The Climbing Frame is an electronic tool developed by Unionlearn, an organisation established by the Trades Union Congress in the UK to help Union Learning Representatives to promote lifelong learning in the workplace and to assist members to access learning opportunities.

The Matrix Standard is a unique quality standard to support the effective delivery of information, advice and guidance wherever it takes place. It has been found useful by trade unions in benchmarking and developîng learner support initiatives in the workplace

This guide (2009) brings these two frameworks together, showing how they complement each other and the benefits of this complementarity in delivering high quality support to learners.

This Working Pâper by Bert Clough of Unionlearn, an organisation established by the Trades Union Congress in the UK, provides a historic review of the government skills strategy in the UK and of the partnership response of the trade union movement. It describes the rise of the Union Learning Representative (ULR), achieving national and statutory recognition. Their key role is to raise the demand for learning especially among workers with low or no qualifications. Their functions include:

• training needs analysis
• providing information and advice on training
• promoting the value of training
• arranging training
• consulting with employers.

In one recent survey, 85% reported offering information, advice and guidance.

The paper also describes the experience of trade unions in other countries in similar activities.

The proximity of the ULRs to the workforce is another example of how access to guidance at the workplace can be organised.

This is the first document published on this site in Hungarian. It is the policy statement adopted by the National Lifelong Guidance Council in July 2008, the English version of which can also be found on this site.

1. It outlines reform measures required to develop an interlinked lifelong guidance system
2. It provides an overview of guidance service developments in the last 30 years in Hungary set against the background of international developments
3. The statement presents a set of proposals for building a nationally coordinated system - key tasks and specific steps for the policy areas of education, training and employment.

An examination of policies for career guidance was one component of a European Union programme (MEDA-ETE) being implemented by the European Training Foundation to support education and training for employment in the Mediterranean region. It involved 10 Mediterranean countries. The research on career guidance policies produced country reports on which this comparative analysis is based. The report covers:

• the socio-economic context
• the drivers for change
• current provision
• policy issues
• ways forward.

It also presents country profiles and comparative statistics.

O Conselho da Uniao Europeia de Novembro de 2008 convidam os estados-membros a:

• favorecer a aquisicao da capacidade de orientacao ao longo da vida
• facilitar o acesso de todos os cidados aos servicos de orientacao
• desenvolve a garantia de qualidade dos sericos de orientacao
• incentivar a coordenacao e cooperacao dos diversos intervenientes a nivel nacional, regional e local.

El Consejo de la Union Europea de noviembre de 2008 invita los estados miembros a aplicar los siguientes principes rectores:

• favorecer la adquisicion permanente de capacidades de orientacion
• facilitar el acceso de todos los ciudadanos a los servicios de orientacion
• desarrolar la garantia de calidad de los servicios de orientacion
• fomentar la coordinacion y la cooperacion de los distintos protagonistas a niveles nacional, regional y local.

Le Conseil des ministres d'éducation de l'Union européenne ont adoptés cette Résolution en novembre 2008 afin de aider les états membres a réformer leur politiques, systémés et pratiques de l'orientation tout au long de la vie et de donner un soutien communtaire au travail de la European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN).

La Résolution invite les états membres a appliquer les principes directeurs ci-aprés dans leurs efforts de réforme:

• favoriser l'acquisition de la capacité à s'orienter tout au long de la vie
• faciliter l'accés de tous les citoyens aux services d'orientation
• dévelloper l'assurance qualité des services d'orientation
• encourager la coordination et la cooperation des différents acteurs aux niveaux national, régional et local.

AFPA is the state institution in France charged with the vocational training of adults. It is unique in Europe and beyond in that it provides a professional career guidance service to trainees prior to course entry, during training and at exit. AFPA's course completion and qualifications rates are very impressive and taking into account that the people who attend their training often suffer multiple barriers to learning.

This document developed  in the last quarter of 2008 is AFPA's contribution to an ongoing debate in France about the future organisation and management of career guidance services for all of the population. It identifies some of the key issues from an AFPA perspective, describes good practices developed by its dedicated guidance services and support unit (INOIP), and  feedback from its users.