Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI) Jennifer McKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI National Centre for Guidance in Education Good Afternoon Thanks to Sile for inviting me her today……………..You will have heard from my colelague Eileen earlier.. Just a short background on myself, until October 06 , I was the Guidance Co-ordinator of an AEGI service in Dublin’s Inner City. I moved to the position of National Co-ordinator in November 06 with the NCGE , which is an agency of the Dept of education & Science

Adult Educational Guidance Initiative – Historic Context NCGE report ‘Guidance in Adult and Continuing Education’ (1998) Green Paper on Adult Education: Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong Learning (1998) White Paper on Adult Education: Learning for Life (2000) 1998 NCGE need for a guidance service – made recommendations / underpinning principles / UK models of good practice 2000 White paper - phase 1 aimed at supporting participants in VTOS literacy and community education programmes White paper outlined proposals for a National adult guidance and counselling service – which would include “ personal education and career guidance and will cover the pre-entry, entry, on-going and pre-exit stages…” Era of lifelong learning – life long and life wide guidance

Future Clients of Education Finance Board AEGI Department of Education and Science White Paper 2000 “Learning for Life – White Paper on Adult Education” NDP 2000-2006 Phased introduction of AEGI Pilot projects Target Groups LITERACY COMMUNITY EDUCATION VTOS AEGI The Dept White Paper on Adult education recognised the need and proposed the setting up of a National Adult guidance counselling service. Funded Under the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006 , the AEGI was introduced……. Phased introduction of Pilot projects, aimed at the specific target groups ie clients enrolled in - VTOS, Literacy, Community Education . IN 2006, those adults who identified as former residents of institutions and their adult family members are also entitled to access the services. VTOS – Vocational Training opportunity scheme – for long term unemployed adults with less than Leaving Cert education to return to full time education to gain qualifications Future Clients of Education Finance Board

AEGI Priority Target Groups Literacy 1-1’s, groups, FETAC groups, Junior / Leaving Cert, Computers etc VTOS Core / dispersed, return to education Groups / FETAC accredited courses etc Adult Community Education Accredited / non accredited / BTEI / VEC / Non VEC Former residents of Institutions Clients and their adult family members – Education Finance Board Literacy – 1-1 students, group students, FETAC students, Junior Cert, Leaving Cert students, Computers In 2006, the Skillvac programme was introduced within the VEC’s – this is a HSE programme – for their employees.

Achievements along the way White Paper Staff Circulars Additional client Group - EFB BTEI –Community Education Development of Database As you are aware, AEGIs set up on the basis of the recommendations in the White Paper…..Learning For Life – Adult Education 2000. Important to remember in discussing the Ethos / developments etc – where we started from – essentiallu a green filed site in formalised guidance provision to adults in education To provide educational guidance to Adult learners in 3 main target groups In the last 6 yrs achievements – Formalise the job descriptions, salaries and conditions for the staff of AEGIs and to provide a framework for the structure of the services. Circulars 70/04 and 0015/07 give the details outlining the roles of the Guidance Co-ordinator, Guidance Counsellor & Information Officer . Database – there is sophisticated database available to AEGIs, to record their client & group contact and AEGI work. Additional facilities being added to this. - eg ability to send clients a text reminder…….. This has included real-time access for AEGIs , NCGE and DES to the data, as relevant to their remit. It has also included data on client progression rates, online booking of training courses and exchange of good practice. There has been 1 additional client group – EFB – not as a target group – but eligible to access the services Increase in BTEI numbers nationally within Community Education Research – Issues emerging National Guidance Forum

NDP 2007 -2013 Social Inclusion Priority AEGI 39 Services Nationally NDP 2007 -2013 Social Inclusion Priority 2007 €1 million extra funding Additional 2 services Additional Guidance Counsellor into 12 existing services To date, the AEGI developed on pilot basis around the country, We currently have 39 services fully operational nationally In 2007, DES Extra funding - €1 million announced to expand the AEGI . Envisaged 2 new services , to ensure national coverage 1 new service in Co Waterford - new staff started in Nov – welcome John…. Co Louth currently recruiting - will have 41 services Also funding allocated to 12 existing services to employ and additional AD Ed guidance Counsellor From 2000 – 2006, due to identification of adult guidance work and models of best practice, DES confirmed the staffing structure and roles within the AEGI services - Guidance Co-ordinator - guidance counsellor with additional duties of day-to day co-ordination of service and report to management Guidance counsellor – provision of guidance to 1-1s and groups Information Officer – up date and provision of information to general public queries, updating guidance staff on info and general admin duties for the services

AEGI Services AEGI Advisory Group 2007- 2013 External Evaluator The National Advisory group of the AEGI meets 3 times year, The Advisory group sets the vision for the development of the AEGI, and meets to review reports, make recommendations to the Dept. An external evaluator was contracted 2000 – 2006, to evaluate the services as they developed and make report & recommendations to the DES / NCGE Listing the stakeholders…Representatives from National bodies / agencies at the table … Local employment services FAS Adult Education Officers VtOS National Co-ordinator National Adult literacy agency Education finance board IGC IVEA – reporesenting the VECs IBEC – Access officers AEGA – staff representative AONTAS – adult / community education association NCGE & DES By inviting the many diverse groups represented at the national table, with a specific in iterest in adult guidance and the needs of the client……..AEGI remains an impartial service. Although the services / staff are employed by the VECs & WIT, the information and guidance provided is on ALL adult education opportunities….not just those within the VEC / IT system

Department of Education & Science NCGE Role Department of Education & Science AEGI Guidance Officer Guidance Officer works with National Co-ordinator on all range of projects within the above NCGE Director Convenes and Chair National Advisory group on behalf of DES Development Monitoring/Reporting NATIONAL COORDINATOR NCGE In service training Service Visits National Advisory Group Technical Support The role of the NCGE is to monitor and evaluate the service, provide technical support and development, identify and share best practice and provide in-service training for AEGI staff. Within the NCGE National Co-ordinator and the Guidance officer work on all of the above on behalf of the Dept of Education & Science Co-ordination of development Co-ordination of monitoring and reporting of AEGI activities Identify and make provision for Staff development, support & in-service training programme Co-ordination of Service visits and evaluations Report to National Advisory group Provision of technical support Inform DES policy and strategy development Set up & chair sub committees to advise and implement strategies Member of other national advisory groups

Aims of AEGI services To provide adult educational guidance, to support participants in 4 priority target groups To develop and document models of good practice To address gaps in the provision of adult educational guidance To build local capacity, to develop support structures and to encourage local partnerships

Ethos of the AEGI Service The Service is underpinned by principles which are central to the work of AEGI pilot projects: learner/client centredness confidentiality impartiality equal opportunities accessibility transparency empowerment

Models of Adult Guidance Confidential Outreach Flexible Accessible Adult friendly Innovative approaches Client –specific models of guidance “Non-traditional”

Models of Practice Literacy – evening work, awareness raising, appropriate to students level and skills, scheduled not “add- on” VTOS – integrated, scheduled into weekly timetable, access to students Adult community education - outreach, appropriate, Information Provision to target groups

AEGI developments 2007 AEGI and ITABE ( Intensive Tuition for adult basic education) Guidelines for Guidance / Literacy Integration into literacy programme from beginning Guidelines for working with potential clients of Education Finance Board AEGI handbook (Web Based resource)

AEGI developments 2007/8 contd…. Client satisfaction data requested by DES Individual services have conducted feedback surveys “Client Feedback Form” developed by Advisory group / NCGE / AEGA Pilot January – June with 11 services, using database Sept – Dec all AEGI services piloting “form Review in Jan 08 Group feedback (2008) Special Needs group feedback (2008)

Monitoring and Evaluation National Advisory group – External Evaluators involved since 2000, reporting to DES & National Advisory AEGI Quarterly Reports to DES through NCGE Quantitative & Qualitative Data

Quarterly Reports - Qualitative DATA Quarterly Reports - Qualitative Gaps in learning provision Barriers to progression for adults Changing nature of client groups Social inclusion needs identified Contribute to local & national developments Networking & Partnership at local and national level Gender Equality Use of ICT in Guidance Development of best practice models of Guidance to share with other services While changes are evident in the individual - services report quarterly to the NCGE / DES on issues they identify for all their clients. These reports provide us with vital information for further developments. We have an online & live database system, confidential , developed specifically for NCGE by software company with and for AEGI , Qualitative info Quantitatvie info……………see the lists From this information ….changes have occurred in structures to date, and plans inplace for further developments

Quarterly Reports - Qualitative DATA Quarterly Reports - Qualitative Client Information Details of Client /Group Meetings Client / Group Category (by target group) Client Education Level Client Employment / Allowance details Client Referral History Client Analysis (additional client details) Client Progression Staff activities Internal Meetings External Meetings General Public Administration Information Gathering

Change in Structures Changes in AEGI Qualitative Quantitative Local & National Developments Identify Best Practice Models Recommendations to DES Recommendations to Agencies Career Structures for Adult Guidance Practitioners Post 2000-2006 Pilot Phase I -IV Changes in AEGI

Future of AEGI National Guidance Forum Quality Assurance Forfás Future Skills Needs Lisbon Agenda Knowledge based economy Future of Adult guidance in Ireland…………………… National Guidance Forum report launched on Friday 5th last……………have a few copies with me. NGF outlines - Quality Framework, Competency Framework and structures for the future of life long guidance in Ireland from Cradle to grave. This will impact further developments. We are currently piloting a client feedback system for 1-1 and group clients. The Forfas Future skills needs report has outlined the need for up-skilling of our adult working population which will require a guidance input . The Vision of the Lisbon Agenda – EU as a knowledge based economy by 2010, influences government policy on adult education provision ????? As members of the European Life long Guidance Policy network, currently with observer status Ireland is connected to the developments in Life long guidance Europe wide….. Considering that 7 years ago there was little or no formalised guidance provision specifically for adults in outside of that focusing on retrun to work , we have come a long way. It is in both listening to the clients and the guidance practitioners on the ground, and taking on board the vision for guidance in europe that the appropriate changes and developments will happen over the next 7 years….. EU Resolution on Guidance 2004 Client Feedback European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network

AEGI Contact Jennifer.mckenzie@ncge.ie Relevant Websites www.ncge.ie www.education.ie www.nationalguidanceforum.ie www.forfas.ie I Have included my email address if anyone wishes a copy of the presentation, also websites you may be interested in . The national guidance forum report is available to down load , or if you would like a published copy I will take you name & details and forward copies to u. Thank you!