Lifelong guidance across Europe

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The ELGPN identifies political areas of action in the field of lifelong guidance and promotes cooperation at both Member State and European level. The focus of the network is to enhance guidance systems in four priority areas: Promotion of career management skills, facilitation of access to guidance, development of quality assurance and empirically based advisory policy and practice, and coordination and cooperation among the various national, regional and local stakeholders. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is Germany's national contact within the ELPGN. Members of the German delegation are from the BMBF, the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs and the National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment (nfb).

The Institute for Education Research at Jyväskylä University in Finland coordinates the ELGPN work programme according to methods and structures that include field visits, thematic task groups and meetings of the Steering Group and thus ensures close cooperation among members. The ELPGN was established in 2007. Membership currently includes 29 participating countries and two observer countries. It is funded by the EU Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme. The report for the 2008-2010 working period provides insight into the dialogue of the network and the resulting progress made in the Member States in the area of lifelong guidance provision.

The current 2011-2012 working programme reflects how guidance provision is helping to implement the EU 2020 Strategy and how it can be fostered in various fields such as school, vocational training, university, continuing education and employment. The provision of guidance services is increasingly playing a role in national policies. A 'resource kit' on the topic aimed at policy-makers will be published in October 2012.