We took first steps on several levels and surprisingly we could already benefit enormously for our daily work!
How does “educational guidance in peripheral regions” work in other European countries? We wanted to find it out, therefore we founded a consortium of five organisations from the network of education and career counselling in Lower Austria and managed to get approval for an Erasmus+ KA1 project. Even though only three counsellors went abroad due to Covid-19 and attended the NICE conference in Split, they brought back a lot of enthusiasm, new contacts and exciting perspectives, which met with very positive response from their colleagues. You can read more about the impressions and experiences gained in the report on EPALE, the e-platform for adult education in Europe.
It was with great pleasure that we accepted the invitation to present “Reaching target groups in the federal province of Lower Austria” at the Euroguidance symposium 2018 and to engage in exchange with European representatives. As a network of eight very different organisations it is our concern to bring educational and career guidance as close as possible to the clients in a regionally broad context. We are represented at more than 90 locations in Lower Austria. Guidance days are held at least once a month in each of the 20 districts. Moreover, we are present locally, such as at education fairs and events, through outreach counselling in public spaces such as shopping centres, at parent information evenings or interactive women’s education cafés. The diversity of the network is a huge advantage for this.
Since 2021 we have also been increasingly involved with “Green Jobs” and work together with the Department of Environmental and Energy Economics of the Province of Lower Austria and with ibw Austria – Research & Development in VET. Raising awareness among young people and young adults for green jobs, motivating them and providing them with comprehensive information is the main focus of this year's activities. Moreover, we have started to develop the topic of “Green Guidance” especially for people in reorientation phases. Here, too, we see an immense advantage in learning from the European pioneers and being able to participate in the exchange on “Green Guidance as a topic relevant for the future for educational and career guidance in Austria?” at the Euroguidance symposium 2021.
Altogether I am grateful for these experiences and opportunities and especially for the extremely profitable cooperation with the committed, warm-hearted and highly competent staff of the OeAD and I am looking forward to the next looks beyond the horizon!
Author: Rosemarie Pichler
More information: www.bildungsberatung-noe.at
Contact: office@bildungsberatung-noe.at
About Euroguidance
The OeAD is the national Euroguidance centre and thus part of the Euroguidance network of more than 35 national Euroguidance centres in Europe. As an interface between Austrian and European educational and career guidance Euroguidance Austria provides information about the wide variety of learning opportunities as well as information, guidance and counselling services for education and careers in Austria and Europe.
Attend the online Euroguidance symposium “Green Guidance” on 11 November 2021!