Ethnic Harassment, 

Discrimination and Inequity 

81 

3.4 Unit 3: Living and Working culture 84 



86 

4. Course 4: Living and Working Conditions in Selected 

Countries 

86 


4.2 Unit 1: Migration – Short Term and Long Term Perspectives 87 

4.3 Unit 2: Elimination of Migration Risks 87 

4.4 Unit 3: Working Conditions 91 

4.5 Unit 4: Living Conditions 96 

4.6 Case “Katarina” 98 



103 

69 

70 

77 

77

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Sub-module II b) Psycho-Social Effects of Brain Drain – Brain 

Gain 

Overview 

105 -128 

1. Course 1: Selected Theories of Career Development 

and Counselling Regarding the Psycho- 

Social Effects of International Mobility 

106 

1 1.1 Learning Objectives 106 

1.2 Unit 1: Matching Theories: Trait & Factor; Person- 

Environment – Correspondence (Holland) 

106 

1.3 Unit 2: Developmental and Post-modern Theories (Super, 

Gottfredson, Savickas, Guichard, Poukelis)� 

106 

1.4 Unit 3:Psychodynamic Approaches (Bordin)� 107 

1.5 Unit 4: Learning Theories/Social Cognitiv Career Theory 107 

(Krumboltz)� 

1.6 Unit 5: Cognitive Behavioural Theories of Counselling� 108 

1.7 Unit 6: Model of Problem Management (Egan)� 108 

1.8 Unit 7: Solution Focused Brief Counselling (de Shazer)� 109 

1.9 Unit 8: Person-Centred Approach (Rogers)� 109 

1.10 Unit 9: Theories of Achievement Motivation and Related 

Constructs� 

109 


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110 

2. Course 2: Decision Making Models – Evidence and 

Implications for International Careers 

110 


2.2 Unit 1: Normative/Prescriptive/rational Models of Decision 

Making 

111 

2.3 Unit 2: Emotions, Conflicts, Uncertainty in Career Decision 

Making 

111 

2.4 Unit 3: Preparation for Setback and Handling Post-Decision 112 

Phenomena 

2.5 Unit 4: Lack of Information, Biases 112 


112 

3. Course 3: The Characteristics of International Careers 113 


3.2 Unit 1: Patterns of International/Transnational Careers 113 

3.3 Unit 2: International Careers as a Family Problem: Models of 

Spouse Adjustment 

113 

3.4 Unit 3: Living Globally: Working and Living Abroad 113 

3.5 Unit 4: Identifying Mobile Clients at Risk for Premature 

Departure 

114 


114 

105 

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4. Course 4: Psychological Separation of People Working 

and Living Abroad 

115 


4.2 Unit 1: Theories of Separation as Mental Models of Family 

and Adult Relations 

115 

4.3 Unit 2: Job Related Separation and Work-Family/Work-Life- 115 

VI 

Balance Conflicts110 

4.4 Unit 3: Supporting Your Clients with Culture Shock – 

Problem Mechanism, and Cycles of Adaptation to Work, to 

Study or to Live in Separation from Ethnic Heritage 

116 

4.5 Unit 4: Re-entering One’s Own Culture 116 

4.6 Unit 5: Theories of Help-Seeking Behaviours in Job-Related 

Separation 

117 

4.7 Unit 6: Culture Adaptation and Integration Measurement 

(e.g. Sue and Sue, MID) 

118 

4.8 Unit 7: Addiction Problems and Career Mobility (e.g. 

separation by mobility) 

119 


119 

5. References for Module II b 

6. Examples for Exercises that Can Be Used With Trainees 

120 

122

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MODULE III Counselling Tools and Mobility Support 128-198 

Sub-module III a) Counselling Theories 

128-158 

Overview on Courses 1 – 2 

1. Course 1: Introduction to Informal Competences and 

Skills 

129 


1.2 Unit 1: Social Skills and Competences 129 

1.3 Unit 2: Non-formal and Informal Learning 130 


130 

2. Course 2: Validation of Informal Competences and 

Informal/non-formal Learning 

131 


2.2 Unit 1: Validation and Recognition of Non-formal and 

Informal Learning in Europe 

131 

2.3 Unit 2: Europass 133 

2.4 Unit 3: Identification and Marketing of Other Competences 135 



140 

Overview on Courses 3 – 5 

3. Course 3: Types of Assessment Instruments 142 


3.2 Unit 1: Formal Assessment 142 

3.3 Unit 2: Informal Assessment 142 

3.4 Unit 3: Interview 143 

3.5 Unit 4: Interest Assessment Tests 143 

3.6 Unit 5: Ability Measurement Tests 

145 

4. Course 4: Stages of Assessment Elaboration Process 150 


4.2 Unit 1: Selecting and Applying Assessment Instruments 150 

4.3 Unit 2: Potential Errors in the Assessment of Performance 151 

5. Course 5: Multicultural Context of Ability Measurement 

and Interest Assessment 

152 


5.2 Unit 1: More Common Misuses of Assessments in 

Multicultural Contexts 

152 

5.3 Unit 2: Cultural Bounded Methods for Ability and Interest 

Assessment 

153 

5.4 Unit 3: Directions for Using Assessment Methods in BDBG 

Counselling� 

154 

5.5 Unit 4: Evaluation of Testing in BDBG Counselling 

155 

128 

141 

VII

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6. Methodology – Proposals 

7. References 

Sub-module III b) Multicultural and Transnational Competences 

and Standards in Counselling 

Overview 

VIII 

157 

158 

159 -182 

1. Course 1: Theoretical Aspects and Concepts of 

Multicultural Counselling 

159 


1.2 Unit 1: The Concept of “Culture” in Transnational and 

Multicultural Counselling 

160 

1.3 Unit 2: The Most Important Theses of Multicultural 

Counselling 

161 

2. Course 2: Understanding the Client’s View of Life 162 


2.2 Unit 1: The Client’s View of Life as a Significant Aspect in 

Multicultural and Transnational Counselling 

162 

2.3 Unit 2: The Importance of Individual and Cultural 

Characteristics in BDBD Counselling 

163 

2.4 Unit 3: Assessment of Specific Needs of the Client in BDBG 

Counselling 

164 

3. Course 3: Skills in Multicultural Counselling 165 


3.2 Unit 1: Professional Standards in Regard to Competences 

Concerning Multicultural Counselling 

165 

4. Course 4: Theoretical Concepts Discovering 

Multicultural and Transnational Competences 

and Standards 


4.2 Unit 1: Framework of Multicultural Counselling Competences 170 

5. Course 5: Ethical Standards in BDBG Counselling 175 


5.2 Unit 1: Basic Norms of Ethical Behaviour in BDBG 

Counselling 

175 

5.3 Unit 2: Codes of Ethical Standards for International Working 

Career Firms 

177 

6. Course 6: Questions and Tasks for Self-Assessment 179 


6.2 Unit 1: Questions and Tasks 

179 

159 

170

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7. Methodology – Proposals 

8. References 

Sub-module III c) Building up an International Network of 

BDBG Counsellors 

183-199 

1. Course 1: Building up an International Network of 

BDBG Counsellors 

183 

Overview 183 


1.2 Unit 1: Networks and Networking – a Definition 184 

1.3 Unit 2: Main Official Networks in the Field of BDBG – the 

EURES Network� 

186 

1.4 Unit 3: Main Official Networks in the Field of BDBG – the 

Euroguidance Network� 

190 

1.5 Unit 4: Other Networks� 195 

1.6 Unit 5: Exercises for Self-Assessment and Networking� 197 



199 

Annexes 1 – 6 

"References specific to the various partner countries" 

181 

181 

IX

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Introduction 

The training of counsellors for the particular challenges of working in the field of Brain 

Drain and Brain Gain must take into account, on top of the inalienable 

methodological and ethical standards of individual counselling, market policy, 

economic policy and political aspects of migration. Hence there exists a great need 

for future development of competences in international career guidance. 

We also detect an urgent need for a change in the perspective of guidance: away 

from guidance that is almost exclusively focused on the individual towards 

counselling with a more pronounced emphasis on social inclusion. Furthermore, 

mobility counselling has to address migration policy issues. Obviously, this also 

implies new responsibilities for the countries of origin in order to aid the reduction of 

possible negative effects of brain drain through active involvement in “brain 

circulation”. 

The OECD points out that return flows inherent to brain circulation may in any case 

not lead to an equivalent transfer of knowledge (2008). Skills and knowledge are 

crucially linked to the environment of local markets, and the inability of those 

environments to harness the competences of returning workers, will result in 

extremely ambivalent outcomes. In the EU “brain circulation” may become a shortterm 

phenomenon with a trend towards more temporary and circular migration, with 

the family remaining behind in a given country of origin and the worker commuting 

internationally. 

An important field of activity for transnational vocational counselling concerns the 

optimal matching of the mobile workers to the new jobs. Especially for SME and for 

those workers who are temporarily mobile, it is crucial to reduce the amount of time 

that employees take to reach their former productivity. 

Another area of counselling arises from the increasing weighting of the skills’ levels in 

the immigration policies of some destination countries with many trying to improve 

the qualification of the foreign population through targeted immigration. Hence 

transnational career guidance will have to stress this point at an early stage to those 

clients who want to be internationally mobile. 

Therefore the knowledge the counsellor has of mutual recognition of qualifications, 

especially of EQF, ECVET and ECTS is a very important precondition for effective 

transnational counselling. 

On the background of looming important demographic changes, there is currently, at 

the highest political level, a lively debate going on in Germany regarding the negative 

consequences of the „wasted competences“ caused by the failure to recognize the 

qualifications of migrants and their substandard employment. The ‚Bundesagentur für 

Arbeit’ (BA) is currently looking into setting up ‚recognition counselling’ in order to put 

an end to this situation. 

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At both an individual as well as on a market level, transnational guidance must 

address the issue of employment of migrant workers below their actual professional 

qualification levels. After extended periods in sub-qualification occupations abroad, 

reintegration into a suitable employment in the country of origin becomes increasingly 

unlikely. Furthermore counselling cannot ignore the negative effects on selfperception 

caused by the prestige gap. 

Another important challenge for transnational career counselling is dealing with 

migrants who are in a permanent partnership or have family. Here counselling also 

must address the issue of role perception. Particularly highly qualified people, socalled 

“dual-career couples” will only seriously consider job mobility when both 

partners’ career prospects are being taken into account. As a consequence there is 

an urgent need to integrate the “significant others” into mobility counselling. 

Methodology applied in transnational vocational guidance should be critically 

evaluated. It is evident that supply-oriented information systems, crop-dependent 

diagnostics, normative models of rational decision-making as well as culturedependent 

counselling models are not optimal, neither for national nor for 

transnational career counselling. 

The so-called “diaspora” also provides a valuable source for building networks and 

an instrument for keeping in touch with emigrants. In order to offer individuals and 

businesses counselling services in a globalised market, it is crucial that counsellors 

are well equipped through their training to cooperate with such networks which can 

be vital to knowledge transfer associated with brain circulation. 

According to a recommendation adopted by the European Commission (2008), by 

2020 at least 50% of all young people should be in a position that allows them to be 

educationally and professionally mobile. In our view this requires the interaction of 

specific marketing activities for both mobility and transnational career guidance. 

This constitutes the background to the “BRAIN DRAIN - BRAIN GAIN” Leonardo da 

Vinci-project and all the implicated partners were well aware of their sometimes very 

different demands and expectations. Hence the particular challenge to realize a joint 

contribution towards better transnational vocational guidance. 

There are four specific levels: on a political level we have the issues of the 

recognition of the qualifications of migrants, a reduction of the phenomenon of onesided 

emigration of highly qualified people and the productive reintegration of those 

returning to their country of origin. In some partner countries there is a need to 

sensitize national institutions to transnational mobility and therefore the results of this 

project aim to be a stimulus to specific mobility counselling at an operative level as 

regards methodology and contents. 

Regarding the professionalisation of counselling, these modules should encourage 

professionals to consider intercultural aspects as a specific dimension of counselling. 

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This manual should however not be seen as a curricular learning programme but its 

modules should set the framework for the elaboration of teaching modules that take 

into account the national characteristics of the partner countries. To this effect the 

learning goals have been given taxonomy levels: (TAX. 1: acquisition of theoretical 

knowledge; TAX. 2: theory and its application; TAX. 3: transfer of knowledge; TAX. 4: 

problem-solving). Here the comprehensive references should be of great use. 

In the course of this project certain aspects of transnational mobility counselling 

became very evident. Amongst them were the relatively important differences 

regarding the priority of the issue in the partner countries, the surprising lack of 

specific scientific literature, the almost total ignorance of the phenomenon of the loss 

of original qualifications that affects transnational migrants, the almost exclusively 

positive picture that is being painted of „outgoing“ migration, often considered only 

from an angle of reducing unemployment in the country of origin, and of course, all 

the unresolved issues upon return to the country of origin and reintegration into its 

market. 

The partnership wants to thank all who have contributed to the success of this 

project. Above all we would like to take up this opportunity to thank our external 

evaluator, Prof. Dr. Klaus Beck of the University of Mainz, for his exceptional and 

highly qualified commitment to the project. 

We hope to deepen the dialogue started through this project and to further develop 

the network thus contributing to a greater understanding of transnational counselling 

and a better „brain circulation“ in Europe. 

Bernd-Joachim Ertelt, Regina Korte, Bernd Reissert 

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Overview 

The Module “Management of Information, Institutional and Regulatory Conditions” is 

aimed at qualified counsellors with counselling experience and practice and who will 

be prepared for BD-BG counselling. Basic knowledge of educational pathways, 

qualifications and professions is taken for granted. 

Content of the module with its four courses: 

1. Introduction to information management 

2. Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources in selected countries 

3. Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work at local, 

national and international levels 

4. Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications obtained in 

different countries 

shall be knowledge and monitoring of important regulatory framework and related 

information sources and networks in the context of international mobility. In addition 

is the ability to provide adequate information regarding the individual needs of the 

client, considering ethical principles of counselling and guidance. Counsellors should 

be able to decide how much help the client will need to find and use the information 

provided and to avoid information overload. Another important issue is information 

marketing reaching the target groups. Not only skilled professionals are target groups 

of counselling offers but their families will be too if they are accompanying them as 

well. Finally counsellors should be able to evaluate if the consultation was helpful. 

It is assumed that the lecturers have in-depth knowledge of career development and 

counselling theories, career-related information systems (national and European), as 

well as good knowledge of counselling practice. 

The learning units consist of lectures, discussion, self study time and practical 

exercises. 

The Module requires individual access to the Internet. The classroom must have an 

internet connection and preferably a projector. 

4 

1. Course 1: Introduction to Information Management 

1.1 Learning Objectives 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the definition and ethics of information management 

and understands the individual work areas. (TAX 1, 2 – foundation competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the components of the information management 

practice and can apply them within the counselling services provided. (TAX 2, 3 – 

client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor has knowledge of information marketing and is able to 

promote the offers of their institution. (TAX 1, 3 – supporting competences)

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• The BDBG counsellor develops an ethical attitude towards information 

management and is willing to deliver information tailored to clients’ needs. (TAX 4 

– foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows function, structure and usability of different 

information resources. (TAX 2 - supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows and respects relevant legislation (including copyright 

and costs) on the use of information sources and handling personal data. (TAX 3 – 

supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to find reliable and updated information related to 

specialized fields of education, further education and work. (TAX 4 – supporting 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to use and analyze media and information systems 

in vocational and careers counselling in partner countries. (TAX 3, 4 – supporting 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to adapt information to the specific characteristics of 

the target group and individuals. (TAX 4 – client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor, depending on clients’ requests, can use information 

sources and, possibly, encourage clients to use them on their own. (TAX 4 – 


1.2 Unit 1: Definition, Ethics and Scope of Information Management 

Definition: Information management is the professional management of information 

with regard to the target groups in vocational, educational and careers counselling as 

well as the ability to employ relevant networks and participate in their future 

development. 

BDBG - The scope of information management 

- Information about people: interests, outlook on life, qualifications, health 

- Information about education, vocational education and advanced training in 

Europe and worldwide 

- Information about jobs and careers in Europe and worldwide 

- Information about selected market systems and vacancies in Europe and 

worldwide 

- Information about living standards, insurance and area information in Europe and 

worldwide 

- Information about counselling, information and agency services in Europe and 

worldwide 

- Information about computer assisted career guidance systems (national and 

international) 

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1.3 Unit 2: Knowledge Management and Information Acquisition 

Contents of this module shall be: 

• Systematic monitoring of the European and international information market, 

working with information sources for vocational and careers counselling 

• Evaluation of information sources with regard to their potential, effectiveness and 

relevance to a target group 

• Quality criteria: correctness, general validity, topicality, usefulness, 

comprehensibility, differentiation (the scope and depth), user-friendliness, access 

• Information overload in contemporary society: 

• The total supply of information in modern society is increasing faster than the 

demand for information. Therefore, the main problem is not the creation of new 

media and data but the stimulation of demand for information. 

6 

When information overload occurs, the quality of decision-making and problemsolving 

decreases, both on the social and individual scale 

Different models, techniques and methods of knowledge management are introduced 

to the participants. A well structured approach to collect new knowledge pools and to 

achieve already available knowledge help the students not only to overview the 

different national programmes but also to find out similarities and common 

emphases. Thus accurately fitting counselling for a wide range of different cases with 

different needs will be possible. They will learn, through cases in small teams, to 

organize precisely adjusted tailored programmes in the further offers of counselling 

and supporting services 

Managing individual information stress (Ertelt, 2001, pp 1385): 

1. Information chunks – summarizing available information with super ordinates. 

2. Omission – focusing on specific information and rejecting other content (partial 

absorption). 

3. Queuing – the recipient creates in the short-term memory a queue of incoming 

information to gain more time later for the selection of information to remember. 

4. Escaping – ceasing the receiving and processing of information at a certain point 

of information overload (“switching off”) 

5. Filtering – the offered information is perceived selectively through a filter of 

subjective criteria or search strategies. 

6. Abstracting – the individual receives only general information structures without 

paying attention to the details. 

7. Habituation - from a certain point of information overload, the individual follows 

only adopted patterns and the offered data is of secondary importance to the 

solution of the problem

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The effect that providing information has on individual communication behavior, also 

within vocational, educational and careers counselling: 

1. The activating power of the offered information always has to increase; there is an 

activating competition among information providers. 

2. The recipient’s interest in information decreases or even a defensive attitude 

develops towards new information. 

3. Pictorial communication increases while the verbal expression of thoughts and 

feelings becomes less attractive. 

1.4 Unit 3: Information Marketing 

In this unit marketing will be seen as a management concept for purposefully 

designed exchanges with partners inside and outside of an organization and the 

public in general. Since career guidance is in almost all partner countries a noncommercial 

offer and activity, this is called non-profit or social marketing. The 

following fields of marketing must be discussed in this context: Social marketing, 

information marketing, image marketing, obtaining marketing and sales marketing. 

See also module I b), course 1 

1.5 Unit 4: Taylor Made Information According to Clients’ Needs, 

Motivation of Clients for Self-Information 

See also module I b) course 2, unit 1 

This unit will mainly consist of exercises and case related work. The participants shall 

use one of the cases in this module or any other case to search for relevant 

information and learn to decide which amount of the provided information is 

appropriate for the client’s needs according to their situation and questions. They 

have to apply what they have learned in units 1 and 2. Participants have to find, read, 

understand and interpret the information found and decide whether the information is 

interesting, sufficient or perhaps too much for the client. They then will have to decide 

whether to let the client work with the sources on their own or to moderate the 

information for the client, taking into consideration also the abilities of the client to use 

information sources. 

The cases for this module can be found at the end of the text. 

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1.6 Methodology - Proposals 

Lecturer: Lecture about the definition and objectives of information management in 

vocational and careers counselling (an expositional teaching method) 

Lecturer: Input on counselling-related ethical issues, especially with regard to web- 

and computer-based information systems 

Case related work 

Group or homework, home studies (collecting information for a defined target group, 

e.g. production of a collection of internet links) 

Short discussion of the meaning of the definition of information management in 

practical work with different target groups 

Transforming implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge: special knowledge must be 

systematically collected and processed to make it suitable for knowledge transfer 

Group work: marketing for information sources/an information fair 

Students: preparation of information for clients’ use 

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1.7 Tasks and Learning Questions - Proposals 

Describe the main characteristics of information management including ethical 

principles. 

Collect information and give it to a client following the used case example. 

Describe the four main marketing strategies of information marketing. 

Prepare a marketing strategy for an event referring to a defined target group. 

Collect information on recognition procedures for a defined (regulated or nonregulated) 

profession. 

Exercise: Role play counselling interview: 

The participants conceive a counselling interview and develop guidelines for a 

counselling interview considering the cultural diversities in view of the origin of the 

clients. Afterwards they hold the counselling interview und evaluate it, considering 

especially the aspect of scientific completeness of the counselling topics, the 

methodological approach in the process of counselling und the aim of a successful 

counselling.

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ERGO-IN-NET. Mobility in Europe. Handbook for Guidance Practitioners Working 

With Mobility Issues. ASTER Scienza Technologica Impresa – S. Cons p.a. 

Bologna 2006 

Ertelt, B.-J.: Informationsmanagement in der Beratung. In: Informationen für die 

Beratungs- und Vermittlungsdienste der Bundesanstalt für Arbeit, ibv Nr. 21/01, 

Nürnberg 2001 

En: Information Management in Counselling 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E.: Beratung in Bildung und Beruf. Leonberg 1997 

En: Counselling in Education and Profession. 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E.: Handbuch der Beratungskompetenz. Leonberg 2. Aufl. 

2008 

En: Handbook on Counselling Competences 

Kittner, M. & Deinert, O. (2009). Arbeits- und Sozialordnung. Gesetzestexte, 

Einleitungen, Anwendungshilfen (34. Aufl.). Frankfurt am Main: Bund-Verl. 

(ISBN 978-3-7663-3914-0) 

En: - and Social Order. Law, Introductions, Applications’ Assistance. 

Luthe, E.-W. (2003), Bildungsrecht. Leitfaden für Ausbildung, Administration und 

Management. Berlin: de Gruyter. (ISBN 3899491165) 

En: Education Law. Guideline for Education, Administration and Management. 

Personalrecht 2009. Arbeitsrecht, Lohnsteuer und Sozialversicherung kompakt. 

Tabellen, Übersichten, Fristen und Daten für die optimale Personalarbeit. 

Freiburg: Haufe. (ISBN 978-3-448-09145-8) 

En: Law, Income Taxes and Social Insurance Compact. Tables, Overviews, 

Deadlines and Data for Optimized Human Resources Management 

Rebhahn, R. & Kodek, G. E. (2007). Zuständigkeit bei grenzüberschreitenden 

Arbeitsrechtsfragen. Wien: LexisNexis ARD Orac. (ISBN 978-3-7007-3677-6) 

En: Responsibilities in Cross-Border Law Questions. 

Rechberger-Bechter, C. (2008). Europäische Gemeinschaft in der Bildungspolitik. 

Zuständigkeiten und Handlungsmöglichkeiten. Baden-Baden: Nomos. 

(ISBN 978-3-8329-3129-2) 

En: European Union in Policies of Education. Responsibilities and Possibilities 

of Acting 

Welte, H.-P. (2008). Arbeitsmigration und Studium von Ausländern. Praxishandbuch 

zum Zuwanderungsrecht. Regensburg: Walhalla. (ISBN 978-3-8029-1045-6) 

En: Work-Migration and Studies of Foreigners. Practical Handbook on 

Immigration Law 

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Internet – last download October 2009 

http://www.ariadneproject.org/index.php?id=17 “Guidelines for Web-based 

Guidance” 

http://www.careerseurope.co.uk/ a resource centre for the UK producing information 

on opportunities in other countries 

http://www.iaevg.org/IAEVG AIOSP/IAEVG: International Competencies for 

Educational and Vocational Guidance Practitioners, Bern: September 2003 

http://www.ictskills.org/inglese/cover_en.htm LdV-Projekt “ICT Skills for Guidance 

Counsellors 

http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm The International Organization 

2. Course 2: Knowledge of Valid and Reliable Information Sources in 

Selected Countries 


• The BDBG counsellor knows the basic categories of information pertaining to 

BDBG counselling. (TAX 2 supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is aware of the different levels of reliability of information 

sources in selected countries (TAX 3 – foundation competences) 

2.2 Unit 1: Basic Categories of Information for BDBG Counselling 

Supply- and demand-oriented information systems in vocational, educational and 

careers counselling: 

1. Demand-oriented systems in their structure and development follow the recipients 

“internal capabilities”: skills, motivation and involvement, learning ability, familiarity 

with media and especially their problem-solving abilities. User habits and types of 

interaction with the source of information are crucial to the further development of 

information systems. 

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Demand-oriented information systems allow the user to: 

- define his/her needs first 

- select sources that lead to specific results, 

- obtain information how to use the sources for the user’s own needs, 

- understand when personal assistance by a counsellor is necessary, 

- use only links that help to solve the problem.

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2. Supply-oriented systems focus on material logic, structures defined by experts and 

what is essential for information. From a critical point of view, it could be argued 

that in information supply the most important principle is the “gatherer and the 

hunter”. Supply-oriented systems can be found in vocational information centers, 

prescriptively organized vocational orientation institutions and data banks as an 

expert system. 

3. Web-based information sources for vocational, educational and careers 

counselling: integrated web sites are distance counselling components in 

vocational counselling and usually offer organization-specific information as well 

as links to other relevant services of the organization. 

Independent web sites offer unrelated information and services for vocational 

counselling: self-evaluation programmes, job marketplaces, talent marketplaces 

and educational information sites run by companies, educational offers and career 

guidance. 

Both web site types are usually supply-oriented, i.e. they are based on the 

assumption that the user can precisely formulate his/her needs and decide 

whether the web site will bring any benefits. 

2.3 Unit 2: Analysis and Evaluation of National and International Media and 

Information Systems in BDBG Counselling in the Country 

The knowledge of national information media is crucial for the work with other than 

national information sources to be able to evaluate and use foreign sources. 

The different structure of information sources in selected countries and regions may 

cause problems for clients when looking for information. So counsellors should be 

aware of the meaning of these differences and be able to moderate and explain the 

structure of the sources to clients. 

This means that this unit again will mainly consist of self study by the participants, 

using the attached or own cases, investigating the main BDBG-related websites 

mentioned in the references. 

2.4 Unit 3: Social Networking and Migration Guidance 

Social networking sites offer people new and varied ways to communicate via the 

internet, whether through their PC or their mobile phone. Examples include 

“MySpace”, “Facebook” and “Bebo”. They allow people to easily and simply create 

their own online page or profile and to construct and display an online network of 

contacts, often called ‘friends’. Users of these sites can communicate via their profile 

both with their ‘friends’ and with people outside their list of contacts. 

The rapid growth of social networking sites in recent years indicates that they are 

now a mainstream communication technology for many people. (OfCom, 2008) 

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Social networks play an important role in channeling workers into jobs. This has 

benefits: informal networks are often able to match workers and employers faster and 

more efficiently than formal recruitment mechanisms. But this process also has 

drawbacks, since widespread reliance on social networks in the market can lead to 

social stratification by limiting an individual’s opportunities to those that his or her 

peer group can provide. 

Among immigrants in particular, reliance on social networks is likely to indicate poor 

integration among individuals who face barriers to accessing formal recruitment 

channels, for example due to language difficulties or a poor understanding of the 

local market. A trade-off emerges, therefore: social networks are likely to help 

immigrants to find jobs in the short run, but may limit opportunities for full social and 

economic integration in the longer term. (Sumption, 2009) 

For migrants, social networks are crucial for finding jobs and accommodation, 

circulating goods and services, as well as psychological support and continuous 

social and economic information. Social networks often guide migrants into or 

through specific places and occupations. Local markets can become linked through 

specific networks of interpersonal and organizational ties surrounding migrants 

(Poros 2001). 

For a number of years, the migration of skilled workers from developing countries 

was regarded as a problem of ‘brain drain’. With the recognition of networks of skilled 

workers’ circulation, many social scientists and national policymakers have tended to 

shift from a discourse of ‘brain drain’ to notions of the globalization of human capital, 

brain exchange, brain circulation and the creation of a global mobile workforce. The 

idea is to accept the fact that skilled persons may want to migrant for personal, 

familial and career development reasons, while seeking to encourage the skilled 

migrant’s return, mobilization or association with home country development. Indeed, 

it is transnational networks of professionals that are deemed crucial to realize such 

goals. 

There have emerged a number of schemes and types of transnational networks of 

expatriate professionals that can be tapped to enable their effective and productive 

role in a home country’s development – even without any physical temporary or 

permanent return. (Vetrovec, 2002) 

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Lecturer: Input on categories of information (students cooperating – counsellors 

contribute with their own knowledge and experience with information sources) 

Exercises (research – case study) 

Lecturer: Introduction to different national websites and other information sources of 

selected counties 

Lecturer: Input (by a specialist?) on legal framework of European media and user 

rights 

Aids: Overhead foils, lecturer’s script with a comparative presentation 

Participants: self-study (homework?) of national legal regulations concerning the 

major media/internet offers in vocational and careers counselling 

Case related work, students’ own interest – single or group work mainly with internet 

with regard to the quality criteria presentation of results 

Lecturer: Introduction to main information sources 

Group work/case study using different information sources 

Lecturer: Lecture on levels of reliability of information sources in selected countries 

(peer to peer learning) 

Students’ research on reliability of sources 


Describe categories of information for BDBG counselling. 

Solve a client’s question (see case example) and proceed the result to him/her. 

Collect information on learning and or working opportunities following a case 

example. 

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Biuro Uznawalno�ci Wykszta�cenia i Wymiany Mi�dzynarodowej ENIC/NARIC 

Polska. Dobra praktyka i uznawanie kwalifikacji zdobytych w ramach 

kszta�cenia transnarodowego (Transnational Education) [Recommendation on 

Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications] 

Warszawa 2004 

Mytzek, Ralf & Klaus Schömann (Hrsg.) (2004). Transparenz von 

Bildungsabschlüssen in Europa. Sektorale Studien zur Mobilität von 

Arbeitskräften. Berlin: Edition Sigma. (ISBN 3-89404-230-3) 

En: Transparency of Educational Certificates in Europe. Sectoral Studies on 

Workers’ Mobility. 

OfCom, 2008, Social Networking, A quantitative and qualitative research report into 

attitudes, behaviors and use. 

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/media_literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/socialnetworki 

ng 

Poros, M. (2001) The role of migrant networks in linking local markets: The case of 

Asian Indian migration to New York and London. Global Networks 1(3): 243-59 

Sumption, M. (2009). Social Networks and Polish Immigration to the UK. Institute for 

Public Policy Research. 

Vertovec, S. (2002). Transnational Networks and Skilled Migration. Conference 

Ladenburger Diskurs “Migration” Gottlieb Daimler- und Karl Benz-Stiftung. 

Ladenburg 2002. 

Woltering, K. (2005). Vereinheitlichung der EU-Bildungsabschlüsse von Ingenieuren 

und Wirtschaftswissenschaftlern. Grundlagen, Vergleiche, Perspektiven. Berlin: 

VDM-Verl. (ISBN 3-86550-055-2) 

En: Standardisation of EU-diplomas of engineers and economical scientists. 

Basics, comparism, perspectives. 

Internet - last download October 2009: 

http://www.daad.de/de/index.html 

http://www.hochschulkompass.de 

http://europa.eu.int/eures 

http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus 

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu 

http://www.anabin.de 

http://www.europass-info.de/de/start.asp 

http://www.enic-naric.net/ 

http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/nav/en/citizens/index.html 

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/index_en.htm 

http://www.ba-auslandsvermittlung.de 

http://www.zav-reintegration.de 

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http://www.arbeitsagentur.de 

http://berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de/berufe/index.jsp 

http://infobub.arbeitsagentur.de/kurs/index.jsp 

http://www.bibb.de/de/index.htm 

http://www.dipf.de 

http://www.ippr.org/members/download.asp?f=%2Fecomm%2Ffiles%2Fsocial%5Fne 

tworks%5Fpolish%5Fimmigration%2Epdf ippr – Institute for Public Policy Research, 

Poland 

Social Networks in the Internet: 

http://www.facebook.com/ 

http://www.myspace.com/ 

http://www.bebo.com/ 

3. Course 3: Knowledge of Legislations Pertaining to Education, 

Training and Work at Local, National and International 

Level 


• The BDBG counsellor knows about relevant legislation related to migration and is 

able to apply and explain legal issues to clients. (TAX 1 – supporting 

competences, client-interaction competences) 

3.2 Unit 1: Relevant Legislation Pertaining to Education, Training and 

Work at Local, National and International Level 

Contents should be entrance requirements to main educational offers as secondary 

schools, high schools and universities, legal framework concerning the access to 

further education and training, legal framework of access to markets – residence and 

work permits in selected regions and countries. 


Expert’s lecture on the main principles of law and application of law 

Cases 

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3.4 Tasks and Learning Questions 

Gather information on main entrance requirements to the (compulsory) education 

system in another country. 

Find information on entrance requirements to a market in another country. 

(Work permit? Residence permits?) 







4. Course 4: Knowledge of Equivalence of Degrees and Professional 

Qualifications Obtained in Different Countries 


• The BDBG counsellor knows about the main regulations on the equivalence of 

degrees and professional qualifications obtained in different countries and about 

recognition procedures and he is able to explain regulations and procedures to 

clients. (TAX 3 – supporting competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor can judge on special markets’ and clients’ needs related to 

qualifications and the specific plans of individual clients (educational and workrelated) 

and can give clients individual advice. (TAX 4 foundation competences, 

client interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows examples of international careers and is able to raise 

clients’ awareness on the consequences of their decisions. (TAX 4 – clientinteraction 

competences) 

4.2 Unit 1: Main Regulations on the Equivalence of Degrees and 

Professional Qualifications Obtained in Different Countries, 

Recognition Procedures 

The rights of EU citizens to establish themselves or to provide services anywhere in 

the EU are fundamental freedoms in the Single Market. National regulations which 

only recognise professional qualifications of a particular jurisdiction present obstacles 

to these fundamental freedoms. These obstacles are overcome by EU rules (Bologna 

process and Lisbon conclusions) guaranteeing the mutual recognition of professional 

qualifications between Member States. 

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4.3 Unit 2: University Entrance Requirements, Regulated Professions, 

Special Market Segments 

Participants have to be aware of the different rules for recognition procedures in 

different countries and also of non-academic professions that in different countries 

according to their regulations have to undergo special recognition procedures as well 

(i.e.: electricians in Norway). 


Lecturer: Introduction to main regulations in the field of education and work and to 

the main websites related to the issue 


Practical work (in small groups) 


Describe a market segment for an academic profession including the entrance 

requirements. Tell the client about the procedures and the first steps towards 

recognition. 












http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/index_en 

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5. Case examples from Germany 

1. Karl, 30 years old, married, father of two children (1 and 3), wife at home because 

of the children. Passed German vocational education as an electrician (ISCED 

3b).Cannot find a good job in Germany – thinks of going to Norway and seeks for 

information on working conditions in Norway. He also thinks of moving there with 

his family. 

Expert advice is needed in the following fields: 

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� Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work: 

Karl does not have a regulated profession, but foreign electricians working in 

Norway, have to pass special exams by the employers’ federation in the field. 

� Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources: 

Karl will learn some facts about Norway but will also have to continue collecting 

information himself. Useful for him would be the EURES website, website of 

“Auslandsvermittlung” and the website of the Norwegian employment services 

on working conditions in Norway. On living conditions there are the sites of the 

Norwegian embassy and a society of “friends of Norway in Germany”. 

� Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications obtained 

in different countries (see above). 

2. Anna, 39 years old, single, working for the city of Mannheim as a social 

pedagogue Diploma in social sciences 1995, looking for a job abroad (Europe) 

because of not being satisfied with the working conditions and salary in 

Mannheim. Wants to know about chances, opportunities, where to find a job and 

what to think of before leaving. 

Expert advice is needed in the following fields: 

� Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work: 

Anna has regulated profession. She should know about the recognition 

procedures where to address to and how much time this would take. 

� Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources: 

As Anna still is undecided where to go she should have basic information on 

several countries and the minimum requirements for working there. 

Useful for her would be the EURES website and the website of “Auslandsvermittlung”. 

� Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications obtained 

in different countries: 

See above

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Overview 

The sub-module “Marketing and Programmes for Mobility” is aimed at qualified 

counsellors with counselling experience and practice and who shall be prepared for 

BDBG counselling. 

Employees of job market institutions (vocational counsellors) identify the basic 

principles of job market functioning. They identify and describe problems of 

employment policy in partner countries and in the European Union. They differentiate 

and describe basic services of job market institutions and the instruments of the job 

market. They identify basic groups of clients – the receivers of the individual services 

and instruments of the job market. They identify the needs of the demand and supply 

side of the job market within the scope of employment and training. They cooperate 

with internal and external customers. They systematize the collected information on 

the unemployed and people looking for work as well as job vacancies overseas. They 

set marketing objectives for vocational counselling. They identify requirements of 

different receiver groups and adapt marketing activities to the requirements. They 

evaluate possibilities of satisfying the needs of various receiver groups. They work 

out activity schedules with reference to the marketing plan. They select appropriate 

marketing instruments. They work out marketing materials; they apply promotion and 

distribution methods and techniques. They cooperate and make contacts with job 

market partners. They monitor the effectiveness of the marketing activities and create 

new qualities of the service. 

The marketing section of this sub-module offers the two courses 

Course 1: Dimensions of Marketing in the Sectors of Non - Profit Services for 

Migrants 

Course 2: Career Counsellors in Private Practice and Marketing the Services 

“Marketing” will be followed by two courses focusing on programmes 

Course 3: European and International Programmes 

Course 4: National Programmes for Outgoing, Incoming and Returning 

The aim of these two courses shall be knowledge of the main offers for outgoing, 

incoming and returning migrants and knowledge of the main networks acting in the 

context of international mobility including the financial support that may be offered to 

the individual client. 

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1. Course 1: Dimensions of Marketing in the Sectors of Non - Profit 

Services 


• Presenting vocational counselling services under the perspective of social 

marketing and identifying the target groups (TAX 3 - foundation competence, 


• Indicating the need for social marketing as an instrument of improving the methods 

of undertaking and carrying our social tasks by the job market institutions (TAX 2 – 


• Familiarizing vocational counsellors with social marketing methods and preparing 

them to apply the methods in practice (TAX 4 – foundation competences, 

supporting competences 

1.2 Unit 1: Basic Ideas in Marketing 

A marketing concept - is an intellectually broad project with a leading thought that 

links in one plan the main strategies and necessary operational measures 

(instrumentation) (a policy paper). 

Marketing may be perceived as a marketing concept of the specific target-oriented 

formation of the processes of exchange with partners in a work 

establishment/organization (internally) and with external partners (especially with 

partners in offer/supply markets and acquisition/demand markets), as well as in the 

area of public opinion (public marketing). 

• Internal marketing: shaping the channels of exchange with people from the same 

organization in order to form the bases for effective external marketing. 

• External marketing: offer/supply marketing, acquisition/demand marketing and 

public marketing. 

• Exchange process: a process of voluntary mutual exchange of material benefits, 

services, financial means, information, counselling services. Exchange processes 

take effect between the parties of which each party offers something of a value to 

the other party. 

Direct/two-way exchange: 

For the services rendered and the return services rendered one should pay directly 

after their rendering (clear payment), or possibly - in case of public goods (intellectual 

goods) - the payment does not cover the costs. 

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Indirect/many-way exchange: 

Services are rendered in exchange of not direct but indirect payment (taxes) or as 

apparently free services to the citizens, for example community administration, the 

office. 

1.3 Unit 2: Leading Thoughts and Leading Objectives of Marketing 

1. The idea of gratification: channeling the marketing towards the needs, 

expectations and requirements of the exchange partner. A special case: clientorientation 

and the resulting marketing principles - the goal is the clients' 

satisfaction. 

2. Focusing on "bottlenecks": orientation to the most important "bottlenecks" in the 

organization: 

� Offer/supply area. 

� Acquisition/demand area (limited human, substantial, financial resources). 

� Public opinion (image, criticism). 

3. Competitiveness, quality of the services provided, turnovers, market share. 

4. The principle of social responsibility (working in opposition to the tendency for ever 

greater emphasis on the role of achieved turnovers and profits). 

It is important to subordinate the main leading thoughts and objectives of marketing 

to the superior corporate identity of the counselling organization. To shape the 

corporate identity (CI) it is important to combine three instruments: 

• Corporate communications (CC): advertisement, public relations, and internal 

communication. 

• Corporate design (CD): external image of the organization with a logo, a header 

on official paper, architecture, employees' wear, etc. 

• Corporate behavior (CB): external and internal behaviors. 

All the three aspects should be mutually harmonized (in terms of the awareness of 

being "us"). 

1.4 Unit 3: Planning of Social Marketing - a Strategy for Vocational, 

Educational and Careers Guidance 

1. Identification of segments in the area of counselling services that require working 

out: Which tasks in the area of counselling should be performed for which groups 

of clients? 

Step1: A counselling service should be precisely described because the size of 

the market segment depends on it. The market is as much smaller as much more 

precisely defined is the product. The characteristic features of the product on the 

one hand and the expectations of the market participants on the other hand result 

in a real market and a potential market. 

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Step 2: The division of the market in segments should be made on the basis of 

such criteria that uncover differences - significant from the point of view of the 

demand or essential from the point of view of behaviours - between possible 

clients: (1) socio-economic variables (gender, occupation, income, unemployment, 

social class, family situation), (2) geographical variables, (3) psychological 

variables (values, motivations, lifestyle), (4) attitude to identical or similar 

counselling offers. 

2. Identification of the type of clients - deciding on the question: Should the 

counselling tasks be offered by way of a non-differentiated or rather a 

differentiated identification of target groups? 

On the basis of the combination of criteria one can distinguish types of the market 

segments. In case of the active division in segments the marketing instruments 

are applied with a specific aim, there are no losses resulting from dispersion. 

One can speak of the passive division in segments or an auto selection of 

clients in case when the counselling offer refers to a larger market; there is a 

danger of losses resulting from dispersion. 

3. Identification of the form of competitiveness-orientation: Should the goals be 

achieved by a clear differentiation from similar organization, independently of 

competitive organizations? 

4. Identification of the kind of offer facilitators/offer intermediary agents: How 

precise is the co-operation with other organizations that are offer 

facilitators/intermediary agents? 

The following matrix helps to define the relationship between career guidance and 

the potential partners on the market for counselling services. 

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Table 1: Relationships with the potential partners 

Coordination Cooperation Conflict 

Facilitators actual target actual target actual target 

Target groups 

opinion – 

leaders 

actual target actual target actual target 

Competitors actual target actual target actual target 

Persons or institutions and the type of relation with them are entered in the boxes 

(actual = as it is now; target = the way it should be in future). 

Very important partners in “Brain circulation” is the Diaspora organization and 

its network in host countries (OECD 2008) 

5. Identification of the pivotal points by application of marketing instruments. 

Marketing can be defined as the creation of four tools and their optimal 

combination for a "marketing mix". 

1. Product policy/Programme policy 

� What can and should the counselling product/counselling service do? 

� Which specific requirements must the counselling product/counselling service 

meet? 

� Which restrictions exist (number of counsellors, professionalism of staff, 

financial restrictions, equipment, and legal restrictions)? 

� Are there any complementary or replacement products? 

The following figure shows an instrument of a marketing portfolio for optimizing 

counselling services with two dimensions "Attractiveness for target groups" and 

"Effectiveness for the target groups". 

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Table 2: Marketing portfolio for information services 

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low medium high 

Attractiveness 1.1 1.2 1.3 high 

for target groups 2.1 2.2 2.3 medium 

3.1 3.2 3.3 low 

Effectiveness for the target groups 

The first step is to assign the existing and planned counselling services to one of 

the 9 boxes; we recommend doing this for each target group separately. 

Counselling marketing is most interesting for the boxes that show the widest gap 

between "effectiveness" and "attractiveness", i.e. boxes 1.1 and 3.3. 

2. Communication policy 

In counselling marketing communication policy is about how the target groups` 

attention can be drown to the information services and how can be made to accept 

them. 

To that aim one should first of all decide at which level of requirements the 

campaign should be conducted: 

� Cognitive campaigns are oriented to changes at knowledge level, and 

especially to raise awareness of the guidance advantages, to inform the groups 

of clients of the market, to inform about financial support in case of 

unemployment, about the media that serve to collect information by oneself, etc. 

� Action campaigns are oriented to specific activities of addressees/clients, and 

especially to active participation in individual counselling, to active searching for 

jobs, to participation in the acquisition of vocational qualifications, to visiting 

centres of vocational information. 

� Behavioural change campaigns are oriented to long-term improvement of the 

behaviour of possible clients, and especially to constant vocational training, to 

improve the attitude to work, to the avoidance of alcohol and drugs abuse, to 

improve awareness of the value of health. 

� Value system change campaigns are characterized by a highest difficulty 

degree, as they are targeted against superstitions. Examples: campaigns to 

reduce the prejudice against foreigners, to raise the level of environmental 

preservation awareness, to eliminate prejudices, which are given voice at the 

time of applying for job, against persons unemployed for a long time.

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3. The distribution policy is about making the different counselling products and 

services available to the target groups at the right time, in the right place, in the 

right amount and in the right manner. 

The direct method is direct distribution between the target group/client and the 

counsellor or counselling service; i.e. face-to-face counselling, direct 

communication with the client via phone, Internet, letter. 

The indirect method operates via other facilitators, i.e. school, university, 

associations, communal institutions, and trade unions. 

4. Price policy: consideration policy 

The valuation of counselling services with a "price" is a prerequisite for the 

economic (efficient) use of resources. Making offers available to people for free is 

not always synonymous with a social mandate. Therefore public employment and 

career guidance services, in particular, must find ways to warrant the efficient and 

effective use of their services with the help of a consideration policy. 

Here monetary and non-monetary considerations must be distinguished in: 

� direct consideration with the character of some parts of the real price, e.g. 

tuition fees, 

� direct immaterial consideration, 

� indirect consideration with costs elements, e.g. church tax, social security 

contributions, 

� indirect immaterial consideration, e.g. good image and acceptance by the 

target groups. 


Lecturer: Input - a presentation on the scale of marketing activities in the area of 

non-profit services, with examples. Work in small groups on the planning of a 

marketing strategy in various areas of vocational guidance. With this aim, drawing up 

draft syntheses. 

Aids: A projector transparency or a PowerPoint presentation. Draft syntheses for 

participants. 

Participants: A systematic draft of marketing strategies in small groups. Writing a 

report, a presentation and a discussion in the whole group. 

Aids: Reporting on the results. A projector transparency or a PowerPoint 

presentation. 

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Exercise 1 

Preparing a customer interview (90 minutes) 

The trainer divides training participants into three groups. Each group is given a task. 

Task for group I 

Make a list of problems which you will discuss during an interview with an 

unemployed customer who seeks the advice of a counsellor for vocational 

development. The purpose of the interview is diagnosing the customer’s needs 

concerning his or her training possibilities within the programme offered. 

Task for group II 

Make a list of problems which you will discuss during an interview with an 

unemployed customer who seeks the advice of a counsellor for vocational 

development. The purpose of the interview is to diagnose the customer’s needs 

concerning the kind of work which they are looking for. 

Task for group III 

Make a list of problems which you will discuss with an unemployed customer who 

seeks the advice of a counsellor for vocational development. The purpose of the 

interview is to diagnose the customer’s needs concerning the possibilities of 

participating in workshops preparing the unemployed for their individual job search. 

In the exercise one should use the following sheet: 

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Number An area/a problem 

discussed 

during an interview 

Examples of questions to the 

customer 

1. 

2. 

3. 

When group work is finished, the trainer asks each member of a group to present the 

three lists of issues discussed during an interview with a customer. The purpose of 

asking a given question and the manner of taking the customer through the interview 

should be discussed by the whole group. 

Teaching materials: sheets of paper, markers, cards stating tasks for individual 

groups 

Exercise 2 

Strategy of reaching a target (120 minutes) 

The trainer divides the group into three teams and each of group is given the same 

task. 

The task: The office where you work has a task of increasing the number of contacts 

with employers. You need to prepare a strategy for reaching the goal, taking into 

account five elements of marketing mix:

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1. Product 

2. Price 

3. Promotion 

4. Distribution 

5. Personnel 

At the end of the exercise the trainer points out possible solution methods given by 

the teams and they evaluate the usefulness of marketing mix in the work of the 

Public Employment Services. The trainer stresses the necessity of planning the 

activities within the created strategies and the importance of establishing the clear 

plan of activities. 

Teaching aids: sheets of papers, markers 

1.6 Examples of Good Practices 

a) Office of Science & Technology (OST) at the Embassy of Austria in 

Washington, DC 

1. Brief overview of the OST 

The OST is an initiative of four Austrian federal ministries: the Federal Ministry for 

European and International Affairs (BMeiA), the Federal Ministry of Science and 

Research (BMWF), the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology 

(BMVIT), and the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth (BMWFJ). 

Established in 2001, the OST serves as a strategic interface in the areas of higher 

education, science, and research policy between Austria and North America. In 

keeping with its mission of "Building bridges of knowledge and expertise between 

Austria and North America," the OST has built extensive expertise on Austrian and 

North American science, research, and technology policy. 

2. Communications: Target groups, institutions, public relations 

Target groups of the OST are manifold, and can be divided into the OST’s core 

service areas: 

• OST Scientist Network: Austrian scientists, researchers and scholars, R&D 

managers and S&T policy experts, who are currently in North America or who 

have spent some time in North America. 

• Online magazine bridges: Persons of any nationality with interest in S&T policy. 

• OST Visitors Program: for Austrian delegations from government, higher 

education, universities, research institutions, etc. 

• Austrian government: policy advice and information. 

• Austrian research institutions: support of the establishment of scientific cooperations 

with North American partners. 

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3. Product Policy: Types of products and services for target groups and 

institutions 

The OST represents Austria in North America, and serves as an interface for 

Austrian scientists currently in North America. It is a source of information on North 

American science, research and innovation policy for Austrian decision makers, and 

it represents a well-connected point of contact for transatlantic co-operation projects 

in science, research, and development. 

The work of the OST focuses on consultation and information on Austrian, European, 

and North American science, research, and technology policy via its online magazine 

bridges (http://bridges.ostina.org), on the expansion and maintenance of the OST 

Scientist Network (http://www.ostina.org/scientists), and on supporting and advising 

the initiation of new R&D co-operations e.g. via organizing visitors programs for 

Austrian delegations. 

Special focus is put on Austrian scientists, scholars, researchers, R&D managers, 

and S&T policy experts in North America. Currently, the interdisciplinary OST 

Scientist Network comprises of over 1.400 persons. 

Encouraged by the Office of Science & Technology (OST), the association “Austrian 

Scientists and Scholars in North America” (ASciNA) was formally established in 2002 

by Austrian scientists, and has since been managed by its members. 

In brief, the core of the OST’s work is substantiated in the following areas: 

• Expansion and maintenance of the OST Scientist Network - an interdisciplinary 

network of Austrian scientists, researchers, scholars, R&D managers, and S&T 

policy experts in North America 

• Consultation and information on Austrian and North American science, research, 

and technology policy 

• Active support and advice on the initiation of new R&D co-operations between 

Austrian and North American institutions 

• Information via bridges, the free online magazine, on current topics of science and 

technology policy in Austria, Europe, and North America 

• Establishing and maintaining contacts with representatives in the field of S&T 

policy 

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4. Distribution: which procedures have proved themselves, networks? 

Distribution of information from the OST among others via: 

• Direct Marketing: Establishing contact with target groups for OST Scientist 

Network and for the online magazine bridges is predominantly implemented via 

Email 

• Internet Marketing: OST websites distribute information specifically targeted at 

different target groups of the OST (www.ostina.org - http://bridges.ostina.org - 

www.ostina.org/scientists) 

• Public Relations: as required mainly with events associated with the OST, and with 

the OST Visitors Program 

5. Which costs does the user incur, and how is success at the OST measured? 

All OST services are available for the OST’s target groups free of charge. The 

success and successful completion of the OST’s projects and programs is evaluated 

on an annual basis by the board of directors, which is the supervisory board of the 

OST. This board determines strategic goals, financial planning, and the annual 

budget, and oversees the OST's work program and reporting to the funding 

ministries. 

In addition, external feedback is incorporated in the evaluation of our individual 

programs. The quality of the online magazine bridges is, for example, being 

confirmed by feedback from many sources: The New York Times quoted an article 

published in bridges in its business section, the world-wide known Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology (MIT) is using bridges articles in classes to support course 

work, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science Radio features bridges pod 

casts, etc. 

6. Is the OST limited to the United States? Are there co-operations with similar 

European services, e.g. GAIN? 

The OST covers North America in its entirety, which means the United States of 

America, and Canada. The director of the OST also holds the position of Science 

Attaché at the Embassy of Austria in Washington, DC, and is accredited for the 

United States and Canada. 

Co-operations with institutions such as GAIN, Euraxess or Swissnex have been 

ongoing, e.g. by spreading information among specific target groups, organizing joint 

events, etc. 

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7. Are there services and/or programs in Austria the OST co-operates with in 

regards to outgoing, returning or incoming? 

The OST has been working with multiple co-operation partners, among which the 

following Austrian organizations and institutions: 

• Austrian Federal Ministries: BMeiA, BMWF, BMVIT, BMWFJ (see 1.) 

• Brainpower Austria (BpA), http://www.brainpower-austria.at 

• Fulbright Austrian – American Educational Commission, http://www.fulbright.at 

• Austrian Exchange Service (Österreichischer Austauschdienst, ÖAD), 

http://www.oead.ac.at/ 

• Austrian Academy of Sciences (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 

ÖAW), http://www.oeaw.ac.at/ 

• Austrian Science Fund (Wissenschaftsfonds, FWF), http://www.fwf.ac.at/ 

• Association “Austrian Scientists in North America” (ASciNA), http://www.ascina.at/ 

• Numerous Austrian universities and universities of applied sciences 

• Other institutions from the fields of S&T and R&D 

b) GAIN is a joint initiative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH), the 

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Research Foundation 

(DFG) and associated members, including the German Rectors' Conference, the 

Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, 

the Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Society. 

EURAXESS Links is a networking tool for European researchers in the USA. It 

provides information about research in Europe, European research policy, 

opportunities for research funding, for international collaboration and for transnational 

mobility. 

Contact: Dr. Katja Simons, GAIN Program Director 

simons@daad.org , Phone: 212.758.3223 ext. 217 

for more information about EURAXESS Links USA and GAIN, visit 

http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/index_en.htm 

http://www.gain-network.org 

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2. Course 2: Career Counsellors in Private Practice and Marketing the 

Services 


• Developing the ability to identify the needs of the receivers of the job market 

services (TAX 3 – client-interaction competences) 

• Application of ethical guidelines and standards in day-to-day work and behaviour 

(TAX 4 – foundation competences) 

2.2 Unit 1: Types of Services (with potential clients) 

• Individual and group career counselling. Testing. 

• Outplacement (often specialize in white collar workers). Job placement. 

• Head-hunters (often involves recruiting and placing corporate executives, 

scientists). 

• Resume and employability skills development (often targets young workers (e.g., 

college students), workers in transition, and those who have lost their jobs). 

• Retirement planning. 

• Career/life-role integration (may target workers at midlife or new entrants to force). 

• Training. 

• Consultation (business, governmental agencies, schools, universities, federal 

programmes). 

• Career development programme evaluation (business, governmental agencies, 

schools, universities, federal programmes with career development programmes). 

• Work adjustment counselling (the general public; on a contract basis to business). 

• Spousal relocation (business; primarily those businesses interested in transferring 

executives who have employed spouses who are seeking careers). 

• Vocational appraisal (Social Security Administration; insurance companies; other 

interested in establishing extent of vocational disability). 

• Career information (develop customized information packets for clients who do not 

wish to pursue information independently). 

2.3 Unit 2: Offering Services 

When deciding what services to offer, the following questions should be answered: 

1. Am I really in business or do I plan a part-time practice? 

2. Will I specialize in career counselling? If yes, which services will I offer? 

3. Are any undeserved groups present in my community? 

4. Are career development services being offered that could be offered more 

effectively? 

5. Am I projecting the right image? 

6. Should I join group practices? 

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Marketing is seen as a critical part of a successful private counselling practice. 

Therefore practitioners must realistically determine whether they have the skills to 

offer a service and whether that service has a market. 

Because careers counsellors in PES are paid regularly by a public institution, the 

immediate need to market is less pressing. And many counsellors who have worked 

in public institutions have an aversion to advertising. 

One of the best types of advertisements is the non-ad (e.g. writing in magazines or 

newspapers regularly, serving in high-visibility volunteer positions where their names 

are frequently mentioned in local news media. 

A marketing campaign may begin with non-ads, but soon target groups must be 

developed, a list of the strategies to be employed must be compiled, an advertising 

budget must be developed, and an advertising calendar must be laid out. 

In all the activities related to marketing, organising, work planning, financing, 

specifying remuneration and co-operating with other counselling services one should 

follow the ethical standards of vocational guidance adopted for example by 

AIOSP/IAEVG in 1995. 


Lecturer: Input - a presentation on potential areas for private career counselling, with 

examples drawn from the country. A study of a project to establish a private 

counselling practice. Consulting experts about evaluation of the results. 

Aids: A projector transparency or a PowerPoint presentation. 

Participants: A study (individual or in a partnership co-operation) of a project to 

establish and conduct a private counselling practice. Regional research. Drawing up 

reports on the results (with a chart of theses). A presentation and a discussion in the 

whole group. 

Exercise 1: Organizing services (40 minutes) 

The trainer divides the participants into pairs and then distributes the task-sheets. 

Match the service with the customers. 

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Training institution Local partnership 

Tertiary school Employment agency 

Production plant Service information 

Small family company Public works 

Local government Investment works 

An unemployed person Future employee training

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A job seeker Traineeship at a work place 

Social Services centre Information about the job market 

Foundation Potential candidate selection 

The task of each pair is to discuss and match the issues and to present the 

arguments in favour of the decision made. 

Once the exercise is finished, the trainer points out various needs of service 

receivers. He emphasizes the importance of very good identification of customers’ 

needs and analysis of possibilities of meeting the needs in compliance with 

possibilities provided by public finance and the European funds. The trainer 

emphasises the fact that the Employment Promotion and Employment Institutions Act 

clearly shows the services which can be offered to the individual receivers. At the 

same time, developing local partnership offers new opportunities to the consulting 

companies. 

Teaching aids: sheets of paper, markers, and flipcharts 

Exercise 2: Selecting the information channel (60 minutes) 

The trainer divides the group into two teams and each team is given a task in which 

they have to present the scope of information and information channels used to 

transmit this information with reference to two basic groups of customers. 

Group I – for the unemployed customer 

Group II – for the employer customer 

The following sheets should be of help: 

Customer 

Information which should be given to The most appropriate information 

the customer 

channel 

E.g. Time to see customers Information board, leaflets, Internet site 

When summing up the exercise, the trainer points out availability of various 

information channels and their merits in case of correct selection of the information 

transmitted. 

Teaching aids: sheets of papers with the table, markers 

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2.5 RReferences 

Altkorn J., Podstawy marketingu, Instytut Marketingowy, Kraków 2003 

En: Basics of Marketing 

Bangs D.H., Plan marketingowy, PWE Warszawa 1999 

En: Marketing Plan 

Beckwith H., Sprzedawanie niewidzialnego. Przewodnik po nowoczesnym 

marketingu us�ug, One Press, 2006 

En: Selling the invisible. The guide to modern marketing services 

Buczuma-Zielonka J., D. Tyszkiewicz-Janik, Programy szkole� modu�owych dla 

kadry publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia – Promocja us�ug rynku pracy, WYG 

International – Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej, Warszawa 2007 r. 

En: Modular training programs for staff of public employment services - 

promotion of labor market services 

Czuba�a, A. Jonas, T. Smole�, J.W. Wiktor, Marketing us�ug, Oficyna Ekonomiczna, 

Kraków 2006 

En: Marketing Services 

Garczarczyk J., A. Michalak, J. Perenc, Podstawy marketingu, Wy�sza Szko�a 

Biznesu, Gorzów Wlkp., 2001 

En: Basics of Marketing 

Kotler P., Marketing, REBIS, Pozna� 2005 

En: Marketing 

Nowotny J., Plan marketingowy, Poltex, Warszawa 1999 

En: Marketing Plan 

OECD, The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility of The Highly Skillled, Paris 

Cedex 2008 

Payne A., Marketing us�ug, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, Warszawa 1997 


Perenc J. (red.) Marketing us�ug. Wybrane aspekty, Wydawnictwo Naukowe 

Uniwersytetu Szczeci�skiego, Szczecin, 2005 r. 

En: Marketing Service. Selected aspects 

Sargeant A., Marketing w organizacjach non profit, Oficyna Ekonomiczna, Kraków 

2004 

En: Marketing in nonprofit organizations 

Seria Zeszytów Metodycznych Po�redników Pracy, Zeszyt numer 2, Marketing 

urz�dów pracy, Krajowy Urz�d Pracy, Warszawa 1996 r. 

En: Marketing office 

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Seria Zeszytów Metodycznych Po�redników Pracy, Zeszyt numer 3, Marketingowy 

model funkcjonowania publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia, Krajowy Urz�d Pracy, 

Warszawa 1997 r 

En: Marketing model of public employment services 

Sty� A. (red.), Marketing us�ug, AE, Wroc�aw 2003 r. 


Woods P., A. Dolan, Podr�cznik marketingu dla s�u�b zatrudnienia, Warszawa 1995r. 

En: Marketing guide for employment services 

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3. Course 3: European and International Programmes (EURES, 

Euroguidance, Financial Support) 

3.1 Learning Objectives: 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the organisational structure, offers and tasks of the 

EURES network. (TAX 1 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is competent and motivated to work with the offers of 

EURES and able to explain this to clients tailored to their needs. (TAX 4 – 

foundation competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the organisational structure, offers and tasks of the 

Euroguidance network. (TAX 1 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is competent and motivated to work with the offers of 

Euroguidance and related databases and able to explain this to clients tailored to 

their needs. (TAX 4 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows other networks’ offers and their usability for clients. 

(TAX 3 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the programmes and resources of financial support 

for outgoing, incoming and returning professionals and students and is able to 

pass relevant information to clients. (TAX 3, 4 – supporting competences, 

foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows supporting programmes in the educational 

sector (education, further education). (TAX 1 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to explain possible funding to clients. (TAX 4 – clientinteraction 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is motivated and able to refer clients to the competent 

bodies in the field of financial (and organisational) supporting. (TAX 4 – foundation 


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3.2 Unit 1: The EURES Network 

The purpose of EURES – European Employment Services - is to provide information, 

advice and recruitment/placement (job-matching) services for the benefit of workers 

and employers as well as any citizen wishing to benefit from the principle of the free 

movement of persons. EURES has a human network of more than 700 EURES 

advisers that are in daily contact with jobseekers and employers across Europe. The 

joint resources of the EURES members and partner organisations provide a solid 

basis for the EURES network to offer high quality services for both workers and 

employers. 

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/home.jsp?lang=en&langChanged=true 

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3.3 Unit 2: The Euroguidance Network 

Handling and exchanging information is the very basis of Euroguidance work. One 

of the advantages of being a European network, with contact points in 31 countries, 

is the possibility to gather information from all these countries, even on a quite 

detailed level. Together the Euroguidance network can produce unique information 

and comparable data that no single centre could bring about. The centres exchange 

information with each other and inform both national and international clients. In the 

Terms of Reference it is specified that the Euroguidance centres should provide and 

exchange quality information on: 

• educational and vocational guidance systems 

• project results, innovative working methods and good practice in the field of 

lifelong guidance 

• education and training systems (descriptions at general level) 

• the Community initiatives and programmes within the field of education, training 

and mobility 

• other opportunities for mobility for learning purposes 

This is done through many different channels, public, like the national websites, 

PLOTEUS and the Euroguidance website and internal, like the Webboard and 

handbook, which are part of the members’ area. Some of the content in our common 

website is available both through the members’ area and the public part. 

http://www.euroguidance.net/ 

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3.4 Unit 3: Other Networks 

Networks offering direct access for clients/end users: 

Eurodesk is a European network of information services in 27 countries providing a 

unique access to European information for young people and those who work with 

them. In each participating country, the Eurodesk national partners are national 

bodies working in the youth field (non-governmental organisations, or organisations 

supported by a Ministry), which have been selected by the relevant ministry in each 

country, to deliver Eurodesk services. The national partners are responsible for 

promoting and delivering European information services to the public. The Eurodesk 

service has to be adapted to fit into the situation in each participating country. 

Different countries provide the Eurodesk service in different ways. 

The website can be found at 

www.eurodesk.org 

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Youth in Action is the EU Programme for young people aged 15-28 (in some cases 

13-30). It aims to inspire a sense of active citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among 

young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future. 

It promotes mobility within and beyond the EU borders, non-formal learning and 

intercultural dialogue, and encourages the inclusion of all young people, regardless 

of their educational, social and cultural background. 


ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme 

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ENIC-NARIC: The European Council and UNESCO network ENIC (European 

Network of National Information Centres on Academic Recognition and Mobility) and 

the European Union network NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information 

Centres) are international networks created for facilitating the true and fair recognition 

of education obtained abroad and for promoting academic and professional mobility. 


www.enic-naric.net 

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Euraxess – the European Network of Mobility Centres – is a Europe-wide service 

providing mobile researchers and their families with customised assistance in all 

matters relating to their mobility experience. Through the portal three main types of 

information are available: 

• Fellowships/Grants 

• Research Job Vacancies 

• Practical Information 

This portal allows mobile researchers to post their CVs free of charge. 


ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index_en.cfm?l1=0&l2=0&l3=0 

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Europass is designed to encourage mobility and lifelong learning in an enlarged 

Europe. It aims to help three million citizens make their qualifications and skills easily 

understood throughout Europe by 2010. 

Europass brings together into a single framework several existing tools for the 

transparency of diplomas, certificates and competences. Helping citizens to better 

communicate and present their qualifications and skills throughout Europe, Europass 

will promote both occupational mobility, between countries as well as across sectors, 

and mobility for learning purposes. 


www.europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/preview.action?locale_id=1 

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Europe Direct is a network that gives you: 

• General information about EU matters in any of the official EU languages. 

• An answer to your questions on any European Union policy. 

• Practical information on dozens of subjects: for example, how to get your 

qualifications recognised or how to complain about unsafe products. 

• Contact details of relevant organisations you may need to deal with. 

• Advice to help you overcome practical problems with exercising your rights in 

Europe. 

This website can be found at 

ec.europa.eu/europedirect 

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National Reference Points for Vocational Qualifications: In every country 

(European Union, European Economic Area and very soon in candidate countries), a 

National Reference Point gives access to information on vocational qualifications. All 

National Reference Points are part of a network. 

Main functions are to: 

• serve as a first point of contact for questions relating to national qualifications, 

• certificates and Certificate Supplements; 

• provide access to relevant information or serve as a point of contact with national 

bodies which hold the information; 

• act as a national partner in the European network of National Reference Points. 


http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Information+and++Suppor 

t/National+Reference+Points.csp 

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Eurydice is an institutional network for gathering, monitoring, processing and 

circulating reliable and readily comparable information on education systems and 

policies throughout Europe. Eurydice covers the education systems of the Member 

States of the European Union, the three countries of the European Free Trade 

Association which are members of the European Economic Area, and the EU 

candidate countries involved in the EU Action Programme in the field of Lifelong 

Learning. 


eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice 

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Cedefop is the European Agency to promote the development of vocational 

education and training (VET) in the European Union. Cedefop works to promote a 

European area of lifelong learning throughout an enlarged EU. It does this by 

providing information on and analyses of vocational education and training systems, 

policies, research and practice. 

Cedefop's tasks are to: 

• compile selected documentation and analyses of data; 

• contribute to developing and coordinating research; 

• exploit and disseminate information; 

• encourage joint approaches to vocational education and training problems; 

• provide a forum for debate and exchanges of ideas. 

Cedefop established ReferNet – a structured, decentralised, networked system of 

information collection and dissemination. 

The study visits programme/network encourages exchanges and discussion among 

those responsible for vocational training on subjects of common interest. 


www.cedefop.europa.eu/ 

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Networks in the Field of Guidance 

Cedefop, the European Agency to promote the development of vocational education 

and training, is also the European Union’s centre of expertise to support the 

development of VET and evidence-based policy-making. One important task for 

Cedefop is to provide guidance practitioners with advice, research, analysis and 

information. On Cedefop’s website European Training Village (ETV) there is an area 

with information on lifelong guidance (Choose lifelong guidance in the left menu). 

Here you will find information on European guidance projects, links to publications 

and research results, examples of good guidance strategies and practices and a live 

network for all the actors who have an interest in the field. 


www.cedefop.europa.eu/ 

(see above) 

FEDORA is an organisation for those involved in student guidance in institutions of 

higher education in Europe. The FEDORA network focuses especially on student 

mobility in higher education across Europe and the challenges that gives to the 

guidance practitioners. FEDORA contributes to the further development of the 

guidance practitioners’ competencies so they can better support, inform and guide 

the students on mobility issues. FEDORA organizes congresses, conferences and 

summer universities and each event takes place every three years. All types of 

events take place in different countries in the FEDORA member states each year. 


fedora.plexus.leidenuniv.nl/ 

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IAC (International Association for Counselling) wishes to encourage the exchange of 

ideas, research findings and personal experience in the field of counselling and 

guidance. This happens, among others, through organising conferences and 

publishing the International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling. 


www.iact.org/ 

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The International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, IAEVG, is a 

worldwide guidance and counselling organisation, whose mission is to promote the 

development and quality of educational and vocational guidance. IAEVG’ s mission is 

also to ensure that all citizens who need and want educational and vocational 

guidance and counselling can receive this counselling from a competent and 

recognized professional. 

The Association publishes a newsletter three times a year. Furthermore IAEVG 

publishes the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, which is 

a refereed journal publishing, articles in relation to work and leisure, career 

development, career counselling and guidance and career education. 


www.iaevg.org/ 

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The International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy, ICCDPP, has the 

task to facilitate international sharing of knowledge and information concerning public 

policy and career development issues. ICCDPP has a base for knowledge and 

information that contains proceedings from international symposia, and reports and 

news provided to the site by the users and by other international contacts. ICCDPP is 

supported by OECD, the World Bank, the European Commission etc. 


www.iccdpp.org 

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The Nordic Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance is a coalition of 

national associations for education and vocational guidance in the Nordic countries 

and the self-governing areas of Aaland Islands and Faeroe Islands. The aim of NFUE 

is to strengthen professional educational and vocational guidance in Nordic 

countries. 

NAEVG organizes seminars and conferences and develops cooperation with the 

Baltic countries. 


www.nfsy.org 

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The European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network aims to assist the European Union 

Member States and the Commission in moving European cooperation on lifelong 

guidance forward in both the education and the employment sectors. The purpose is 

to promote cooperation at Member State level on lifelong guidance and to propose 

appropriate structures and support mechanisms in implementing the priorities 

identified in the Resolution on Lifelong Guidance (2004). The ELGPN was 

established by the Member States and the Commission has foreseen to support the 

activities of the network in 2007-2008 under the Lifelong Learning Programme. 


ktl.jyu.fi/ktl/elgpn/ 

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3.5 Unit 4: Financial Support in Selected Areas and Countries 

European Funding - EU Lifelong Learning Programme: 

The Leonardo da Vinci programme focuses on the teaching and training needs of 

those involved in vocational education and training. It aims to establish and bolster 

the competitiveness of the European labour market by helping European citizens to 

acquire new skills, knowledge and qualifications and have them recognised across 

borders. It also supports innovations and improvements in vocational education and 

training systems and practices. One main objective is to increase the quality and 

attractiveness of vocational education and training in Europe. 


ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/leonardo/index_en.html 

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Comenius: Covering pre-schools through to upper secondary schools, the 

Comenius programme seeks to develop understanding of and between various 

European cultures through exchanges and co-operation between schools in different 

countries – these experiences foster personal development, skills and competences, 

and cultivate the notion of European citizenship. The programme addresses the 

educational community in its broadest sense, including local authorities, parents 

associations or teacher training institutes. Comenius aims to boost the quality of 

school education, strengthen its European dimension and promote mobility, language 

learning and greater inclusion. It supports partnerships between schools in thematic 

fields of common interest and multilateral projects to develop new pedagogical 

methods or curricula. It also funds education networks. 


ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc84_en.htm 

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Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is one of the biggest interdisciplinary student 

associations in Europe, founded in 1990 for supporting and developing student 

exchange. ESN is a not-for-profit international student organisation. Our mission is to 

foster student mobility in higher education under the principle of students helping 

students. 


www.esn.org/ 

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The Grundtvig programme seeks to respond to the challenges raised by the 

necessity to update knowledge and to provide adults with pathways to improve their 

know-how and competences, as they progress through life so that they can adapt to 

changes in the labour market and society. 

Grundtvig focuses on all forms of non-vocational adult and continuing education. It is 

targeted at learners, teachers, trainers and other staff in adult education and the 

educational institutions, organisations and other bodies offering and facilitating such 

learning opportunities. Adult education associations, counselling and information 

services, NGOs, enterprises, research centres and higher education institutions can 

work together through transnational partnerships, European projects and networks. 

Those involved in adult education can also take part in mobility activities. 


ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/grundtvig/index_en.html 

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The Jean Monnet programme promotes the teaching of and research into European 

integration as a subject at universities. It supports certain key institutions and 

associations active in the field and stimulates universities throughout the world to 

explain the EU’s model for peaceful coexistence and integration, as well as EU 

policies and external action. Today, it reaches 60 countries on five continents and 

has helped to set up nearly 3,000 teaching projects, reaching audiences of 250,000 

students every year. The new programme will continue to fund Jean Monnet chairs, 

centres of excellence and teaching modules, as well as information and research 

activities. 


ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/jm/index_en.html 

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The Erasmus Mundus programme is a co-operation and mobility programme in the 

field of higher education that promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence 

in learning around the world. It supports European top-quality Masters Courses and 

enhances the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third 

countries. It also provides EU-funded scholarships for third country nationals 

participating in these Masters Courses, as well as scholarships for EU-nationals 

studying at Partner universities throughout the world. 


ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus/index_en.html 

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The Tempus programme - modernisation in higher education. The Trans-European 

mobility scheme for university studies is the EU programme that supports the 

modernisation of higher education in the partner countries of the Western Balkans, 

Eastern Europe and Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. It contributes to 

creating an area of cooperation in the field of higher education between the 

European Union and partner countries surrounding the European Union. 


ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/tempus/index_en.html 

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Financial Support in Germany: 

In the field of workers’ mobility unemployed persons or persons in danger of 

unemployment in the future the employment agencies and the official bodies in 

charge of social benefits (Arbeitslosengeld II) offer financial support for registered 

clients according to SGB III and SGB II. 

Information is offered at 

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de -> 

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26254/Navigation/zentral/Buerger/Hilfen/Hilfen- 

Nav.html 

Academic staff can be funded by different programmes and endowments. 

An overview on the offers can be found at 

http://www.daad.de/de/index.html . 

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Lecturer: Input on networks, input on financial support programmes and regulations, 

cases, practical work 

3.7 Tasks and Learning Questions – Proposals 

Describe the offers of EURES for clients and companies. 

Motivate and assist a client to use these offers. 

Describe the offers of Euroguidance for clients/end users. 

Motivate and assist a client to use these offers. 

Describe the usability of other networks for clients. (Work in groups?) 

Describe the usability of other networks for counsellors. (Work in groups?) 

Assist a client to gain access to offers of other networks according to their special 

needs. 

Explain possible financial support to a client who wants to work abroad. 

3.8 Cases (Examples) 

Plummer wanting to work in another European country; 

Student who wants to know about pre-school teachers’ diploma in Europe; 

Young girl thinking about studying partly or for the whole time abroad. 


Internet – last download October 2009: 

http://www.europa.eu.int/eures/ 





ec.europa.eu/euraxess/inde_en.cfm?l1=0&l2=0&l3=0 

www.europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/preview.action?locale_id=1 

ec.europa.eu/europedirect 

europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Information+and++Support/Nati 

onal+Reference+Points.csp 

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www.iac-irtac.org/ 



www.nfsy.org 




www.esn.org/ 






http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26254/Navigation/zentral/Buerger/Hilfen/Hilfen- 

Nav.html 


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4. Course 4: National Programmes for Outgoing, Incoming and 

Returning 

Overview 

In the era of global economic activities and especially of global cross linking and 

particularly the implementation of the European internal market, the national 

education system, as well as the embodiment of the job history, career, development 

trails must open internationally. International performing companies, the disparity of 

international work markets, new private interest to work abroad, beside other 

qualification requirements on the new work market are leading to a fortified 

international mobility, even though the work emigration has historically back going 

roots (see Potts 1992). 

As explained in module ll a) the motivation of the abroad stay can differ from case to 

case depending on the push and pull factors. These factors are to be noticed in the 

necessity of counselling and supporting of each applicant. They demand specific 

requirements of the counselling Case Management as well as of the substance and 

quality of the services which enable the mobility of the moving persons. They also 

demand special standards to the existing and to the ones to be found together with a 

corresponding case management, a sort of “soft facts” of the individual decision of 

each, national programmes for outgoing, incoming and returning can be considered 

as the institutional frame for the counselling and case management (Module II a). A 

good consultancy can only take place if one considers thoroughly the individual 

motivation as well as the expectation of the applicant. 

The stage of the research of the development of the national mobility programmes 

showed, that they are from country to country differently generated and recorded. 

There are also mobility programmes of large international companies acting 

independent from governmental efforts. Additional to these facts they are influenced 

by the national emigration and immigration policy of the own country. 

A unitary and comprehensive description of the national mobility programmes will 

always have to immerse of each country itself and will remain a request to the 

knowledge management system. 

The aim of this course is to define a basis in the content as well as in the usage of 

the institutional frame and the mobility programmes and at the same time a basis for 

the active usage and further development of a knowledge management system. 

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• The participants become acquainted with the organisational structure, offers and 

tasks of the different programs. (TAX 1 – supporting competences) 

• The participants reflect, know which programmes are to be set and which needs 

exist in the different groups. (TAX 2 – client-interaction competences) 

• The participants know about the possible financial support for outgoing, oncoming 

and returning professionals and students and are able to pass relevant information 

to clients (TAX3, 4 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

4.2 Unit 1: National Programmes for Outgoing, Incoming and Returning 

In this unit there is an introduction in the structure of the countries. We have to 

distinguish with what kind of offers which groups stay especially in the focus. 

Considering the mobility and returning programmes we can see a spread out 

promotion of high qualified leading personal. Additional the outgoing and incoming 

programmes have different phases: before, in between, and after the stay abroad. 

The support must be accordingly to these phases and the single programmes as well 

as the counselling must be adjusted to them. The offers will be analysed in the group 

on hand of examples with the aim to bring awareness to the needs and expectation 

of the applicants. 

More over the programmes are checked if they are able to support properly the 

network and the chance of experience of these “expatriates”. 

The programmes of the educational sectors work the better through the AAA, 

Universities or governmental sites. 

Exemplary for many different networks and programmes are the following ones: 

• German academic international network (GAIN) 

GAIN’s purpose is to establish new ties and to intensify current ones between 

German scientists and scholars in North America and universities and research 

institutions in Germany interested in this kind of talent. GAIN is seeking to build and 

promote an interdisciplinary contact and information network for German scientists. 

German scientists in North America are important partners in the transatlantic 

cooperation. GAIN wants to improve and further the communication between 

scientists in Germany and North America, thereby strengthen the cooperation 

between universities and research institutes on both sides of the Atlantic in the long 

run. 

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Through information and guidance, GAIN wants to ease the professional and 

personal reintegration process for scientists planning to return to Germany, making 

sure that the skills and knowledge acquired will be utilized in the best possible way. 

Information about new trends and developments at German universities and 

research institutions will help promote Germany as an attractive place to work, 

research, and study. It is GAIN’s foremost goal to make those important 

representatives and their potential not only visible, but also accessible to scientists in 

Germany. 

(www.gain-network.de) 

OST Scientist Network 

The OST Scientist Network serves as a strategic foundation for understanding the 

needs of Austrian scientists and scholars in North America. It also provides a basis 

for exchanges between the scientific community in Austria and Austrian scientists in 

North America. 

The network offers: 

� Support with educational, government-related, and dual-citizenship matters 

� Exchange of experiences with over 1,200 colleagues 

� Information on job openings and research opportunities in Austria 

� Networking opportunities at OST-related events and through the “�� 

�� 

� Improved connections to Austrian academia and industry 

� Presentation of Austrian scientists and their work in the “�� section 

of “��, a free English-language online magazine on S&T Policy 

� Update on S&T policy issues in Austria, Europe, and North America 

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(www.ostina.org/scientists/ost-scientist-network)

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Lectures and exercises 

group work 

internet research 

Exercise: Internet research and presentation 

The participants start an internet research. They form small groups and prepare one 

specific program per group. Afterwards every program will be presented to the 

plenum. 


Nonaka, I; Takeuchi, H. (1997): Die Organisation des Wissens. Frankfurt/New 

OECD (2008): The Global Competition for Talent. Mobility of the highly skilled. 

Paris 

Potts, Lydia (1992): Weltmarkt für Arbeitskraft. In: Institut für Migrations- und 

Rassismusforschung (Hg.): Rassismus und Migration in Europa. Hamburg, 31 

York. (The Knowledge-Creating Company, Oxford Univ. Press 1995) – 40. 

5. References referring to Module I (on the whole) and Other general 

sources of information 

Baron, S.C. (2008), Das Duale Ausbildungssystem unter dem Einfluss der EU- 

Berufsbildungspolitik: Entwicklungsprozesse und Herausforderungen, 

Saarbrücken: VDM, Müller 

En: The dual system under influence of EU educational policies. Processes of 

development and challenges. 

Der Europäische Bildungsraum – Beiträge der Berufsbildungsforschung: 6. Forum 

der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berufsbildungsforschungsnetz, Bielefeld: Bertelsmann 

2006 

En: The European educational area – contributions by vocational educations’ 

research. 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E.(1997), Beratung in Bildung und Beruf. Leonberg 

En: Counselling in education and profession. 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E. (2008), Handbuch der Beratungskompetenz. Leonberg 2. 

Aufl. 

En: Handbook on counselling competencies. 

Nationale Agentur Bildung für Europa (2006), Leonardo da Vinci 1995 – 2004, 

Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung/Klaus Fahle, Bonn 

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OECD (Hrsg.), (2008), Bildung auf einen Blick – OECD-Indikatoren 2008, Bielefeld: 

Bertelsmann 

En: Education at a glance - OECD indicators. 

Schneider, G. (2007), Lernen in Europa – EU-Bildungsprogramm für lebenslanges 

Lernen, in: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis 36(2007); Nr 3, 27-29:III 

En: Learning in Europe – EU educational programme for lifelong learning. 

Selka, R. (Hrsg.) (2002), Qualifizierung von Migrant(inn)en – Konzepte und 

Beispiele, Schriftenreihe des Bundesinstituts für Berufsbildung, BiBB, Bielefeld: 

Bertelsmann 

En: Qualifications of migrants – concepts and samples. 

Internet – last upload August 2009: 

http://www.ijab.de 

http://www.rausvonzuhaus.de 

http://www.wege-ins-ausland.de 

http://www.inwent.org 

http://europa.eu/youth/ 

http://www.euroguidance.net 

http://www.eurodesk.org/ 

http://www.auswaertiges- 

amt.de/diplo/de/Laenderinformationen/VertretungenFremderStaaten- 

Laenderauswahlseite.jsp 

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Overview 

Human migration denotes any movement by humans from one locality to another, 

sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Humans are known to have 

migrates extensively throughout history and prehistory. 

Today there are different reasons for transnational mobility which is an effect of social 

dynamics of globalization. On the one hand transnational corporate groups and 

organizations expect more and more global mobility from their employees, which 

effects that professional advancement only takes place by an international career 

(Kreutzer 2006). Furthermore there are country specific factors which dispose people 

to live in a foreign country. Other than migrants they decide in favour of a changing 

and temporary stay abroad. This individual personal development has a great 

influence on the personal and professional life of the persons concerned and their 

families. Company-internal and national mobility programmes play a major role for 

the preparation and design of the stay abroad and the return home. Therefore 

module II b: 6.1 goes into details of the national programmes. 

The module in hand assembles the major facts of the “Push and Pull factors” within 

Brain Drain – Brain Gain and illustrates the methods to handle these factors, 

especially case management. 

Different types of migration have to be kept in mind in this counselling concept: 

• Daily human commuting 

• Seasonal human migration, mainly related to agriculture 

• Permanent migration, for the purposes of permanent or long-term stays 

• Local or regional 

• Rural to urban, mostly in developing countries 

• International migration 

The first two courses are 

� 

Course 1: Migration-specific psycho-social issues – push and pull factors and 

psychological effects of migration 

Course 2: Intercultural counselling and Case Management 

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1. Course 1: Migration-specific Psycho-social Issues – Push and Pull 

Factors and Psychological Effects of Migration 

1.1 Learning objectives 

• The participants become acquainted with the different push and pull factors which 

are relevant for migration. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, supporting 

competences) 

• The participants become aware of historical coherences between social and 

economical processes and migration. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

• The participants become acquainted with the methods which help them becoming 

aware of different push and pull factors. (TAX 3 – client-interaction competences) 

1.2 Unit 1: Different Push and Pull Factors 

Professional migration results from the interaction of special economic, social, 

cultural, political and lawful factors. In the description of the reasons why people 

migrate often “Push and pull factors” are differed. 

Push and pull factors are those factors which either forcefully push people into 

migration or attract them. A push factor is forceful, and a factor which relates to the 

country from which a person migrates. A pull factor is something concerning the 

country to which a person migrates. It is generally a benefit that attracts people to a 

certain place. 

According to LEE (1972) the Push and pull factors form a migration theory which 

assumes that people are “pushed away” from an original place while they are “pulled” 

by another place. 

Push factors are problems and conditions for dissatisfaction in the professional life of 

experts and managers in their home country as for example a bad salary, bad 

working and life conditions or lacking possibilities for career (Stewart/ D.Clark/P.F. 

Clark 2007). 

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Push Factors are: Pull Factors are: 

• Not enough jobs • Job opportunities 

• Few opportunities • Better living conditions 

• “Primitive” conditions • Political freedom 

• Political fear • Religious freedom 

• Poor medical care • Enjoyment 

• Costs of living • Education 

• Death threats • Better medical care 

• Poor chances of finding courtship • Security 

• Loss of wealth • Family links 

• Natural Disasters • Better chances of finding courtship 

The following chart points out the relations of the individual Push and pull factors and 

“Brain Drain – Brain Gain”: 

Source: Rieder/Matti (2004) Projekt “Human capital in European peripheral regions: 

Brain Drain and Brain Gain” 

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1.3 Unit 2: Historic Development of Migration 

Concerted insights into ancient reasons and motives for people moving from one to 

another country shall create a fine understanding for ‘Brain Drain – Brain Gain’ 

nowadays. Historical social and economical processes – e.g. during the Industrial 

Revolution – are considered under sociological aspects to extract special predictors 

that make migration more or less supposable such as birth- and mortality-rates, 

salaries, distribution of goods, industrial relations, relations between neighbouring 

countries, wars etc. 

Another focal point stresses the transition from the industrial to service societies and 

accompanying changes of migration. 

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• Lectures and exercises 

• Case study 

• Group work 

• Presentation and discussion 

Exercise: Self-awareness 

The trainer asks the participants to investigate push and pull factors which may be 

relevant to themselves. In dyads one team member interviews the other and vice 

versa. Following questions shall be asked: 

In which situations in your life did you have to decide to leave a relationship? 

What were the reasons that somehow forced you to go? 

What were the reasons that made leaving more attractive than staying? 

Which persons did you include in your decision? 

How did you feel before, during and after the decision making process? 

Would you do some things different nowadays? 

2. Course 2: Intercultural Counselling and Case Management 


• The participants become acquainted with the methods which help them to 

counteract the different push and pull factors. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, 


• The participants become acquainted with the methods of holding a modular 

counselling interview which includes the different push and pull factors in terms of 

diagnostic as well as intervention aspects. (TAX 3 – client-interaction 

competences) 

• The participants are inaugurated in structure and content of professional Case 

Management. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

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2.2 Unit 1: Cultural and Transnational Factors of Intercultural 

Management 

A solid fundament of intercultural theories – such as cultural socialisation theories 

and processes of enculturation – create a sensibility for areas of conflicts between 

own core beliefs and foreign values. Acquaintance of scientific approaches of 

contrasting a culture with another one – e.g. Trompenaars´ ‘seven dimensions of 

culture’ – yield to a value-free top view on different cultures. 

2.3 Unit 2: Intercultural Management – Practical Aspects 

Transfer of theoretical knowledge of Unit 1 into different practical methods not only to 

inform about selected cultures but also to cope with typical intercultural difficulties: 

acquaintance of means of selected cultures, elaboration of cultural diversities and 

demonstration of their effects on the personal and familiar areas of life as well as the 

identification of the difficulties and problems which result from the intercultural life 

cycle lead to approaches of elaboration solutions which can be taken on in 

counselling interviews. 

2.4 Unit 3: Counselling Structure 

This Unit targets on structure and techniques of professional counselling. 

Approaching systematic interview methods a survey of counselling phases is given to 

the participants: assessment, problem identification and formulation, goal setting, 

development of means, implementation and evaluation. The individual situation of the 

client in respect of his personal, familiar, professional and social situation is focussed 

here to sharpen the counsellor’s senses for weaknesses and strengths of the 

individual. 

2.5 Unit 4: Development of Case Management 

Case Management (CM) means: 

� Process management (professional structure of activities) 

� Knowledge management (use of instruments, intranet, internet) 

� evaluation management (effectivity and efficiency management, validation by 

exploitable parameters) 

CM is accomplished by the following phases: 

� Problem description/resource analysis 

� systematic formulation of hypothesis referring to the reasons for problems 

� Target planning 

� Action planning 

� Evaluation, effectivity and efficiency analysis – documentation 

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Including all the described skills and knowledge pools the method Case Management 

is introduced to the participants as an efficient and effective tool to deal with specific 

issues of ‘Brain Drain – Brain Gain’. Here the Case Manager doesn’t appear as a 

counsellor in the direct sense but as a pilot and networker in a broader sense. He 

navigates the supporting process by finding contact points and other experts for his 

client and coordinates the communication. Related to Unit 3 the special phases of 

Case Management are shown to the participants: assessment, planning, intervention, 

monitoring, and evaluation are building structural cornerstones on which the 

assistance process is aligned. 


• Lectures and exercises 

• Group work 

• Presentation and discussion 

• Interviews 

• Role-plays 

• 

Exercise 1: Creating an interview guide for an intercultural counselling 

Based on the theoretical inputs of unit 3 and 4 the participants create an own 

interview guide for an intercultural counselling considering following questions: 

How can the interview be structured? 

Which reasonable schedule lines are to be drawn? 

How much time is spent on each part? 

Exercise 2: Role-Play 

The discussed inputs and especially the interview guide shall be transferred into a 

role-play. One participant slips into the counsellor’s role another into the client’s 

imitating a real life counselling situation. The rest of the group observes the 

“counsellor’s” action so that he can receive a profound feedback later. Additionally 

the scene is put on camera. Every participant has to play the counsellor one time and 

after every round there is a feedback. The taped interview scene is given to the 

considered participant for a self evaluation. 

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Baumer, T. (2002). Handbuch Interkulturelle Kompetenz. (Band 1). Zürich: Orell 

Füssli Verlag. (En: Handbook cross-cultural competence) 

Borde, T. & David, M. (2006). (Hrsg.). Migration und psychische Gesundheit. 

Belastungen und Potentiale. Frankfurt am Main: Mabuse-Verlag. (En: Migration 

and psychological health, burdens and potentialities.) 

Erll, A. & Gymnich, M. (2007). Interkulturelle Kompetenzen. Erfolgreich 

kommunizieren zwischen den Kulturen. UNI-WISSEN Kernkompetenzen (En: 

Cross-cultural competencies, successful communication between cultures.) 

Geis, W., Uebelmesser, S. & Werding, M. (2008). How do migrants choose their 

destination country? An analysis of institutional determinants. 

(URLhttp://www.cesifo-group.de/~DocCIDL/cesifo1_wp2506.pdf) 

Hecht-El Minshawi, B. (2008). Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Soft Skills für die 

internationale Zusammenarbeit (2. Aufl.). Weinheim: Beltz. (En: Cross-cultural 

competence, soft skills of international collaboration.) 

Herbrand, F. (2002). Fit für fremde Kulturen. Interkulturelles Training für 

Führungskräfte. Paul Haupt Verlag. (En: Cross-cultural training for executives.) 

Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture's Consequences – International Differences in Work 

Related Values, Newbury Park, London, Neu Delhi 1980. 

Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences – Comparing Values, Behaviors, 

Institutions and Organizations Across Nations (2. Aufl.). Thousand Oaks: 

London, Neu Delhi. 

Hofstede, G. (2006). Lokales Denken, globales Handeln (3. Aufl.). Deutscher 

Taschenbuch Verlag. (En: Thinking local, acting global.) 

Jäggi, C. J. (2009). Sozio-kultureller Code, Rituale und Management. Neue 

Perspektiven in interkulturellen Feldern. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für 

Sozialwissenschaften. (En: Sociocultural code, rituals and management, new 

prospects in intercultural fields.) 

Lee, E.S. (1972). Eine Theorie der Wanderung. In: Széll, G. (Hg.) Regionale 

Mobilität. München, 115-129. (En: A theory of migration.) 

Kumbruck, C. & Derboven, W. (2004). Interkulturelles Training. Trainingsmaterial zur 

Förderung interkultureller Kompetenzen in der Arbeit. Berlin: Springer. (En: 

Cross-cultural training, training material to promote cross-cultural competence 

in work.) 

Kreutzer, F. (2006). Becoming an expatriate: die transnationale Karriere eines dualcareer 

couple. In: Kreutzer, F./ Roth, S. (2006). Transnationale Karrieren. 

Biografien, Lebensführung und Mobilität. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für 

Sozialwissenschaften. 

Rademacher, H. & Wilhelm, M. (2009). Spiele und Übungen zum interkulturellen 

Lernen. Berlin: VWB. (En: Intercultural learning, games and exercises.) 

Rauen, C. (2005). (Hrsg.). Handbuch Coaching (3. Aufl.). Göttingen: Hogrefe. (EN: 

Handbook of coaching.) 

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Rieder, S./ Matti, D. (2004). Projekt „Human capital in European peripheral regions: 

Brain- Drain and Brain-Gain“, Interface Institut für Politikstudien. Luzern 2004 

Stewart, J./ Clark, D./ Clark, P.F. (2007). Abwanderung und Anwerbung von 

Fachkräften im Gesundheitswesen: Ursachen, Konsequenzen und politische 

Reaktionen. Focus Migration. Kurzdossier Nr. 7 (URL: http://www.focusmigration.de/Abwanderung_und_Anwe.2496.0.html, 

Stand: 20.04.2009) (En: 

Migration and recruitment of health care professionals: reasons, consequences 

and political reactions.) 

Szell, G. (1972). (Hrsg.). Regionale Mobilität. Elf Aufsätze. München: 

Nymphenburger Verlagshandlung. (En: Regional mobility.) 

Tromepnaars, F. (1993). Riding the Waves of Culture. Understanding Cultural 

Diversity in Business. Random House Business Books. 

Trompenaars, F. (2004). Business Weltweit. Der Weg zum interkulturellen 

Management. Murmann Verlag. (En: Worldwide business, intercultural 

management.) 

3. Course 3: Working and Living Culture in Other Countries 

Overview (Course 3 and 4) 

The concept of culture in BDBG counselling is very complex. It comprises of a wide 

range of social variables or differences among the clients leading to a broad 

definition of multicultural counselling which includes 'ethnographic variables such as 

ethnicity, nationality, religion and language; demographic variables such as age, 

gender and place of residence; status variables such as social, educational and 

economic; and affiliations including both formal affiliations to family or organizations 

and informal affiliations to ideas and a lifestyle'. 

In this broad definition, each person has many different cultures or identities with 

each identity becoming relevant at different times and places. They argue that 

multiculturalism emphasises both the way we are different from and similar to other 

people. It challenges those who have presumed that differences don't matter as well 

as those who have over emphasized differences (often perpetuating stereotypes). 

For BDBG counselling is multicultural character of the counsellor, client and migration 

process very natural. A BDBG counsellor has to recognise its advantages and risks. 

The ideal scenario is a constructive and interaction-oriented co-existence of multiple 

cultures as a goal for Europe. Europe has always been multiethnic and multicultural 

and has evolved into a continent where many minority communities co-exist and 

interact daily with the majority of the population. However, the concept of culturally 

homogeneous nations created by nationalist ideology in 19 th century is still very much 

alive in many countries. So national identity is closely intertwined with cultural identity 

(EIEM, 2004) 

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Cultural expectations implicate levels of satisfaction with working and living 

conditions and result in a satisfactory life of an individual person. From this point of 

view a BDBG counsellor has to help the client to understand the consequences of a 

possible decision to migrate. Here the counsellor meets the junction of the client’s 

culture and living conditions. Guidance counsellors have a key position in supporting 

immigrants’ integration into society, and they should therefore joyfully engage 

themselves with building bridges between different cultures. (Launikari, 2005) 


• The BDBG counsellor knows about relevant legislation related to migration. (TAX 

1 – foundation competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows the definition of culture (in sense of wide range of 

social variables or differences among their client) and knows definition of 

multicultural counselling. (TAX 1 – foundation competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows historical outcomes and conditions of multicultural 

society in Europe. (TAX 1, 2 – foundation competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor has awareness of own assumptions, values and biases. 

(TAX 1, 3 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor understands the world view of the culturally different clients. 

(TAX 2 – client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor differs amongst attitudes towards other cultures and is 

building tolerant attitude and empathy to different client cultures. (TAX 3 – 


• The BDBG counsellor is able to prepare client to handle favouritism, stereotyping, 

prejudice attitudes, harassment and discrimination (TAX 4 – client-interaction 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows developing appropriate intervention strategies and 

techniques and can apply them within the counselling services provided. (TAX 3 – 


• The BDBG counsellor is able to diagnose areas of deficit in cultural competencies 

and resolve the related problems (TAX 3 – foundation competences, clientinteraction 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows theory of integration to strange cultural society is 

able to demonstrate consequences of clients’ possible decisions and to assist and 

guide clients on his/her integration. (TAX 4 – foundation competence, clientinteraction 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows about the legislation and norms regulating free 

movement of workers in the EU and specific national conditions. Counsellor is able 

to inform clients about existing regulations but is not counselling without regular 

law education. (TAX 3 – supporting competences, client-interaction competences) 

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3.2 Unit 1: Multicultural Environment 

Definitions and terminology, culture, nationality, multiculturalism, diversity, 

culture-centred concept 

All individuals exist in social, political, historical, and economic contexts. Counsellors 

are called upon to understand the influence of these contexts on individuals’ 

behaviour. This module is focused on the preparation of the teaching guidelines on 

multicultural practice for counsellors working with individuals, and groups based on 

their ethnic/national heritage, and social group identity or membership. 

We are defining the word multicultural in these guidelines narrowly to refer to 

interactions between individuals from national groups in European culture. We define 

culture as the belief systems, and value orientations that influence customs, norms, 

practices, and social institutions, including psychological processes (language, caretaking 

practices, media, educational system), and organization (media, educational 

systems). Inherit in this definition is acknowledgement that all individuals are cultural 

beings and have an ethnic/national heritage. These definitions suggest that culture is 

fluid and dynamic and that there are both cultural universal phenomena and culturally 

specific or relative constructs. 

The term nationality in this module refers to ethnicity as the acceptance of the group 

mores and practices of one’s culture of origin and the concomitant sense of 

belonging to concrete nation. Moreover, individuals may have multiple national 

identities that operate with a different salience at different times. 

The term diversity refers to the individuals’ social identities, including nationality, age, 

language competences, socio-economic status, workplace role/position, religious, 

and spiritual orientation, and work/family concerns. 

The term culture-centred is used through the teaching guidelines programme as a 

concept of encouraging clients by counsellors through “cultural lens” as a central 

focus of professional behaviour. In culture-centred practices, counsellors recognize 

that all individuals, including themselves, are influenced by different contexts. Only 

culture-centred counselling may be ethically fair. 

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Overview of European legislation related to migration, national legislation 

related to migration, typical measures applied to protect national market 

Legislation related to migration could be divided in to main areas – migration 

legislation in general, European legislation on free movement of workers. 

Sources of legislation regulating migration are very often international organisations 

like United Nations and/or Council of Europe. From documents of Council of Europe 

we can select: 

• Recommendation 1648 (2004) - Consequences of European Union enlargement 

for freedom of movement between Council of Europe member states 

(assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta04/EREC1648.htm ) 

• Recommendation 879 (1979) on the movement of persons between the member 

states of the Council of Europe 

• Recommendation 990 (1984) on clandestine migration in Europe 

• European legislation on free movement of workers 

To ensure the effective mobility of workers within the European Union, Council 

Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 is based on the general principle of eliminating any 

direct or indirect discrimination based on nationality as regards employment, 

remuneration and other working conditions, access to accommodation and a worker's 

right to be joined by their family. It also provides for implementation of a system 

matching job vacancies and applications via specialised services cooperating at 

European level. 

Directive 2004/38/EC makes Union citizenship the fundamental basis of nationals of 

the Member States when they exercise their right of free movement and residence on 

the territory of the Union. Previously, there were various Community instruments 

dealing separately with workers, self-employed persons, students and other inactive 

persons. It also incorporates the rights of family members of workers in this new 

approach. 

Where a national of a new Member State is accepted on the market of an EU-15 

Member State, he is covered by all the principles of Community law: right of 

residence, coordination of social security schemes, non-discrimination on the basis of 

nationality and recognition of qualifications. 

For more information on the freedom of movement for workers, consult the special 

pages on the free movement of workers of the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and 

Equal Opportunities and the Living and Working pages on the EURES website. 

• EU free movement of workers - europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s02305.htm 

• EU migration legislation - europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s17000.htm 

European union legislation database - europa.eu/documents/eur-lex/index_en.htm 

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Other sources related to legislation regulating migration: 

• International Organizations for Migration - www.iom.int 

• IOM legislation database: www.imldb.iom.int/section.do 

• freemovement.wordpress.com/category/legislation 

Legislation database of International Organisation: 

• www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.home 

• www.ilo.org/ilolex/english 

3.3 Unit 2: Counselling Against Cultural and Ethnic Harassment, 

Discrimination and Inequity 

Minority group stereotyping, theories of reducing prejudices 

We defined workplace violence, not only as physical violence but also as 

psychological violence such as: bullying, mobbing, teasing, ridicule or any other act 

or words that could psychologically hurt or isolate a person in the workplace. Nonphysical 

violence can have as much impact as physical violence. 

Psychological harassment: means a vexatious behaviour in the form of repeated and 

hostile or unwanted conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures that affects an 

employee’s dignity or psychological or physical integrity and results in a harmful work 

environment. 

Bullying: Workplace bullying is the persistent mistreatment of one or more 

employees, sometimes by an employee in a position of influence or authority, who, 

intentionally or unwittingly, subjects others to behaviour that humiliates, demoralizes 

or otherwise undermines the victim’s credibility, effectiveness and personal wellbeing. 

Prejudice: aversive or hostile attitude toward a person who belongs to a group, 

simply because they belong to that group, and is therefore presumed to have the 

objectionable qualities ascribed to that group. (Allport G. 1954) 

Stereotype: A mental image of a group based on opinion without regard to individual 

differences. 

Assumptions: Conclusions based on limited knowledge of the facts. 

Discrimination: Treating people in a less favourable way because they are members 

of a particular group. Discrimination is prejudice in action. 

Scapegoating: Holding one person or group responsible for all the community's 

problems. Isolating or rejecting a person or group. 

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Prejudice is seen as having different sources, chief among them being different forms 

of fear. Stephan and Stephan's Integrated Threat Theory of Prejudice is inclusive of 

several different types of threat: the expectation that the other will do one harm; the 

perception that the different worldview of the other will create challenges to one's 

own; the presumption that interaction will lead to embarrassment, rejection, or 

ridicule; and the generation of fear of negative consequences as a result of negative 

stereotypes. They posit that several factors are likely to influence the degree to which 

an individual feels these sources of threat: 

• strong identification with one's own group (see the article on identity issues); 

• the degree to which a policy has negative ramifications for that individual; 

• the quantity and, especially, quality of the individual's previous contact with the 

group; 

• the individual's knowledge of the group; 

• prior intergroup conflict 

• the degree of status differential between the individual's group and the other 

group. 

• 

The higher these factors are, the more likely the individual will feel threatened, and, 

therefore, the more likely they will be prejudiced toward members of that group. 

(Dugan M.A., 2004) 

Strategies of coping with discrimination, role of working environment in 

encouragement of equal treatment, creation of organizational climate for 

diversity supporting 

• Helping the counselees to recognize whether they are the target of discrimination 

• Techniques and practices of handling favouritism, stereotyping, prejudice 

attitudes, harassment and discrimination 

• Reducing prejudice and discrimination occurs most successfully when majority 

and minority individuals interact, have positive experiences, form personal 

relationships, engage in open and truthful discussions with each other, and 

develop a personal commitment to reducing prejudice and discrimination. For this 

to occur, diverse individuals need to be in contact with each other both extensively 

and intensively. The optimal program combines three foci: 

• Establishing a cooperative community in which cooperative learning strategies 

involving diverse participants are utilized both formally and informally; 

• Resolving conflicts constructively. "Constructively managed, conflicts can result in 

such positive outcomes as increased: (a) energy, curiosity, and motivation, (b) 

achievement, retention, insight, creativity, problem-solving, and synthesis, (c) 

healthy cognitive and social development, (d) clarity of own and other's identity, 

commitments, and values, and (e) positives of relationships"; 

• Instilling civil values. The values taught by cooperative learning strategies include 

a recognition that "people who are different from oneself are to be sought out and 

utilized, because they can make unique contributions to the joint effort. 

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Legislation against discrimination and harassment on European and national 

level 

Common Law Liability 

• Liability of the employer for the acts of its employees. 

• Liability of the employer for its own acts. 

Statutory Liability 

• Occupier’s Liability Act. 

• Occupational Health & Safety act. 

• Human Rights Code 

An employer may be liable for harassment of workers where they knew or ought to 

have reasonably known that harassment was taking place and failed to take 

reasonable action to prevent it. 

The aim is to increase the awareness and understanding of employers, workers and 

their representatives of workplace harassment and violence, provide employers, 

workers and their representatives at all levels with an action-oriented framework to 

identify, prevent and manage problems of harassment and violence at work. 

This includes amongst others the following Directives: 

� Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal 

treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin 

� Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for 

equal treatment in employment and occupation 

� Directive 2002/73/EC of 23 September 2002 amending Council Directive 

76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and 

women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and 

working conditions 

� Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements 

in the safety and health of workers at work 

• National specific legislation on equal treatment 

• Time limits for actions 

• National bodies dealing with discrimination and violence at work 

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3.4 Unit 3: Living and Working Culture 

Acculturative stress among immigrants and expatriates, cultural conflict 

Acculturative stress refers to the psychological, somatic, and social difficulties that 

may accompany acculturation processes. Ausubel (1960) first measured 

"acculturative stress". Reactions on acculturative stress like irritation and/or 

condescension. Dynamics of an acculturative stress – U model and W model. 

Acceptance of cultural differences; culturally specific empathy and empathic 

awareness 

Edward T. Hall (1983) concept of cultural dimensions, meaning traits that may be 

used to compare different cultures, polychromic and monochromic as well as highand 

low-context cultures. 

Strategies of coping with ignorance of a cultural code: adopting the ethnocentric 

approach (interpreting human behaviours from the perspective of one’s own culture); 

paying attention to interactions between “natives”, deriving the most cautious 

conclusions from them and carefully trying to follow them. 

Adaptation of general and specific minority groups to new environment – model of 

Berry J. (1994) 

An Intercultural curriculum should develop: 

Awareness: to contribute to the creation of an attitude of openness to new 

information, to raise the awareness of the existence of several different perspectives, 

various hierarchies of values and standards of behaviour. 

Knowledge: to learn about facts, related history, geography, but also the structure of 

family relations, relations between friends, woman and men, to transfer norms and 

rules for good manners. 

Skills: to practise behaviours relevant to a given culture (in public, in relation with 

different persons, verbal, non-verbal communication) 

Indicators of cultural sensitivity in BDBG counselling, culturally responsive 

behaviour 

Intercultural sensitivity is an ability to discriminate and experience relevant cultural 

differences. 

Milton Bennet’s development model of intercultural sensitivity may serve as a useful 

hint for the interpretation of behaviours and attitudes of counsellors and clients. 

Ethno centralism: perception of situation from the angle of our own standards is 

characteristic of our behaviour in contact with foreigners. We tend to look from our 

cultural perspective and to interpret and evaluate events, other people and their 

behaviours as compared to standards we know. 

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Ethno relativism: based on the assumption that cultures can be understood best 

relative to one another and that particular behaviours can only be understood within a 

cultural context. Cultural differences are not considered as threats but rather as 

challenges. 

Phases between ethno centralism and ethno relativism: denial, defence, 

mineralization, acceptance, adaptation, and integration. 


Aids: Power Point presentation, examples of working and living culture (books, 

newspapers etc.), case study. 

Tasks: Choose a group of clients with cultural differences and try to create complex 

cultural picture of them. For example language, religion, traditions, food and drinks, 

gender roles, dress codes, career choices etc. (Lecturer will help to perceive typical 

signs but leave out stereotypes) 

Exercise: 

Client: for approximately fifteen minutes, you have an opportunity to be a person 

from a group that is culturally different from your own. Come prepared to present a 

problem or concern to a counsellor or health professional who would like to help you. 

Identify some realistic concern that the person you have chosen actually has had or 

might reasonably be expected to have. 

Counsellor: you will be asked by a 'client' to help resolve some difficulty that will be 

presented to you. If you wish, you may ask your 'observer' for ideas and suggestions 

on how to proceed. 

Observer: you will be available to the counsellor to offer ideas and suggestions. 

After the role-play, you will lead the feedback session which should identify the most 

helpful statements or actions performed by the counsellor. 

Suggested guidelines: 

• Introductions: as client, introduce yourself to your two colleagues (the name of 

your person along with relevant cultural information). (2 -3 minutes in total) 

• Role-play: conduct a brief counselling session in which the client presents a 

concern and the counsellor attempts to be as helpful as possible. They have to 

propose a counselling method, show non-verbal communication and describe 

some marks of client culture. (approximately 15 minutes) 

• Feedback: review the session with the purpose of identifying the most helpful 

actions. All three members of the training group should contribute their 

observations. (approximately 10 minutes) 

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Ausubel, D. P. (1960). Acculturative stress in modern Maori adolescence. Child 

Development. 

Berry, J. (1994). Acculturative stress. In: Psychology and culture. Allyn and Bacon. 

Bennett, M.J. (1993). Toward ethonorelativism: A development model of intercultural 

sensitivity. In: Education for the intercultural Experience. 

EIEM, 2004. Ethnic minorities in Europe – what’s the problem? Educational 

Integration of Ethnic Minorities Project, 9.7.2004. 

Hall, E.T. (1983), The Dance of Life. The Other Dimension of Time. Anchor 

Press/Doubleday, Garden City, NY. 

Launikari ,M.; Puukari, S. (2005) Multicultural Guidance and Counseling. Centre for 

International Mobility, Findland. 

Marx, E. (1998) Symptom of culture shock. London, EN. 

Ponterotto, J.G.; Pedersen, P.B: (1993) Preventing prejudice: A guide for counsellors 

and educators. Newbury Park, CA. 

Sue, D.W. & Sue, D. (1999) (3rd Ed) Counselling the Culturally Different: Theory and 

Practice. New York: Wiley. 

Sue, D.W.; Arrendondon, P. and McDavis, R.J., (1995) Multicultural Counseling 

Competencies and Standards: a call to the profession. In Handbook of 

Multicultural Counseling, Ponterotto, J.G., Casas, J.M., Suzuki, L.A. and 

Alexander, C. M., Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. 

Sue, D.W.; Ivey, A.I., Pederson, P.B. (1996) A Theory of Multicultural Counseling & 

Therapy. Pacific Grove:Brooks/Cole. 

4. Course 4: Living and Working Conditions in Selected Countries 


• The BDBG counsellor knows main factors influencing living conditions – well 

being. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows and respects relevant legislation on working 

conditions. (TAX. 1 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to prepare for client tailored information on living and 

working conditions abroad (Tax 1 – client-interaction competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor is able to navigate clients among relevant information 

sources and show them how to use them. (Tax 3 – foundation competences, 


• The BDBG counsellor knows latest statistics and studies on living and working 

conditions in Europe and is able to estimate their development in the near future. 

(Tax 4 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences, supporting 

competences) 

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4.2 Unit 1: Migration – Short Term and Long Term Perspectives 

• The specificity of international careers 

• International career planning in European perspectives (Jenschke 2003) 

• Short term limits and long term goals of living conditions 

A model of expatriates' decisions to quit their assignments - This model explicitly 

considers the role of adjustment, the project-based nature of international 

assignments, and the importance of several non-work and family context factors in 

this withdrawal process. Consistent with domestic turnover research, multiple 

regression analyses indicated that the work-related factors of job satisfaction and 

organizational commitment were significant predictors of expatriate withdrawal 

cognitions. There was found support for the direct, indirect, and moderating influence 

of non-work satisfaction and several family context variables (i.e., family 

responsibility, spouse adjustment, spouse overall satisfaction, and living conditions) 

on decisions of expatriates to quit their assignments. (Shaffer & Harrison, 2001) 

The assessment of the role of culturally and socio-politically relevant factors in a 

client history: relevant generational history (e.g. manner of coming to the country), 

citizenship or residency statuses, fluency in standard official language (and other 

languages), extent of family support or disintegration of family, availability of 

community resources, level of education, change in social status, work history and 

level of stress related to acculturation. (Bell, 1990, Arrendodo, 2002) 

Checking of the market, economic look out, perspective of career abroad, gains and 

losses. 

4.3 Unit 2: Elimination of Migration Risks 

• Planning and preparation of transition 

• Emigration process – native country liabilities 

• Job searching, applying and employment contract 

• Social support and financial assistance on European and local level 

• Legal assistance 

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Planning and preparation of transition 

Tasks and topics taken into consideration during preparation first phase of the 

migration. The trainer will discuss with participants preparation of tailored information 

and they will compare information need and information offer for this phase of 

migration: 

Valid proof of identity (Personal ID and Passport), to contact embassy and inquire 

about permissions in relation to stay and work in the foreign country, registration 

obligations abroad, to check validity of driving licence abroad, preparation of 

photocopies of all important documents (passport, diploma/certificates of education, 

nostrification documents, insurance documents etc., photos (passport type) from 

actual time, students and youth cards, selection of the transport mean (price, volume 

of luggage), reservation of the travel, needs of family, illnesses and medication for 

necessary time, copy of health documentation and European health insurance card. 

Emigration process – native country liabilities 

Participants discuss different needs from selected case studies and will prepare for 

client product, in a form of task list, covering correct end of liabilities to national 

institutions. 

Informing social insurance office, health insurance office, office, and residence office, 

informing third parties about stay abroad. Impact on social insurance and pension. 

Planning and securing first weeks abroad, living costs versus financial sources, 

compatriot organisations. 

Job searching, applying and employment contract 

Participants of the training have to understand phases of job searching and 

application. They have to understand cultural differences of job application standards 

in European countries in general and able to search for information about specific 

standards according client’s need. 

Job typology and specificity of working positions for migrants 

Entry Level Jobs 

Executive Jobs 

Government Jobs 

Seasonal Jobs 

Summer Jobs 

Retail Jobs 

Retirement Jobs 

Temp Jobs 

Teen Jobs 

Work at Home Jobs 

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Job Search Job Applications 

Company Research Job Application Letters/Resume 

Applications 

Department of Job Application Forms 

Job Search Assistance Curriculum Vitae 

Job Search Tools/Job Listings Email Applications 

Job Search Privacy Online Applications 

Job Scams Apply on Company Web Sites 

Job Search Letters Hiring Kiosks 

Interviews/Nonverbal Communication 

One of the most important parts of getting ready for a job interview is to prepare 

responses for the typical interview questions you will be asked. Taking the time to 

review interview questions and sample answers will help you interview more 

confidentially and you'll impress the interviewer with your knowledge and expertise. 

Job Interview Questions and Answers 

Questions about Abilities 

Questions about Yourself 

Questions about Career Goals 

Questions about the New Job and the Company 

Questions about Co-Workers and Supervisors 

Behaviour Based Interview Questions 

Questions about Being Sacked 

Questions to Ask the Interviewer - have an interview question or two ready to ask the 

interviewer to show that you're prepared. 

Salary information, salary surveys, salary ranges, salary comparisons, salary 

negotiation strategies 

Illegal Interview Questions 

Federal and state laws prohibit prospective employers from asking certain questions 

that are not related to the job they are hiring for. 

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References 

Who and How to Ask for a Reference/Recommendation Letter 

How to request a recommendation letter and who to ask to provide a reference for 

you. 

Letters of Recommendation, How to Write a Reference Letter 

Character/Personal References 

Background Checks and Employment Verification 

Background check and employment verification information: What employers need to 

know, who they check with and what background and employment verification 

information can be released or is required. 

Social support and financial assistance on European and local level 

A social welfare provision refers to any program which seeks to provide a minimum 

level of income, service or other support for many marginalized groups such as the 

poor, elderly, and disabled people. Social welfare programs are undertaken by 

governments as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Social welfare 

payments and services are typically provided at the expense of taxpayers generally, 

funded by benefactors, or by compulsory enrolment of the poor themselves. Welfare 

payments can take the form of in-kind transfers (e.g., health care services) or cash 

(e.g., earned income tax credit). 

Organisation on social policy and support: 

European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research 

The European Observatory on the Social Situation and Demography 

The system of state social support and existing benefits. The system of state benefits 

is often very complicated. (example from IE: www.philhogan.ie/advice). The 

counsellor informs the client about the system of the social benefits and professional 

information points. System usually covers: 

Family welfare, Child welfare, Youth welfare, Group welfare, Welfare of the sick and 

disabled, Welfare of the mentally ill. (www.britannica.com). More information will be 

found at European Commission pages (europa.eu/pol/socio/index_en.htm) 

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Legal assistance 

It is clear that “access to justice should not be impaired by high legal costs” and the 

Council of Europe has adopted many internationally agreed legal texts to ensure that 

persons have an effective access to justice. The member States of the Council of 

Europe have finalised an Action Plan on legal assistance systems, which aims at 

setting up, developing or strengthening legal assistance systems in Council of 

Europe member and candidate States, at promoting the practical organisation, 

administration and dispensation of legal assistance systems and at providing 

information on legal aid on websites. The Tampere European Council of 1999 called 

upon the need to strengthen co-operation between the European Commission and 

the Council of Europe on matters concerning access to justice. To this end, the two 

Institutions are jointly producing “legal aid information sheets”, which will contain 

practical information, in 11 European languages, on how to obtain legal aid in 44 

European States. 

European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters - 

ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/index_en.htm 

4.4 Unit 3: Working Conditions 

Working conditions, working safety, law 

The concept of the quality of working life comprises many criteria. These can be 

divided into four basic categories: factors influencing career and job security; factors 

influencing mental and physical health; factors supporting the development of skills 

and abilities and personal growth; and work–life balance factors. 

Research clearly shows that migrant workers in the European Union tend to be 

segregated into low-paid, unskilled and precarious occupations. (Eurofound - 

www.eurofound.europa.eu) This, in turn, exposes them to a high risk of poverty, 

unemployment, over-education, as well as to more frequent work-related health 

problems and accidents. Migrant workers face a twofold inequality in this regard: they 

are not only more often recruited into these types of jobs, but also remain more 

frequently in such employment. Although most of the current empirical evidence on 

their employment conditions is still based on cross-sectional surveys, the 2007 report 

(Employment and working conditions of migrant workers) gives clear indications that 

migrant workers experience extremely limited opportunities for career advancement – 

which represents a crucial disadvantage for such workers. Research shows that, in 

economically advanced countries, native women and young workers are also often 

recruited into unskilled and unstable occupations in the services sector for some 

time; however, this usually represents a temporary situation in most cases, at least 

for skilled native workers. In contrast, for the majority of migrant workers, 

occupational and economic deprivation is a permanent condition, even if they are 

highly educated. 

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Migrant workers constitute a flexible component of supply. However, if these workers 

are forced to move frequently from one job to the next, their career advancement 

opportunities are dramatically reduced. Therefore, fostering the occupational stability 

of migrant workers is the basic premise for enhancing their workplace promotion 

opportunities. 

Table 1: Occupational distribution of migrant workers in EU, by country 

AT Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in unskilled and skilled manual 

occupations 

BE Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors and industries with a high 

proportion of unskilled manual positions: agriculture, industrial cleaning, hotels and 

restaurants 

BG EU15 nationals are mostly employed as consultants, chief managers, engineers and 

technicians 

CY Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors and industries with a high 

proportion of unskilled manual positions: retail trade, personal services, hotels and 

restaurants, manufacturing and construction 

CZ Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled and semi-skilled 

manual occupations, craft workers and related trades 

Professionals and technicians account for 13.7% of migrant employment; however, 

85.5% of EU15 nationals work in these occupations 

DE Significant concentration of migrant workers in unskilled occupations 

DK Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors and industries with a high 

proportion of unskilled manual positions: personal services, wholesale, restaurants, 

manufacturing and construction 

A share of migrant employment can also be found in financial intermediation and 

business activities 

EE Moderate overrepresentation of migrant workers among clerks, shop and sale workers, 

and unskilled manual occupations 

Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among craft and trade workers 

EL Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors with a high proportion of 

unskilled manual positions: agriculture, industry, personal services, hotels and 

restaurants 

ES Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled occupations, personal 

care and trade jobs, but also among skilled workers in manufacturing and construction 

FI Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual workers 

FR Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual workers; equal 

share among clerks and craft workers 

HU Overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual occupations, craft and 

service workers, as well as shop workers 

EU nationals are mostly employed as professionals 

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IE Overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual occupations 

Moderate underrepresentation of such workers among clerks; equal share among 

managers and professionals, craft and trade workers, along with service workers 

IT Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among semi-skilled and unskilled 

manual workers 

LU Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual workers in 

industry and construction 

Cross-border workers are mostly employed in skilled professional jobs 

LV Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors with a high proportion of 

unskilled manual positions: construction and industry 

MT Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual occupations, 

but also some overrepresentation among managers and professionals 

NO Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers among unskilled manual occupations 

PL Overrepresentation of migrant workers in industry, trades and among teachers 

RO EU nationals are mostly employed as managers 

SE Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors with a high proportion of 

unskilled manual positions: industry, construction, hotels and restaurants, personal 

services 

SI Strong overrepresentation of migrant workers in sectors with a high proportion of 

manual positions: industry and manufacturing 

Source: Responses to EWCO national correspondents’ questionnaire, 2008 

Empirical data on over-education provide further evidence of the poor occupational 

achievement of migrant workers, even among those who are highly qualified. Overeducation 

is where workers possess an educational degree or professional 

qualification that is of a higher level than that required for the job they hold. Although 

this definition is uncontroversial, it is far from clear how to measure the lack of 

correlation between formal qualifications and occupational positions – particularly 

when the latter refer to credentials acquired in a foreign country whose ‘content’ is 

not always clear. Different approaches have been proposed, and it is widely 

recognised that they can lead to different substantive conclusions. The national 

experts relied mainly on a comparison between the levels of education – for example, 

as measured through the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 

– and occupational position – coded, for instance, on the basis of the International 

Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) schema – rather than on the 

subjective judgements of respondents. 

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Working time 

Since its approval in 2003, the EU Directive 2003/88/EC concerning certain aspects 

of the organisation of working time has presented problems in its implementation. 

The European Commission engaged a wide-ranging consultation process at national 

and EU level in order to find a suitable agreement on the main controversial items 

such as the ‘opt-out’ clause, the 48-hour working time limit and the reference period 

for calculating working time. 

Minimum wages 

In June 2007, the Eurostat Statistics in focus publication on ‘Minimum wages 2007 – 

Variations from 92 to 1,570 euro gross per month’ noted that, in 20 EU Member 

States and one candidate country (Turkey), collective wage bargaining is subject to a 

statutory national minimum wage. Countries are divided into three groups according 

to minimum wage rates. When minimum wages are expressed in purchasing power 

standards, the ratio between the highest and the lowest levels is reduced from 1:17 

to 1:7. The proportion of full-time employees earning the minimum wage greatly 

varies across countries and is generally higher among women. Finally, the minimum 

wage level is between 33% and 52% of average gross monthly earnings in the 

industry and services sectors. The Eurofound found that setting a minimum wage 

generated a negative employment effect at only insignificant levels if at all; employer 

organisations facing a high proportion of low-paid workers, for example, had 

expressed concerns about the possible impact. 

Undeclared work 

According to the Eurobarometer report Undeclared work in the European Union, 

published in October 2007, almost a quarter of the population is thought to be 

involved in some form of irregular work. In continental and Nordic countries, 

undeclared work tends to be more of a side activity, while in southern European and 

eastern or central European countries it tends to be of a more substantial nature. 

Employment and social integration of people with disabilities 

The issue is extensively explored in the study on Men and women with disabilities in 

the EU: Statistical analysis of the LFS ad hoc module and the EU-SILC (European 

Commission, 2007e). This report is based on the special ad hoc module of the EU 

LFS on people with disabilities and long-term health problems, which was conducted 

in 2002, and the first data collection of the EU Statistics on Income and Living 

Conditions (EU-SILC), carried out in 2004. 

Some 16% of men and women aged 16–64 years in the EU report having a longstanding 

health problem or disability. One third of them indicate that they are not 

restricted in the kind or amount of work they can do or in their mobility to and from 

work. Those who are restricted in work or mobility are much less likely to be in 

employment than those who are not. 

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The earnings of those who are ‘strongly limited’ in their ability to work are about 22% 

below the earnings of those who are not limited in this respect, while the earnings of 

those who are less severely limited are about 15% below. From a gender 

perspective, the wages of men who are strongly limited in their ability to work are 

12% lower than for the total (including men and women) that are not limited in this 

regard. For women who are strongly limited in terms of work ability, the wage 

difference compared with all those who are not limited reaches as high as 28%. 

(Eurofound, 2008) 

Eurofound identifies four key dimensions necessary for the promotion of quality of 

work: 

• ensuring career and employment security; 

• maintaining and promoting the health and well-being of workers; 

• developing skills and competences; 

• reconciling working and non-working life. 

Aspects of work and working conditions: (Quality of Working Life survey, 2006) 

Pay or wage level 

Fair reward for work results 

Job security 

Superiors’ behaviour and conduct 

Relationships with colleagues 

Enough time for family, hobbies and relaxation 

Interesting work 

Useful and meaningful work 

Technical and technological equipment in the workplace 

Low incidence of violence and bullying in the workplace 

Standard of occupational health and safety in the workplace 

Work autonomy 

Amount of time taken up by work 

Non-financial job benefits 

Opportunities for further learning and personal growth 

Prospects for and possibility of career advancement 

Ability to be proud of the company 

Opportunity to join a trade union 

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Duties and taxes 

State and local taxes 

Non-taxable amounts 

Agreements on avoiding double taxation 

Other taxes that may be payable under specific circumstances eg. (road tax, real 

estate tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, property transfer tax). These taxes differ from 

country to country and have to be consulted at the taxation office and/or municipality. 

Conditions of right to social benefits, benefits transfer 

Information about keeping and transfer of rights of social benefits, transport of 

unemployment support to foreign country etc. European forms supporting transport of 

social benefits across Europe. 

Administrative barriers in mobility and social benefits are separate area. The 

counsellor has to be aware of this issue and inform the client about relevant solutions 

for benefits based on insurance principle. 

Pension 

Impact of migration on pensions 

Solutions eliminating risk of pension loses 

Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 1408/71 and Directive 

883/2004 

4.5 Unit 4: Living Conditions 

Quality of life – on top of the EU social policy agenda 

Favourable living conditions depend on a wide range of factors, such as quality 

healthcare services, education and training opportunities or good transport facilities, 

just to name a few aspects affecting citizens’ everyday life and work. The European 

Union has set for itself the aim to constantly improve the quality of life in all its 

Member States, and to take into account the new challenges of contemporary 

Europe, such as socially exclude people or an aging population. 

Residence obligations 

Register with the municipal authority in the place you plan to stay 

Registering for residence 

If you wish to stay in the territory of member state for more than usually 30 days, you 

have to report your stay to the Aliens Police or within 30 days of your entry into the 

country. 

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Residence permit 

If you wish to stay longer than three months, you have to apply for a residence permit 

at an office of the Aliens Police. For this purpose, you will need the following 

documents: 

• valid passport or another valid travel document 

• proof of health insurance 

• document proving the purpose of your stay. 

Under EC regulations, the purposes of stay are as follows: 

• work 

• study 

• economic activities 

• family membership 

Even if you do not need a residence permit (because you wish to stay for less than 

three months), we recommend registering with the Aliens Police. Some institutions, 

particularly banks and tax authorities, may require such registration. 

The Schengen area 

The Schengen Convention, in effect since March 1995, abolished border controls 

within the area of the signatory States and created a single external frontier, where 

checks have to be carried out in accordance with a common set of rules. 

Thirteen EU Member States are currently fully signed up to the Schengen 

Agreement. They are Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, 

Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland and Sweden. Denmark has 

signed the agreement, but it can choose whether or not to apply any new decision 

taken under the agreement. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, which are not EU 

Members, have signed the agreement as well, but Switzerland doesn’t apply the 

regulations yet. 

Living costs, family requirements, health environment 

As the cost of living differs between countries and regions it is necessary to consult a 

statistical office web page for this information. Another source is the Eures network. A 

realistic picture of living cost is necessary for planning the first weeks of the stay 

abroad and comparing advantages of bigger income abroad to higher living cost 

there. 

Accommodation is a primary need for migrants and usually it is the biggest part of 

outgoings. It is strongly recommended to make some agreement prior to travel for 

some temporary accommodation. Procedures for renting accommodation needs to 

be consulted with dedicated services and web pages. 

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Education, leisure, life satisfaction 

Migration with family versus family separation 

Education for children – positive and negative impacts 

Change of the school and recognition process 

Big cities versus the countryside 

Social exclusion, loss of social status 

4.6 Case “Katarína” 

Katarina (Slovak) moved to the UK to join her partner (German) who had been 

offered a job there and moved to London a couple of months earlier than her. 

Because they come from different countries, they decided for the UK option to be in a 

country where they can both speak the language well and are allowed to work. 

She has a master’s degree in Psychology and 4 years of working practice after 

completing the studies in diverse qualified jobs. She has also completed 

psychotherapy training. She used to work in the vocational counselling field before 

the move, and would like to find a job in the same professional area. She can speak 

good English and she was considering counselling jobs targeted at migrant clients 

where she could use her qualification and experience. 

Before the move she was trying to find out whether she could register in Slovakia as 

unemployed until she finds a job, even if she lives in a different country. This would 

mean that by the time she finds a new job, she would not have to pay her social and 

health insurances herself in Slovakia; they would be paid within unemployment 

benefits. She was checking the possibility on the Internet first, and then she went to 

the Office in the town of her permanent residence and asked there for advice. She 

found out it was not possible in practise unless she stayed for at least one month as 

unemployed in the city of her permanent residence. The officer told her, that she 

might apply for an exception, but in the Social Insurance Company, not in the Office. 

When she came to the Social Insurance Company, she was told that this was a 

matter for the Office. After two more goes she gave up finding out who was the 

person in charge in the end. She just tried to find out which of the payments she was 

obliged to pay and which not, this information she found easily on the Internet. 

However, when she wanted to know what would be later consequences of the 

possible alternatives, the officers in the insurance company were not able to tell her. 

She wanted to know how a break in paying the voluntary parts of the insurance 

payment might influence her benefits for example in the case of maternity leave in 

the next years. The information she was given was not clear for her. She tried to 

contact EURES advisors in bigger cities in her country via phone, but they couldn’t 

answer some of her questions about insurance payments. In the end she decided to 

pay her health insurances (obligatory) and a part of the social insurance that is 

related to maternity leave benefits (voluntarily). In the mean time, she decided not to 

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pay some other parts of social insurance that are related to retirement benefits and 

sick leave compensation. She hoped to quickly find an employer, so at that moment 

she thought it was a break only for up to a couple of weeks. 

One of the new pieces of information she found out was that unless she worked in 

Slovakia for 15 years at least during her life, she would lose half of her retirement 

benefits she has saved within the retirement system in the country. She would not 

lose the money completely, but she would not be able access it, the money would 

become a subject of her inheritance only. Working in another EU country would not 

prevent this. 

She started her job search approximately two months before moving to London. She 

tried to collect some tips from people who went there already, mostly from the 

Internet. She found many links to job agencies and newspaper websites full of 

advertisements. She studied carefully advice on writing CVs and cover letters, and 

she had to admit they were slightly different from the forms recommended in her 

country. However, the difference was not so crucial, mostly it was regarding the style 

of presenting ones skills: more explicit, straight -forward and self-confident than is 

traditional in her native language and country. 

She was lucky enough to get some opportunities to visit London a few times before 

she moved there – as her boyfriend was already working there. She used the chance 

and even arranged an appointment with a EURES advisor in London one of the times 

she visited the city. 

People in the first-contact front desk of the London office were nice and trying to be 

helpful. They combined their basic questions and instructions with a lot of small jokes 

that she did not get, so while waiting for the advisor in an armchair, she got a bit 

stressed about a potential language barrier. Fortunately, her concerns turned out to 

be wrong; she had no problem understanding the advisor. He provided her with a lot 

of useful information: that it is definitely not too early to start applying for jobs a few 

months in advance, that it can take weeks before receiving any calls, and so on. He 

had prepared very well for the appointment, and because she had sent him her CV in 

advance, he gave her some basic feedback on it and also provided her with links and 

contacts on professional institutions in the field of Psychology and career counselling. 

However, when they started talking about particular job positions, the advisor started 

showing her several ads for example, on taking care of the elderly. He tried in a very 

positive way to encourage her just for a slight re-qualification change – to social work. 

That point she found quite frustrating, knowing that the care of elderly people is one 

the worst paid jobs at the bottom of job hierarchy there, but she decided that the man 

probably did not really comprehend her intentions and ambitions, that was why. 

After she came back home from visiting London, she still had a few weeks left before 

the move there. She went on browsing on websites of different guidance and 

counselling centres, where she wanted to apply for a job of a counsellor. What she 

found difficult about that was making a picture about the institutions. Seeing their 

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websites, she could fully understand the texts and the verbal information there, but 

she simply did not know what to think about them. She missed the key for reading 

between the lines. Are they professional or not? Is it a trustful employer? Many 

websites seemed to be quite esoteric to her, she was not sure about the background 

and approach of the services offered there. The intercultural difference in the 

information was quite big to her, in spite of the years of her experience with 

international work. She felt a bit lost in it. Some help with that would be more than 

useful. 

Another finding was that the ads on career counselling jobs often required a 

qualification as a career counsellor. In fact, something that did not exist in her 

country. In Slovakia, most of the counsellors have a professional background in 

Psychology. In the UK, the jobs for psychologists were mostly clinically oriented. On 

the top of that, she found out that registering in the British Psychological Association 

would be a must. You are not counted as a psychologist, if you are not chartered in 

there. That required recognition of her diploma together with the recognition of some 

of her further training… and in practise it means some financial investment into 

translations and the recognition service. These costs are quite a lot for someone with 

a Slovak income. She decided to start with getting some of the necessary documents 

in Slovakia and applying in the UK a bit later, to spread the expenses over several 

months. 

She went to the University where she studied and applied for a diploma supplement 

needed for the purpose of recognition abroad. She was told she could not get one, as 

she completed her study before the country joined the Bologna contracts, and thus 

did not study in a credit system yet. She asked about other possibilities, knowing that 

her University had international accreditation already at the time of her study. She 

was told that all she could get was a detailed list of all the courses she took and the 

exams she passed, together with her study results. She applied for that at least. The 

list was in Slovak, so it would require further official translation. It also lacked a 

description of the Higher Education system in Slovakia, which was to be an essential 

part of a Diploma Supplement, but she was told there was a description published 

officially by the Ministry of Education in Slovakia on their website, and that she could 

try referring to that when applying for recognition. She was not sure whether the 

authorities would find it sufficient or not, but she would have to pay already when 

applying, not knowing the result. That confirmed to her that she should wait a bit 

longer and find out more about the market requirements in practise first. 

After the move, she sent about twenty applications for counselling jobs advertised in 

newspapers and on the Internet. At the same time she sent almost a hundred other 

applications for different or lower qualified jobs, reducing the criteria she originally 

came with. 

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Current situation: 

Three months after the move to London she has not received a single reply from any 

of the employers where she applied, not even a negative one. She is wondering why 

and is feeling quite frustrated about the job situation. She does not want to live a part 

from her partner, but is afraid of staying unemployed for longer – for a whole range of 

reasons: financial, career, social and psychological. 

The trials with up to ten job agencies she walked in ended before seeing her CV. 

They either asked her immediately about her job experience in the UK, which she 

does not have yet, or she found out they offered only lowest jobs such as cleaning or 

social care of elderly. 

Occasionally she is offered some small jobs on a contract basis from her country. 

She needs to find out whether there are any possibilities for her to take them even 

without having a business licence, because the offers are too small to open own 

business only because of them, especially if she knows she could not use up the 

freelance much more from the distance. 

She experienced different sides of London: the beautiful places for sightseeing, 

cultural events, parks. However, at the same time, she can feel also all the 

differences and difficulties she had read about when trying to get ready for migration. 

Although it does not surprise her, and she is trying to keep positive to overcome this 

tough phase, sometimes it just her optimism is tested. She finds the city dirty, very 

unsafe and incredibly expensive. It is quickly clear that if they wanted to live in any 

area with the level of accommodation they had before in their countries, they would 

have to make an elite career there…. which at the moment sounds more than 

unlikely. Her good English does not help her a lot in the suburb urban area where 

they live, as most of the people speak strong local dialect. Even after some weeks, 

her stomach still has difficulties with both water and food. She does not know where 

to find basic ingredients she needs for cooking, she does not know the local ones 

either. The weather is so far not as bad as its reputation abroad; it is quite nice and 

often sunny. Getting known new people is for the first time in life really difficult for her. 

She says hi to all local shop assistants around who recognize her already, but that is 

pretty far away from making friendship. Through her boyfriend, she occasionally 

meets some British colleagues of his. They are very nice and polite, great hosts 

showing places and offering their home made Sunday lunches and cakes. But at the 

same time their questions, advice and suggestions often give her a feeling that she is 

a subject of some kind of charity, not an equal person with maybe comparable 

knowledge, skills and life experience. Their kind advice that she might work as an aupair 

makes her feel so frustrated when she remembers the tasks in her previous jobs: 

organizing international events, consulting projects and an active part in policy 

making. Should she feel guilty towards these people because she does not feel 

thankful? In fact she feels like shouting at them in her mind. She does not shout and 

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does not cry, but the barrier between her and adaptation to London is growing. On 

the top of that, the debits on their accounts are mounting fast. 

However for most of the things listed she had been expecting. She knew them from 

stories of other friends who tried that, many community websites are full of them. Just 

that she hoped she might have been better prepared than many others, that her job 

experience with an international network might open the door to her to a qualified 

market… And she has not given up yet. Currently, she still feels determined to 

overcome this phase and give it more time. She still hopes to find a qualified job. She 

rationally knows that it would have many advantages for her and her boyfriend to 

stay there: they can both speak the language (in their countries the partners cannot), 

they can work there legally (she cannot work in Germany, the market has not been 

opened yet), they are both migrants there, so they can understand each other’s 

feelings very well (in their countries, the situation would be much more unbalanced), 

there are good and relatively cheap flight connections from there to the places where 

their families and friends live. The difficulties have brought them even closer together 

and strengthened their relationship, so she feels she has the energy to go on, she is 

just not sure what to do specifically. 


Aids: Power Point presentation, examples of working and living culture (books, 

newspapers etc.), statistical yearbooks, participation of migrant worker. 

The main methods of teaching used by lecturer are the lecture and exercises. 

Exercise: 

Analysis of case studies 

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Arrendodo, P. (2002). Counseling individuals from specialized, marginalized and 

underserved groups. In: P. Pedersen, J.G. Draguns, W.J. Lonner, J.E. Trimble (ed.), 

Counseling across cultures (5 ed., pp. 241-250). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage. 

Bell, A.H. (1990). International careers. Holbrook, MA.: Bob Adams Inc. 

�adová, N.; �ervenka, J. and Chludilová, I. (2006). Quality of working life 2006 [Kvalita 

pracovního �ivota 2006], Final report for the Occupational Safety Research Institute, 

Prague, Public Opinion Research Centre, Institute of Sociology of the Academy of 

Sciences of the Czech Republic. 

Eurofound, (2007); Employment and working conditions of migrant workers. Office for 

Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. 

Eurofound, (2007a). Minimum wages in Europe. Background paper, Dublin. Available online 

at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef0783.htm 

Eurofound, ( 2007b). Quality of work and employment in Europe: Issues and challenges, 

Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Available 

online at: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef0212.htm 

Eurofound, (2008). Occupational promotion of migrant workers. Office for Official 

Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. 

Ferrera M. (1996). The 'Southern Model' of Welfare in Social Europe. Journal of European 

Social Policy, Vol. 6, No. 1, 17-37. 

Gilbert N.; Terrell P. (2002). Dimensions of social welfare policy. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. 

Niessen J.; Schibel Y. (2007). Handbook on integration for policy-makers and practitioners. 

Office for official publications of the European Communities Luxembourg. 

Shaffer M.A.; Harrison D.A. (2001). Forgotten partners of international assignments: 

Development and test of a model of spouse adjustment. Journal of Applied 

Psychology, 86, 2, 238-254. 

European Commission, Communication from the Commission to the Council and the 

European Parliament. Improving quality and productivity at work: Community strategy 

2007–2012 on health and safety at work, COM(2007) 62, Brussels, 21 February 2007, 

available online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/news/2007/feb/commstrat_en.pdf. 

European Commission, Green Paper on modernising law to meet the challenges of the 21st 

century, COM(2006) 708 final, Brussels, 22 November 2006, available online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/_law/docs/2006/green_paper_en.pdf. 

European Commission, Joint report on social protection and social inclusion 2007, 

Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2007d, 

available online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/docs/social_inclusion/2007/joint_re 

port_en.pdf. 

European Commission, Men and women with disabilities in the EU: Statistical analysis of the 

LFS ad hoc module and the EU-SILC, Brussels, 2007e, available online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/index/lfs_silc_analysis_on_disabilities_e 

n.pdf. 

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European Commission, Special Eurobarometer. Undeclared work in the European Union, 

Brussels, October 2007, available online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/employment_analysis/work/direct_surve 

y_udw_2007_en.pdf. 

European Commission (2007); The Community strategy 2007–2012 on health and 

safety 

European Commission (2006); The social situation in the European Union; Office for 

official publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. 

Relevant internet sources: 

www.euro.centre.org 

ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/european_observatory_en.htm 

www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551426/social-service 

www.eurofound.europa.eu 

www.europa.eu.int/eures 

ec.europa.eu/eurostat 

ec.europa.eu/solvit 

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Overview 

When analyzing social effects of migration, one should first of all mention the issue of 

improving living conditions, which is a direct consequence of a pay rise and 

experience gained. In the majority of cases, social consequences of migration are 

positive. Collecting the initial capital enabling one to start an independent life, 

improve language skills, gain experience, all this improves the chances to succeed 

after returning to the country of origin. This assessment, however, may change in 

cases where migrant workers decide to settle down in a foreign country. The Irish 

example shows that, in the case of taking advantage of the EU membership, 

economic prosperity and the country’s active attitude, it is possible to persuade the 

citizens residing abroad to return to their country of origin and become an additional 

element of development in that country. 

Psychological effects of migration are not as positive as the economic ones, taking 

into consideration the consequences suffered by individual migrants and their 

families. A lot of research carried out to date reveals negative influences of migration 

on households. The ones mentioned most frequently are: negative effects on family 

life, educational difficulties in the bringing up of children, marital problems, divorce, 

burdening family members who are left behind. In addition there are usually 

excessive responsibilities, added stress, anxiety of the spouse, sometimes 

deterioration in the migrant’s health due to hard work abroad. As a consequence of 

occupational migration the traditional, patriarchal model of a family is in decline, there 

are changes in social roles. One person, usually the woman, is burdened with the 

responsibility of bringing up children and running the household. The bonds between 

children and parents can deteriorate rapidly. Occupational migration to a foreign 

country is often associated with feelings such as: loneliness, longing (both of the 

migrant and of the family members left at home) and there can exist a lack of sense 

of security. If we take into account basic human needs, failing to satisfy the most 

basic one, a sense of security, the psycho-social and emotional cost of international 

mobility proves to be very high. Human health (including mental health) is at this 

point in danger, irrespective of whether the migrants or members of their families 

back home are concerned. 

The courses are: 

Course 1: Selected theories of career development and counselling regarding the 

psycho-social effects of international mobility 

Course 2: Decision making models – Evidence and implications for international 

careers 

Course 3: The characteristics of international careers 

Course 4: Psychological separation of people working and living abroad 

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1. Course 1: Selected Theories of Career Development and 

Counselling Regarding the Psycho-Social Effects of 

International Mobility 


• Counsellors can analyze and evaluate the main theories of career choice and 

development in the view of psycho-social effects of BD – BG. (TAX 3 – foundation 

competences) 

• Counsellors can analyze and evaluate the main approaches of career counselling 

and guidance in the view of psycho-social effects of BD – BG. (TAX 3 – foundation 

competences) 

• Counsellors are familiar with newer theoretical and empirical studies 

on motives for BD – BG – Brain Re-gain. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

1.2 Unit 1: Matching Theories: Trait & Factor, Person-Environment- 

Correspondence (Holland) 

• The Trait & Factor Theory underscoring the identity and exceptionality of every 

individual. 

• Quantification of aptitudes and traits of individual persons. 

• The Trait & Factor Theory underscoring the interpersonal nature of a professional 

career and the lifestyle connected with it, conditioned by: the family, ethical and 

religious issues, social environment and pleasures. 

• The six categories one can use to classify kinds of personality and working 

environments: realistic, searching, artistic, social, venturesome and conventional. 

• Satisfaction from performing a definite kind of work depending on the degree of 

interdependence of the type of personality and working environment. 

• The theory stressing association of an individual and the kind of work well suited to 

his or her talent. 

1.3 Unit 2: Developmental and Post-Modern Theories (Super, 

Gottfredson, Savickas, Guichard, Poukelis) 

• Theories based on the conception of personal development (by Donald E. Super 

and Eli Ginzberg). 

• Versatility of the theories, attaching more importance to behaviours connected 

with occupational career spread in time and stressing the important role of one’s 

self. 

• Occupational development as the process of enforcing one’s own image. 

People’s opinions on who they are reflected in what they do. 

• Five stages of occupational development, whereas a developmental task which 

has to be accomplished can be assigned to each of them. 

• Life designing, career designing 

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1.4 Unit 3: Psychodynamic Approaches (Bordin) 

• The psychodynamic theory documented in the works by Anne Roe and Robert 

Hoppock. 

• Vocational interests develop as a result of interaction between adults and 

children. 

• Occupational needs which are reflections of the desire to satisfy the needs not 

satisfied by parents during childhood. 

• Psychodynamic point of view on the years of early childhood wielding decisive 

effect on the entire life of an individual. 

• The period of early childhood as a source of unconscious motivation influencing 

choice of an occupation that would allow expressing and satisfying of the needs. 

• Three types of parents / child relationship: emotional orientation on a child, 

avoiding contact with a child, acceptance of a child. 

1.5 Unit 4: Learning Theories/Social Cognitive Career Theory 

(Krumboltz) 

• Theories of development of the occupational career based on the cognitive model 

and on the model of social science. 

• The effect of the interrelated biological maturation and social environment 

(including the mother, the father and the closest family circles) on the child’s 

mental development and the course of development of the occupational life 

(Tiedman, Erikson). 

• The eight phases of development, the eight crises on the solution of which traits of 

the child’s future personality depend. 

• The phases: infancy, early childhood, the age of play and the early school age. 

• The special meaning of the phase of adolescence. 

• The phases: maturity and old age. 

• The seven-phase model of making occupational decisions: research, 

crystallization, choice, explanation, induction, change and integration. 

• The emphasis on the cognitive reorganisation of an individual „from the inside to 

the outside” as Tiedeman’s special contribution to the theory of the occupational 

career. 

• The Krumboltz approach – there are four factors influencing the occupational 

decisions: the genetic predisposition, conditions and events in the surrounding 

environment, experience acquired in the process of education and the ability to 

approach tasks (e.g. the system of values, work habits). 

• The effect of internal and external processes. 

• The influence of an individual on events which he or she considers to be 

supporting. 

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1.6 Unit 5: Cognitive Behavioural Theories of Counselling 

• Cognitive information processing – CIP (Sampson/Peterson) 

• Information structural methodology – ISM (Ertelt/Schulz) 

• Cognitive-behavioural approach: 

1. personality as a set of acquired habits (emotional, cognitive and behavioural) 

2. Rotter: the location of control 

� internal: the cause – effect relation between one’s own actions and their 

results. 

� external: attributing the results to external factors 

3. the interactive approach of Mischel 

• The cognitive concept: assumptions of the cognitive concept, cognitive structures, 

kinds of knowledge, information filter, information deficit, sensory deprivation, 

information metabolism, information overload, creative thinking, reasons for 

creativity, kinds of values, emotions. 

1.7 Unit 6: 1.2 Model of Problem Management (Egan) 

Any person whose task is to assist has the, so-called, white spots in their 

consciousness, i.e., the areas of belief, thoughts, emotions, behaviours, of which 

they are unaware. Both, the clients and the advisors, have such white spots, which 

make the helping process more difficult as they may lead to inadequate behaviours 

and interventions. A competent advisor knows their white spots, which is why the 

spots do not affect their work. In the relations with their clients as well as in other 

areas of their life, the advisors conform to the widely understood principles of 

wisdom, common sense, honesty and mutual respect. The process of assistance, 

irrespective of their form and content, is governed by certain universal principles that 

the advisors should bear in their mind. Not only does it make their assistance more 

effective, but it also prevents negative occurrences that threaten people who try to 

help others. One should also remember that the process of assistance is never, or 

very seldom, neutral for a client. Things may go “either for the better, or for the 

worse”. In order to be an effective advisor, one should understand the limitations 

resulting from: 

1. the model of assistance in which I work, competent assistance 

2. my own person (traits of character, individual experience) 

3. occupation of the advisor 

4. the client as a person 

5. the environment which affects the process of assistance 

We can call the limitations “shadow zone” and its understanding and the ability to 

make use of it is one of the pillars of wisdom of an advisor. Independently of the 

assumed model of assistance, one can distinguish its two goals: 

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Providing assistance to clients in overcoming their everyday problems and in making 

better use of any opportunity they have not taken advantage of; or they have not 

taken full advantage of. 

Providing assistance to clients in providing better assistance to them in everyday life 

(advisors are effective only if in the process of their assistance their clients learn how 

to help themselves). 

1.8 Unit 7: Solution Focused Brief Counselling (de Shazer) 

• Basic rules of solution focused counselling 

• Process of counselling 

• Strengths and weakness of this approach 

1.9 Unit 8: Person-Centred Approach (Rogers) 

• Client focused therapy: it affects the content of the concept of ego and the ability 

to experience reality, therapist expresses their interest in the way their clients 

perceive the world and themselves, and tries to : 

1. Generate unconditional acceptance for themselves 

2. Teach their clients to establish contacts with their own experience (desires, 

emotions, needs) 

3. Transform the external source of evaluation into the internal source of 

evaluation 

• Stressing individuality and human dimension of ego 

• It is one’s own needs and capability not the expectations of one’s environment that 

determine activities 

• Realization of one’s potential regardless of external conditions 

• Stressing the aspect of development and health instead of pathology, 

• Indicating different ways and mechanisms of development, 

• Stressing the relation between health and discovering, accomplishing and 

improving of one’s ego. 

1.10 Unit 9: Theories of Achievement Motivation, and Related 

Constructs 

• The youngest theory considered as part of the theory of needs – the theory of 

achievements. Precursor: J. W. Atkinson. 

• Individual traits of a human being and their effect on a person’s motivation to work. 

• A person’s desire to reach a certain goal, resulting from the premises of: 

1. The power of basic force or needs; 

2. Belief in success; 

3. Encouragement connected with attaining the goal. 

• Isolation (H.A.Murray and D. McClelland) of the three basic needs of employees 

(the need for achievements, the need for power, the need for affiliation). 

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• The need for achievements as one of the strongest motivations for work. 

• The need for achievements as the desire to distinguish oneself (achieving 

success) in a competitive situation. Stimulation of this type of needs is especially 

interesting for the management. 

• The need for achievements resulting from experience acquired during childhood. 

• VIE – Theory of motivation (Vroom) 


• Distance Learning, self-study (Blended learning) 

• Web-forum 

• Workshops: short input, discussion, exercises 

• Cases 

2. Course 2: Decision Making Models – Evidence and Implications for 

International Careers 


• The counsellor knows the basic models and the background of normative and 

prescriptive approaches of decision-making, esp. SEU models. (TAX 1 and 2 

foundation competences, supporting competences) 

• Based on Ronning’s claim that counsellors ought to know something about how 

people solve problems, the aim of the ‘Judgement and Decision Making’ module is 

to introduce the trainees (BD-BG counsellors) to the most fundamental concepts in 

judgement and decision making. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, supporting 

competences) 

• The counsellor can identify the implications of rational decision-making models for 

information management and counselling in career development. (TAX 3 – 


• Counsellors recognise that a descriptive heuristics-based approach will allow 

counselees to see their vocational decisions as part of a life-long, on-going 

process, as a series of positive steps towards appropriate career opportunities 

rather than feeling that professional doors are closing at each so-called keymoment. 

(TAX 4 – foundation competences, supporting competences, clientinteraction 

competences) 

• The counsellor is ready to perceive and accept the limits of rational decisionmaking 

with the clients, esp. the effects of information overload. (TAX 4 – clientinteraction 

competences) 

• The counsellor is able to adapt their methodology according to the individual 

heuristics of the clients. (TAX 3 – client-interaction competences) 

• The counsellor can handle the emotions, conflicts, uncertainty in career decisionmaking 

concerning mobility with clients. (TAX 4 – foundation competences, clientinteraction 

competences) 

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• The counsellor is able and ready to help clients with setbacks, cognitive 

dissonance, homesickness, loneliness, prestige problems, uncertainty in the post 

decision phase. (TAX 4 – foundation competence, client-interaction competences) 

2.2 Unit 1: Normative/Prescriptive/Rational Models of Decision Making 

• The nature of judgement and decision making: thinking, judgement, decision 

making, the normative-prescriptive rational decision making model and the 

descriptive decision making model; the stages of decision making. 

• The stages of decision making. 

• Models in decision making (in greater detail): expected utility theory, prospect 

theory, heuristics (the representativeness heuristic, availability heuristic, the 

recognition heuristic, the gaze heuristic), biases; the techniques for problem 

processing (analysing, understanding and defining a problem). 

• Group vs. individual decision making. 

• Psychological traps of the decision making process. 

• Decision-making as one of the functions of management. 

• Traps in the decision making process. 

• Useful methods applied to the decision making process – the techniques of 

decision making. 

• Discovering and creating new things and phenomena. 

• Creative problem solving. 

• Supporting the process of creation and the development of traits. 

• Detecting links between the facts. 

• Individual search for the truth. 

• Formulating hypotheses. 

• Lack of guarantee of finding the best solution. 

2.3 Unit 2: Emotions, Conflicts, Uncertainty in Career Decision Making 

• The philosophy of decision making. 

• When do we deal with a professional decision? 

• Uncertainty in the decision making process. 

• Emotions and conflict exerting influence on the decision making. 

• Good and bad decisions. 

• Context dependence: primacy and recency effects, halo effects; 

• How questions affect answers: plasticity, how wording of questions influences the 

answers; 

• social influences on Judgement and Decision Making: facilitation, loafing, 

conformity, influence of groups; 

• Frequently ignored traps: overconfidence, self-fulfilling prophecies, behavioural 

patterns; 

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2.4 Unit 3: Preparation for Setback and Handling Post-Decision Phenomena 

• Unrealistic expectations 

• Dynamics of self concept and self esteem 

• Probability and risk perception; 

• Anchoring; random 

• Correlation and causalation; attribution theory; 

• Setback, frustration 

• Cognitive dissonance 

• Homesickness, loneliness 

• Prestige problems in the job and society 

• Discord resulting from decision making. 

• The basic methods of reducing discord: 

1. by changing our behaviour so that it conforms with the discordant cognitive 

element, 

2. by justifying our behaviour – changing one of the cognitive elements so that it is 

less contrary to (more conformable with) our behaviour, 

3. by justifying our behaviour through the addition of new cognitive elements which 

are in conformity with the behaviour and which support it. 

• The mechanism of conversion. 

• The irrevocability of decision vs. Discord reduction. 

• The feeling of longing vs. International careers. 

• Loneliness in life and work abroad. 

2.5 Unit 4: Lack of Information, Biases 

• Individual style of information activity and perception 

• Familiarity with information sources/media concerning migration and knowledge of 

its validity, reliability and objectivity 

• Making professional decisions in the circumstances of lack of basic information. 

• Selective perception; cognitive dissonance; memory and hindsight biases. 


• Distance learning materials 

• Web-forum 

• Narrative interviews with clients 

• Role playing and/or informal discussion about experiences 

• Cases 

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3. Course 3: The Characteristics of International Careers 


• Counsellors know the specific patterns of international careers. (TAX 2 – 

supporting competences, foundation competences) 

• Counsellors have experiences with the main challenges and problems concerning 

the career development of migrants (professionals). (TAX 3 – foundation 


• Counsellors can prepare counselees towards a realistic view on career 

Development in selected countries. (TAX 3 – client-interaction competences) 

3.2 Unit 1: Patterns of International/Transnational Careers 

The modern typologies of spatial migration and migrants, as opposed to the older 

classifications, are more focused on the more varied criteria: 

• motivation (cultural vs. economic), 

• freedom of relocation, 

• attachment to a place, 

• family status, 

• lifestyle. 

3.3 Unit 2: International Careers as a Family Problem: Models of 

Spouse Adjustment 

• Classification of family models 

• The traditional family model according to Parsons 

• Family model according to Myrdal and Klein 

• Partnership family model according to Liljeström 

• The relationship between the motives for migration, the attachment to the host 

country and the family status and the types of transnational migration. 

• Marriage and family at the times of migration. 

• Kinds of emigration 

• Emigration of entire families 

• Individual emigrants 

• Crises and break-ups 

• Migration as an opportunity and a challenge 

3.4 Unit 3 Living Globally: Working and Living Abroad 

• What caused the appearance of the global job market? 

• The rising of the homo sapiens globalus, i.e., the global job market. 

• People are relocating in search for work – occupational migration. 

• Jobs are relocating in search for workers – outsourcing and off shoring. 

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3.5 Unit 4: Identifying Mobile Clients at Risk for Premature Departure 

• Deficits in aptitude and competences, experiences 

• Deficits in certificates 

• Status of language knowledge 

• Realistic self esteem and self perception 

• Problems with living standards 

• Mental and physical restrictions 


Unit 1 

• Distance learning materials/references 

• Web-forum/Web-board 

• Workshop: Short input, discussion 

Unit 2 

• Input-lectures 

• Cases 

• Guest lecturer of family counselling organisations 

Unit 3 

• Distance learning materials/references 

• Guest lecturer of experienced EURES counsellors and specialists in Human 

Resources Management (HRM) units of globalized companies and representatives 

of international operating alumni associations of universities 

Unit 4 

• Case work with experts of international oriented counselling and placement 

services of PES, EURES, executive search 

• Discussion with specialists for HRM units of globalized companies 

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4. Course 4: Psychological Separation of People Working and Living 

Abroad 


• Counsellors are familiar with the importance of work life balance in international 

mobility. (TAX 3 – supporting competences) 

• Counsellors know the conditions for integration of special target groups in selected 

countries. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

• Counsellors are familiar with the effects of psychological separation of people 

working and living abroad. (TAX 3 – foundation competences) 

• Counsellors are experienced in national and transnational networking to help 

people with psycho-social problems in career mobility. (TAX 4 – foundation 


4.2 Unit 1: Theories of Separation as Mental Models of Family and 

Adult Relations 

• Models of family: single people, families without children, families with children, 

empty nest, partnership 

• Intensity of migration depends on the chase of development of a family. Phase: 

1. childless – high mobility of spouses (education, work, housing, resources for the 

future) 

2. development – more difficult decisions of leasing home – affects decisions 

concerning procreation 

3. stability – problems due to childcare – increase of needs 

4. children leaving home – frequent cases of child migration 

5. „empty nest” – moving to live with children – returning to the native country 

4.3 Unit 2: Job Related Separation and Work-Family/Work-Life- 

Balance Conflicts 

• Work-life balance – maintaining harmony between occupational life and private 

life, without limiting the need for self-fulfilment, but with full awareness of 

multidimensional character of the situation. In this context, the need for selffulfilment 

also pertains to other aspects of life than occupational life. 

• Goals, time and extent of self-fulfilment – work on determining the hierarchy of 

values 

• Traits of character and values vs. a possibility of maintaining the work-life-balance 

in international careers in situations of separation from one’s family. 

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4.4 Unit 3: Supporting Your Clients with Culture Shock - Problem 

Mechanism and Cycles of Adaptation to Work, to Study or 

to Live in Separation from Ethnic Heritage 

Possible phases of a culture shock: 

• The Honeymoon Phase – in this case, difficulties are almost imperceptible, and 

even if migrants notice them, they treat them with a sense of humour and perceive 

them as an exotic part of foreign culture. 

• The Observer Phase – in which a foreigner still does not feel part of the world 

around them, but they observe it from a distance trying to find the key to 

understanding it. 

• The Participant Phase – the migrant simply tries to survive and satisfy their needs 

as efficiently as possible and supplement the growing deficits. 

• The Shock Phase – all the unpleasant symptoms connected with physical and 

psychic overload, such as ailments, depression, hypertension and/or risky 

behaviour, intensify. 

• The phase of adaptation or recovery – a migrant slowly begins to organise their life 

in the way increasing their sense of security. They evaluate their possibilities and 

set their goals. 

• The Master Phase or bicultural phase – which assumes that a foreigner learns the 

culture of a host country, shows its understanding and becomes culturally 

competent, which allow their effective functioning. 

• Model „W” (sinusoidal curve) describes still another process, the occurrence of 

return shock that is the process of re-entering native culture after a long stay 

abroad. 

4.5 Unit 4: Re-entering One’s Own Culture 

Applied strategies: 

• Maintaining (creating) duality of cultures requires introducing elements of new 

culture into one’s everyday life while maintaining the elements of native culture 

one considers important (e.g. a circle of friends belonging to both cultures, 

celebrating festivals according to both traditions, etc.), This strategy is called 

integration. 

• Assimilation – involves trying to become as similar to members of the host culture 

as possible parallel to abandoning cultivation and participation in native culture 

(e.g. avoiding contacts with one’s compatriots, change of lifestyle and habits, etc.) 

• Separation (ghettoisation) – involves activities reverse to assimilation. An 

immigrant who chooses this strategy will try to avoid any significant changes in his 

or her life in terms of culture. 

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• Marginalisation (deculturation) – the opposite of integration. In this strategy the 

emigrant is deprived not only of social ties, but also of the entire system of values 

and cultural framework to which they could appeal. Breaking contact with the 

native culture parallel to lack of participation in the host culture. 

Is it worthwhile to maintain 

one’s host culture? 

Is it worthwhile to maintain one’s native 

culture? 

Yes No 

Yes INTEGRATION ASSIMILATION 

No SEPARATION 

GETTOISATION 

MARGINALISATION 

DECULTURATION 

Source: Cieslikowska D., Kownacka E., Olczak E., Paszkowska-Rogacz A. (ed.), 

Doradztwo zawodowe a wyzwania mi�dzykulturowe [Occupational Counselling vs. 

Intercultural Challenges] KOWEZiU [NCFSVCE], Warszawa 2006 

4.6 Unit 5: Theories of Help-Seeking Behaviours in Job-Related 

Separation 

• Knowledge about a man and a woman in the context of social construction of 

behaviours connected with seeking advice. 

• Socialization with the role of gender in cultural context 

• Why do men seek professional advice more rarely than women? 

• Which people are unwilling to open up in their relations with a counsellor? 

• The way to stimulate reflexive autonomy and the way to stimulate reactive 

autonomy. 

• The way to stimulate willingness to apply the advice given by specialised 

counsellor? 

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4.7 Unit 6: Culture Adaptation and Integration Measurement (e.g. 

Sue and Sue, MID) 

118 

Stages of Minority 

Development Model 

Minority Identity Development Model 

Attitudes 

toward Self 

Stage 1: Conformity Self- 

Depreciating 

Stage 2: Dissonance Conflict 

between selfdepreciating 

and 

appreciating 

Stage 3: Resistance 

and Immersion 

Selfappreciating 

Stage 4: Introspection Concern with 

basis of selfappreciation 

Stage 5: Synergetic 

Articulation and 

Awareness 

Selfappreciating 

Attitude 

toward 

Others of 

the same 

Minority 

Group- 

Depreciating 

Conflict 

between 

dominatedheld 

views of 

minority 

hierarchy and 

feelings of 

shared 

experience 

Group- 

appreciating 

Concern with 

nature of 

unequivocal 

appreciation 

Groupappreciating 

Attitudes 

toward Others 

of Different 

Minority 

Attitude 

toward 

Dominant 

Group 

Discriminatory Group- 

Appreciating 

Conflict 

between 

dominant-held 

views of 

minority 

hierarchy and 

feeling of 

shared 

experience 

Conflict 

between 

feelings of 

empathy for 

other minority 

experiences and 

feelings of 

culturocenterism 

Concern with 

ethnocentric 

basis for judging 

others 

Groupappreciating 

Conflict 

between 

group 

appreciating 

and group 

depreciating 

Groupdepreciating 

Concern with 

basis of 

group 

deprecation 

Selective 

appreciation 

Source: Atkinson, D.R. Morten, G. & Sue, D.W. (Editors) (1998). Counselling 

American Minorities: A Cross Cultural Perspective (5th Edition). McGraw. Hill 

Company

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4.8 Unit 7: Addiction Problems and Career Mobility (e.g. separation by 

mobility) 

Psychological and social costs of work in separation: 

For the family For a migrant 

• disruption of accomplishment of 

tutelary, educational and 

socializing functions (Euro orphanhood) 

• emotional drifting away from 

partners 

• stress 

• longing 

• looking for new partners • emotional distance 

• excessive workload • looking for new partners 


• Distance Learning, self-study (blended learning) 

• Web-forum 

• Workshops: Input, discussion, role playing 

• Cases 

• Workshops with experts 

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5. References 

Antoszkiewicz J., Metody heurystyczne. Twórcze rozwi�zywanie problemów 

[Heuristic Methods. Creative Problem Solving], PWE, edition II, Warszawa 

1990. 

Bajcar B., Borkowska A., Czerw A., G�siorowska A. C., Nosal S., Psychologia 

preferencji i zainteresowa� zawodowych. Przegl�d teorii i metod. [Psychology 

of Occupational Preferences and Interests. Review of Theories and Methods] 

Zeszyty informacyjno-metodyczne doradcy zawodowego, Zeszyt 34, 

Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej - Departament Rynku Pracy, Warszawa 

2006 

Balcerzak-Paradowska B., Skutki migracji dla rodzin [Effects of Migration for 

Families],[in:] Conference Economic Migration – Reasons and Results, 

Radziejowice October 3-5, 2006 

Ba�ka A, Ertelt B.J., Transnacjonalne poradnictwo zawodowe [Transnational 

vocational counselling], Ministry of Economy and , Warszawa 2007 

Ba�ka A., Poradnictwo transnacjonalne.[Transnational Counselling] Cele i metody 

mi�dzykulturowego doradztwa karier [Goals and Methods of the Multicultural 

Career Counselling] - Zeszyty informacyjno-metodyczne doradcy zawodowego 

[Informative and Methodical Brochures of Career Counselling,] Zeszyt 36 

[Brochure No 36], Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej - Departament Rynku 

Pracy,[Ministry of and Social Welfare – Department of Markets] Warszawa 

2006 

Baron J., Thinking and Deciding, 4th ed., Cambridge University Press, 2008 

Bogaczyk D., Kompetentne pomaganie [Competent Assistance] [in:] Biuletyn 

Informacyjny WUP w Zielonej Górze [WUP Information Bulletin], Grudzie� 

[December] 2005, Zielona Góra 2005 

Buczuma-Zielonka J., Tyszkiewicz-Janik D., Programy szkole� modu�owych dla 

kadry publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia, [Module Training Programmes for the 

Staff of Public Employment Service] WYG International – Ministry of and 

Social Policy, Warszawa 2007 

Cieslikowska D., Kownacka E., Olczak E., Paszkowska-Rogacz A. (ed.), Doradztwo 

zawodowe a wyzwania Mi�dzykulturowe [Occupational Counselling vs. 

Intercultural Challenges] KOWEZiU, Warszawa 2006 

Ertelt B.J., Schulz W.E., Handbuch Beratungskompetenz, Leonberg: Rosenberger, 

2008, 2 nd Ed. 

Gigerenzer G., Adaptive Thinking, Oxford University Press, 2000 

Gigerenzer G., Gut Feelings, Allen Lane, 2007 

Gigerenzer G., Peter M., Todd and the ABC Research Group: Simple Heuristics That 

Make Us Smart, Oxford University Press, 1999 

Gigerenzer G., Selten R.,(Ed.): Bounded Rationality – The Adaptive Toolbox, The 

MIT Press, 1999 

Gilovich T., Griffin D., Kahneman D., (Eds): Heuristics and Biases, Cambridge 

University Press, 2002 

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Hastie R., Dawes R.M., Rational Choice in an Uncertain World, Sage Publications, 

2001 

Kahneman D., Slovic P., Tversky A., (Eds): Judgment Under Uncertainty: Heuristics 

and Biases, Cambridge University Press, 1982 

Kahneman D., Tversky A., (Eds): Choices, Values and Frames, Cambridge 


Koehler D.J., Harvey N., (Eds): Blackwell Handbook of Judgement & Decision 

Making, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2004 

Launikari M., Puukari S. (red.), Poradnictwo i Doradztwo Multikulturowe [Multicultural 

Counselling and Consultancy], Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej [Ministry 

of and Social Welfare] - Departament Rynku Pracy [Department of Market], 

Warszawa 2007 

Leira A., Working Parents and the Welfare State, Cambridge University Press, New 

York 2002 

Lichtenstein S., Slovic P., (Eds): The Construction of Preference, Cambridge 


Newell B.R., Lagnado D.A., Shanks D.R., Straight Choices, Psychology Press, 2007 

OECD, The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility of The Highly Skillled, Paris 

Cedex 2008 

Plessner H., Betsch C., Betsch T., (Eds): Intuition in Judgment & Decision Making, 

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2008 

Plous S., The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making, McGraw-Hill, 1993 

Pozna�ski J., Ma��e�stwo i rodzina w czasach migracji [Marriage and Family in the 

Times of Migration] [in:] Pos�aniec [The Messenger], No 9(2008), Dublin 2008 

Rybi�ski K., Globalny rynek pracy i jego granice. Przyczyny i skutki powstania homo 

sapiens globalus, [Global Market and its Limits. The Reason and Results of 

Creation of Homo Sapeins Globalus] [in] The Debate: ROBOTNICY 2020 – 

wizja rynku i �rodowiska pracy w nadchodz�cych dekadach [WORKERS 2020 – 

a Vision of the Market and Environment in the Coming Decades] Gda�sk, 

June 10, 2006 

St�pniak B. C., Zarz�dzanie równowag� praca – �ycie [Managing the Work-Life 

Balance] [in:] Marketing w Praktyce [Marketing in Practice], No 12 (118) 

December 2007, Warszawa 2007, p 86 

Sundem G., Geek LogiK, Workman Publishing, NY, 2006 

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6. Examples of Exercises that Can Be Used With Trainees 

Case study 1 Brad, Sandy, Lola & Ellie 

Case 

Brad has been given relocation to the UK with his US firm. This is a five year contract and 

means a generous pay increase, good experience and chance to live in another country all 

expenses paid within easy distance to lots of exciting other European destinations. Brad, 

his wife Sandy and 2 girls Lola aged 9 and Ellie aged 6 are very excited at the prospect of 

living in Cambridge a famous university city in England. The parents, although haven’t 

been to Cambridge, have both visited the UK on holiday before and loved it. The quirky 

buildings, all that history, the eccentric people and the way they dress, the pubs, the pies, 

the funny accents and the beer! The departure date is in a few months and they can’t wait 

for the visas to arrive and escape the routine that their lives had become. Once at the 

airport they are jittery with excitement. The anticipation of being a part of a different culture, 

surrounded by countries that speak so many different languages, countries with old 

buildings and such a past full of kings and queens. Work had arranged the schools for the 

girls and Sandy had decided to settle in and help the girls to settle in before starting work 

herself. The first few weeks were brilliant. They were all euphoric. Every day was an 

adventure. New friends, new surroundings every weekend a trip to a different place and 

sometimes a flight to another European city. Then things began to change as time went by. 

The constant grey skies were beginning to take their toll. Sandy had started to look for 

work and was doing small part-time admin jobs that were boring her to death. The people 

were nice but the jokes about her accent were not funny anymore, the stereotypical 

comments about Americans she was finding more and more offensive. Her kids were 

missing their friends and family back home and complaining non-stop about how much 

they hated the food. What had looked old and interesting now seemed dusty and dirty. Her 

husband was working all the hours so she never saw him. The trips had ceased to happen 

but she actually didn’t feel like going anymore anyway. She began to call in sick quite often 

and then eventually stopped going into work at all. As soon as the girls went to school 

Sandy would go back to bed and only sometimes get up again when they got back. She 

had never suffered with depression before and wasn’t sure what was going on. She felt so 

lethargic and had no motivation what-so-ever. Brad couldn’t understand what was going on 

with his previously well-functioning wife. She had become snappy and moody. Her mood 

was rubbing off onto the girls who just stuck together at school not making any other 

friends. Brad doesn’t know how to deal with his once happy family and avoids coming 

home as much as possible. 

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Case study 2 Saj 

Case 

Saj is 29, single and does Occupation Insurance sales for Royal Bank of Scotland. She’s 

thinking of moving to live and work in Dubai and want help to cope with the emotional 

transition of moving abroad. Although she describes herself as 'generally happy', Saj feels 

neither stretched by her work nor, having lived in Nottingham most of her life, her 

environment. She's toyed with the idea of moving abroad for the past two years, a change 

she's convinced will provide a much-needed 'adventure' plus multiple career avenues. Dubai 

is her ideal destination, despite her never having been there, because 'it's growing, dynamic, 

and I'd meet people from different cultures'. 

The fact that it's a Muslim country is a pull, too. 'I see Britain as very much my country, but 

I'd love to experience living in a Muslim one,' Saj says. 'Growing up in a western culture you 

only experience the polarities of everything; in a Muslim country, you'd see what it's like just 

being Muslim without it being an issue.' 

The first dilemma is what she'll do there: Saj has never identified her dream job. Despite 

loving her degree - politics at Birmingham University - she didn't pursue a political career. 'I 

was the first daughter to leave Nottingham for university, so it was quite a big deal and I felt 

a real push to return afterwards. But I didn't feel Nottingham was somewhere I could get into 

politics. I worked in call centres, did admin, anything, then started at the bank.' 

Now all she knows is that she wants a decent wage and 'to not look back, aged 40, and 

regret doing an unfulfilling nine-to-five'. However, as well as working with a careers coach to 

find a suitable job, Saj will need help navigating the rocky emotional road of relocation. 

'The hardest thing will be leaving my family - that makes me very anxious,' says Saj. 

'Leaving my friends will be really difficult, too. I do need to be away from everyone who 

knows me in order to flourish - but that prospect's also incredibly scary.' 

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Tasks 

Before reading case studies get the group into smaller groups and give them five minutes to 

think of as many songs about living or going overseas as possible. This is a good way to 

energise the group and helps them to get to know each other. Ask the group if they could live 

anywhere where would they live (if someone says they wouldn’t then? (if someone says they 

wouldn’t ask them to pretend to be someone who would) Why? Get them to describe a 

typical working day. How long would you like to work there for? What would you do in your 

spare time? Would you be going alone or would you be taking your family? What would you 

miss about home? Discuss in small groups then some feedback in big group. 

Talk about personal experiences (even holidays if never worked abroad) 

Brain storm potential problems people may face when leaving their home countries e.g.: 

• Impact if going alone 

• Impact if going with family (returning home children may speak host country’s language 

better) 

• Impact of coming home 

• Support for incoming migrants (especially from very different cultures) 

• Culture shock 

• Reverse culture shock 

Look at the PowerPoint presentation - can download it on 

�� under Brain Drain Brain Gain) either in one group or 

broken down into smaller groups – they can present to each other and discuss. 

Look at the case studies – do role plays in threes where one person is the client, the other is 

the counsellor and the third person observes, make notes and gives feedback. 

Look at the example of the coach for the 2 nd case study and discuss. 

Why do some people have an easier time than others? 

“How would you feel if…?” game… you couldn’t buy your favourite food, understand TV, 

wear what you want? etc. 

Use clips of films to demonstrate a point e.g. The Namesake, In America, Avalon, Hester, 

Street, Sweet Land, God Grew Tired of Us, Everything is Illuminated, Dirty Pretty Things, 

The Joy Luck Club, What's Cooking. If possible ask a couple of guests to come and tell of 

their experience and ask the group to ask questions and then discuss in smaller groups how 

you would advise these people at different stages of their move. 

Give groups a video camera to go out and find someone to interview who has either worked 

abroad or is a foreigner working here. 

How to coach people leaving 

How to coach people coming in 

Issues with families – spouses – children 

Saj’s Career and Life Coaches 

Read in groups and discuss. Do you agree? Would you do anything differently? 

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Career Coach … 

My approach is very logical and practical and can help people like Saj cut through the 

'emotional fog' that often confuses decision-making at this stage. She's questioning her 

decision to relocate, but that's a natural reaction. Luckily Saj is flexible and realistic, which is 

great. 

To identify the job she wants in Dubai, she needs to ask herself: 1) What do I enjoy doing? 2) 

What am I good at? 3) What would my ideal job description be? Saj wants to be having 

interviews by March, so the next step is producing her 'marketing material', a CV that will 

attract that ideal job rather than simply list her experience. She'll then need to research the 

legal situation of working in Dubai and identify reputable agencies to secure work through. 

Before then, I've asked her to fill in a questionnaire to establish her wider life needs, eg 

friends, family or environment - what makes her life here 'work' so she can get those things in 

place overseas. 

Career-wise, relocating can be a positive, but if Saj does a job below her capacity in Dubai 

it'd have the same effect CV-wise as doing that job here, ie she could look like she's bombed 

out. She may not be able to enter at the same level, but it's the degree of difference she must 

monitor. 

First steps to relocating abroad: 

• Ask yourself if you're moving overseas for positive reasons, not to escape a negative. You 

will need to be very robust psychologically. 

• Don't dismiss on-spec applications. If there's an organisation overseas you'd love to work 

for, don't just zap off an email: treat it like any formal application and send it to the right 

person. 

• If your job is no longer a fit, you may just need to change sector, not relocate – e.g. doing 

marketing for a charitable rather than a financial organisation. 

Life coach … 

Right now Saj is bored and wants adventure, but is naturally fearful. This need for newness 

isn't just typical of her age. We experience stages of 'wanting more' in our late twenties, midthirties, 

forties and fifties. And with change there's the dual emotional reaction of excitement 

and fear. It will be a challenge meeting new people and being in a new place, and Saj will 

probably miss her family. 

If you're relocating, acknowledge that you may experience loneliness but trust that you will 

manage and meet people. You can also work a visit back home into the design of your 

relocation from day one. 

The next step for Saj would be to explore and manage the fear she's experiencing. But for 

now she needs to approach this decision like climbing - there's still the adrenal charge even if 

she just takes one step at a time. And she must remember she can always change her mind. 

Even if she gets as far as interviews then decides not to go, it will still have been worthwhile. 

In terms of learning about herself, the process is as important as the result. 

First steps to coping with the emotional transition of moving abroad: 

• Your family will be upset to some extent. Even if they want you to go they will have 

withdrawal symptoms. Let friends and relatives express their love and concerns, then offer 

reassurance in terms of when you will next speak to and see one another. 

• Most people are naturally drawn to a certain location. But ensure that you're not working 

within the framework of a fantasy, that the things you're looking for are available to you 

there. Explore the cultural differences and how they will affect you. 

• Be completely honest with yourself in terms of why you're leaving. If it's due to a shattered 

relationship, for example, taking a sabbatical or even just a holiday could be sufficient. 

Even if you're not trying to escape something, can you really not achieve your dreams 

here? 

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Overview on 

Course 1: Introduction to informal competences and skills 

Course 2: Validation of informal competences and informal/non-formal learning 

These courses are aimed at counsellors who are faced with clients who want to leave 

their home country and work abroad. 

Needless to say that these counsellors will have to engage in a meaningful 

relationship with their clients and in doing so, they will able to rely on the information 

and advice available to them in the different modules the various partners of the 

“Brain Gain - Brain Gain” project will have provided. 

There is however one very important issue the other modules focusing for example 

on decision making processes or counselling techniques have not touched and that 

is the domain of the competences those clients who express the intention to live and 

work in another country must possess if they are to stand a chance of making it 

abroad. Fact is that one if not the most important reason why people do not make it 

in the country they have travelled to looking for employment is that they did not, when 

leaving, have any or sufficient information on what to expect when arriving at their 

destination. Furthermore they also had little or no idea of what competences were in 

demand and whether their own competences would be officially recognized in the 

first place and, if that were to be the case, whether they would be sought after at all. 

The courses illustrate the information regarding “other” competences counsellors 

must give clients wanting to try their luck abroad. 

Within the scope of the module “other” of other competences refers to: 

• Informal and non-formal learning 

• Social (or extra) skills and competences 

� Intercultural skills 

� Organisational skills (e.g. team work) 

� Certificates (e.g. certificate in first aid) 

Since vocational counselling is not well developed in Turkey, this module is designed 

as an explanatory and informative module. 

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1. Course 1: Introduction to Informal Competences and Skills 


• Counsellors are familiar with non-formal and informal qualifications (TAX 2 – 


• Counsellors are familiar with concepts of non-formal and informal learning (TAX 2 

– foundation competences) 

1.2 Unit 1: Social Skills and Competences 

The main issue of this unit is the domain of the competences those clients who 

express the intention to live and work in another country must possess if they are to 

stand a chance of making it abroad. Therefore, this unit focuses on different types of 

competences in order to differentiate “other” competences from core competences. 

Defining such competences can improve the level of information on “other” 

competences that BD-BG counsellors (University Career Services Counsellors) must 

give clients (students) wanting to try their luck abroad. 

A competence is more than just knowledge and skills. It involves the ability to meet 

complex demands, by drawing on and mobilizing psychosocial resources (including 

skills and attitudes) in a particular context. For example, the ability to communicate 

effectively in a specific language is a competence that requires an individual’s sound 

knowledge of that language. 

Competences usually fall into two categories: technical or functional competences, 

and personal functioning competences (Dubois and Rothwell, 2000). 

The main focus of this unit is on informal/social competences which can be 

considered as personal functioning competences. These competences which can be 

regarded as extra skills may refer to wide range of skills: 

• Social skills: Social skills and social competence determine our ability to handle 

relationships – to understand, appreciate, cooperate and influence others in ways 

good for the group and good for ourselves. 

• Intercultural competence: Intercultural competence is the ability of successful 

communication with people of other cultures. 

� A person who is intercultural competent captures and understands, in 

interaction with people from foreign cultures, the specific concepts in their 

perception, thinking, feeling. 

• Organisational skills (e.g. team work) 

• Certificates (e.g. certificate in first aid) 

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1.3 Unit 2: Non-formal and Informal Learning 

People are constantly learning everywhere and at all times which leads to additional 

skills, knowledge and/or competences for all individuals. 

Different types of learning with respect to the contexts in which learning takes place: 

• Formal learning: Formal learning is always organized and structured (takes place 

in specific institutional contexts), and has learning objectives. From the learner’s 

standpoint, it is always intentional i.e. the learner’s explicit objective is to gain 

knowledge, skills and/or competences. Typical examples are learning that takes 

place within the initial education and training system or workplace training 

arranged by an employer. 

• Non-formal learning: Non-formal learning is intentional, based on a deliberate 

choice made by an individual (in cooperation with the person responsible for their 

training). It refers to specific activities (e.g. learning how to dance or to play an 

instrument); the knowledge acquired is mainly connected to an action and implies 

an aim. In some countries, the entire sector of adult learning falls under non-formal 

learning; in others, most adult learning is formal. 

• Informal learning: Informal learning is never organized, has no set objective in 

terms of learning outcomes and is never intentional from the learner’s standpoint. 

It is often referred to as learning by experience or just as experience. The contents 

of informal learning are neither systemized nor organized. The idea is that the 

simple fact of existing constantly exposes the individual to learning situations, at 

work, at home or during leisure time for instance. 


Lecture: Input – an explanatory presentation on skills gained through non-formal and 

informal learning. 

Aids: A projector for transparencies or a PowerPoint presentation. 

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2. Course 2: Validation of Informal Competences and Informal/nonformal 

learning 


• Counsellors are aware of validation strategy of non-formal and informal learning in 

European policy context. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

• Counsellors are aware of national motives for pursuing the validation of non-formal 

and informal learning. (TAX 2 – foundation competences – supporting 

competences) 

• Counsellors are able to provide information regarding “other” competencies to 

clients wanting to try their luck abroad. (TAX 3 – client-interaction competences) 

• Counsellors are able to show the importance and various ways of marketing nonformal 

and informal learning skills to their clients. (TAX 3 – client-interaction 

competences) 

2.2 Unit 1: Validation and Recognition of Non-formal and Informal 

Learning in Europe 

� Validation of non-formal and informal learning is increasingly seen as a key to 

realise lifelong learning. 

� In the last decade making non-formal and informal learning visible has been at the 

forefront of many public policies in the European Union. 

According to the European legislation “Recognition of non-formal and informal 

learning (in the field of youth)”, these kinds of learning are important because they 

(please see http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11096.htm): 

� are complementary to the formal education and training system; 

� have a participative and learner-centred approach; 

� are carried out on a voluntary basis and are therefore closely linked to young 

people's needs, aspirations and interests. By providing an additional source of 

learning and a possible route into formal education and training, such activities are 

particularly relevant to young people with fewer opportunities; 

� take place in a wide and varied range of settings. 

European countries are divided into three main groups* 

� First, those countries where validation has become a practical reality for individual 

citizens. 

� Second, those countries where validation is emerging as a practical reality 

� Third, those countries where activity is low or non-existent (Turkey is one of them). 

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Based on debates at the Portuguese Presidency conference on valuing learning 

(November 2007), 10 key points relevant to the future development of validation are 

listed and discussed*. 

Common European Principles for identifying and validating non-formal and informal 

learning* 

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An integrated view of validation in Europe 

* For relevant information and documentation on validation in European policy 

context please refer to CEDEFOP’s “Validation of non-formal and informal learning in 

Europe: A Snapshot 2007” available at 

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/Upload/Information_resources/Bookshop/493/4073 

_en.pdf 

2.3 Unit 2: Europass 

The Europass is a single portfolio enabling citizens to provide proof of their 

qualifications and skills clearly and easily anywhere in Europe. It comprises five 

documents designed at European level to improve the transparency of qualifications. 

The Europass is one of the EU's three main instruments to support mobility. It is a 

portfolio of five documents and enables citizens to provide proof of their qualifications 

and skills clearly and easily in the Member States of the EU, the candidate countries 

(Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey) and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and 

Switzerland. It thus complements the Ploteus site, launched in 2002, which contains 

information on education and vocational training opportunities throughout Europe, as 

well as the European vocational training framework which is currently being 

implemented. 

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The Europass initiative is supported by an Internet portal administered at Community 

level. This site allows citizens to draw up their own Europass CVs and language 

portfolios and to find out about the other Europass documents. 

The Europass websites is available in 26 languages (including Turkish) and it 

comprises the following elements: 

Europass - Curriculum vitae (Europass-CV) 

This is an improved version of the European CV created by the Commission in 2002. 

The Europass-CV model, the central element of the portfolio, was designed to 

illustrate people's skills. 

Europass - Mobility 

Using a common European format, the Europass-Mobility records all periods of 

transnational mobility for learning purposes, at whatever level: company placement, 

semester studying at a university or any other training experience. It replaces, with a 

much wider scope, the Europass-Training . 

Europass - Diploma supplement 

The diploma supplement contains information on the holder's higher education 

pathway. It describes the nature, level, context, content and status of any courses 

successfully completed. However, it does not replace the original diploma. 

Developed jointly with the Council of Europe and UNESCO, it is completed by the 

issuing body and presented at the same time as the diploma. 

The diploma supplement comprises eight parts providing information on the holder, 

the diploma, the level of the qualification, the content and results obtained the 

function of the qualification, the certification of the supplement and the national 

higher education system. 

Europass - Certificate supplement 

The certificate supplement describes the vocational qualifications of any person 

holding the vocational training or education certificate to which it refers. To this end, it 

provides, inter alia, information on the skills acquired, the range of vocational 

activities available, the certifying bodies, the level of the certificate, the entry 

qualifications required and opportunities for gaining access to the next level of 

training. It does not replace the original certificate or constitute an automatic 

recognition system. It is issued by the competent national authorities. 

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Europass - Language portfolio 

The language portfolio enables citizens to present their linguistic and cultural skills. It 

provides specific information on the holder's language abilities, in accordance with 

Europe-wide standards, his or her experience in each language and a file of personal 

work to illustrate the level reached. 

2.4 Unit 3: Identification and Marketing of Other Competencies 

This unit provides guidance to counsellors in identifying and marketing other 

competences of clients with examples from Europass. Therefore, with this unit, 

counsellors are able to show the client how to use their other informal competences 

in job applications in Europe through the example of Europass CV. 

The Europass CV has six parts: 

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The sixth part of Europass CV is “Personal skills and competences” focusing on skills 

gained through non-formal and informal learning. 

In order to improve the chances of success of their application, the applicant should 

provide information on the following skills in their CV: 

� Social skills and competences: Living and working with other people, in 

multicultural environments, in positions where communication is important and 

situations where teamwork is essential (for example culture and sports), etc. 

� Organizational skills and competences: Coordination and administration of people, 

projects and budgets; at work, in voluntary work (for example culture and sports) 

and at home, etc. 

� Artistic skills and competences: Music, writing, design, etc. 

� Other skills and competences such as intercultural competences 

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An example of a CV from the Europass website: 

Guidance on how to use and market these skills is important because 

� Clients consider these skills as being useless; 

� Clients do not have sufficient information on where and when they can be of 

proper use; 

� Informal learning experiences support formal learning experiences. 


Lecture: Input – an explanatory presentation of the following issues with examples: 

� Validation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning (in Europe) 

� Europass CV 

� Identification and use of personal skills and competences 

Aids: A projector for transparencies or a PowerPoint presentation. 

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Sources: 

• Europass, http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/ 

• http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11077.htm 

• http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11096.htm 

• http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/etv/Upload/Information_resources/Bookshop/493/4 

073_en.pdf 

Examples of exercises that can be used with trainees 

Case study 1 Ahmet 

Counsellor University Career Services Counsellor 

Client Male; 26 years old; engaged 

Profession A graduate student in Clinical Psychology and working as a 

psychologist in a �� Centre 

Concern 

Ahmet is doing an MS in Clinical Psychology and working part-time in a �� 

Centre. He is specialised in family therapies (especially families of schizophrenics). 

Ahmet wants to work as a psychologist and do his PhD in Clinical Psychology in an 

EU country. After completing his current MS study, he is planning to pursue a new 

career in Europe as a clinical psychologist. He thinks that he has sufficient work 

experience as he has been practising his profession since the third year of his BS 

study in Psychology. He is also planning to get married to his fiancée to take her 

with him. He needs to save some money before leaving Turkey. He wants to go to 

Europe as soon as he finishes his MS study. Otherwise he will have to do military 

service which means ‘losing’ a year. 

Ahmet doesn’t know yet how long he will stay and work in the other country, but he 

wants to study for at least for 3 years for his PhD 

He asks the counsellor for advice as an expert on: 

1. Equivalence and recognition of his certificates and work experience as a 

psychologist. 

2. Salary and living costs in different EU countries. 

3. Working conditions in private and public hospitals and other health 

institutions. 

4. Required knowledge of languages (his level of English is advanced). He will 

need to take courses in languages other than English. 

5. Counselling/information services and networks for assistance in the countries 

of destination. 

6. Postponement of military service while working and studying abroad. 

7. Ahmet also asks the counsellor in which EU countries there is a shortage of 

clinical psychologists. 

8. Ahmet also needs information regarding his wife who will accompany him. 

9. Ahmet asks the counsellor to give him clear advice how to make a decision 

that could serve as a basis for long-term career planning. 

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Case study 2 Lale 

Counsellor University Career Services Counsellor 

Client Female; 24 years old; planning to get married soon 

Profession A Media and Communication Graduate, she has been working for a 

Content Management and Consultancy Company for the last 8 

months. 

Concern 

Lale graduated from the Media and Communication Systems department 2 years 

ago. She has worked for a TV channel for one year and she has been working as a 

correspondent for a Content Management and Consultancy Company for the last 8 

months. She was born in Germany and studied there until she returned to Turkey for 

her university education. After completing her undergraduate studies she decided to 

stay and work in Turkey. As she was born in Germany, she is bilingual (Turkish- 

German). 

Lale was accepted into a 2-year MBA programme in Germany. She wants to take up 

this opportunity and later hopes to work in Germany in the field of Content 

Management. 

Lale does not know yet how long she will stay and work in Germany, but she 

definitely wants to go back to Turkey after some time. She also wants to get married 

after completing the MBA programme. 

Her father lives in Germany. He has a jewellery shop there. Her mother lives in 

Turkey with one of Lale’s sisters. Lale’s other sister lives with her father. Her mother 

makes regular visits to Germany. 

She asks the counsellor for advice as an expert on: 

1. Equivalence and recognition of her university degree in Germany. 

2. Future of Content Management business in Germany. 

3. Comparative knowledge regarding Content Management business in Turkey 

and Germany. 

4. Counselling/information services and networks for assistance in the country of 

destination 

5. Lale asks the counsellor to give her clear advice how to make a decision that 

could serve as a basis for long-term career planning. 

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These real life cases underline the following issues: 

� Clients generally ask about recognition of their formal skills and competences. 

� Clients are not aware of the importance of informal skills and competences. 

� Counsellors should provide information to clients on how to use informal skills and 

competences. 

� Counsellor should have knowledge on recognition and validation of non-formal 

and informal learning skills in Europe. 


Atalay, Süheyda ve Ali Uzay Peker, Europass: Bologna Guide (in Turkish), 

www.bologna.gov.tr/documents/files/Ali_Uzay_Peker_Europass.pdf 

Europass CV Writing Guide (in Turkish), 

http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/img/dynamic/c1345/type.FileContent.file/CVI 

nstructions_tr_TR.pdf 

Dictionary of Educational Terms for EU education programmes (in Turkish), 

http://www.dpt.gov.tr/abegp/leonardo/belgeler/sozluk.doc 

Bjørnåvold, J., Making Learning Visible: Identification, Assessment and Recognition 

of Non-Formal Learning in Europe. Thessaloniki: Cedefop, 2000. 

Duvekot, R., Scanlon, G., Charraud, A-M., Schuur, K., Coughlan, D., Nilsen-Mohn, 

T., Klarus, R., & Paulusse, J. (Eds.), Managing European Diversity in Lifelong 

Learning – The Many Perspectives of the Valuation of Prior Learning in the 

European Workplace. Nijmegen/Vught/ Amsterdam: HAN University, 

Foundation EC-VPL & Hogeschool van Amsterdam, 2007. 

Duran, Ahmet, “Critical Analysis of Some Selected Concepts in the Field of 

Educational Studies” (in Turkish), Journal of Institute of Social Sciences, Mugla 

University, Vol. 10, Spring 2003. 

http://www.mu.edu.tr/sbe/sbedergi/dosya/10_1.pdf 

Korkut, F., “Attitudes Toward Teaching Prevention and Developmental Issues 

Among Turkish Counsellor Educators”, International Journal for the Advancement of 

Counselling. 27(1), 2005, 111- 123. 

Korkut, F., “Counsellor’s thoughts and practices related to career guidance and 

counselling”, Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 32, 2007, 187-197. 

Korkut F. and Mızıkacı, F., “EU, Bologna Process and counsellor education in 

Turkey”, Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 53, 2008, 99-122. 

Validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe: A snapshot 2007, 

CEDEFOP, 2007. 

Europass: Serving citizen mobility 

http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c11077.htm 

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Schneider, S.L. (ed.),The International Standard Classification Of Education (ISCED – 97) – 

An Evaluation Of Content and Criterion Validity for 15 European Countries. Mannheim, 

Universitaet, 2008. 

http://www.euroguideval.org/choix.html Leonardo Project developing standards 

and training materials for people working with the recognition and assessment 

of non-formal learning. 

Overview on courses 3 - 5 

The term ‘assessment’ is very closely related with a career counsellor’s profession. 

Especially in the Brain Drain – Brain Gain counselling it has a multifunctional 

application that helps evaluate and assess clients’ perspectives and chances of 

fulfilment within the life and career transition. 

The assessment process is a complex, interdisciplinary activity for the systematic 

collection of information about the clients. It becomes more complex as it reflects the 

BD-BG aspect. Here the counsellor has to consider the different cultural, educational 

and market contexts and how the client is going to fit in it. 

Assessment is conducted in several stages in the counselling process. During the 

first clients’ interview, the clients’ needs for counselling are subject to assessment 

and in addition career development goals are defined. Furthermore, assessment 

helps diagnose problems, assess interests, values, professional degree, personal 

qualities and skills. Assessment is a method also used to check the extent to which 

the designed action plan is in unison with goals set as well as to analyze whether the 

client’s needs for development are satisfied at the end of the process. Assessment is 

done not only in regard with the client but also in regard with the career counsellor’s 

work (regular self-assessment). 

In the current module the mostly used methodologies for abilities and skills 

measurement and interests’ assessment in counselling process will be presented. 

Multicultural context of their usage and need for development of the methodologies in 

order to meet the needs of the multicultural character of today’s communities will be 

also discussed. 

The courses are 

Course 3: Types of assessment instruments 

Course 4: Stages of assessment elaboration process 

Course 5: Multicultural context of ability measurement and interest 

assessment 

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The main areas for the counsellor’s attention, in order to get enough information for a 

precise diagnosis, refer to skills, abilities, personality and interests. The same areas 

are assessed in BD – BG counselling in the light of the multicultural situation. 

Accordingly the BD – BG counsellors should consider also the following assessment 

areas: differences in the environment of the above mentioned categories’ application 

as well as client’s linguistic competencies, cultural and behavioural competence in 

regard with the professional life in the country where the client will work, influential 

factors such as family, religion, orientation towards native country’s dominating 

criteria in decision making or those of the current culture, etc. 

However, no matter the type of activity, the counsellor can use these instruments – in 

fact, their selection depends on the counselling problem and on the strategy decided 

by the specialist. The career counsellors can generally use two assessment methods 

during the process: a non-standardized form (or qualitative, informal) and a 

standardized one (formal, quantitative). 

3. Course 3: Types of Assessment Instruments 


• The BD – BG counsellor is familiar with the main areas for a precise diagnosis 

concerning career guidance and advice giving refer to skills, abilities, personality 

and interests. (TAX 2 – foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• The BD – BG counsellor learns to use only those instruments that have been 

adapted for the target populations (BD – BG). (TAX 3 – foundation competences) 

• The BD – BG counsellor learns to exercise critical judgment when they use 

standardized assessment tools and methods in the context of BD – BG. (TAX 3 – 


• The course gives the BD – BG counsellor an overview of approaches to an 

assessment of vocational interests and testing of vocational abilities from 

multicultural perspectives. (TAX 3 – foundation competences) 

3.2 Unit 1: Formal Assessment 

The standardized instruments are based on statistic calculation and reporting to the 

group and have formal procedures to administrate and score, those procedures 

cannot change anytime the test is administrated. The standardized assessment 

instruments are designed to collect objective information about the client (personality 

and behaviour features). The instruments that are mostly used are the formal 

interviews and tests. Moreover, the computer tests started to be widely used – selfapplied 

or with a trainer. Implementation of standardized tests requires specific 

training. The advantages of these methodologies are that they provide comparatively 

reliable results which can be compared with defined norms of population. 

Implementation of standardized tests has its limitations. 

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Organizations publishing collected tests impose the limitation for selling part of tests 

only to qualified specialists. Accordingly BD – BG counsellors should acquire the 

necessary education and experience and receive certain training in order to use 

standardized questionnaires in their practice and correctly and adequately interpret 

the results. 

3.3 Unit 2: Informal Assessment 

Informal assessment instruments generate information about the individual through 

means less structured than standardized tools. The non-standardized assessment 

instruments are related to the individual behaviours analysis (by observation) or to 

the personal statements analysis, which are related to ones feelings, interests, 

attitudes, experiences. There are no formal procedures to administrate or interpret 

the results of the application of those instruments, for this, the counsellor uses their 

personal and professional skills to analyze and interpret. Those instruments are 

generally developed by the investigator, for a certain counselling situation, that is why 

they are less structured and less relevant for many of the situations. In this regard 

and taking into account the characteristics of working with immigrants and emigrants 

informal methodologies are more relevant and more frequently used in BD – BG 

counselling despite their disadvantages. 

3.4 Unit 3 Interview 

We assume the interview as a separate assessment method because it can be 

structured, half-structured or not structured and formal, semi-formal and informal. The 

interview is a basic method in counselling process and is also used for comparison of 

the results from other methods implemented. The interview appears to be the most 

applied method in BD – BG counselling for immigrants and emigrants because of the 

lack of elaborated methodologies. 

3.5 Unit 4: Interest Assessment Tests 

Usually these inventories can help answer the questions, "What do I want to do?" 

and "How do I get there from here? “ There is a clear distinction between abilities and 

interests (as preferences for some activities). These instruments help to compare the 

scores obtained by the client regarding the vocational preferences with those of 

some people who activate in all professional sectors. 

Examples: 

• The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is the most widely used interest inventory in 

the history of career measurement. It is useful in making educational and career 

plans. The SII measures clients’ degree of interest in career fields and compares 

their general interests with people presently employed in those fields. It may be 

used to help the immigrants and emigrants understand their work interests and to 

show some kinds of work in which they might be comfortable. 

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• Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS). This inventory is a survey of selfreported 

interests and skills. It is designed to help clients understand how their 

interests and skills relate to basic job interest orientations and specific 

occupations. 

• Self-Directed Search (SDS). A self-scoring inventory, based on John Holland’s 

personality typology, the SDS will help clients understand how their interests relate 

to occupational themes and specific jobs and college majors. 

• Kuder Occupational Interest Survey (KOIS). Offers intra-individual 

comparisons. It is similar to Holland’s six themes. Interest inventories can be used 

in guidance programs, educational exploration, vocational planning, job selection 

& placement. 

All mentioned Interest assessment tests may be used in their standardized form 

when working with immigrants. This will help evaluate the extent to which the 

achieved results for a certain client are commeasurable with the rates for the relevant 

population. The use of these methodologies and achieved results when working with 

emigrants should be related to the rates for the country the client will study and/or 

work. 

The informal methodologies that may be used for interests’ assessment are: 

• Checklists or structured worksheets 

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For example, the BD-BG counsellor can create a list of professions and jobs which 

the client can range by the extent of preference. In BD – BG counselling these lists 

and questionnaires should include updated professions and jobs for as well as to 

be in accordance with the specific characteristics for the job positions in the 

relevant country. The extent to which client is aware of professions’ classification 

in a given country can be evaluated with such lists. 

• Developing lists 

Clients can be offered a list of professional areas, skills, qualities in which they are 

interested in developing and which are in accordance with market characteristics 

and requirements for a given country. It is important to assess the areas the 

immigrant/emigrant has interest and needs to develop. 

• Biographical data’s analysis 

Information for favourite spare time activities, schools graduated, courses and 

interests in different life stages of the client are analysed. In BD – BG counselling 

the biographical data analysis may be used to assess the beliefs which 

predetermine professional interests and values of the client, influential factors for 

the professional life up to now, criteria for decision making, etc.

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• Interviews 

Questions are included purposefully in order to define areas, activities, etc. In 

which the client is interested to develop themself and also to check the information 

collected by using other methodologies. Applying the interview BD – BG 

counsellors may evaluate areas such as cultural and behavioural competence for 

professional life in the country from which the client comes from or to which they 

are going as well as stereotypes and prejudices that may be manifested in the new 

cultural environment. 

It is important to point out that career development depends not only on the certain 

professional interests and values. It is significantly influenced by personal, family, 

religious, economic and political interests and values. BD – BG counsellors should 

take into account their influence in the client’s assessment. The most suitable 

methods are the informal ones – specially designed questionnaires and interviews. 

Exploring these additional interests and values BD – BG counsellors will touch the 

client’s beliefs relating to starting a new job in a new cultural environment. For 

example a client from India wants to start a new job in Great Britain because he 

thinks that he will earn much more money there. His career development is 

influenced by economic interests. Similar situations will put the BD – BG counsellor in 

a position to assess the reliability of the client’s information and update it if 

necessary. 

3.6 Unit 5: Ability Measurement Tests 

Ability tests are recognised as the single best method of predicting job success. 

Ability tests measure a person’s potential, for instance to learn the skills needed for a 

new job or to cope with the demands of a training course, to assess potential 

candidates in terms of their overall intellectual potential and build a profile of their 

individual strengths and weaknesses. Ability tests are prospective: they focus on 

what the person is capable of achieving in the future or their potential to learn. 

There is a body of research to suggest that cognitive ability testing is the most robust 

predictor of job performance and that the validity of this predictor rises as the 

complexity of the job rises. 

The main types of ability test used are: 

• Tests of General or Global Ability (also called "g", intelligence, IQ) 

• Tests of Specific Cognitive abilities (Abstract Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, 

Numerical Reasoning) 

• Tests of Psychomotor abilities and specific aptitudes (vision, hearing, motor 

dexterity, artistic ability, mechanical ability, management potential, leadership 

potential etc.) 

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Tests of general/global ability or 'g' attempt to measure a person's ability to problem 

solve, analyse, understand and adapt to new situations or challenges. They usually 

produce an IQ score or measure of 'g'. In BD-BG counselling setting tests of this type 

can be "short versions" with the emphasis on gaining a better understanding of a 

person's general strengths and weaknesses in relation to other graduates, rather 

than deriving an IQ type score. 

Tests of Specific abilities attempt to measure the depth and nature of particular 

strengths and weaknesses in subject or job related areas. Typically these involve 

high level cognitive processing, complex problem solving, analytical reasoning, 

verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning and information checking. In some instances 

tests may extend to visual acuity, motor dexterity, mechanical reasoning and other 

psychomotor domains. The choice of test is largely dependent upon the context and 

nature of the role. For graduate positions, many companies tend to use a broad 

battery of tests to get a feel for a person's abilities in different areas, so as to help 

them assess where an applicant might best be suited. 

A battery of tests is likely to include tests of vocabulary, numerical reasoning, verbal 

reasoning, abstract problem solving or critical reasoning, in conjunction with 

personality and values questionnaires. It may also include tests of management and 

leadership potential, or mechanical or clerical aptitudes. Visual, motor, and tests of 

artistic ability are not usually included in standard multiple aptitude batteries due to 

their specificity and cost. 

The use of informal abilities’ assessment instruments in BD-BG counselling should 

again be in accordance with the standardized rates for the relevant population in 

which the client will work and live. 

For abilities assessment informal methodologies can be used. Relevant to the BD-BG 

counselling goals are: 

• Observation - of skills being demonstrated is an instrument that is related to very 

important BD-BG counsellors’ competencies – observation skills, attention to 

behavioural details (verbal, nonverbal). Counsellors should observe the availability 

of culturally determined behaviours that may have negative influence in a new 

environment. 

• Self-observation – clients define to what extent they possess certain abilities and 

skills. Based on this the BD-BG counsellor may also draw out the influence of the 

norms and stereotypes of the cultural and professional environments the client is 

coming from. It will also show whether there are differences between the 

requirements for relevant skills and abilities for a certain job position in the country 

from which the client comes from and the country they will live and work. 

• Group or individual activities – may be used for assessment of transferable 

skills – common or transferable skills which can be transferred from one 

profession or area to another as well as for assessment of different practical, 

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verbal, non verbal abilities, cases for assessment of decision making abilities, 

work under pressure, etc. Transferable skills assessment when working with 

emigrants and immigrants should be in accordance with the market requirements 

and the future professional community and environment characteristics. The BD – 

BG counsellor should take into account the organisation the client has been 

working for until now, what the transferable skills necessary for a certain job 

position were and whether they are relevant to the new professional situation or 

whether the client needs to acquire new employability skills. It is very important for 

the BD – BG counsellor to define what the client understands in regard with 

employability skills – for example how the client understands teamwork or whether 

their culture allows asking for support in a difficult situation. Transferable skills 

assessment will define the work approach with the client in order to harmonize the 

understanding of the set of characteristics and qualities included in a given 

transferable skill and the new cultural and professional environment. 

The table below is an example for a list of skills which the client can self-assess or 

that can be given to a friend, former employer or colleague. Use the table to 

complete the list of your qualities with the ones you want to develop as well as with 

the relevant goals and actions. 

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Skills Area 

Management 

Communication 

Problem-solving 

Human relationships 

Learning 

Skills 

• Plan and arrange 

• Delegate responsibility 

• Order 

• Attend to visual detail 

• Assess your own work as well as that of peers or 

co-workers 

• Use databases or software to organize and present 

information 

• Flexibility 

• Manage multiple tasks, prioritise 

• Listen-answer questions 

• Provide information 

• Accept input 

• Write correspondence, reports, records, and 

technical or specialized documents 

• Present information to large/small groups 

• Convince others to adopt your ideas 

• Negotiate 

• Foreign language (one) 

• Express yourself confidently and creatively 

• Communicate electronically-use the web and email 

to present and exchange information 

• Analyse problems 

• Manage abstract issues 

• Identify several solutions to the same problem and 

choose the appropriate alternative 

• Use critical judgment to determine cause and effect 

relationships 

• Set and attain goals 

• Creative thinking ("outside the box") 

• Lead or direct a team 

• Appraise and evaluate others' work 

• Resolve problems and conflicts 

• Motivate people 

• Encourage/support others 

• Understand/respond to the work environment and 

people's needs 

• Work well with different people 

• Teach or train peers 

• Investigate and record findings 

• Work diligently and patiently 

• Manage obstacles-be persistent and resourceful 

• Use CD-ROM and on-line databases 

• Use the web to conduct research 

Level 

High 

Average 

Low 

Country 

specific

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Questionnaires and lists for assessment of other abilities and skills can be created in 

a similar way. BD – BG counsellor should discuss with the client the meaning of 

terms or concepts during the elaboration of such lists and questionnaires. It will 

ensure the client understands of the meaning which the counsellor has put into them. 

The RIASEC model should be pointed out as a methodology for surveying interest 

and abilities. The model is based on the J. L. Holland theory. Holland differentiates 6 

types of personalities in accordance with their ways of acting in the society that are 

reflecting their basic orientation: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising 

and conventional (RIASEC). Holland states that people tend to favour the 

environments which better match their personality and gives them the possibility to 

fully express their desired abilities, skills, interests, values and roles. All RIASEC 

types exist in every one but one of them tends to be more expressed – dominant. 

A very important aspect of abilities assessment is the client’s job searching and 

finding abilities and skills assessment. It has a great significance in BD –BG 

counselling for updating the client’s information with regards to means and methods 

for searching for and finding a job relevant for the country they will work in. For 

example in Bulgaria it is quite common practice for people to actively use their social 

networks when searching for a new job whereas it can be unacceptable for other 

countries. Submitting documents when there is no vacancy announced can be 

common practice in some countries and not a recommendable approach in others. 

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4. Course 4: Stages of Assessment Elaboration Process 

Test interpretation function is concentrated on success prognoses. Similarities 

between test profiles of clients with the same occupation are compared. Systematic 

work including test results in counselling can be done in the following way: 

BD-BG counsellors present selected test profiles to the client beginning with available 

interests because they affect the sense of ones own value less than ability tests. 

Afterwards expressed interests are related to test assessment for intelligence, special 

skills and need for achievement. This process of comparison is aimed at showing 

which interests and abilities are congruent and in this way to create a realistic basis 

for professional development choice. 


• Counsellors are able and motivated to transfer methods of diagnosing and 

assessment in BD – BG with cultural sensitivity. (TAX 3 - foundation competences, 


• Counsellors are able to provide personal data analyses, structured interview, 

interest and personality inventories, and assessment centres. (TAX 4 – foundation 


• Counsellors are skilled to construct and conduct interviews: face-to-face interview, 

telephone interview, and video – conferencing interview, related to diagnosis in 

BD-BG counselling. (TAX 4 – client-interaction competences) 

4.2 Unit 1: Selecting and Applying Assessment Instruments 

Usually, in selecting and applying assessment instruments, we follow the next steps: 

• Determining that the instrument will generate useful information in accordance with 

BD – BG counselling characteristics to aid in planning 

• Selecting the appropriate instruments in accordance with the client’s linguistic and 

cultural characteristics. 

• Preparing the clients for the assessment process. 

• Administering the test selected 

• Scoring the instruments. 

• Selecting the appropriate norm and reference groups – if possible relevant for the 

country the client is going to when emigrants are being counselled. 

• Profiling test results. 

• Interpreting the test results to the client. 

• Developing a written report of instrument interpretation. 

• Exploring educational, vocational and personal options, using information 

generated from the applied instrument and other sources. 

• Formulating and individualized written plan of action and intervention strategy. 

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4.3 Unit 2: Potential Errors in the Assessment of Performance 

Counsellors need to be aware of the potential sources of error when observing/rating 

performance. Some of the most common tendencies are the following: 

• Over-dependence on formal testing and neglecting informal assessment methods. 

• Not enough attention to the interpretation actions. 

• Too much emphasis on measures of achievement and too little on measures of 

interests, aptitudes, work values and career maturity. 

• Inappropriate use of the instrument results. 

• Overemphasis on using assessment instruments for decision-making purposes 

rather than for better self-understanding. 

• Failure to properly guide clients in the administering stage. 

• Insufficient or inadequate information in the feedback stage of report delivery. 

Taking into account the BD – BG counselling characteristics we can add the following 

mistakes: 

• Counsellors do not take into account the potential bias of the assessment 

instruments and use procedures and interpretation without taking into account 

cultural and linguistic characteristics of the clients. 

• Counsellors are not aware of current surveys in the assessment area and do not 

pay any attention to the cultural conditions when choosing instruments. 

• Counsellors are not properly acquainted with market possibilities in the country the 

client is going to and does not take into account its specifics when assessing 

client’s interests, skills and abilities. 

The tests are not sufficient for describing the interests, personal characteristics, 

abilities and skills. Therefore it is very important that the generated information is 

used together with the information for the environment from which the clients come or 

to which the clients go, personal skills and other data. That is why isolated 

conclusions for some parts of these aspects may be useless if the other results are 

not taken into account. 

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5. Course 5: Multicultural Context of Ability Measurement and Interest 

Assessment 

.Assessment includes the use of various techniques to make an evaluation; as has 

already become clear multicultural assessment refers to the cultural context in which 

the assessment is conducted, namely, the one in which people of differing cultures 

interacts. Although many of the measures most widely used have established 

reliability and validity only within White racial samples, these measures often are 

used inappropriately and unethically with populations from different cultures. 


• Counsellors understand standards for educational and psychological testing in 

different cultural backgrounds on BD-BG level. (TAX3 - foundation competences) 

• Counsellors possess working experience and intercultural sensitivity in 

transnational career counselling and assessment related to the life span. (TAX 4 – 


• Counsellors are able to adapt tests and other diagnostic instruments to BD-BG 

counselling on a professional level. (TAX 4 – foundation competences, clientinteraction 

competences) 

5.2 Unit 1: More Common Misuses of Assessments in Multicultural 

Contexts 

1. "Assuming that labelling something solves the problem." Sedlacek (in press, 

a) has called this the "Quest for the Golden Label" problem. Using new terms (e.g., 

multicultural, diversity) does not mean we are doing anything operationally different 

with our measures. Westbrook and Sedlacek (1991) found that although labels for 

non-traditional populations had changed over forty years, the groups being discussed 

were still those without power who were being discriminated against in the system. 

2. "Using measures normed on White populations to assess non-White 

people." Sedlacek (in press, a) discussed what he called the "Three Musketeers" 

problem, namely that developing a single measure with equal validity for all is often 

the goal of test developers. However, if different people have different cultural and 

racial experiences and present their abilities differently, it is unlikely that a single 

measure could be developed that would work equally well for all. 

3. "Ignoring the cultural assumptions that go into the creation of assessment 

devices." Helms (1992) argued that cognitive ability measures are commonly 

developed from an unacknowledged Eurocentric perspective. Until there is more 

thought given to the context in which tests are developed, work comparing different 

racial and cultural groups using those measures will be spurious. 

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4. "Not considering the implications of the use of measures with clients from 

various racial and cultural groups." Professionals may not be adequately trained 

in determining which measures are appropriate to use with particular clients or 

groups. Sedlacek (in press, a) has called this the "I'm OK, you're not" problem in that 

very few professionals receive adequate training in both instrument development and 

an appreciation of multicultural issues. 

5.3 Unit 2: Cultural Bounded Methods for Ability and Interest 

Assessment 

Results of implementation of standardized methodologies for abilities studying and 

interests assessment are culturally predefined because results are relative to foreign 

language skills. A very important part of the reliability and validity of the tests is 

connected with the elaboration of the questions which automatically is connected 

with the level of language competency and distortion of the results coming from 

incorrect understanding of the questions. The language is considered as one of the 

most important elements of intelligence and most of the measurement instruments in 

this area are strongly connected with language. Therefore in BD-BG counselling it is 

necessary to take into account very precisely the level of acculturation and language 

competency of the client. The language competency may be divided into 

interpersonal communication skills and cognitive skills. 

A possible limitation or inaccuracy in achieved results may also originate from the 

acculturation level of the client and the similarity of their values and the dominant of 

the society values. Another limitation comes from the fact that norms usually only 

slightly comply with the ethnical groups as well as the fact that culturally defined 

tendencies for giving positive or socially desirable answers are almost not abided. 

Other issues in clients’ assessment in multicultural context are also very important. 

They include the non verbal communication peculiarities, taking into account specific 

expectations and assumptions, similarities between clients and counsellors, 

assessment of the role of psychometric measurement, creation of the test situation 

and culturally defined behaviour when providing answers. 

According to Shroeder (1993, p. 467) the counsellors face a dilemma in 

implementing tests in multicultural contexts: If they want to create a notion for the 

complexity of interests and abilities of a person in a way that provides a possibility to 

better show the personality, they should choose ways that avoid comparison of 

individual data of different persons when working with people with a foreign 

background. If the comparison is of great importance they should choose methods in 

which data for the complexity of abilities is limited. 

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5.4 Unit 3: Directions for Using Assessment Methods in BD-BG 

Counselling 

Regardless of all limitations and problems mentioned above, the counselling goals 

require the usage of assessment methods for each client in order to provide: 

• Prognosis for the development of the client (extent of competitiveness, level of 

achievement, possible results, areas with probable difficulties); 

• Differentiation - to what extent the interests, abilities or values meet the 

requirements of the working or educational environment (in which educational or 

professional area they will achieve the best realization, to what extent they may fit 

the relevant work/cultural environment, etc.); 

• Monitoring of the client who helps the BD-BG counsellor in the assessment of the 

necessity of additional preparatory work with client before the interpretation of the 

assessment connected with prognosis and differentiation. 

The issue of the implementation of relevant formal methodologies for assessments 

arises so that the limitations from the implementation in multicultural context can be 

avoided to a maximum. We do not want to commit ourselves with a simple answer to 

that question but we will rather give some directions that will certainly be useful in 

avoiding the limitations of the cultural context of their application. 

The first direction is the possibility only to add the results from the formal 

methodologies to the results from other methods for interests and ability 

assessments (informal methodologies) or another is to do additional surveys during 

the interview. For example, let us take a look at the Strong test for professional 

interests’ measurement. The test is formal and it must only be used in a standardised 

form. If the form is not available or the BD-BG counsellor is not trained to use it, they 

may create a list of professions and specialties relevant to the culture of the client or 

to the professions in their country and after the client completes them, the counsellor 

uses the results for a follow up discussion, a complex of the themes and questions 

we will survey. 

The language misunderstandings can be avoided in the same way because the 

proposed informal form of the test may allow more freedom in the implementation 

and a possibility for additional explanations of all the client’s questions. On the other 

hand it is possible to use only certain questions from a given test that we consider 

appropriate and with less culture dependence and which will be included in the 

interview. Language misunderstandings and cultural context limitations will be 

avoided in this way. 

Having in mind that formal methodologies are only used when they are standardised 

and only by specially trained specialists, it is a good idea to create a database. The 

database should include standardized methodologies used in different countries by 

relevant specialists or methodologies suitable for BD-BG counsellors in order to 

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provide online assessment of a client with the assistance of a colleague from the 

home country of the client. Work with clients from different ethnical groups may 

require a specific approach. Therefore it will be relevant for the BD-BG counsellors to 

work in a team together with specialists with experience in assessing representatives 

of specific ethnical groups. 

5.5 Unit 4: Evaluation of Testing in BD-BG Counselling 

Here we will discuss tests to measure different abilities – talents, cognitive abilities, 

skills. Non-verbal test of this type are created – they include different mathematical, 

logical and other tasks. When non-verbal methodologies are used the possibility to 

avoid language and cultural limitations increases significantly. These tests include 

the so-called cultural-free-tests. Although elaboration of culture-free-tests offers a 

solution, several authors point out that the reduction and elimination of the language 

dependent parts will not be a great advantage. 

It is important to outline once again that no matter which of the discussed 

approaches are used for the BD- BG counselling goals and implementation of 

standardised questionnaires or tests for abilities, skills and interests assessment, it is 

necessary to have in mind that the actions, interpretations and conclusions 

undertaken cannot be entirely based on the achieved results. They should be 

checked and further developed through other techniques. 

Demonstrating and expanding the above mentioned issues, there are several 

assumptions and proposals for improving the multicultural assessment as follows: 

1 "Concentrate on empirical and operational definitions of groups, not just 

labels." Sedlacek (in press, b) has suggested that if members of a group receive 

prejudice and present their abilities in non-traditional ways, they can be considered 

"multicultural." He suggested the use of measures of racial attitudes and noncognitive 

variables in making this determination. 

2 "Identify measures specifically designed for multicultural groups." 

Sabnani and Ponterotto (1992) provided a critique of "racial/ethnic minorityspecific" 

instruments and made recommendations for their use in different 

assessment contexts. Prediger (1993), in a compilation of multicultural 

assessment standards for counsellors developed for the American Counselling 

Association, recommended that a determination be made that the assessment 

instrument was designed for use with a particular population before it is used. 

3 "Encourage the consideration of cultural factors in the earliest conceptual 

stages of instrument development." Helms (1992) called this a "culturalist 

perspective" in assessment. Sedlacek (in press, a) noted a lack of developmental 

multicultural thinking as new instruments are developed. Multicultural groups are 

usually "throw ins" after the fact to see how their test results compare with those of 

the population on which the test was normed. He called this the "Horizontal 

Research" problem in developing assessment measures. 

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4 "Increase opportunities for an exchange of information between those with 

quantitative training in instrument development and those with an interest 

and expertise in multicultural issues." Currently there is little overlap in these 

two groups. Helms (1992) felt it was important not to assume that there are 

enough professionals of colour to do this work. Many individuals from majority 

racial and cultural groups will need to develop such measures as well. 

Conventions, workshops, co-authored articles, and curricular reform in graduate 

programs are but a few examples of what could be done. 

After everything said so far we will quote Brown and Brooks (1990, p. 172) who see 

the alternative for assessment in counselling in using informal diagnostic methods. 

The reliability of these tests is strongly dependent on the mutual trust and the 

possible culture stereotypes of the counsellor. Prejudice and biased interpretation 

may be also very influential. If the requirements and conditions for using informal 

methodologies are kept they can give an essential direction of the counsellor’s work. 

The possibility of avoiding cultural context when using informal methodologies 

originates from the facts that: 

• the requirement in implementing them are not strict and the BD- BG counsellor 

can explain and answer the client’s questions at any time 

• good knowledge of ethnos and culture specifics of the client can help the BD-BG 

counsellor in applying cases, giving exercises for ability measurements, lists of 

interests, qualities, skills, etc. as well as to comply the interpretation of the results 

with the cultural specifics of the client. 

Among the mostly used instruments for assessment of representatives of different 

ethnical groups are: 

• Work samples 

• Picture tools 

• Computer applications 

• Visualisation 

To summarize we can point out the following conclusions: 

Assessment is an important stage of the counselling process. Many different 

methods for ability measurements and interest assessments are created and 

generally divided into formal and informal. Both types of methodologies implemented 

in multicultural context will lead to a distortion of the results and specific interpretation 

because the behavioural model of the clients and the obstacles they face differ in 

accordance with their background culture. 

Although the multicultural context theme for ability measurements and interest 

assessments is more often discussed in counselling, the development of 

standardised test to be used in multicultural context is still an issue needing further 

development. 

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6. Methodology - Proposals 

Course 1: Lecture, presentation of psychometric tests focusing on the methods of 

interpretation 

Course 2: Group discussions, case studies and some practical exercises. Microcounselling 

and role playing 

Course 3: Lecturer’s input on the possibility of using tests and assessment methods in 

various target groups and for various subjects. 

Project studies with small groups. 

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7. References 

Banka A., & Ertelt B-J. (2004). Transnational Vocational counselling, A Guide for 

students of post-graduate education programme in the field of euro-counselling 

Bennett, M.J. 1993. Towards ethno relativism: a developmental model of intercultural 

sensitivity. In M. Paige (Ed.) Education for intercultural experience. Yarmouth, 

ME: Intercultural Press, 21–71. 

Ertelt B-J & W. Schultz. (2002). Counselling in Education and Profession. 

Ertelt B-J & W. Schultz. (2002). Manual for Counsellors’ Competence. 

Global Career Development Facilitator. Curriculum for training career counsellors. 

Helms, J.E. (1992). Why is there no study of cultural equivalence in standardized 

cognitive ability testing? American Psychologist, 47(9), 1083-1101. 

Nugent, F.A. (1994). An Introduction of the profession of counselling 

Prediger, D.J. (1993). Multicultural assessment standards: A compilation for 

counsellors. Alexandria, VA: American Counselling Association. 

Sabnani, H.B., & Ponterotto, J.G. (1992). Racial/ethnic minority-specific 

instrumentation in counselling research: A review, critique, and 

recommendations. Measurement and Evaluation in Counselling and 

Development, 24(4), 161-187. 

Sedlacek, W.E. (in press, a). Advancing diversity through assessment. Journal of 

Counselling and Development. 

Sedlacek, W.E. (in press, b). An empirical method of determining non-traditional 

group status. Measurement and Evaluation in Counselling and Development. 

Sue, D.W., & Sue, D. (1990). Counselling the culturally different: Theory and practice. 

New York: Wiley. 

Sue, D.W., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R.J. (1992). Multicultural counselling 

competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counselling 

and Development, 70(4), 477-486. 

Westbrook, F.D., & Sedlacek, W.E. (1991). Forty years of using labels to 

communicate about non-traditional students: Does it help or hurt? Journal of 

Counselling and Development, 70(1), 20-28. 

Westwood, M.J., Ishiyama, F.I. (1991). Challenge in counselling immigrant clients: 

Understanding intercultural barriers to career adjustment. Journal of 

Employment of Counselling 

Zunker, V. (1998). Career counselling 

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Overview 

Migration of people has already become an important part of international life. About 

3% of people in the world live nowadays in countries other than their home countries. 

More and more people are aiming not only at changing their living standards by 

migrating to more developed countries but are also looking for new challenges in 

professional development in other countries. 

This tendency puts career counsellors in a new situation. These specialists have to 

meet the challenges of the fast changing European and global market tendencies 

together with the necessity of using their skills in a multicultural and transnational 

aspect. This in its turn puts the question of the way counselling competencies and 

standards change when clients are people looking for professional realization and 

development in a new country. 

This module is aimed at presenting multicultural and transnational competencies and 

standards in counselling. 

The courses are: 

Course 1: Theoretical aspects and concepts of multicultural counselling 

Course 2: Understanding the client’s view of life 

Course 3: Skills in multicultural counselling 

Course 4: Theoretical concepts discovering multicultural and 

transnational counselling competencies and standards 

Course 5: Ethical standards in BD-BG Counselling 

Course 6: Questions and tasks for self-assessment 

1. Course 1: Theoretical Aspects and Concepts of Multicultural 

Counselling 


• The BD-BG counsellor is familiar with the different perspectives of multicultural 

and transnational counselling. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

• The BD-BG counsellor understands the most important theses of multicultural 

counselling. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

• The BD-BG counsellor considers multicultural counselling as a metatheoretical 

method. (TAX 2 – foundation competences) 

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1.2 Unit 1: The Concept of “Culture” in Transnational and Multicultural 

Counselling 

We should start with some theoretical aspects and concepts in order to provide a 

comprehensive review of the presented theme. 

Multicultural counselling may be discussed in the perspective of stimulating 

transnationality in the European idea sense on one hand and on national level in 

regard with helping people from ethnic minorities on the other hand. This type of 

counselling includes work with wide variety of ethnical, national, religious and socials 

groups of people. 

If we consider the “culture” concept in global sense it will include demographic 

variable quantities such as age, gender, place of residence, status variable quantities 

such as stratum belonging, educational level, income, belonging to formal and 

informal groups as well as ethnographic variable quantities such as nationality, 

ethnical origin, language and religion. Thus the multicultural idea is fundamental for 

all relations in counselling. Pedersen (1991, p. 7) pleads for using the comprehensive 

culture concept because this is the only way the counsellor can adapt to the variety of 

clients from different groups and nationalities. In this sense multiculturism is not only 

a method but also an independent theory which in terms of counselling is designated 

as the “fourth power” together with psychodynamic, humanistic theory and 

behaviourism although the multicultural approach in counselling is relatively new. 

Based on Sue et al. understanding that multicultural („cross-cultural”) is every relation 

in counselling in which two or more participants differ from each other in their cultural 

inheritance, value system and lifestyle, Speight and others (1991, p. 32) offer a new 

definition of the concept. They consider the theory of the historical perspective of 

individuals as optimal. Accordingly, the multicultural counselling should correspond to 

the meeting point of cultural specificity, individual uniqueness and human universality 

rather than being oriented almost entirely towards cultural specificity as it was until 

very recently. The figure below illustrates this new definition of counselling ideology: 

a) each person is the same as all the others; b) the individual looks like the other 

people in the group; �) each person is unique. 

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This method according to a lot of authors is excessively unattached for the further 

forming of an active career counselling methodology especially with regards to the 

multicultural and transnational inclusion of aspects. 

1.3 Unit 2: The Most Important Theses of Multicultural Counselling 

The six most important theses of multicultural counselling that Ivey et al. (1997, p. 

133-205) describe in detail are based on the multicultural activity of Donald Wing Sue 

(1995). According to them: 

• Multicultural counselling is an integrative metatheory of counselling. 

• The counsellor’s and client’s identities are formed during several stages of 

experience and context during their work together. The commonality between the 

experience and context is in the centre of the counselling. 

• The formation of cultural identity of the client is a basic determinant of the 

counsellor’s aptitudes and the client’s aptitudes towards themselves, other 

members of the same group, members of other groups as well as members of the 

dominant group. 

• The effectiveness of counselling increases when the counsellor uses techniques, 

strategies and aims that can be combined with the client’s experience of life and 

culture values. 

• Traditional individual counselling is just one of the theoretical techniques and 

strategies. Others comprehend bigger social units, systematic interventions and 

prevention. 

• Multicultural counselling emphasizes the widening of personal awareness 

including that of family, groups and other structures. It uses a lot of methods for 

supporting different cultures. 

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Multicultural counselling is considered a metatheoretical method. It takes into account 

that each counselling process is performed in a cultural context framework and 

serves as an integrative platform for any counselling. All counselling theories are 

elaborated in a specific cultural context and are conditioned by the relevant culture. 

Multicultural counselling is trying to assist clients in looking through their problems in 

cultural perspective and to solve them in compliance with it. Ivey et al. (1997, p. 138) 

point out that the multicultural counselling theory deals with cultural purposefulness 

and that the aim of multicultural counselling is to set free the clients in order to make 

them able generate new ways of thinking, feeling and taking action and thus live with 

a clearer purpose. Therefore multicultural counselling does not contradict other 

existing counselling theories and methods but is aiming at adding culture as central 

element for each counselling process. Relying on mainstream counselling methods 

also requires increased observance of cultural aspects. 

The multicultural purposefulness of counselling leads to the increase of 

professionalism of counsellors with regards to perception, knowledge and methods of 

counselling. This stimulates an increase of qualification with regards to history, 

experience and cultural values of different group of clients. 

2. Course 2: Understanding the Client’s View of Life 


• BD-BG counsellors are encouraged to learn how cultures differ in basic premises 

that shape worldview. (TAX 2 foundation competences, supporting competences) 

• BD-BG counsellors understand how people make sense of their social world by 

creating categories of the individuals around them, including favouritisms, 

stereotyping, prejudice attitudes, harassment and discrimination. (TAX 2 – 


• BD-BG counsellors can handle automatic biases and attitudes which lead to 

miscommunication in the counselling process, and are able to intervene in 

consistent ways with the clients’ world view. (TAX 3 – foundation competences, 

client-interaction competences 

2.2 Unit 1: The Client’s View of Life as a Significant Aspect in 

Multicultural and Transnational Counselling 

One of the main tasks of multicultural and transnational counselling is the 

understanding of the client’s view of life because people from different ethnical 

communities and nationalities differ in it. The view of life is the way we organise our 

experience that is determined by social, moral, religious, educational and political 

influence from family, culture and ethnical contact group. Thus the view of life has a 

cognitive dimension and comprehends information processing, logics and 

interpretation. 

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Ibraham (1991) creates a method that considers view of life and cultural identity as 

interrelated forming powers in an individual’s life. The view of life of the client as well 

as of the counsellor has to be clarified through this method considering cultural 

identities (origin, culture, gender, age, life stage, social-economic status, religion, life 

philosophy, values, aptitudes and way of thinking). The clarified views of life should 

be put in social-political context (migration process, acculturation condition, language, 

good awareness) with dominating values. 

2.3 Unit 2: The Importance of Individual and Cultural Characteristics 

in BD-BG Counselling 

The counsellor should pay special attention to individual and cultural 

characteristics of each of their clients in order to provide the most adequate and 

satisfying counselling service. 

Nugent (1994) divides the importance for counselling individual characteristics into: 

• level of command of the spoken language in accepting country 

• perception of own ethnical belonging 

• relations with family and neighbours (whether the client lives with their 

• parents or have a big family or is a member of anethnically differentiated 

community) 

• strength of family connections (sense of belonging to family) 

And the cultural characteristics into: 

• social-economic status, degree of education, availability of conditions for personal 

development in family frame 

• language competencies in family frame 

• client’s belonging to first, second, third generation of immigrants 

• attitude of the ethnical community towards counsellor and services provided by 

them 

• regulations or lack of limitations for marriage in the cultural community frames 

• dimension of expectations with regards to family loyalty 

• degree of belonging of the family to culture and religion predominant in the client’s 

home country 

• indication of people whole will play the role of mediators/counsellors in the ethnical 

group frame 

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2.4 Unit 3: Assessment of Specific Needs of the Client in BD-BG 

Counselling 

The counsellor should be able to adequately assess the specific needs of their clients 

through demonstration of engagement and professionalism. 

Therefore special attention should be paid to the following client related aspects in 

multicultural professional counselling: 

• attitude towards education and career, quality of secondary and vocational 

� education, importance of professional qualification 

• client’s motivation to achieve relevant goals as well as issues in regard 

� with client’s specific requirements, ambitions, time management etc. 

• predetermined cultural limitations or preferences with regard to given professions 

and activities 

• communication habits of client 

• language competency, cultural competency, behavioural competency for 

� professional life 

• behaviour during the decision making process and capacity for decision 

• making in the family (predominant orientation towards home country criteria or 

towards current dominant culture) 

Westwood and Ishiama (1991) see several clearly distinguished obstacles that 

threaten the multicultural counselling success. Some of them are: 

1. Language barriers – incorrect interpretation, inaccurate information, unfavourable 

environment for conducting tests and in the process of goal determination. 

2. Insufficient knowledge for the variety of professions and information for given 

possibilities for professional realization. 

3. Unfavourable situations with regards to methods for identification for employability 

connected with the culture. 

4. Insufficient coping with discrimination and intolerance in a social environment. 

5. Psychological problems caused by life in a new environment and work experience 

with regards to self-assessment, culture shock, changing structure of family. 

6. Threat of own identity and conflict arising in regard with client’s self-determination. 

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3. Course 3: Skills in Multicultural Counselling 


• BD-BG counsellor has an overview of multicultural counselling competencies as 

an effect of the counsellor’s commitment to cultural awareness and knowledge of 

the self and others. (TAX1 – foundation competences) 

• BD-BG counsellor can assess and adapt the multicultural competences at the 

different stages of the counselling process. (TAX 3 – foundation competences, 


• BD-BG counsellor is able and motivated to participate in organising counsellor 

training on the basis of the list of helping skills. (TAX 4 – supporting competences) 

3.2 Unit 1: Professional Standards with Regards to Competences 

Concerning Multicultural Counselling 

Elaboration of clear professional standards with regards to competences that the 

counsellor should possess in order to provide the best quality service is one of the 

ways to cope with the above-mentioned obstacles in the process of multicultural 

counselling. 

To present multicultural and transnational competences and standards in 

professional counselling we should start with standards and competences that give 

the main and basic career counsellor’s skills. 

Skills and knowledge in rendering support to clients, market, assessment, different 

social groups, ethnical and legal issues, career development models, employability 

skills, high technologies are included in the process of career counselling 

independently of cultural and national belonging of the client. 

The competences a counsellor should possess are presented in the table below. 

They may be a basis for elaboration for a professional development scheme as well 

as of an educational programme for acquiring a professional qualification. 

The competencies are divided into general and specific. It is not necessary to modify 

the general competences for the different countries. The specific ones are modified in 

accordance with their implementation in a given country. 

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Helping Skills 

Explain the roles of the career counsellor and client in the BD-BG counselling process and negotiate 

its goals. 

Identify the needs and resources of the clients in a career transition and offer on-going support 

during the counselling process. 

Build trust and maintain relations that enhance the client’s progress towards their goals. 

Use appropriate techniques, interventions and approaches that are non-judgmental and adequate 

for the clients and take into consideration the linguistic, cultural, mental, etc. aspects 

Demonstrate empathy and the ability to reflect the client’s feelings 

Use experience, role models and messages to inspire self-confidence in the client 

Show the capacity to assess interests, skills, abilities, aptitudes and development needs 

Help clients to identify their strengths and obstacles for successful career development, especially 

in the context of transition 

Recognize and discuss the clients’ readiness, maturity, integrity and obstacles for career decision 

making within the BD-BG process 

Assist clients in setting career goals in short, mid and long terms, identifying resources and 

obstacles and formulating strategy for their attainment 

Assist clients in the design and development of a career portfolio that helps demonstrate transversal 

competences (i.e. Europass) and promote specific vocational skills and unique abilities 

Knowledge of referral services, agencies and resources for job, financial, education, social and 

personal issues that accompany the process of migration 

Identify situations requiring referral to specialised services and facilitate effective referral processes 

for assisting clients in BD-BG and take advantage of special programs, services, and networks. 

Assist clients in developing social skills that will facilitate their transition and integration into different 

societies 

market information 

Knowledge of national and European market trends and development of different vocational fields. 

Collect, organise and provide up-to-date information for legislation, job vacancies, education and 

work force demand in Europe 

Help clients explore resources and identify career opportunities in different economies. 

Knowledge of main branch and job classification documents. 

Identify information sources for tendencies influencing working life and employees in the given 

country. 

Help clients define the importance and take advantage of lifelong (formal, non-formal and informal) 

learning opportunities that will increase their competitiveness in various settings 

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Assessment 

Knowledge of different assessment techniques and instruments that help identify clients’ potential in 

a different social and cultural setting 

Choose relevant assessment tools in accordance with BD-BG counselling goals 

Interpret assessment results in a meaningful way for the client 

Understanding the meaning of reliability and validity of assessment tools and taking them into 

account when selecting the relevant tools. 

Knowledge of factors to be considered when using assessment tools with a diverse population. 

Diversity 

Be sensitive about the racial, ethnical and cultural aspects of the clients and their influence in career 

development. 

Consider existing stereotypes and impediments regarding the diversity of the work force in the 

international, national and local market and help clients overcome potential barriers 

Knowledge of advantages and challenges of working environment including representatives from 

different cultural and social groups. Promote mobility and Brain Drain – Brain Gain as a win-win 

situation 

Identify various career needs and difficulties of emigrants, immigrants (refugees), students attending 

mobility practices (i.e. Erasmus learning exchanges and placements), adults participating in 

international work-and-travel opportunities, etc. 

Knowledge of specific assessment instruments and methods which BD-BG the counsellor may use 

with representatives of diverse groups. 

Ethical and Legal Issues 

Adhere to ethical standards and act in professional manner. Know the counsellor’s professional 

boundaries and offer only services that they are trained and licensed to deliver. 

Seek further (continuous) training in order to upgrade competencies in transnational counselling. 

Knowledge of legislation regulating employment, transnational placement procedures, immigration, 

discrimination and human rights. 

Knowledge of relevant institutions, other specialists and service providers and credible resources 

that offer assistance and information related to transnational mobility and BD-BG issues. 

Identify situations when client’s needs exceed counsellor’s competencies and refer the client to the 

relevant institutions or specialist. 

Theories 

Knowledge of career development theories and multicultural concepts and apply them to enhance 

clients’ development and transition in BD-BG 

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Define a client’s situation characteristics, their personality, possible assistance resources and 

approach strategies in transition situations. 

Use best practices and research effective models and approaches to enlarge counsellors’ 

competencies in BD-BG 

Employability skills 

Knowledge of effective job seeking strategies and resources on national, regional and international 

scale 

Ability to assist clients in identifying their competitive advantages and transferable skills and 

promote them in BD-BG situations 

Ability to assist clients to find a balance between personal and professional roles, especially within 

the context of BD-BG and design strategies to overcome possible limitations 

Use a variety of methods and networking skills for contacting employers in other countries 

Knowledge of common trends and country specifics in recruitment procedures, selection stages and 

job interview techniques 

Help clients in the job application process, research vacancies, prepare the CV and application 

(cover) letter, coach them for a job interview. 

Assist clients in retaining a work place and facilitate further career development. 

High technologies 

Use computer resources in career planning and development in order to offer flexible and quality 

career guidance services. 

Use online information resources for job searching, market information and public institutions in 

other countries, etc. that relate to BD-BG. Help clients explore transnational career opportunities 

using ICT 

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4. Course 4: Theoretical Concepts Discovering Multicultural and 

Transnational Competences and Standards 

4.1 Learning Objective 

• BD-BG counsellor understands the theoretical background of the framework of 

multicultural counselling competencies. (TAX 2 foundation competences, 


• BD-BG counsellor is able and motivated to implement these competencies in their 

own practice. (TAX 3 foundation competences, client-interaction competences) 

• BD-BG counsellor is able to coach and supervise other practitioners on the basis 

of the framework of multicultural counselling competences. (TAX 4 – supporting 

competences) 

4.2 Unit 1: Framework of Multicultural Counselling Competences 

Following the competences that every counsellor should possess in order to provide 

successful career counselling we will present several main theoretical concepts 

discovering multicultural and transnational counselling competences and standards. 

Multicultural and transnational competences are the ability to communicate effectively 

and appropriately in a variety of cultural contexts (Bennett, J. 2003). According to a 

model synthesised from research literature (Bennett, J. 2003) intercultural 

competencies consist of a Mindset (cognitive variables), a Skillset (behavioural 

skills) and a Heartset (affective variables). The Mindset includes pure knowledge 

areas such as cultural self-awareness, culture- general and culture-specific 

frameworks, identity development patterns as well as understanding of cultural 

adaptation processes. The Skillset consists of behavioural skills relating to interaction 

management, stress and anxiety management, listening, observation, social 

adaptability, empathy, relationship building, problem definition and resolution. Finally, 

the Heartset deals with attitudes and motivation comprising, among others, curiosity, 

open-mindedness, patience, tolerance, perseverance, flexibility, initiative to explore 

other cultures, respect for others´ values and beliefs, confidence to take appropriate 

risks, and attention to group and interpersonal harmony. Another framework for 

developing multicultural counselling competences is created by Sue et al. (1992; 

1996). This framework defines several competences – similar to those in the Bennett 

model – that a culturally competent counsellor should ideally have. The model of Sue 

et al. deals, among other things, with self-awareness, awareness of client culture, 

and intervention skills, including verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and 

working together with interpreters or qualified bilingual counsellors for helping the 

client (see more about Sue et al. in the chapter 11 by Nissilä and Lairio). 

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Framework of Multicultural Counselling Competences (Sue) is based on extensive 

research concerning cultural identity, intercultural communication, mental health of 

minorities, as well as on counselling research. It was originally carried out for 

counsellors in the United States for typical counselling interactions involving a White 

(Euro-American) counsellor with a client from a different ethnic background. The 

starting point is that competences can be seen as a broader framework for diversitysensitive 

approach in counselling (e.g. Nelson-Jones 2002). This viewpoint is 

supported also by the latest research: there seems to be a positive correlation 

between clients’ ratings of Multicultural Counselling Competences and clients’ ratings 

of counsellors’ general competency (Fuertes & Brobst 2002; Farga 2004). 

The roots of the Multicultural Counselling Competences are in the framework of 

cross-cultural counselling competencies by Sue et al. (1982). In that position paper 

the authors outline three dimensions of cross-cultural counselling competences: 

beliefs and attitudes, knowledge and skills. The first dimension deals with the 

counsellor’s attitudes and beliefs about racial and ethnic minorities, the need to check 

biases and stereotypes and develop a positive orientation towards multiculturalism. 

The research has emphasised the importance of the counsellor’s awareness of his or 

her own culture and of the client’s culture. To be able to place oneself in the situation 

of a person from another culture, one has first to become aware of the effects of 

one’s own culture and values on one’s action. The second dimension proposes that 

the culturally skilled counsellor has a good knowledge and understanding of his or 

her own worldview has specific knowledge of the cultural groups he or she works 

with, and that he or she understands socio-political influences. The last dimension 

emphasises specific intervention techniques and strategies needed in working with 

minority groups. Multicultural Counselling Competencies by Sue et al. (1992; 1996) 

revises the original three-dimensional framework by adding to it the following three 

characteristics of a culturally competent counsellor: 1) awareness of his or her own 

assumptions, values and biases, 2) understanding of the worldview of a culturally 

different client as well as 3) an ability to develop appropriate intervention strategies 

and techniques. Due to the fact that each of these characteristics are described as 

having dimensions of beliefs and attitudes, knowledge and skills, Multicultural 

Counselling Competencies define a total of nine competence areas (as shown in 

Table 1). 

In order to encourage educators and practitioners to implement these competences, 

Arredondo and Toporek (1996) expanded and mobilised them into measurable 

behaviours and activities. In this expanded version, the authors described a 

framework for the development of the competences and included explanatory 

statements for each competence along with strategies for achieving them. The 

newest version of the competences differentiates multi-culturality and diversity. Multiculturality 

refers to ethnicity, race and culture, whereas diversity means to other 

individual differences including age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. 

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The framework of multicultural counselling competencies (adapted from Sue et al. 1992) 

3. Developing appropriate intervention 

strategies and techniques 

2. Understanding the 

worldview of the 

culturally different 

1. Counsellor’s 

awareness of his/her 

own assumptions, values 

1. The counsellors respect a client’s 

religious beliefs and values about physical 

and mental functioning. 

2. The counsellors respect indigenous 

helping practices and respect minority 

community’s intrinsic help-giving 

networks. 

3. The counsellors value bilingualism and 

do not view another language as an 

impediment to counselling. 

client 

1. The counsellors are aware of their 

negative emotional reactions toward other 

racial and ethnic groups that may prove 

detrimental to their client in counselling. 

They are willing to contrast their own 

beliefs and attitudes with those of their 

culturally different clients in a nonjudgmental 

fashion. 

2. The counsellors are aware of their 

stereotypes and preconceived notions 

that they may hold toward other racial and 

ethnic minority groups. 

and biases 

1.The counsellors are aware of and 

sensitive to their own cultural 

heritage and value and respect 

differences. 

2. The counsellors are aware of how their 

own cultural background 

influences psychological processes. 

3. The counsellors are able to recognize 

the limits of their competencies and 

expertise. 

4. The counsellors are comfortable with 

differences that exist between themselves 

and clients in terms of race, ethnicity, 

culture and beliefs. 

1. The counsellors have specific 

knowledge about their own racial and 

cultural heritage and how if affects their 

definitions and biases of normality 

abnormality and the process of 

counselling. 

2. The counsellors possess knowledge 

and understanding about how oppression, 

racism, discrimination and stereotyping 

affect them personally and in their work. 

3. The counsellors possess knowledge 

about their social impact upon others. 

They are knowledgeable about 

communication style differences and their 

impact on clients of a minority group. 

A. 

Beliefs 

and 

Attitudes 

1. The counsellors have knowledge and 

understanding of how different counselling 

practices suit a culturally different client. 

2. The counsellors are aware of 

institutional barriers that prevent 

minorities from using different support 

services. 

3. The counsellors have knowledge of the 

potential bias in assessment instruments 

and use procedures and interpret findings 

keeping in mind the cultural and linguistic 

characteristics of the clients. 

4. The counsellors have knowledge of 

minority family structures, hierarchies, 

values and beliefs as well as the features 

and resources of a minority community. 

1. The counsellors possess specific 

knowledge and information about the 

particular group that they are working 

with. 

2. The counsellors understand how race 

and culture may affect personality 

formation, vocational choices, 

manifestation of psychological disorders, 

help seeking and the appropriateness of 

counselling approaches. 

3. The counsellors understand and have 

knowledge about socio-political influences 

that impinge upon the life of racial and 

ethnic minorities. For example, 

immigration issues and racism are often 

difficult and they may influence the 

B. 

Knowledge 

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counselling process. 5. The counsellors are aware of relevant 

discriminatory practices at the social and 

community level that may be affecting the 

psychological welfare of the population 

being served. 

1. The counsellors are able to engage in a 

variety of verbal and nonverbal helping 

practices and pay attention to their culture 

bound nature while choosing measures. 

2. The counsellors use interventions for 

the support of a client, helping him/her to 

see when problems are due to bias and 

racism in others and not in a client. 

3. The counsellors are not averse to 

seeking consultation with traditional 

healers or religious leaders and 

practitioners of culturally different clients 

when appropriate. 

4. The counsellors use the language 

requested by a client, and seek a 

translator if needed or refer a client to a 

qualified bilingual counsellor. 

5. The counsellors are experts in the use 

of traditional assessment and testing 

instruments and they are also aware of 

the cultural limitations. 

6. The counsellors should attend to as 

well as work to eliminate biases, 

prejudices discriminatory practices. 

7. The counsellors take responsibility in 

educating their clients to the processes of 

psychological intervention such as goals, 

expectations, legal rights, and the 

counsellor’s orientation. 

1. The counsellors should familiarize 

themselves with relevant research. They 

should actively seek out educational 

experiences that enrich their knowledge, 

understanding and cross-cultural skills. 

2. The counsellors become actively 

involved with minority individuals outside 

the counselling setting. 

C. Skills 1. The counsellors seek out educational, 

consultative and training experiences to 

enrich their understanding and 

effectiveness in working with culturally 

different populations. 

2. The counsellors seek to understand 

themselves as racial and cultural beings 

and seek actively a non-racist identity. 

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Sodovski et al. elaborated a self-assessment tool – Multicultural Counselling 

Inventory (MCI) based on the concept of multicultural counselling competences. 

Empirical validation of the tool led to 4 factors which can be properly interpreted. 

Three of them – multicultural counselling skills, multicultural awareness and 

multicultural counselling knowledge are comparable in principle with the three 

competences spheres (skill, assumptions and aptitudes, knowledge) defined by Sue. 

The fourth factor – multicultural counselling relation introduces the influence of 

certain counsellor’s aptitudes upon counselling interaction. Acquiring multicultural 

skills and knowing one’s own cultural conditionality and prejudice is not enough. 

Constant assessment of counsellor-client relation dynamics is also very important in 

multicultural counselling. 

Together with all skills the counsellor should possess and apply to develop the 

counsellor-client relation (trust establishment, showing respect, involvement, noncritical 

attitude), the counsellor should also possess basic knowledge for cultural 

determinants of communication process with a representative of a certain culture or 

nationality in multicultural and transnational counselling. It includes first-hand 

knowledge of peculiarities of non-verbal communication (gestures, facial expression, 

proximity, voice power etc.) and other aspects such as: 

Differences in perception of institutional conditions framework and the counsellor’s 

role 

Whether the signals for guiding the conversation are properly understood, in 

particular feedback for results and finalizing of conversation. 

Stereotyped perception of conversation partner and resulting form it behavioural 

models, etc. 

It is important to remember that the counsellor should conform their vocabulary and 

questioning style to the language competencies of the client when working with a 

client with lower language competencies. 

Nugent (1994) states that multicultural oriented counsellors today are less involved 

with specialized theories and techniques for minorities. Nowadays more attention is 

paid to the inner reality as well as to surrounding factors of each client. The 

counsellor may achieve reliability and win client’s trust if they apply their methodology 

in accordance with the client’s cultural specifics regardless of certain counselling 

theories. Therefore multicultural counselling requires fundamental knowledge of 

different ethnical and national groups, enhanced sensibility towards clients from such 

groups as well as professional work with counselling theories in the sense of cultureadaptive 

eclecticism. 

It is essential to add some practical dimensions of multicultural and transnational 

competences and standards with regards to BD-BG counselling. 

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Expect of all the described skills and knowledge BD-BG counsellors are facing the 

necessity of considerable information for: 

• possibilities of the market and life-standard in other countries; 

• public institutions involved with immigrants’ and emigrants’ issues (including legal 

status issues, human rights, working visas, health and social insurance, everyday 

issues, etc.) 

• possibilities for continuing education and enhancing language skills in a certain 

country 

• necessity of qualification and prequalification for recognition of professional 

education and profession acquired, etc. 

Counsellors are not expected to be fully informed of all of these areas. The 

counsellors should be able to assist clients in finding such information through 

referral to relevant places where it can be found. 

Maintenance of contacts and relations with similar counsellors from different 

countries is especially useful. The information data base can be developed very 

easily in this was. 

5. Course 5: Ethical Standards in BD-BG Counselling 


• The BD-BG counsellor knows the most important international ethical guidelines 

and their origins. (TAX 1 and 2 – foundation competences) 

• The counsellor is able to diagnose areas of deficit in keeping ethical standards in 

BD-BG counselling, and to resolve the related problems. (TAX 4 – supporting 

competences) 

• The BD-BG counsellor knows examples of codes of ethical standards in related 

fields, and can transfer some good practices into their own counselling. (TAX 3 – 


5.2 Unit 1: Basic Norms of Ethical Behaviour in BD-BG Counselling 

It is necessary to discuss the ethical standards in counselling in order to achieve a 

more detailed presentation of the current subject. They are very important because 

they represent borders and character of ethical responsibilities connected with the 

counsellor’s activities. The ethical standards allow problems and counselling 

uncertainty solving and help direct counsellors in their everyday work. 

These standards are applicable and obligatory for each client independently of their 

cultural identity and national belonging. 

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The basic norms of ethical behaviour in career counselling are presented below. 

They may be the basis for elaboration of a detailed ethical code in BD-BG 

counselling area. 

1. The career counsellor respects and protects the client’s right for a free choice in 

the framework of the services provided. 

2. The counsellor informs clients before and in the beginning of the counselling 

relation about the goals, counselling techniques and specific framework 

requirements for conducting the counselling. 

3. The counsellor keeps confidentiality in relations with the client with regards to 

information acquired through this relationship and in accordance with the 

responsibilities of the working environment. 

4. The counsellors are aware of their competence limitations; they provide only 

services and use only methods they are qualified for. 

5. If client’s needs go beyond the counsellor’s possibilities for assistance the 

counsellor acknowledges it and refers the client to a relevant specialist. 

6. Counsellor’s duty is to provide balance between the client’s needs and the 

needs of the organisation he or she works for. 

7. The counsellor should inform the client in an understandable way about the 

type, goal and results of the standardised test methods. 

8. When computer programs are applied the career counsellor should be sure that: 

(�) the client is able in intellectual, emotional and physical sense to work with a 

computer; 

(b) the computer application is relevant to the client’s needs; 

(c) the client understands the meaning of the given computer application; 

(d) the client receives feedback in order to solve eventual problems (not 

understanding or incorrect usage) and assessment for additional needs to be 

made. 

9. The career counsellor cannot conduct a relationship of a sexual, physical or 

intimate nature with their clients. 

10. The counsellor does not allow and execute sexual harassment through 

intentional and often repeated comments, gestures or physical contact of a 

sexual nature. 

11. The counsellor does not discuss and does not allow their personal and 

professional problems to threaten the relationship with the client. 

12. The career counsellor is aware of the influence of stereotypes and 

discrimination (prejudice in regard with age, health status, ethnical belonging, 

gender, race, religion and sexual orientation) and protects individual rights and 

the personal dignity of the client. 

13. The career development counsellor improves the provided practices and 

services through continuous education and working practice. 

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The following conclusions can be pointed out: 

Multicultural counselling is a theory and a practice that started its development a 

relatively short time ago but gaining outstanding speed with regards to world 

globalisation and increasing tendencies of migration within the world and European 

market. Therefore counsellors working within multicultural contexts will become more 

popular especially career counsellors. 

Competences and standards in professional counselling require a broad array of 

skills, knowledge and aptitudes which every specialist should possess and develop. 

Multicultural aspects of counselling broaden the complex of competencies that a 

counsellor should acquire and therefore the counsellor is a specialist possessing a 

broad array of knowledge and skills. 

As in all professional areas counselling specialists should be active and purposefully 

improve their personal competences that are necessary for providing high quality 

services. 

5.3 Unit 2: Codes of Ethical Standards for International Working Career 

Firms 

An example offers the Association of Career Professionals International (ACP), an 

organization of career specialist working in small practices as well as large firms. It 

was founded in 1989 and now has more than 2000 members in more than 30 

countries (see CEDEFOP Panorama series; 151, 2008: Career development at work, 

pp. 67). 

ACP International members are bound by a code of ethical standards, which provide 

an insight into the nature of this professional group: 

All Members of the Association of Career Professionals International shall: 

(a) continuously improve their professional skills, competency and knowledge to 

provide the highest quality of service to organisations and individual clients; 

(b) comply with all laws, statutes and regulations affecting business practices and 

service relationships; 

(c) fully disclose any potential conflict of interest that may arise in the course of their 

professional practice; 

(d) report any illegal acts by their employers, peers or business partners to 

appropriate authorities; 

(e) clearly define the services which they offer, and ensure these services are within 

their knowledge and abilities. Members must recognise their boundaries of 

competence and provide only those services and use only those tools, techniques 

and materials for which they are qualified by education, training or experience; 

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(f) in marketing services, describe factually and neither claim, misrepresent nor imply 

professional qualifications exceeding those possessed, nor knowingly cannot be 

delivered; 

(g) administer and/or interpret only those assessment instruments for which they 

have appropriate qualifications; 

(h) release assessment results to third parties, where applicable, only after obtaining 

written permission from the individual client; 

(i) maintain confidentiality by disclosing to each individual client that general progress 

updates may be provided to a sponsoring organisation (at their request); however, 

such reports would be generic in nature, and no personal or confidential 

information will be provided; 

(j) take reasonable action to inform potentially vulnerable third parties and/or 

responsible authorities when conditions indicate that there is a clear and imminent 

danger to the client, sponsor or others. Ideally, this will be done with the individual 

client’s knowledge or permission, but if necessary, without; 

(k) offer no payment to employees of sponsoring organisations for referrals, nor 

accept inappropriate gifts; 

(l) refrain from supporting, assisting, participating in, and/or benefiting from the 

violation of these Standards’. 

(Source: http://www.acpinternational.org/about/ethics.html) 

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6. Course 6: Questions and Tasks for Self-Assessment 


• The BD-BG counsellor is ready to accept self-assessment and supervision. (TAX 2 

– supporting competences) 

• BD-BG counsellors apply the evaluation sheet for self-assessment. (TAX 3 – 


• The BD-BG counsellor is ready to develop knowledge of those categories which 

are in deficit. (TAX 4 – supporting competences) 

6.2 Unit 1: Questions and Tasks 

1. Competences self-assessment. Eight of the key skills necessary for the career 

counsellor’s work are listed below. Assess each of the skills in accordance with 

knowledge you possess at the moment using the 5-degree assessment scale. 

- - (not well at all) 

- (poorly) 

+ - (fairly) 

+ (well) 

+ + (excellently) 

Competences - - - + - + + + 

1. Theory: Know the career development theories and 

cultural models that refer to transnational career 

development problems and apply into specific cases. 

2. Helping Skills: Recognise and respect different kinds 

of diversity (racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, age, 

religion, etc.) 

3. Diversity: Recognize special needs of individuals and 

groups related to Brain Drain – Brain Gain and adapt 

services to meet their needs. Be aware of cultural and 

market challenges that these groups meet in the 

transition and offer support to overcome the risks of 

isolation and frustration. 

4. Assessment: Be competent about specific instruments 

and inventories that evaluate client’s potential and 

prognosticate their career chances within different 

contexts. Assess the client’s career maturity and ability 

to make independent and satisfactory decisions. Help 

identify and address the potential barriers and 

difficulties of clients in the context of BD-BG. 

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2. Do you think that these competence areas comply with the BD-BG counsellor’s 

tasks? In what way? 

3. Create concrete ideas on how you can develop your own Multicultural Counselling 

Competences (see Table 1). Try to evaluate which are the most important 

competence areas you should develop. 

4. Think of a colleague or a friend who is representative of a different culture. 

Describe a moment when you realised that you were influenced in a cultural 

context by their behaviour, thoughts, and values. What did you do then? What will 

you do in a similar situation now? 

5. How would you describe your own cultural identity (in a broad sense)? Reflect, for 

example, on the following reference groups: gender, religion, social class, ethnicity 

and race. 

6. Do problems with regards to differences between people and the cultures they 

come from exist in your country and can they be discovered in the counselling 

process? Comment on them. 

7. Consider the social dimensions of in your own society. What organisational 

changes or intervention strategies could be introduced to overcome the risk of 

marginalisation? 

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5. Technology: Know how to use ICT to help clients 

explore career opportunities in different countries and 

offer career services in a flexible way. 

6. Market Information and Resources: Be familiar 

with various reliable international sources about the 

market regarding other societies, and how to use it with 

clients. 

7. Employability Skills: Be proficient in job searching 

strategies and skills, especially in the context of Brain 

Drain and Brain Gain; Know how to help clients identify 

their transferable skills, enhance their chances to find 

job openings and successfully apply for them in a 

different environment. 

8. Ethical and Legal Issues: Adhere to the code of ethics 

according to which the counsellors are being trained 

and licensed; recognize the limits of their profession 

and their personal competences. Refer clients to other, 

more adequate services or professionals, if necessary.

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7. Methodology - Proposals 

Course 1: Lectures, group discussions 

Course 2: Group discussions, case studies, meetings with 

representatives of the target group (BD-BG) 

Course 3: Lectures, Micro-counselling, supervision 

Course 4: Lectures, group discussions, plan and carry out a scheme 

on BD-BG-training (in group work) 

Course 5: Presentation and discussion with experts, case studies 

Course 6: Self-learning, group discussion, supervision, coaching 

8. 

References 

Arredondo, P. & Toporek, R. 2004. Multicultural counselling competences . Ethical 

practice. Journal of Mental Health Counselling 26 (1). 

Arredondo, P. & Toporek, R. 1996. Operationalization of the multicultural counselling 

competences. Journal of Multicultural Counselling & Development 24 (1), 42– 

79. 

Banka A., & Ertelt B-J. (2004). Transnational Vocational counselling, A Guide for 

students of post-graduate education programme in the field of eurocounselling 

Bennett, M.J. 1993. Towards ethnorelativism: a developmental model of intercultural 

sensitivity. In M.Paige (Ed.) Education for intercultural experience. Yarmouth, 

ME: Intercultural Press, 21–71. 

Ertelt B-J & W. Schulz. (2002/2008, 2nd. ed.). Manual for Counsellors’ Competence; 

Handbuch für Beratungskompetenz, Leonberg: Rosenberger 

Ertelt B-J & W. Schulz. (1997). (Counselling in Education and Profession); Beratung 

in Bildung und Beruf, Leonberg: Rosenberger 

Global Career Development Facilitator. Curriculum for training career counsellors. 

Ibrahim, F.A. (Sept/Oct 1991). Contribution of cultural worldview to generic 

counselling and development. Journal of Counselling and Development, 

Vol.70,pp.13-19 

Fuertes, J. N. & Brobst, K. 2002. Clients’ ratings of counsellors’ multicultural 

competency. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 8 (3), 214–223. 

Nelson-Jones, R. 2002. Diverse goals for multicultural counselling and therapy. 

Counselling Psychology Quarterly 15 

Nugent, F.A. (1994). An Introduction of the profession of counselling 

Pedersen, P.B., (1991). Multiculturalism as a generic approach to counselling. 

Journal of Counselling and Development, Vol.70,pp.6-12 

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Speight,S.L., Myers, L.J., Cox, CH.L, Highlen, P.S., (1991) A re-definition of 

multicultural counselling. Journal of Counselling and Development, Vol.70, 

pp.29-36 

Ivey, A. E. (1994). International interviewing and counselling – facilitating client 

development in 

Sue, D. (1995). Toward a theory of multicultural counselling and therapy. In J.Banks 

and C. Banks (Eds.) , Handbook of research on multicultural education. New 

Yourk: Macmillan 

Sue, D. W., Bernier, J.E., Durran, A et al. (10/1982). Position paper: Crosscultural 

competencies. The Counselling Psychologist, pp.1-8 

Sue, D. W., Ivey, A. E. & Pedersen, P. B. 1996. A theory of multicultural counselling 

and therapy. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/ Cole. 

Sue, D. W., Arredondo, P. & McDavis, R.J. 1992. Multicultural counselling 

competences and standards. A call to the profession. Journal of Counselling 

and Development 70, 477–486. 

Sue, D. W., Bernier, J. E., Durran, A., Feinberg, L, Pedersen, P., Smith E. J & 

Vasquez-Nuttall, E. 1982. Position paper: Cross-cultural counselling 

competencies. The Counselling Psychologist 10, 45–82. 

Sue, D. W & Sue, D. 1990. Counselling the culturally different. Theory & Practice. 

New York: Wiley. 

Westwood, M.J., Ishiyama, F.I. (1991). Challenge in counselling immigrant clients: 

Understanding intercultural barriers to career adjustment. Journal of 

Employment of Counselling 

Zunker, V., (1998), Career counselling 

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Overview 

The module “Building up an International Network of BDBG Counsellors” is aimed at 

qualified counsellors with counselling experience and practice and to prepare them 

for BDBG counselling. 

This module refers largely to module I “Management of information, Institutional and 

Regulatory Conditions” – b) “Services and Programmes”. There the main European 

and international networks in the field of educational and careers counselling and 

guidance are introduced. The added value of this module shall be a deeper 

knowledge of the two networks EURES and Euroguidance, their history and tasks 

and their main offers for outgoing, incoming and returning migrants. Another unit will 

deal with possible initiation of new networks on local, regional and international level. 

1. Course 1: Building up an International Network of BDBG Counsellors 


• The BDBG counsellor knows how and why the European network EURES was 

established. (TAX 3 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows how and why the European Network 

Euroguidance was established. (TAX 3 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows how and is willing to make use of the networks’ 

offers related to his work. (TAX 4 – foundation competences, client-interaction 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor knows of other than officially involved bodies (special 

NGOs, unions, employers’ organisations, chambers, big companies an their HRD 

departments, community bodies and networks, regional and local organisations for 

economic development, alumni networks, big newspapers, career centres of 

universities, special associations and societies) and their fields of activities and 

meaning for clients. (TAX 4 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor shall be motivated to co-operate with other than the 

established official networks. (TAX 4 – supporting competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor shall be motivated to co-operate with colleagues on national 

and international levels. (TAX 4 – foundation competences, supporting 

competences) 

• The BDBG counsellor shall be motivated to establish new networks and able to 

promote new networks adequate to clients’ needs. (TAX 4 – supporting 

competences) 

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1.2 Unit 1: Networks and Networking – a Definition 

A network can be described as a chain or system of interconnected and/or 

intercommunicating organisation and/or people. 

A network includes a social process involving its’ actors working in a comparable field 

to achieve a common goal. 

Networking can take place in form a loosely based occasional co-operation to more 

formalised co-operation with defined standards of interaction and common work. 

From the Ergo in net website http://www.ergoinnet.net/ : 

“First to say, networking is to communicate between real people, even if we use 

mostly virtual communication. 

The idea of networking is to establish relationships with particular people and involve 

oneself in particular professional communities. 

A guidance network is usually formed by a group of guidance providers from a variety 

of organizations who 

• Have common area of interest 

• Shared aims and objectives 

• Wish to develop their service to clients through an exchange of information and 

experience 

• Establish new and effective working links 

Nowadays, the development of networking is very linked with ICT. Even if the 

principle of working altogether between professionals on a same task, a same theme, 

in a same professional organization, was established long ago. We could have called 

them work groups or associations or clusters...The daily use of the Internet has 

developed this method reducing distance, delay of answers, allowing a greater 

number of new networks to grow and develop, especially on an international basis. 

Networking also includes a social process involving a certain number of actors to 

achieve a common goal. 

The formal aspect of networking varies between a loosely based occasional 

cooperation between organisations that operate in the same field and a more 

formalised interaction with agreed standards of operation. 

Networking is the ability to use the different networks to develop and promote one’s 

own professional activities, to exchange information and practices. 

A counsellors’ network then could be a partnership between guidance providers to 

offer the most effective guidance service to clients. 

A characteristic of a guidance network is that it will result in more effective joint 

working practices for both practitioners and their organisations. 

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In a trans-national perspective, a network is a way to build relationships with other 

practitioners in Europe for the benefit of the end-users. Working informally or more 

formally, the aim is to: 

• share and exchange updated, validated, relevant information in the fields of offers 

and learning and training opportunities find a European professional identity 

though common key themes, shared experiences and resources 

• get a relevant approach to intercultural realities and specificities in the country 

• exchange good practices and innovative experiences 

• get the key entrance to other national guidance networks of professionals in each 

country” 

The characteristics - a good network is 

• Responsive 

• Based on reciprocity 

• Respectful of ethical principles 

• Giving concise, concrete, accurate and updated responses 

• Operating to agreed/formalised quality standards which all members meet 

• Innovative 

• Cooperative with other networks 

• Not just a virtual community but people who know each other 

• Identified members through “identity cards” and professional backgrounds 

• A good marketing with outstanding events 

Skills needed for networking: 

• ICT skills 

• Flexibility 

• Creativity 

• Good communication 

And at a European level members of a good network should have/be 

• Intercultural knowledge 

• Language skills, fluency in English 

• Very open-minded 

• An European culture on VET, guidance, lifelong learning, market, 

• Knowledge on regulations and legislation 

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Benefits of Networking 

Organisations (and individual counsellors) who participate in guidance networks will 

recognise the following benefits for membership: 

• exchange of information, knowledge and ideas with other members 

• sharing good practice 

• efficient use of resources 

• collaborative staff development 

• opportunities for joint-working projects 

• mutual support 

• effective referral systems 

• joint marketing and publicity 

• participation in joint promotional events 

• pressure group support. 

1.3 Unit 2: Main Official Networks in the Field of BDBG – the EURES 

Network 

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The purpose of EURES – European Employment 

Services - is to provide information, advice and 

recruitment/placement (job-matching) services for 

the benefit of workers and employers as well as any 

citizen wishing to benefit from the principle of the 

free movement of persons. EURES has a human 

network of more than 

700 EURES advisers that are in daily contact with jobseekers and employers across 

Europe. The joint resources of the EURES members and partner organisations 

provide a solid basis for the EURES network to offer high quality services for both 

workers and employers.

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From the EURES networks’ website: 

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?catId=2547&acro=faq&lang=en (August 2009): 

“EURES (European Employment Services) is a cooperation network formed by public 

employment services. Trade unions and employers’ organizations also participate as 

partners. The objective of the EURES network is to facilitate the free movement of 

workers within the European Economic Area (EEA) (the 27 members of the 

European Union, plus Norway and Iceland) and Switzerland. 

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What is the geographical coverage of EURES? 

EURES covers 28 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, 

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, 

Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, 

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, 

and United Kingdom. 

Who can benefit from the EURES services? 

EURES targets both job-seekers interested in moving to another country to work or to 

study, and employers wishing to recruit from abroad. 

How can I contact a member of the EURES network in my Country or region? 

EURES offers a network of advisers that can give information, help and assistance to 

jobseekers and employers through personal contacts. EURES advisers are trained 

specialists who provide the three basic EURES services of information, guidance and 

placement, to both jobseekers and employers interested in the European job market. 

There are more than 700 EURES advisers across Europe and the number is 

growing. Their contact details and addresses can be found on the page "Search for 

EURES advisers" in the section "EURES" of the portal or by clicking on the button 

"Contact a EURES Adviser" available on many of the portal's pages. 

Do I have to pay for EURES services? 

EURES is a free service to both jobseekers and employers, subject to the conditions 

set out by individual EURES members. 

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History and Organsational structure: 

1993 the EURES Network (EURopean Employment Services) was founded by the 

European Commission, GD 5 „Employment and Social Affairs. It shall be a 

cooperating network of the Public Employment Services, their partners (i.e. 

employers’ and employees’ organisations and the European Commission). 

The EURES network was created to link and mobilize the public employment 

services of the Member States of the E.U., the European Free-Trade Zone, as well 

as all those who deal with employment on a national and international level. 

The General Directorate (DG) for Employment and Social Affairs is the coordinator of 

the network. 

EURES has a human network of more than 700 EURES advisers that are in daily 

contact with jobseeker and employers across Europe. 

In European cross-border regions, EURES has an important role to play in providing 

information about and helping to solve all sorts of problems related to cross-border 

commuting that workers and employers may experience. 

Set up in 1993, EURES is a co-operation network between the European 

Commission and the Public Employment Services of the EEA Member States (The 

EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and other partner 

organizations. Switzerland also takes part in EURES co-operation. The joint 

resources of the EURES member and partner organizations provide a solid basis for 

the EURES network to offer high quality services for both workers and employers. 

EURES advisers are trained specialists who provide the three basic EURES services 

of information, guidance and placement, to both jobseekers and employers interested 

in the European job market. They have developed specialised expertise in the 

practical, legal and administrative matters relating to mobility at national and crossborder 

levels. They work within the Public Employment Service of each member 

country, or within other partner organisations in the EURES network. 

EURES has a particularly important role to play in cross-border regions, areas in 

which there are significant levels of cross-border commuting. The more than 600 000 

people who live in one EU country and work in another have to cope with different 

national practices and legal systems. They may come across administrative, legal or 

fiscal obstacles to mobility on a daily basis. 

EURES advisers in these areas provide specific advice and guidance on the rights 

and obligations of workers living in one country and working in another. 

There are currently over 20 EURES cross-border partnerships, spread geographically 

throughout Europe and involving more than 13 countries. Aiming to meet the need for 

information and coordination connected with mobility in the border regions, these 

partnerships bring together public employment and vocational training services, 

employers and trades union organisations, local authorities and other institutions 

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dealing with employment and vocational training. EURES cross-border partnerships 

serve as valuable points of contact among employment administrations, both regional 

and national, and the social partners. They are also an important means of 

monitoring these cross-border employment areas, which are a key element in the 

development of a genuine European market.” 

Funding: The European Commission provides Telecommunications Network, 

development and maintenance of the computerised network, Basic euro-adviser 

training in free movement issues, continuation training on specific subjects, language 

training. Partners provide network of people including salaries, managerial and 

technical support.” 

1.4 Unit 3: Main Official Networks in the Field of BDBG – the Euroguidance 

– Network 

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Handling and exchanging information is the very basis of 

Euroguidance work. One of the advantages of being a European 

network, with contact points in 31 countries, is the possibility to 

gather information from all these countries, even on a quite 

detailed level. Together the Euroguidance network can produce 

unique information and comparable data that no single centre 

could bring about. The centres exchange information with each 

other and inform both national and international clients. In the 

Terms of Reference it is specified that the Euroguidance centres 

should provide and exchange quality information on: 

• educational and vocational guidance systems 

• project results, innovative working methods and good practice in the field of 

• lifelong guidance 

• education and training systems (descriptions at general level) 

• the Community initiatives and programmes within the field of education, training 

and mobility 

• other opportunities for mobility for learning purposes 

This is done through many different channels, public, like the national websites, 

PLOTEUS and the Euroguidance website and internal, like the Webboard and 

handbook, which are part of the members’ area. Some of the content in our common 

website is available both through the members’ area and the public part. 

Common for all Euroguidance centres are the “Terms of reference“ which stipulate 

the core objectives for the network’s activities. There are two overall objectives: 

A. Promote the European dimension in guidance 

B. Provide quality information on lifelong guidance and mobility for learning purposes.

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From the Euroguidance Website http://www.euroguidance.net/ (August 2009): 

“The Euroguidance network is a network of centres linking together the Careers 

Guidance systems in Europe. 

Euroguidance promotes mobility, helping guidance counsellors and individuals to 

better understand the opportunities available to European citizens throughout 

Europe. “ 

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Resources for counsellors offered on the website are a newsletter and information 

on: 

“Guidance Systems: A description of the guidance systems in the different Member 

States of the European Union, EEA and candidate countries. 

Projects and Practice Database: A fully searchable database of examples of good 

practice in guidance, projects concerning guidance and useful tools and resources 

for guidance 

Useful Links: Links to other websites of interest to guidance counsellors 

News: For information on the European Commission's centralised actions of the 

Lifelong Learning Programme 

And a list of more resources for guidance counsellors” 

As the Euroguidance Network does not address to end-users but to counsellors 

and/or reference points, it offers also a members’ section on the website: 

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Centres: Information on each centre, including contact details and staff pictures 

Webboard: The communication forum for the network 

Euroguidance Handbook: “The Euroguidance Handbook provides a wide range of 

useful information, guidelines and tools for the Euroguidance Network. Are you a new 

member of our network and want to know about the history of the network? Are you 

looking for guidelines on how to write your Annual Activity Report? Are you 

wondering where and when the next Euroguidance training event takes place? 

Would you like to know how your Euroguidance colleagues work? The handbook 

section also contains minutes and reports from Euroguidance meetings. 

Furthermore there is a Diary of events and meetings of interest to the network 

and a Manage Project Database: to add projects, examples of practice and useful 

tools to the Euroguidance database.” 

In the members’ section the Network describes itself as follows: “Euroguidance 

is a European Network of national resource and information centres for guidance. 

The Euroguidance Network Promotes the international dimension in careers 

guidance. Another task is to promote mobility by helping guidance counsellors and 

individuals to better understand the opportunities available to citizens throughout 

Europe. The first centres of the Euroguidance network where established already in 

1992 within the Petra Programme. Today there are over 40 centres in 31 countries 

and Euroguidance is now part of the Lifelong Learning Programme. 

In 1992 the European Commission took the initiative to form a European Network of 

national resource and information centres for guidance, the NRCVG, now called 

EUROGUIDANCE. 

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A reason for this was that guidance played and still plays a significant role in EU 

policies for education, training and employment. The provision of lifelong guidance is 

recognised as a prerequisite to make lifelong learning a reality for European citizens. 

It has been suggested that it may be useful to provide a historical overview of the 

activities carried out by the network, especially as a background for discussions 

about the working groups within the Euroguidance Network. Why were such working 

groups, clusters etc. established in the first place? And what was the outcome of their 

work? 

According to the external evaluation of the Euroguidance network, carried out by a 

Finnish team in 2004, it is evident that the development of the network has been 

strongly influenced by the network itself, through various bottom-up initiatives. 

The Euroguidance centres have been involved in the development of the mission, 

management and activities of the network “[…] with proactive bottom-up strategy and 

by means of self evaluations, surveys, working clusters and technical working 

groups.” 

“A historical overview … 

Between 1995 and 2006 the NRCVGs were funded under the Leonardo da Vinci 

programme (first phase1995-1999, and second phase 2000-2006). Under this 10year 

period, the Euroguidance Network grew with three countries in 1995, when 

Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU and in 2004 when 10 of the 12 candidate 

countries joined. Bulgaria and Romania followed in 2007, but many of these 12 new 

member countries had already taken part in the Euroguidance work for some years. 

Today the network includes centres in 32 countries: 27 Member States and Turkey 

(since 2005). Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland participate on a 

voluntary basis, without Community funding. From 2007 and onward the rest of the 

network is funded through the Lifelong learning programme (transversal part). 

Initially, the establishment of working groups and clusters was a consequence of the 

very vague legal basis and position of the network. With no clear directions from 

“above”, the Euroguidance centres decided to do what they possibly could to improve 

the network’s legal position and to influence the future of the network. Thanks to the 

hard work of Euroguidance centres involved in various clusters and technical 

committees, the network managed to strengthen its position (and to survive!). 

The legal basis of the Euroguidance Network is no longer uncertain as it was in the 

mid-1990s. The work of the network is included in the new transversal programme, 

and (the Network has its’) Terms of References defining (the) objectives and tasks. 

Management of the Centres: 

Since 2007 the European Commission has appointed one expert at the Directorate- 

General for Education and Culture and a contact person at the Education, 

Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency to be responsible for the Euroguidance 

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network at European level. This work includes: organisation regular network 

meetings; management of operational grants for the centres; preparation of synthesis 

reports; valorisation of activities of the centres; informing the Euroguidance network 

of recent EU policy documents and developments and promoting awareness of the 

Euroguidance activity among decisions-makers within the Commission. 

However, much of the management work still has to be done by the individual 

Euroguidance Centres. At network level the management is handled through working 

groups which are initiated by the network itself usually at network meetings. (…) 

The structure and organisation of the Euroguidance activity at national level varies 

from country to country. A majority of the Euroguidance centres are part of a 

structure closely linked to the Ministry of Education and/or and/or Social Affairs. 

There are a few countries with several Euroguidance centres, though most countries 

have one centre. Some centres are directly incorporated in the market organisation 

or in national institutions for vocational and educational guidance, whereas some 

countries operate within the National Agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme. 

The management structures of the individual Euroguidance centres differ according 

to their national organisation. 

Cooperation with other Networks: 

According to the Terms of Reference a specific task of the Euroguidance Network is 

to cooperate and exchange information with other European initiatives related to 

mobility, (such as Europass, EURES, Eurodesk, NARIC, Europe Direct Information 

Relays and others) and CEDEFOP. This may take form of regular meetings, mutual 

signposting, organisation of joint events, seminars, trainings, and joint participation at 

career fairs, development of common information materials etc.” 

1.5 Unit 4: Other Networks 

Very useful for vocational, educational and careers counsellors in the international 

field of Brain Drain and Brain Gain is to know also the WAPES Network. 

From the WAPES Network website http://www.wapes.org/infos/accueil- 

@/index.jspz?id=2 (August 2009): 

“WAPES is the World Association of Public Employment Services. The members are 

public employment services all over the world. 

The Association was founded in 1988/89 by six public employment services: Canada, 

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the USA, together with the 

International Office (ILO). Meanwhile the number of members has grown to more 

than 90. The ILO remains an observer to the Association. 

The official address of WAPES is at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The WAPES Secretariat, however, is located in Brussels, Belgium. 

WAPES has three official languages: English, French and Spanish. 

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The purpose of WAPES: 

The main purposes are to 

• encourage contacts between the various member bodies 

• promote exchange of experiences and information of the activities of the members 

• encourage co-operation between members, especially between the more 

developed bodies and the less developed ones 

• provide services of common interest such as surveys, studies, data bank 

• management, training and upgrading 

• organise congresses, conferences, meetings, workshops, and seminars dealing 

with themes of common interest.” 

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Membership in WAPES: 

National public or governmental bodies responsible for activities related to 

employment management or implementation of market policies may join WAPES. 

Membership is at country level. When the various activities regarding employment 

management are performed by different national organisations the one responsible 

for worker placement may join WAPES. Its Director General represents the member 

country. Membership is not open to private employment management organisations, 

employee associations, unions or individuals.” 

Brain Drain – Brain Gain counsellors can use this website to learn about WAPES’ 

current activities and find a list of addresses of the members’ organisations to assists 

clients to learn about employment opportunities all over the world. 

Other networks are described in module I.a) 

1.6 Unit 5: Exercises for Self-Assessment and Networking 

As counsellors shall be encouraged to find other than the established partners to cooperate 

with – such as special NGOs, unions, employers’ organisations, chambers, 

big companies and their HRD departments, community bodies and networks, 

regional and local organisations for economic development, alumni networks, big 

newspapers, career centres of universities, special associations and societies – 

these possible partners have to be named according to the special needs of the 

counsellors and their groups of clients. 

Possible Network partners could be classified in the following way: 

Bodies, organizations, 

persons, contacts of 

the main area 

Bodies, organizations, 

persons, contacts in 

the secondary areas 

Officially involved 

bodies/organizations/person 

responsible 

Non-official contacts, opinion 

leaders, private networks 

The participants complete this grid by filling in the cells with information of their own 

country/region or working field. 

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Possibilities and Ways of Cooperation: 

To improve the networking in BDBG step by step and to heighten its efficiency, the 

information to and the experiences with network partners should be divided in the 

following way: 

198 

Bodies, organizations, persons, etc. … … … 

1. 1. General description and 

establishment of targets 

2. 2. Organizational-structure 

3. 3. Tasks 

4. 4. Links with special 

networks 

5. 5. Possible agreement 

contents 

6. 6. Legislative basis 

7. 7. Former experiences with 

contacts

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Lecturer: input on EUREES and Euroguidance network, presentation of the 

websites. 

Students work with specific websites looking for information (Cases could be used). 

Forum: collecting ideas on a definition of networks and networking 

Forum: collecting knowledge on other networks (to be added by lecturer) 


Participants work on the tables 


Kreutzer, F. /Roth, Silke: Transnationale Karrieren. Biografien, Lebensführung und 

Mobilität. Wiesbaden, VS, 2006 

En: Transnational Careers. Biographies, Ways of Living and Mobility. 

OECD (ed.): The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility of the High Skilled. OECD 

2008. Inside: Networking in Brain Circulation, pp 47 and pp 121 

Internet – last download October 2009: 

ec.europa.eu/eures 


www.wapes.org 

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I. Management of Information, Institutional and Regulatory 

Conditions 

I.a) Information Gathering and Information Management 

2.2 Knowledge of Valid and Reliable Information Sources in Selected Countries 

Internet: 

http://www.ba-auslandsvermittlung.de 

http://www.zav-reintegration.de 


http://berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de/berufe/index.jsp 

http://infobub.arbeitsagentur.de/kurs/index.jsp 

http://www.bibb.de/de/index.htm 

http://www.dipf.de 

PL: 

ERGO-IN-NET. Mobility in Europe. Handbook for guidance practitioners working with mobility 

issues. ASTER Scienza Tecnologia Impresa - S.Cons.p.a. Bologna 2006 

� 

3.3 Knowledge of Legislations Pertaining to Education, Training and Work at Local, 

National and International Level 

Kittner, M. & Deinert, O. (2009). Arbeits- und Sozialordnung. Gesetzestexte, Einleitungen, 

Anwendungshilfen (34. Aufl.). Frankfurt am Main: Bund-Verl. (ISBN 978-3-7663-3914- 

0) 

Luthe, E.-W. (2003). Bildungsrecht. Leitfaden für Ausbildung, Administration und 

Management. Berlin: de Gruyter. (ISBN 3899491165) 

Personalrecht 2009. Arbeitsrecht, Lohnsteuer und Sozialversicherung kompakt. Tabellen, 

Übersichten, Fristen und Daten für die optimale Personalarbeit. Freiburg: Haufe. 

(ISBN 978-3-448-09145-8) 

Rebhahn, R. & Kodek, G. E. (2007). Zuständigkeit bei grenzüberschreitenden 

Arbeitsrechtsfragen. Wien: LexisNexis ARD Orac. (ISBN 978-3-7007-3677-6) 

Rechberger-Bechter, C. (2008). Europäische Gemeinschaft in der Bildungspolitik. 

Zuständigkeiten und Handlungsmöglichkeiten. Baden-Baden: Nomos. (ISBN 978-3- 

8329-3129-2) 

Welte, H.-P. (2008). Arbeitsmigration und Studium von Ausländern. Praxishandbuch zum 

Zuwanderungsrecht. Regensburg: Walhalla. (ISBN 978-3-8029-1045-6) 

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Internet: 

http://www.ariadneproject.org/index.php?id=17 “Guidelines for Web-based Guidance” 

http://www.ictskills.org/inglese/cover_en.htm LdV-Projekt “ICT Skills for Guidance 

Counsellors 

http://www.iaevg.org/IAEVG AIOSP/IAEVG: International Competencies for Educational 

and Vocational Guidance Practitioners, Bern: September 2003 

PL: 


issues. ASTER Scienza Tecnologia Impresa - S.Cons.p.a. Bologna 2006� 

4.4 Knowledge of Equivalence of Degrees and Professional Qualifications Obtained in 

Different Countries 

Mytzek, Ralf & Klaus Schömann (Hg.) (2004). Transparenz von Bildungsabschlüssen in 

Europa. Sektorale Studien zur Mobilität von Arbeitskräften. Berlin: Edition Sigma. 

(ISBN 3-89404-230-3) 

Woltering, K. (2005). Vereinheitlichung der EU-Bildungsabschlüsse von Ingenieuren und 

Wirtschaftswissenschaftlern. Grundlagen, Vergleiche, Perspektiven. Berlin: VDM- 

Verl. (ISBN 3-86550-055-2) 

Internet: 














http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/index_en.htm 

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Biuro Uznawalno�ci Wykszta�cenia i Wymiany Mi�dzynarodowej ENIC/NARIC Polska. Dobra 

praktyka i uznawanie kwalifikacji zdobytych w ramach kszta�cenia transnarodowego 

(Transnational Education) [Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures for the 

Assessment of Foreign Qualifications] Warszawa 2004 


issues. ASTER Scienza Tecnologia Impresa - S.Cons.p.a. Bologna 2006 

Paszkowska-Rogacz A. Doradztwo zawodowe w systemach szkolnych krajów Unii 

Europejskiej (ze szczególnym uwzgl�dnieniem Irlandii i Danii) 

Warszawa: KOWEZiU 2001 

References Referring to Module I (on the whole) and Other General Sources of 

Information 

Baron, S.C. (2008), Das Duale Ausbildungssystem unter dem Einfluss der EU- 

Berufsbildungspolitik: Entwicklungsprozesse und Herausforderungen, Saarbrücken: 

VDM, Müller 

En: The dual system under influence of EU educational policies. Processes of 

development and challenges. 

Der Europäische Bildungsraum – Beiträge der Berufsbildungsforschung: 6. Forum der 

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berufsbildungsforschungsnetz, Bielefeld: Bertelsmann 2006 

En: The European educational area – contributions by vocational educations’ 

research. 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E.: Beratung in Bildung und Beruf. Leonberg 1997 

En: Counselling in education and profession. 

Ertelt, B.-J., Schulz, W.E.: Handbuch der Beratungskompetenz. Leonberg 2. Aufl. 

2008 

En: Handbook on counselling competencies. 

Nationale Agentur Bildung für Europa (2006), Leonardo da Vinci 1995 – 2004, Bundesinstitut 

für Berufsbildung/Klaus Fahle, Bonn 

OECD (Hrsg.), (2008), Bildung auf einen Blick – OECD-Indikatoren 2008, Bielefeld: 

Bertelsmann 

En: Education at a glance - OECD indicators. 

Schneider, G. (2007), Lernen in Europa – EU-Bildungsprogramm für lebenslanges Lernen, 

in: Berufsbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis 36(2007); Nr 3, 27-29:III 

En: Learning in Europe – EU educational programme for lifelong learning. 

Selka, R. (Hrsg.) (2002), Qualifizierung von Migrant(inn)en – Konzepte und Beispiele, 

Schriftenreihe des Bundesinstituts für Berufsbildung, BiBB, Bielefeld: Bertelsmann 

En: Qualifications of migrants – concepts and samples. 

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http://www.ijab.de 

http://www.rausvonzuhaus.de 

http://www.wege-ins-ausland.de 

http://www.inwent.org 

http://europa.eu/youth/ 

http://www.euroguidance.net 

http://www.fit-for-europe.info/ 

http://www.eurodesk.org/ 

http://www.auswaertigesamt.de/diplo/de/Laenderinformationen/VertretungenFremderStaaten- 

Laenderauswahlseite.jsp 

I.b) Marketing and Programmes for Mobility 

Marketing for mobility, especially for returning migrants 

PL: 

Altkorn J., Podstawy marketingu, Instytut Marketingowy, Kraków 2003 

Bangs D.H., Plan marketingowy, PWE Warszawa 1999 

Ba�ka A, Ertelt B.J., Transnacjonale poradnictwo zawodowe, Ministerstwo 

Gospodarki i Pracy, Warszawa 2007 

Beckwith H, Sprzedawanie niewidzialnego. Przewodnik po nowoczesnym marketingu us�ug, 

One Press, 2006 

Buczuma-Zielonka J., D. Tyszkiewicz-Janik, Programy szkole� modu�owych dla 

kadry publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia – Promocja us�ug rynku pracy, WYG 

International – Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej, Warszawa 2007 

Czuba�a, A. Jonas, T. Smole�, J.W. Wiktor, Marketing us�ug, Oficyna Ekonomiczna, Kraków 

2006 

Garczarczyk J., A. Michalak, J. Perenc, Podstawy marketingu, Wy�sza Szko�a Biznesu, 

Gorzów Wlkp., 2001 

Kotler P., Marketing, REBIS, Pozna� 2005 

Nowotny J., Plan marketingowy, Poltex, Warszawa 1999 

OECD, The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility of The Highly Skillled, Paris Cedex 2008 

Payne A., Marketing us�ug, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, Warszawa 1997 r. 

Perenc J. (red.) Marketing us�ug. Wybrane aspekty, wydawnictwo Naukowe 

Uniwersytetu Szczeci�skiego, Szczecin, 2005 

Sargeant A., Marketing w organizacjach non profit, Oficyna Ekonomiczna, Kraków 

2004 

Seria Zeszytów Metodycznych Po�redników Pracy, Zeszyt numer 2, Marketing 

urz�dów pracy, Krajowy Urz�d Pracy, Warszawa 1996 

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Seria Zeszytów Metodycznych Po�redników Pracy, Zeszyt numer 3, Marketingowy 

model funkcjonowania publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia, Krajowy Urz�d Pracy, 

Warszawa 1997 

Sty� A. (red.), Marketing us�ug, AE, Wroc�aw 2003 

Woods P., A. Dolan, Podr�cznik marketingu dla s�u�b zatrudnienia, Warszawa 1995 

National programmes for outgoing, incoming, returning 

Internet: 

Poland: National Programme POWROTY http://www.powroty.gov.pl/ 

Austria: OST Scientist Network www.ostina.org/scientists 

Germany: GAIN www.gain-network.org , 

EURAXESS http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/links/index_en.htm 

� 

3.3 European and international programmes (EURES, Euroguidance, financial support) 

Internet 

http://www.europa.eu.int/eures/ 





ec.europa.eu/euraxess/inde_en.cfm?l1=0&l2=0&l3=0 

www.europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/preview.action?locale_id=1� 

ec.europa.eu/europedirect� 

europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/vernav/Information+and++Support/Nat 

ional+Reference+Points.csp 



www.iac-irtac.org/ 



www.nfsy.org 




www.esn.org/ 





http://www.arbeitsagentur.de -> 

http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/nn_26254/Navigation/zentral/Buerger/Hilfen/Hilfen-Nav.html 


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II. Working and Living Conditions 

II.a) Push and Pull Factors 

1.1. Push and Pull Factors 

Geis, W., Uebelmesser, S. & Werding, M. (2008). How do migrants choose their destination 

country? An analysis of institutional determinants. http://www.cesifogroup.de/~DocCIDL/cesifo1_wp2506.pdf) 

Szell, G. (1972). (Hrsg.). Regionale Mobilität. Elf Aufsätze. München: Nymphenburger 

Verlagsbuchhandlung. (ISBN 3-485-03210-7) 

3.3 Working and Living Culture in Other Countries 

Jäggi, C. J. (2009). Sozio-kultureller Code, Rituale und Management. Neue Perspektiven in 

interkulturellen Feldern. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 

(ISBN 978-3-531-16374-1) 

PL: 

Do��ga-Herzog Halina, Herzog Tomasz, Rosalska Ma�gorzata, Wawrzonek Anna 

Praca w Polsce - Dobry Start. Ankieta rejestracyjna dla obcokrajowców. Podr�cznik 

dla doradcy Warszawa KOWEZiU 2007 

4.4 Living and working conditions in selected countries 

Herlyn, G. (2009). Arbeit und Nicht-Arbeit. Entgrenzungen und Begrenzungen von 

Lebensbereichen und Praxen. München: Hampp. (ISBN 978-3-86618-308-7) 

En: Work and non-work. Delimination and limits for sectors of living and pratices. 

II b) Psycho-Social Effects of Brain Drain – Brain Gain 

4.4 Psychological separation of people working and living abroad 

Busch, A. (1982). Migration und psychische Belastung. Eine Studie am Beispiel von 

Sizilianerinnen in Köln. Berlin: Reimer. (ISBN 3-496-00733-8) 

Borde, T. & David, M. (2006). (Hrsg.). Migration und psychische Gesundheit. Belastungen 

und Potentiale. Frankfurt am Main: Mabuse-Verlag. (ISBN 978-3-938304-44-0) 

PL: 

Antoszkiewicz J., Metody heurystyczne. Twórcze rozwi�zywanie problemów [Heuristic 

Methods. Creative Problem Solving], PWE, edition II, Warszawa 1990. 

Bajcar B., Borkowska A., Czerw A., G�siorowska A. C., Nosal S., Psychologia preferencji i 

zainteresowa� zawodowych. Przegl�d teorii i metod. [Psychology of Occupational 

Preferences and Interests. Review of Theories and Methods] Zeszyty informacyjnometodyczne 

doradcy zawodowego, Zeszyt 34, Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki 

Spo�ecznej - Departament Rynku Pracy, Warszawa 2006 

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Balcerzak-Paradowska B., Skutki migracji dla rodzin [Effects of Migration for Families],[in:] 

Conference Economic Migration – Reasons and Results, Radziejowice October 3-5, 

2006 

Ba�ka A, Ertelt B.J., Transnacjonalne poradnictwo zawodowe [Transnational vocational 

counselling], Ministry of Economy and Labour, Warszawa 2007 

Ba�ka A., Poradnictwo transnacjonalne.[Transnational Counselling] Cele i metody 

mi�dzykulturowego doradztwa karier [Goals and Methods of the Multicultural Career 

Counselling] - Zeszyty informacyjno-metodyczne doradcy zawodowego [Informative 

and Methodical Brochures of Career Counselling,] Zeszyt 36 [Brochure No 36], 

Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej - Departament Rynku Pracy,[Ministry of 

Labour and Social Welfare – Department of Labour Markets] Warszawa 2006 

Bogaczyk D., Kompetentne pomaganie [Competent Assistance] [in:] Biuletyn Informacyjny 

WUP w Zielonej Górze [WUP Information Bulletin], Grudzie� [December] 2005, 

Zielona Góra 2005 

Buczuma-Zielonka J., Tyszkiewicz-Janik D., Programy szkole� modu�owych dla kadry 

publicznych s�u�b zatrudnienia, [Module Training Programmes for the Staff of Public 

Employment Service] WYG International – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, 

Warszawa 2007 

Cieslikowska D., Kownacka E., Olczak E., Paszkowska-Rogacz A. (ed.), Doradztwo 

zawodowe a wyzwania Mi�dzykulturowe [Occupational Counselling vs. Intercultural 

Challenges] KOWEZiU, Warszawa 2006 


Counselling and Consultancy], Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spo�ecznej [Ministry of 

Labour and Social Welfare] - Departament Rynku Pracy [Department of Labour 

Market], Warszawa 2007 

Leira A., Working Parents and the Welfare State, Cambridge University Press, New York 

2002 

OECD, The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility of The Highly Skillled, Paris Cedex 2008 

r. 

Pozna�ski J., Ma��e�stwo i rodzina w czasach migracji [Marriage and Family in the Times of 

Migration] [in:] Pos�aniec [The Messenger], No 9(2008), Dublin 2008 

Rybi�ski K., Globalny rynek pracy i jego granice. Przyczyny i skutki powstania homo sapiens 

globalus, [Global Labour Market and its Limits. The Reason and Results of Creation 

of Homo Sapeins Globalus] [in] The Debate: ROBOTNICY 2020 – wizja rynku i 

�rodowiska pracy w nadchodz�cych dekadach [WORKERS 2020 – a Vision of the 

Labour Market and Environment in the Coming Decades] Gda�sk, June 10, 2006 

St�pniak B. C., Zarz�dzanie równowag� praca – �ycie [Managing the Work-Life Balance] 

[in:] Marketing w Praktyce [Marketing in Practice], No 12 (118) December 2007, 

Warszawa 2007, p 86 

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References for II in general: 

Finkelstein, K.E. (2005), Ausgewandert: wie Deutsche in aller Welt leben, Berlin:Links 

En: Emigrated: How Germans live all over the world. 

Kerber, B. (2004), Nichts wie weg: der Traum vom Leben im Ausland, in: Psychologie heute 

31(2004); H. 10, S. 48 – 51 

En: Nothing but leaving: the dream of life abroad. 

Kreutzer, F., Roth, S. (Hrsg.) (2006), Transnationale Karrieren – Biografien, Lebensführung 

und Mobilität, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag (und die darin angegebene Literatur) 

En: Transnational careers – biographies, ways of living and mobility. 

Laws, B. (2008), Mitarbeiter ins Ausland entsenden: Verträge gestalten und Vergütungen 

optimieren, Wiesbaden: Gabler 

En: Sending employees abroad: creating contracts and optimising salaries. 

Mütze, K. (2007), Handbuch Auslandsentsendung: Praxisbuch für die Vorbereitung und 

Durchführung von Auslandsentsendungen, Köln: Datakontext 

En: Pactical handbook for preparation and performance of foreign assignments. 

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III. Counselling Tools and Mobility Support 

III. a) Counselling Theories 

2.2. Identification of (other) Competences of Clients 

Baumer, T. (2002). Handbuch Interkulturelle Kompetenz. (Band 1). Zürich: Orell Füssli 

Verlag. (ISBN 3-280-05081-2) 

Földes, C. (2007). Interkulturelle Kommunikation. Positionen zu Forschungsfragen, 

Methoden und Perspektiven. Wien: Universitätsverlag. (ISBN 978-3-7069-0442-1) 

5.5 Multicultural Context for Ability Testing and Interests Assessment 

Baumer, T. (2002). Handbuch Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Anforderungen, Erwerb und 

Assessment. Zürich: Orell Füssli Verlag. (Band 1 und 2) (ISBN 3-280-05081-2) 

PL: 

Cie�likowska Dominika, Kownacka Ewa, Olczak El�bieta, Paszkowska-Rogacz Anna 

Doradztwo zawodowe a wyzwania mi�dzykulturowe 






Do��ga-Herzog Halina, Herzog Tomasz, Rosalska Ma�gorzata, Wawrzonek Anna 

Praca w Polsce - Dobry Start. Ankieta rejestracyjna dla obcokrajowców. Podr�cznik 

dla doradcy 

Warszawa KOWEZiU 2007 

III b) Multicultural and Transnational Competences and Standards in Counselling 

Rademacher, H. & Wilhelm, M. (2009). Spiele und Übungen zum interkulturellen Lernen. 

Berlin: VWB. (ISBN 3-86135-225-7) 

En: Games and exercises for intercultural learning. 

Rauen, C. (2005). (Hrsg.). Handbuch Coaching (3. Aufl.). Göttingen: Hogrefe. (ISBN 3-8017- 

1873-5) 

En: Handbook coaching. 

PL: 

Cie�likowska Dominika, Kownacka Ewa, Olczak El�bieta, Paszkowska-Rogacz Anna 

Doradztwo zawodowe a wyzwania mi�dzykulturowe 






Smagowicz Marta, Kulesza Marta. Mi�dzykulturowy O�rodek Doradztwa Zawodowego - 

kompleksowe doradztwo mi�dzykulturowe. Pakiet organizacyjny. 

Warszawa 2007 

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References on Module III in general: 

Brown, D. (2007), Career information, career counseling, and career development, Boston: 

Allyn & Bacon, 9. ed. 

Ertelt, B.J., Schulz, W.E. (2008), Handbuch Beratungskompetenz – Mit Übungen zur 

Entwicklung von Beratungsfertigkeiten in Bildung und Beruf, Leonberg: Rosenberger, 

2. Auflage 

En: Handbook on counselling competencies – With exercises on development of 

counselling competencies in counselling and profession. 

Nestmann, F…. (ed.), (2007), Das Handbuch der Beratung, Tübingen: Dgvt, Band 1 und 2, 

2. Auflage 

En: The handbook of counselling. 

Sickendiek, U. Hrsg.), (2007), Beratung in Bildung, Beruf und Beschäftigung, Tübingen: Dgvt 

En: Counselling in education, career/profession and employment. 

Sue, W.S., Sue, D. (2007), Counseling the culturally diverse: theory and practice, Hoboken, 

N.J.: Wiley & sons, 5. Ed. 

Further reading on Counselling and Interculturality (Beratung und Interkulturalität) 

Erll, A. & Gymnich, M. (2007). Interkulturelle Kompetenzen. Erfolgreich kommunizieren 

zwischen den Kulturen. UNI-WISSEN Kernkompetenzen ISBN 978-3-12-940005-0) 

En: Intercultural competencies. Successful communication between cultures. 

Hecht-El Minshawi, B. (2008). Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Soft Skills für die internationale 

Zusammenarbeit (2. Aufl.). Weinheim: Beltz. (ISBN 978-3-407-36469-2) 

En: Intercultural competence. Soft skills for international co-operation. 

Herbrand, F. (2002). Fit für fremde Kulturen. Interkulturelles Training für Führungskräfte. 

Paul Haupt Verlag. 

En: Fit for foreign cultures. Intercultural training for executive staff. 

Kreutzer, F., Roth, S. (Hrsg.) (2006), Transnationale Karrieren – Biografien, Lebensführung 

und Mobilität, Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag 

En: „Transnational Careers – Biographies, ways of Living and Mobility. 

Good overview, articles with case studies’ character on different groups of mobile 

professionals. Prof. Kreutzer is new professor at HdBA. 

Kumbruck, C. & Derboven, W. (2004). Interkulturelles Training. Trainingsmaterial zur 

Förderung interkultureller Kompetenzen in der Arbeit. Berlin: Springer. 

En: Intercultural training. Training material to support intercultural competencies at 

work. 

OECD (2008), The Global Competition for Talent – Mobility oft the highly skilled, Paris Cedex 

Basic reading: good overview, regarding also „Brain circulation“ processes (including back 

going and returning migrants) and migrants’ individual forms of living. Many new 

references and sources for further research. 

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General Literature 

Cedefop (Ed.): Future Skills Needs in Europe _ Medium Term forecast – Synthesis Report. 

Thessaloniki 2008 

Kate, Mary-Anne and Niessen, Jan: Guide to Locating Migration Policies in the European 

Commission. 2 nd Edition. EPIM and MPG October 2008 

OECD: International Migration Outlook: SOPEMI. 2008 Edition. Paris 2008 

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Conditions 


1.1. Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work at local, 


Internet: 

www.navet.government.bg - CAREER GUIDANCE IN BULGARIA 2009 - 2013 �. ROAD 

MAP, 

http://www.karieri.bg/ 

http://www.kakvidastanem.bg 

www.minedu.governemrnt.bg 

http://www.jobtiger.bg/ 

http://www.minedu.government.bg/ 

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/ 

http://ec.europa.eu 

1.2. Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources in selected countries 

/http://www.fbo.bg/ 

2.1. Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications obtained in 


http://europa.eu/index_bg.htm 



I.b) Services and Programmes 

5.1. Marketing for mobility, especially for returning migrants 

6.1. National programmes for outgoing, incoming, returning 

6.2. European and international programmes (EURES, Euroguidance, financial 

support) 

www.ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme 

www.ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/mundus 

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II.a) Psychological Efects 

3.2. Psychological separation of people working and living abroad 

2.3. Knowledge of psycho-social effects of BD-BG 

II.b) Push and Pull Factors 

3.1. Push and pull factors 

4.2. Working and living culture in other countries 

5.3. Living and working conditions in selected countries 



2.2. Identification of (other) competencies of clients 

http://www.mappbg.com/� 

3.4. Counselling theories of international careers 

3.3. Multicultural context for ability testing and interests assessment 

8.1. Multicultural and Transnational competencies and standards in counselling 

http://www.mappbg.com/ 

http://www.unisofia.bg/index.php/bul/fakulteti/fakultet_po_pedagogika/novini/za_prepodavatelite/partn_orst 

vo_mezhdu_fakulteta_po_pedagogika_i_fondaciyata_na_biznesa_za_obrazovanieto 

http://karea-bg.com/index.php?section=55 

http://www.karierist.com/ 

http://www.jobtiger.bg/careerlib.php?id=108&ln=2&cached&js=0 

www.fbo.bg/ 

CAREER GUIDANCE IN BULGARIA 2009 - 2013 �. ROAD MAP, 

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REFERENCES LUXEMBOURG 

There do not exist any specific references regarding ‘Brain Drain - Brain Gain’ for 

Luxembourg. A principal reason is that Luxembourg does not train guidance counsellors and 

possibly more important, Luxembourg very much and almost exclusively is a Brain Gain 

country. 

Below you will nevertheless find a few websites that give relevant information regarding 

‘LIVING AND WORKING IN LUXEMBOURG’ in English, and not in French (as most do). 

1. Luxembourg Board of Economic Development 

http://www.bed.public.lu 

2. Just Landed Luxembourg Guide 

http://www.justlanded.com 

3. Luxembourg for Finance 

http://www.lff.lu/living-in-luxembourg 

4. EURES 

http://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?countryId=LU&acro=lw&lang=en&parentId=0&catId=0&re 

gionIdForAdvisor=&regionIdForSE=%&regionString=LU0%20 

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References 

Balá�, V. – Williams, A. (2004): ’Been there, done that’: International student migration and 

human capital transfers from the UK to Slovakia, Population, Space and Place, 10, # 3, pp. 

217-237 

Balá�, V. – Williams, A. – Kollár, D. (2004): Temporary versus permanent youth brain drain: 

economic implications, International Migration, 42, # 4, pp. 3-34 

Belev, B. et al. (2003): The informal economy in the EU Accession Countries – Size, scope, 

trends and challenges to the process of EU enlargement, Center for the Study of Democracy, 

Sofia 

Bijak, J. – Kicinger, A. et al. (2004): Long-term international migration scenarios for Europe 

2002-2052, Study prepared within the research project “Impact of international migration on 

population dynamics and labour force resources in Europe”, Warsaw 

Bijak, J. – Kupiszewski, M. et al. (2004): Long-term international migration scenarios for the 

new EU member and accession countries, Draft of research report prepared for the project 

“Compilation of long-term national and regional population scenarios for the 12 EU candidate 

countries”, 

Warsaw Bijak, J. – Kupiszewski, M. – Kicinger, A. (2004): International migration scenarios 

for 27 European countries 2002-2052, Central European Forum for Migration Research 

Working paper 4/2004, Warsaw 

Blanchflower, D. – Saleheen, J. – Shadforth, C. (2007): The impact of the recent migration 

from Eastern Europe on the UK economy, Discussion paper No. 2615, Institute for the Study 

of Labor (IZA), Bonn 

BMWA (2005): Potential for labour migration in border regions examined, Paul Lazarsfeld- 

Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung et Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Wien 

Buch, C. – Kuckulenz, A. – Le Manchec, M. (2002): Worker remittances and capital flows, 

Kiel Working paper No. 1130, Institute for World Economics, Kiel Comenius University 

(2006): Population Atlas of Slovakia, Comenius University, Bratislava 

COST (1997): Brain drain from Central and Eastern Europe, European co-operation in the 

field of scientific and technical research, Brussels 

Council of Europe (2005): Recent demographic developments in Europe 2004, Council of 

Europe Publishing, Strasbourg 

Divinsk�, B. (forthcoming): Chapter 22 – Slovakia, in Tryandafyllidou, A. – Gropas, R. (Eds.): 

European Immigration: A Sourcebook, Ashgate, Aldershot 

Divinsk�, B. (2007a): Vybrané problémy zahranicní migrace na Slovensku v soucasnosti 

[Selected problems of international migration in Slovakia at present], www.migraceonline.cz, 

Prague 

Divinsk�, B. (2007b): Country Report Slovak Republic on migration and asylum 2003, 

Berliner Institut für Vergleichende Sozialforschung for the EU Commission – European 

Migration Network 

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Divinsk�, B. (2007c): Labor market – migration nexus in Slovakia: time to act in a 

comprehensive way. International Organization for Migration, Bratislava. 

Divinsk�, B. (2006a): Chapter 3.2 – International migration, in Mládek, J. et al.: 

Demogeografická anal�za Slovenska, Comenius University, Bratislava 

Divinsk�, B. (2006b): Zahranicná migrácia v Slovenskej republike: Potreba nov�ch prístupov 

[International migration in Slovakia: need for new approaches], Zahranicná politika, 10, # 3, 

pp. 3-5 

Divinsk�, B. (2005a): Zahranicná migrácia v Slovenskej republike – stav, trendy, spolocenské 

súvislosti [International migration in the Slovak Republic – Situation, trends, social contexts], 

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Bratislava 

Divinsk�, B. (2005b): Migration in the Slovak Republic – state, trends, and impacts on Slovak 

society, Recommendations for the Slovak Government, Working Group XI. for Justice and 

Home Affairs within the National Convent on the EU (a consultative body for the Slovak 

Government and Parliament) 

Divinsk�, B. (2005c): Active Civic Participation of Immigrants in Slovakia, Country Report 

prepared for the European research project POLITIS, Carl von Ossietzky Universitat 

Oldenburg, Oldenburg 

Divinsk�, B. (2005d): Selected problems of foreigners in Slovakia in the context of current 

migration policy in the country, Social and Cultural Diversity in Central and Eastern Europe: 

Old Factors and New, Multikulturní centrum Praha, Prague, pp. 32–34 

Divinsk�, B. (2004): Migration Trends in Selected EU Applicant Countries, Volume V- 

Slovakia – An Acceleration of Challenges for Society, International Organization for 

Migration, Vienna 

Divinsk�, B. – Popjaková, D. (2007): How many Slovaks work abroad? [Kolko Slovákov 

pracuje v zahranicí? (Jeden expertn� odhad)], Forum Statisticum Slovacum, 3, # 3, pp. 70-76 

Djankov, S. et al. (2002): Going Informal: Benefits and Costs, World Bank, Washington D.C. 

Docquier, F. – Rapoport, H. (2004): Skilled Migration: The Perspective of Developing 

Countries, Policy Research Working paper series No. 3382, World Bank, Washington D.C. 

Drbohlav, D. (2005): International Migration and the New EU Member States, Development & 

Transition, # 2, United Nations Development Program et the London School of Economics 

and Political Science, Bratislava et London 

Duleba, A. (2004): Economic cooperation, cross-border cooperation, human contacts and 

ethnic minorities issues, border management in relations between Ukraine and the Slovak 

Republic, in Hudak, V. – Herrberg, A. – Solonenko, I. (Eds.): 2004 European Union 

Accession: Implications for Ukraine’s Relations with its Central European Neighbours, 

EastWest Institute et Institute for Regional and Euro-Integration Studies “EuroRegio 

Ukraine”, Kyiv 

EC (2004): Undeclared work in an enlarged Europe – an analysis of undeclared work, 

European Commission, Brussels 

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EC (2001): The free movement of workers in the context of enlargement, Information note, 

European Commission, Brussels 

ECB (2006): Convergence Report December 2006, European Central Bank, Frankfurt am 

Main 

ECB (2004): Convergence Report 2004, European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main EFILWC 

(2006): Mobility in Europe – Analysis of the 2005 Eurobarometer survey on geographical and 

labour mobility, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg 

EFILWC (2004): Migration trends in an enlarged Europe, European Foundation for the 

Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Office for Official Publications of the 

European Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2007a): Demographic Outlook – National reports on the demographic 

developments in 2005, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 

Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2007b): Europe in figures – Eurostat yearbook 2006-07, Office for Official 

Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2006a): Population statistics – 2006 Edition, Office for Official Publications of the 

European Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2006b): Long-term population projections at national level, Statistics in focus – 

Population and social conditions 3/2006, Office for Official Publications of the European 

Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2006c): Regional unemployment in the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania in 

2005, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2006d): Non-national populations in the EU Member States, Statistics in focus – 

Population and social conditions 8/2006, Office for Official Publications of the European 

Communities, Luxembourg 

Eurostat (2006e): Regions: statistical yearbook 2006, Data 2000-2004, Office for Official 

Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg 

Fassmann, H. – Hintermann, C. (1997): Migrationspotential Ostmitteleuropa – Struktur und 

Motivation potentieller Migranten aus Polen, der Slowakei, Tschechien und Ungarn, ISR- 

Forschungsberichte Heft 15, Verlag der ÖAW, Vienna 

Futo, P. – Jandl, M. (2006): 2005 Yearbook on illegal migration, human smuggling and 

trafficking in Central and Eastern Europe, ICMPD, Vienna 

GCIM (2005): Migration in an interconnected world: New directions for action, Global 

Commission on International Migration, Geneva 

Gergelová, K. – Lí�ka, M. – Pru�ová, A. (2002): International mobility of workforce 

[Medzinárodná mobilita pracovnej sily SR], V�skumn� ústav práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny, 

Bratislava 

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Gilpin, N. et al. (2006): The impact of free movement of workers from Central and Eastern 

Europe on the UK labour market, Department for Work and Pensions Working paper No. 29, 

London 

Halás, M. (2007): Development of work migration between SR and CZ [V�voj pracovnej 

migrácie medzi SR a CR], in Kraft, S. (Ed.): Ceská geografie v evropském prostoru – Lokální 

a regionální rozvoj/politika, Sborník príspevku z XXI. sjezdu Ceské geografické spolecnosti, 

Jihoceská univerzita, Ceské Budejovice 

Harrison, A. et al. (2004): Working abroad – the benefits flowing from nationals working in 

other economies, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris 

Heinz, F. – Ward-Warmedinger, M. (2006): Cross-border labour mobility within an enlarged 

EU, Occasional paper series No. 52, European Central Bank, Frankfurt am Main 

Herzog, H. (2006): Rules applicable to workers of Hungary, Slovakia and Romania in Austria 

– the working of transitional arrangements in practice, in Traser, J. (Ed.): A regional 

approach to free movement of workers: Labour migration between Hungary and its 

neighbouring countries, University of Szeged Faculty of Law, Szeged 

Home Office (2007): Accession Monitoring Report, May 2004-December 2006, Home Office, 

London 

ILO (2004): Towards a Fair Deal for Migrant Workers in the Global Economy, International 

Labour Organization, Geneva 

IOM (2006a): Controled migration as reaction on the needs of modern labour market 

[Riadená migrácia ako odpoved na potreby moderného trhu práce], Feasibility study, 

International Organization for Migration, Bratislava 

IOM (2006b): Managing Migration in Ireland: A Social and Economic Analysis, International 

Organization for Migration et National Economic and Social Council of Ireland, Geneva et 

Dublin 

IOM (2006c): Migrants’ Remittances and Development – Myths, rhetoric and realities, 

International Organization for Migration, Geneva 

IOM (2005a): World Migration 2005: Costs and benefits of international migration, 

International Organization for Migration, Geneva 

IOM (2005b): Essentials of Migration Management: A Guide for Policy Makers and 

Practitioners, International Organization for Migration, Geneva 

IOM (2003): World Migration 2003: Managing Migration – Challenges and Responses for 

People on the Move, International Organization for Migration, Geneva 

IOM (1998): Migration potential in Central and Eastern Europe, International Organization for 

Migration, Geneva 

IOM et ICMPD (2002): New challenges for migration policy in Central and Eastern Europe, 

International Organization for Migration et International Centre for Migration Policy 

Development, Asser Press, The Hague 

IPPR (2004): Labour migration to the UK, Institute for Public Policy Research, London 

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Kaczmarczyk, P. – Okólski, M. (2005): International migration in Central and Eastern Europe 

– current and future trends, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New 

York 

Kellenbergerová, K. (2006): In- and Out-Labour migration trends in the Slovak Republic, in 

Traser, J. (Ed.): A regional approach to free movement of workers: Labour migration 

between Hungary and its neighbouring countries, University of Szeged Faculty of Law, 

Szeged 

Kostolná, Z. (2006): Factors and barriers in work mobility [Faktory a bariéry mobility za 

prácou], presentation at the conference Migracné trendy v SR: otázniky a v�zvy, November 

22, 2006, Bratislava 

Kúska, M. – Gyárfá�ová, O. (1997): Odliv mozgov: príciny a súvislosti (Potencionálna 

migrácia vedeck�ch a v�skumn�ch pracovníkov v Slovenskej republike), Sociológia, 29, # 2, 

pp. 191-209 

Lubyová, M. (2000): Status of foreign residents and foreign workers in selected Central and 

Eastern European countries, presentation at the OECD Seminar on Recent developments in 

migration and the labour market in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of the EU 

enlargement, March 2-3, 2000, Bratislava 

Novysedlak, V. (2006): The pension system in the Slovak Republic, Institute of Financial 

Policy - Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava 

OECD (2006a): International migration outlook, Sopemi 2006 Edition, Organization for 

Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris 

OECD (2006d): Education at a glance 2006 Edition, Organization for Economic Cooperation 

and Development, Paris 

Okólski, M. (2006): Costs and benefits of migration for Central European countries, CMR 

Working papers No. 7/65, Centre of Migration Research, Warsaw 

OSCE – IOM – ILO (2006): Handbook on establishing effective labour migration policies in 

countries of origin and destination, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, 

International Organization for Migration et International Labour Office, Vienna et Geneva 

Özden, C. – Schiff, M. (2006): International migration, remittances and the braindrain, World 

Bank et Palgrave Macmillan, Washington D.C. 

Salt, J. (2006): Current trends in international migration in Europe, Council of Europe, 

Strasbourg 

Saczuk, K. (2004): Labour force participation scenarios for 27 European countries 2002- 

2052, Central European Forum for Migration Research Working paper 5/2004, Warsaw 

Schrooten, M. (2005): Bringing home the money – What determines worker’s remittances to 

transition countries?, Institute of Economic Research, 

�Ú SR (2006e): People migration [Migrácia obyvatelstva], Statistical Office of the Slovak 

Republic, Bratislava 

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Tamas, K. – Münz, R. (2006): Labour migrants unbound? EU enlargement, transitional 

measures and labour market effects, Institute for Futures Studies, Stockholm 

Traser, J. (2005): Who’s afraid of EU enlargement? Report on the free movement of workers 

in EU-25, European Citizen Action Service, Brussels 

UNFPA (2006): The state of the world population 2006, A Passage to Hope – Women and 

International Migration, United Nations Population Fund, New York 

UNHCR (2005): 2004 Global Refugee Trends, United Nations High Commissioner for 

Refugees, Geneva 

Veszelei, V. (2006): Legal implications of labour mobility in Slovakia – Recent experience: 

challenges and achievements in Traser, J. (Ed.): A regional approach to free movement of 

workers: Labour migration between Hungary and its neighbouring countries, University of 

Szeged Faculty of Law, Szeged 

WB (2006a): Labor migration from the new EU Member States, World Bank EU8 Quarterly 

Economic Report, September 2006, World Bank, Washington D.C. 

WB (2006b): Migration and remittances – Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, The 

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development et World Bank, Washington D.C. 

WB (2006c): Global Economic Prospects 2006 – Economic Implications of Remittances and 

Migration, World Bank, Washington D.C. 

WB (2002): Slovak Republic – Living Standards, Employment, and Labor market study, A 

World Bank country study, World Bank, Washington D.C. 

Williams, A. – Balá�, V. (2005a): Vietnamese community in Slovakia, Sociológia, 37, # 3, pp. 

249-274 

Williams, A. – Balá�, V. (2005b): Winning, then losing, the battle with globalization: 

Vietnamese petty traders in Slovakia, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 

29, # 3, pp. 533-549 

Williams, A. – Balá�, V. (2005c): What human capital, which migrants? Returned skilled 

migration to Slovakia from the UK, International migration review, 39, # 2, pp. 439-468 

Williams, A. – Balá�, V. – Kollár D. (2001): Coming and going in Slovakia: international 

labour mobility in the Central European “buffer zone”, Environment and Planning A, 33, # 6, 

pp. 1101-1123 

ZDS (2006): Workers’ mobility – Position paper of employers’ associations of Central and 

Eastern Europe, Association of Employers of Slovenia ZDS, Ljubljana 

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Links: 

www.migraceonline.cz - A specialised website of the Multicultural Centre Prague focusing on 

migration issues in Central and Eastern Europe. 

www.profesia.sk – Job portal with specific information about Living and working conditions in 

Slovakia (www.profesia.sk/cms/kariera-v-kocke/100) 

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Conditions 


1.3. Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work at local, 


Internet: 

Türkiye'de Ö�renim Gören Yabancı Uyruklu Ö�rencilere �li�kin Kanun: 

http://www.yok.gov.tr/content/view/438/183/lang,tr/ 

Meslek E�itimi Kanunu: http://statik.iskur.gov.tr/tr/kurumumuz/mevzuat/kanun9.htm 

Milli E�itim Temel Kanunu: 

http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/Metin.Aspx?MevzuatKod=1.5.1739&sourceXmlSearch=&MevzuatI 

liski=0 

1.4. Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources in selected countries 

Internet: 

www.egitim.gov.tr 

2.1. Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications obtained in 


Internet: 

www.egitim.gov.tr 

www.meb.gov.tr 

http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/home/hornav/Introduction.csp?loc=tr_TR 

References referring to Module I (on the whole) and 

Other general sources of information 





support) 

Internet 

http://www.ua.gov.tr/ 

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II.a) Psychological Efects 

3.2. Psychological separation of people working and living abroad 

2.3. Knowledge of psycho-social effects of BD-BG 

II.b) Push and Pull Factors 

3.1. Push and pull factors 

4.2. Working and living culture in other countries 

Bedirhan, Ya�ar (2009), “Avrupa birli�i ülkelerinde ya�ayan Türk çocuklarının 

Kültürel uyum sorunları ve çözüm önerileri”, Akademik Bakı�, Sayı 16, Nisan. 

5.3. Living and working conditions in selected countries 

Yılmaz, Fatih (2009), “Küreselle�me sürecinde geli�mekte olan ülkelerde ve Türkiye’de i� 

sa�lı�ı ve güvenli�i“, Uluslararası �nsan Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 6, Sayı: 1. 

(ISSN 1303 – 5134) 




Korkut, F., “Counselor’s thoughts and practices related to career guidance and counselling”, 

Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 32, 2007, 187-197. 




III.b) Building up an International Networt of BDBG-Counsellors 

8.3. Building up an international network of BD-BG counsellors 

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REFERENCES ON MOBILITY – TURKEY 

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/default.en.mfa (in English) 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/default.tr.mfa (in Turkish) 

Information on Living: 

http://www.goturkey.com/index.php?lng=en (in English) 

http://www.goturkey.com/index.php?lng=tr (in Turkish) 

http://www.mymerhaba.com/Home-Sweet-Home-in-Turkey-308.html (in English) 

How to Buy Immovables in Turkey: 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/guidance-for-foreigners.en.mfa (in English) 

Information on Work Visa: 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa (in English) 

Working in Turkey: 

http://www.mymerhaba.com/Working-in-Turkey-205.html (in English) 

Work Permits for Foreigners: http://www.mymerhaba.com/Working-in-Turkey---by- 

Expatia-in-Turkey-3440.html 

Rebublic of Turkey Ministry of Labour and Social Security: http://www.csgb.gov.tr/en/ 

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Conditions 


Knowledge of legislations pertaining to education, training and work at local, national 

and international levels 

1.1 Knowledge of valid and reliable information sources in selected countries 


www.careerseurope.co.uk � 

Is a resource centre for the UK, producing information on opportunities in other 

countries, particularly in the EU and EEA but also in other countries worldwide. 

Produces ‘Exodus’ – Big database of information about studying, training and 

working overseas and ‘Eisodus’ information to support professionals helping 

incoming migrants into the UK. These are can be accessed through paid 

subscription.� 

ICEGS 

International Centre for Guidance Studies. � 

Ergo-in-Net Project 

www.derby.ac.uk/ask-icegsinformation-services 

� 

www.ergoinnet.net� 

Addressed mainly to guidance practitioners who work with mobility issues but other 

professionals working in the training, education and labour fields can also find useful 

information here.� 

Ploteus 

http://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/ � 

Portal on Learning Opportunities throughout the European Space. PLOTEUS aims to 

help students, job seekers, workers, parents, guidance counsellors and teachers to 

find out information about studying in Europe. Multilingual site.� 

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CEDEFOP 

www.cedefop.gr � 

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training is a European 

agency that helps promote and develop vocational education and training in the 

European Union (EU). It is the EU's reference centre for vocational education and 

training.� 

European Training Village 

www.trainingvillage.gr � 

This is a virtual community of practitioners, policymakers and researchers developed 

by CEDEFOP.� 

International 

Labour Organisation 

www.ilo.org � 

Is the tripartite UN agency that brings together governments, employers and workers 

of its member states in common action to promote decent work throughout the world.� 

European Commission 

http://ec.europa.eu � 

Provides information, advice and recruitment / placement services for the benefit of 

workers and employers.� 

Organisation 

for Economic Cooperation 

and Development� 

www.oecd.org/ � 

Has a vast number of reports, research and documents regarding mobility and the 

vital part that career guidance counsellors have to play in this system.� 

Mevoc Project 

www.mevoc.net� 

Provides a wide range of information on how to acquire/improve counsellor skills and 

competences. Has a database of resources for 31 competence standards. Multilingual.�

�� 

�� 

� 

� 

UK Specific Information 

Department for Children, 

Schools and Families� 

www.dcsf.gov.uk/� 

The website for education in the UK with a lot of information.� 

Department 

for Work and Pensions� 

www.dwp.gov.uk/� 

The website for the labour market in the UK with a lot of information.� 

Learning and Skills Council 

www.lsc.gov.uk/ � 

A non-departmental public body which began work in 2001, taking over the roles of 

the former Further Education Funding Council and Training and Enterprise Councils. 

It is responsible for planning and funding high quality education and training for 

everyone in England other than those in universities.� 

UK National Statistics� 

Statistical information on a number of themes in the UK.� 

CareersBox 

www.statistics.gov � 

www.careersbox.co.uk/ � 

Is a research and practice network supported by an on-line tool content developer 

and delivery specialist in the market of careers information and Labour Market 

information.� 

Institute of Careers Guidance 

www.icg-uk.org/ � 

Aims to influence the UK Government and ensure members are kept up-to-date with 

the latest parliamentary debates and discussions through their weekly email service. 

They are the awarding body for the Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG) and 

have a partnership agreement with Edexcel and SQA to award NVQs and SVQs in 

Advice and Guidance. They also define and regulate the ethics and standards of the 

guidance profession through an Ethics & Standards. � 

c

�� 

�� 

� 

� 

�� 

Careers England 

Careers Information in England� 

Careers Scotland 

Careers Information in England.� 

Careers Wales 

Careers Information in Wales – award winning site.� 

Department for Employment 

and Learning Northern Ireland� 

www.careersengland.org.uk/ � 

www.careers-scotland.org.uk � 

www.careerswales.com� 

www.delni.gov.uk � 

Employment and education Information in Northern Ireland.� 

2.1. Knowledge of equivalence of degrees and professional qualifications 

obtained in different countries 

� 

The National Recognition 

Information Centres� 

www.enic-naric.net � 

The NARIC network can provide information and advice on recognition of diplomas 

and study periods in EU countries� 








subscription.�

�� 

�� 

� 

� 

























Euroguidance Network 

www.euroguidance.net/� 

Is a network of centres linking together the Careers Guidance systems in Europe. 



Europe.� 






e

�� 

�� 

� 

� 


support) 

�� 

Euroguidance Network 

www.euroguidance.net/� 

Is a network of centres linking together the Careers Guidance systems in Europe. 



Europe.� 

Life Long Learning 

Programmes 

http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong 

-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm� 

A number of funded mobility programmes for people in all stages of life.� 









subscription.�

�� 

�� 

� 

� 

II.a) Psychological Effects 

Intercultural Competence 

Training Project � 

Blended Learning units. Multi lingual site.� 

www.intcomp.eu � 

www.britishexpat.com/Lifestyle__Culture_Shock.28 

British Expat� 

3.0.html � 

News, humour and information for Brits worldwide! Has a number of different articles.� 

Intercultural Competence 

Training Project � 

Blended Learning units. Multi lingual site.� 


- a) Counselling Theories 


Mevoc Project 

www.intcomp.eu � 


Provides a wide range of information on how to acquire / improve counsellor skills 

and competences.� 

Institute of Careers Guidance 

www.icg-uk.org/ � 

Aims to influence the UK Government and ensure members are kept up-to-date with 

the latest parliamentary debates and discussions through their weekly email service. 

They are the awarding body for the Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG) and 

have a partnership agreement with Edexcel and SQA to award NVQs and SVQs in 

Advice and Guidance. They also define and regulate the ethics and standards of the 

guidance profession through an Ethics & Standards. � 

g

�� 

�� 

� 

� 


�� 

Borderless Guidance Project 

http://glossary.ambernet.lt/� 

Is a project that has a glossary of 148 guidance terms defined in 5 different EU 

languages, descriptions of guidance systems and a summary of popular guidance 

theories.� 


Mevoc Project 





Mevoc Project 




European Career Guidance 

Certificate Project� 

www.ecgc.at � 

Has developed a European examination for EU guidance practitioners.� 

III.b) Building up an International Network of BDBG-Counsellors 

8.3. Building up an international network of BD-BG counsellors 

Academia Project 

www.academia-europe.eu � 

Every year organises funded exchanges for guidance practitioners all over the EU.�

Publisher 



E-Mail: 

hochschule.bibliothek@arbeitsagentur.de 

ISSN 1869-8506 

January 2010

Brain Drain - Hochschule der Bundesagentur für Arbeit

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