Professor Jonathan Brown recently posed this question at the joint meeting of NAEGA Scotland and the Scottish branch of ICG. The framework he suggested for this task was to try to spot both the trends and the sudden unanticipated events (the jokers) which distort the trends.
If you apply this to adult guidance what sort of picture do you get of our trade in ten years time? What will adult guidance look like in 2015? The audience was challenged to think in terms of 2015 question and to identify the most important TREND and also what the JOKER might be. He also tried to answer the question himself.
A copy of the paper used for the November presentation is available from
The November issue of the 'British Journal of Guidance and Counselling' (Vol 32 No. 4 pp 457-473) carries a timely article by Vivienne Barker, Tony Watts, Tricia Sharpe and Andrew Edwards.
The paper is based on an evaluation in Kent of the impact of membership of the IAG partnership had on "the capacity of voluntary and community groups to deliver IAG to their clients / members and on the development of core services". As the authors point out, government is increasingly interested in service delivery through contracts with the voluntary sector. So, it is timely to have fresh material on this topic. The paper distinguishes four forms of capacity building. In their conclusion Barker et al look particularly at the relationship between voluntary and community capacity to deliver guidance and public service provision.
This is a well written, readable and interesting paper which complements the earlier work by Ruth Hawthorn and Tony Watts on guidance workers as learning brokers.
Congratulations to EGSA for its award winning learning programmes, developed to assist employees prepare for a new career in a redundancy situation and raise awareness of essential skills in the workplace, which received National Training Awards on 18 October. The awards, which recognise outstanding achievement and success through training and development, were presented at a gala ceremony in Belfast City Hall.
The two awards were for: an innovative partnership between EGSA and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), aimed at connecting adults with learning and work, and which led to development of an essential skills programme for civilian employees at the MoD; and providing guidance, mentoring and coaching to 52 employees on new career options as a result of the phased closure of a Northern Ireland power station.
EGSA aims to connect adults with learning and to work with others to create a culture in N Ireland where all learning is valued and learning is accessible to all. See www.egsa.org.uk
The 'LSC Strategy for IAG for adults', published in January 2004, identified the importance of ensuring that high quality information, advice and guidance is available to maximise the participation and achievement of adults in learning and work. The LSC is also committed to re-engaging those adults (some 35% of the adult population), who have not undertaken learning since their initial schooling.
The second Skills Strategy announced in March 2005 identified the long term ambition of enabling adults to access appropriate IAG to help them to:
The Skills Strategy also indicated that a review was to be established to identify how best to pursue that goal.
The LSC is therefore seeking to identify:
NIACE has been commissioned by the LSC to undertake this work, the findings of which will inform the review.
An important part of this process is a survey of a sample of work-based learning providers, further education colleges, and adult and community learning providers. It is vital that as many responses to the survey as possible are received so that an accurate picture of the sector can be fed back into the review and so that examples of good practice can be identified.
We would therefore very much appreciate your help. If you receive a questionnaire, please complete and return it to the address shown.
In addition, if your organisation has strengths in the provision of IAG for adults (as evidenced for example by Matrix accreditation or inspection reports) you might wish to act as a case study of good practice. A copy of the nomination form can be accessed on the website.
At the end of 2000, NAEGA announced a bursary scheme to assist members to undertake research into any aspect of guidance. One of the recipients was Joy Boyle from Fife whose report was published in News and Views in Winter 2002. The other bursary went jointly to Joy Clark and Landé Wolsey. At the time, both were NAEGA members working in adult guidance in Scotland. Both have changed jobs. Joy Clark is now Community Learning and Development Team Leader with East Lothian Council whilst Landé Wolsey has recently become Head of Careers at Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh. A shortened version of Joy and Landé's findings is in News and Views Autumn 2005.
The full version is in the Library and contains some very interesting comments on the work in adult guidance. Well worth reading. Joy Boyle's report has also been added to the Library so you can see both reports from the scheme.
Central Lancashire University, Tuesday 13 September 2005, 9.00am - 4.00pm. This conference will explore the issues faced by mature students on entering University and aims to:
Cost: £50 plus VAT. Information and registration form at www.uclan.ac.uk/facs/destech/ssc/index.html. Or contact Gaynor Wood, Senior Tutor (Retention) at UCLAN on Telephone 01772 893170 email .
See NAEGA East for report of development day on disability awareness and removing barriers to guidance.
'Adult Demand for and Perceptions of Information, Advice and Guidance' is a major new market research report, commissioned by the Guidance Council and written by MORI. Building on the original baseline studied conducted in 2000, it looks at the public's satisfaction with IAG services. Through exploring people's experience and outcomes from IAG, the report is able to recommend targeted strategies that will improve access, increase awareness and encourage wider use of services particularly amongst hard-to reach groups.
'Intermediate Impacts of Advice and Guidance' is the result of a two-year study undertaken by the Institute of Employment Studies, with the fieldwork completed by MORI. A telephone survey was conducted with 4,000 recipients of IAG aged over 20, and qualified to Level 2 equivalent or below. The aim was to test whether the provision of IAG makes a difference to the work and learning outcomes of individuals by tracking them over time. The report provides evidence that the intermediate outcomes of advice and guidance are greater than those for individuals receiving information only.
'Investing in Career: Prosperity for Citizens, Windfall for Governments' was commissioned by the Guidance Council and produced by the Centre for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby. This report explores the personal, social and economic case for investing in career development and career management skills for young people and adults. It argues that considerable benefits could result from proper investment in career, and calculates the potential savings to the economy that could result.
For more information see www.guidancecouncil.com
Northern Family Learning Week Planning Conference, Thursday 7 July 2005, Liverpool University, Carnatic House, Carnatic Conference Park, North Mossley Hill Road, Liverpool, L18 8DG. This event will help anyone involved in the Campaign for Learning's Family Learning Week 2005 (running this year from 8th-16th October).
There will be contributions from a range of people passionate about family learning. Mr Numbervator - star of CBBC1 Rule the School and a previous winner of the 'Teacher of the Year Award' will be running an interactive session on engaging families in learning. The focus of the conference will be on picking up new ideas for the Week - including funding and evaluation tips! There will be workshops on organising Family Learning Week in early years settings; libraries, museums and archives; community settings; and across local authorities.
£100 plus VAT. There are discounts available for voluntary and community organisations please enquire. Book online at www.campaignforlearning.org.uk by following links for events or contact Nicola Hallmark on 01925 283270 or email:
Claire Tyers and Alice Sinclair, Institute of Employment Studies. This recently published report shows clearly that clients who receive Advice and Guidance rather than Information alone are:
The research report from Claire and Alice is four pages long and can be downloaded from: www.nextstepstakeholder.co.uk
In response to feedback the Café's home-page is being reorganised. It will be done in stages. The first is a new section: 'the information' - bottom-right of the page. It links you to the site map, to the list of ready-to-download material, to help with navigating the site (www.hihohiho.com), to background information on Bill. Sara and Chris, and to a run-down on the Café design.
New features - getting what you need from the Care-learning Café. This is a three-element package to help Café visitors to find what they need and use what they find. You can reach them through 'the information'. The fullest version is a pdf, working from 'what is career learning' to 'frequently asked questions', and setting out all of the cafés features. It includes a statement of the Café philosophy in ten 'do you agree' statements.
A shorter version runs online, and has live links to examples of what the café offers. Users - ranging from voluntary mentors, through careers coordinators and their consultants, to policy makers and researchers - can take a look at material aimed at issues they must work with.
The third element is a PowerPoint presentation, cut to the essentials. It helps newcomers to the field to get to grips with Café issues and to see how they can continue to work on them.www.hihohiho.com
NICEC/CeGS, on behalf of advice-resources, UfI, the national resource service for Next Steps agencies, is carrying out a survey of what practitioners and their clients want from a CV writing program or website. This will inform the specification for a national CV builder which may be put out to tender later this year.
If you want to influence the resources you get to use later, now is your chance! NAEGA member, Marcus Offer of NICEC wants to find out what you would ideally expect such a computer- or web-based CV builder to do, especially if used by individuals on a stand-alone basis. Please spare a few minutes to complete his questionnaire. Go to the Learn Direct website for a questionnaire and further information.
The latest NICEC briefing is based on an enquiry by Ruth Hawthorn and Charles Jackson in the autumn of 2004 for learndirect. The briefing: identifies the agencies that offer advice to refugees; explores the main elements of good practice in work with refugees; and identifies action points both for mainstream information, advice and guidance services and for specialist refugee services. Get a copy here. NAEGA is grateful to NICEC for giving permission to make this briefing available on our website. Copyright remains with NICEC.
The summer issue of News and Views will be mailed to members in mid-June. It will contain:
Look out for this really useful issue of News and Views (and don't forget we are always looking for contributions to the next issue. Copy date is 8th July - by email to )
The NAEGA board will be attending an 'Away Day' in June. The focus of the event will be to consider how NAEGA moves forward following the branch development project and in light of the changing advice and guidance environment. The board will consider the roles and responsibilities of its directors, the vision for the association and its positioning for the future.
Advance warning of a national event taking place on the 6th June in London to launch a number of important new research reports relating to IAG. The event will focus on key findings and themes emerging from the following reports: Adult Demand for and Perceptions of Information, Advice and Guidance; Intermediate Impacts of Advice and Guidance; Investing in Career: Prosperity for Citizens, Windfall for Governments. A printed programme and booking form will be available shortly. See www.guidancecouncil.com
The British Journal of Guidance and Counselling is offering a prize of £400 PLUS a year's free sub for a paper submitted and the winning paper will be considered for publication. Entries should focus on themes covered by the journal and written in accordance with the guidelines for contributors. Entries due by 30 September 2005. A postgraduate student is defined as a student currently undertaking pg study or someone who has registered for pg study in the last two years. A card giving details will be sent out to anyone sending a postal address to
Bill Law of NICEC has been running a most useful website for some time now. It is regularly updated with new material with the last update being on 21 March. The site contains a range of materials ranging from news items to theoretical work. The style is chatty and approachable. Do visit it and see what you think. It is invaluable for practitioners especially those who are engaged in study for guidance qualifications. So 'off to work you go' at Bill's famous website www.hihohiho.com.
Check out www.movingonup.info - a new website for young adults with learning disabilities from minority communities.
Four regional workers are promoting the site via Connexions, colleges and so on. Funded by a grant from the Diana Fund, the project will run until October 2006.
For further information contact Bridget Fisher 01246 555043
The National LSC has published its Continuous Professional Development Strategy which you can download from www.nextstepstakeholder.co.uk. The strategy was announced at the recent nextstep conference. Watch the website for news and events.
Congratulations to Careers Wales for winning a BAFTA for its interactive website. www.careerswales.com offers a comprehensive resource of education, training and job opportunities for school and college leavers in Wales, as well as a ground-breaking 'e-portfolio' that allows people to establish and maintain their own progress record online for the first time, making it accessible at any time from any location.
Our understanding is that this is the only BAFTA to go to Wales this year. It is in recognition of the pioneering work done by Careers Wales in developing new and interactive ways of delivering guidance. Visit this award-winning site to see what our Welsh colleagues have been doing.
The Educational Centres Association (ECA) has just published an attractive 36-page report Supporting Learners Locally: case studies in Information, Advice and Guidance. The author of the report is John Payne who was an early supporter of NAEGA (or NAEGS as it then was) in the 1980s. In 1985 NAEGA published John Payne's Educational Guidance Services Advocacy and Education for Adults. In undertaking this work for ECA, John was, in effect, re-visiting an earlier interest. This report for ECA is in three parts:
Part A Adult guidance policy and practice.
Part B Two case studies. The case studies are based on fieldwork in two areas. The first is in Brighton and Hove and the second in Kensington and Chelsea. (An appendix gives a further case study on the Colchester Learning Shop).
Part C Towards a learner - and community - focus for guidance.
The report concludes with a simple core message: 'Information, Advice and Guidance is central to success in Lifelong Learning. As with seaside rock the important message runs all the way through the middle'. All NAEGA members can subscribe to that core message.
There will be a full review of the ECA report in the summer issue of News and Views. You can get copies of the report for £8 each from ECA, 21 Ebbisham Drive, Norwich, NR4 6HQ. Find out more about the ECA at www.e-c-a.ac.uk.
The Spring 2005 issue of News & Views is out now. It contains two items on funding in the voluntary and community sector plus a review of the new report Progress and Potential on the development of Careers Scotland. There are also articles on Guidance: there is no such thing as a steady state and The end of Connexions?; updates on the NAEGA branch development project and local branches; a view of guidance in FE at Bishop Aukland; plus news, views and comment. For more info contact NAEGA.
Download a copy of this article by Ruth Hawthorn and A.G.Watts.
The paper was published in Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning: the journal of the Institute of Access Studies and the European Access Network (WP & LLL) Volume 6 Number 3 in December 2004. WP & LLL is a learned journal published Staffordshire University. NAEGA is grateful to the Editors and Publishers of WP & LLL for permission to reproduce the Hawthorn and Watts paper on our website in a downloadable format. Copyright remains with Staffordshire University.
NAEGA members may well find interesting the other papers in the December issue of the journal which was devoted to Learning Brokerage. Extracts from the journal and subscription details can be found at www.staffs.ac.uk/journal
NAEGA is also grateful to Ruth Hawthorn and Professor Tony Watts for their permission for the appearance of their paper on our website. Both authors are Fellows of NICEC and long-standing members of NAEGA.
The article itself derives from a five-country project (The Go-Between) which was a part of the Socrates-Gruntvig Programme. The two concepts of advocacy and feeding-back are very much associated with the 1986 UDACE report The Challenge of Change an edited version of which NAEGA republished as a NAEGA Occasional Paper in December 2003.The article is important to those involved in adult guidance because it "identifies the main factors that encourage development of guidance services as brokers of adult learning".
Am I Still Needed? guidance and learning for older adults by Geoff Ford
The new occasional publication is a much more substantial document than the NAEGA norm. We have been able to make Geoff's report available through working jointly with the Centre for Guidance Studies (CeGS) at the University of Derby and igen Ltd. Geoff is a long-standing member of NAEGA and a Fellow of NICEC. It will be distributed to members in late February.
At the very start of his report Geoff Ford says that "Governments and communities throughout the developed world, and including the UK, have not yet fully appreciated the severity of the economic and social challenges that current demographic changes present". Older people need and welcome high quality guidance. The case made is an important and timely contribution to the debate on lifelong guidance. NAEGA is pleased to be able to distribute this significant report to members. For more information on the paper or becoming a NAEGA member contact NAEGA.
We now have NAEGA Branch Mentors in place for eight of the nine government office regions in England. Separate arrangements are being made for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Initial work in most areas is around sustainability of branches. Currently branch membership has significant regional variations and this presents a particular challenge in the East and West Midlands branches and in the South West. We are fortunate in having experienced mentors in two of these three areas.
The South East and North East areas were identified by LSC and DfES as particular areas of focus to work in partnership with the Level 2 pilots.
To find out what is happening in YOUR area contact your local branch contact.
NAEGA is pleased to announce that Di Middleditch is our new administrator. Di is self-employed with experience of administration and training in the education and careers area. Her recent contracts have been with Hertfordshire Careers and the National Association of Careers and Guidance Teachers.