V.I.D.E.O. Video-cv to Increase and Develop Employment Opportunities THE V.I.D.E.O. PROJECT: STATE OF THE ART AND OUTCOMES OF THE EXPERIMENATTIONA CTIVITY IN ITALY Irene Salerno Dissemination Seminar Thessaloniki, December 11 th 2009

THE PROJECT: STATE OF THE ART The V.I.D.E.O. Project started on October Actually, the project, which work-plan foresees 8 operational working phases, is in its 14 th month of activity; the phase 4 has been completed. The activities carried out within phases 1 to 4 (October 2008 – November 2009) are : Pointing out a starting Model for the Video-CVs to be realised; Sharing and evaluating practices, tools and methods tested by the partnership to create and apply the Video-CV tool; Identifying other practices concerning the creation and use of Video – CV tool and method within counselling and employment services and private match making agencies; Verifying the feasibility and transferability of the Model worked out; Creating 8 Video-Cv samples.

THE PROJECT: STATE OF THE ART The products realised within phases 1 to 4 (October 2008 – November 2009) are: Preliminary analysis questionnaire format and national reports about preceding experiences of the Partners in creating Video-Cv tools; Synthesis Report describing the preliminary analysis outcomes; Documentary research describing state of the art of the Video Cv tool use worldwide, in Europe as well as in the countries involved in the Project; National reports describing the outcomes of interviews to managers, operators of Centres for Vocational Guidance, Centres for the Employment and similar structures (detailing: conditions of use related to the video-curriculum tool; technological and organisational aspects implied by the transfer action - National/international legal norms; counsellor and experts profile and competences needed; basic technological equipment required, logistic and organisational asset implied);

THE PROJECT: STATE OF THE ART A protocol of use implying information as: targets, methodology tools, equipment/technical requirements and procedure implied in the use of VC tool; Description of the professional profiles requested (standard competences of operators, counsellors, tutors and technical experts); Comparative report describing the transferability of the Model worked out; Kit of training-guidance material (in English and Italian) aimed at supporting the realisation of Video Curricula; 8 Video-CV as “pilot samples” in Germany, Greece, Italy, United Kingdom; Video-curricula Database on project website (

ACTIONS TO BE CARRIED OUT IN THE NEXT 9 MONTHS Phases 5-8 of the Project will see the realisation of the following activities: ModelFinal Tuning according to the results of the experimenattion and dissemination activities of phase 4; Transferring the Video-CV tool in Greece and Italy; Final evaluation of the Video-CV tool realised within the V.I.D.E.O. project.

PRODUCTS TO BE REALISED IN THE NEXT 9 MONTHS Curriculum and training for counselors and operators (in Italian, English and Greek) Guidelines addressed to operators, technicals and beneficiary of the Video- CV tool, including: final script format; protocols of use; methodology; 46 Video-CV for each country (23 in Greece and 23 in Italy) Comparative Evaluation report National Reports on Follow Up Handbook on “guidelines to the use and creation of the Video Curriculum tool” addressed to all project target groups

EXPERMENTATION ACTIVITY PREMISE The core of the V.I.D.E.O. Project are the Video-Cv tools. Before realising the final Video-CV expected in the frame of the project, according to the Project work-plan, during phase 3, two Video-CV samples have been realised in Italy, as well as in Germany, Greece and United Kingdom.

THE PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS ON THE EXPERIENCES REALISED The steps of the experimentation activity in Italy have been:  Organising 2- days informative sessions  Coaching for creating 2 Video-Cv samples  Focus group in order to discuss about the Video-CV pilot products with respect to: efficacy of the Model pointed out; suitability of the structure pointed out; evaluation of the methodology; analysys of difficulties encountered; perspectives to improve the pilot model.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT In Italy, the experimentation phase that started on September 8-10th 2009 with two-days informative sessions devoted to show and illustrate the Video-CV Prototypical Model, took place in Rome, at the seat of the Centre for Vocational Guidance (COL) “Simonetta Tosi”. Participated into the Informative Sessions the managers and the operators from the following COLs of Rome: “COL Carceri” “COL Cenci” “COL Mozart” “COL Pasolini” “COL Simonetta Tosi”.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT The mentioned COLs use to deal with a target of users being very mixed, ranging from long-term unemployed people, to young people having lost their work due to the disruptive effect of the global economic crysis. Two COLs, the COL Carceri and the COL Mozart, deal, in particular, with particular targets made of detained people (COL Carceri) and immigrants (COL Mozart).

METHODOLOGY Before recording the 2 Video-C samples in Italy, 2 informative meetings with the counselors of the COLs of Rome have been organised. During the meetings, the managers and the operators of the COLs have been introduced to:  The prototype of Video-CV created in the frame of the Project (a Model based on 3 sections: Who I am; What I can Do; Me in the Future) ;  The methodology proposed for its creation.

METHODOLOGY During the first informative session (day 1), participants have been introduced to:  The Prototypical Model for the Video-CV pointed out in the frame of the V.I.D.E.O. Project;  The methodology to create the Video-CV samples, based on the results of the research activity carried out within WP 1 of the V.I.D.E.O. Project;  The suitability of both methodology, Model and tools pointed out and about the feasibility of the pilot product.

METHODOLOGY During the second day (day 2), the counselors of the COLs presented the case some people selected for the pilot samples shootings, choosing the two people to be involved in the shootings of the 2 Video-CV samples in Italy:  Domenico Reda, a 37 years old man;  Fiore Ranauro, a 40 years old man. At the end of the shootings, counselors have met again to view the pilot samples of the V.I.D.E.O. Partnership (Video-Cvs recorded by CJD Eutin, IEKEP, Oake Europe and Polydynamo). Also the two Italian pilot samples have been viewed and analysed. In the frame of a focus group, counselors answered to the questions of an evaluation grid, specifically pointed out.

OUTCOMES OF THE INTERVIEWES Evaluation of the Model  With respect of the evaluation of the Plot Model pointed out, participants gave a very positive evaluation to the Video-Cv Model proposed and of its structure divided into three sections (Who I am; What I can Do; Me in the Future).  Counselors interviewed evaluated positively the idea of having such a structure. In particular, they found that the Video-Cv samples- also with reference to the Greek and British samples – succeeded in exalting applicants’ authenticity.

OUTCOMES OF THE INTERVIEWES Evaluation of the Model The German pilot samples have been evaluated very positively, both from the technical point of view (very defined and high resolution images, professional shootings) and for the efficacy of the applicants’ presentation. But they found that in these cases, the candidates’ authenticity is less perceivable.

OUTCOMES OF THE INTERVIEWES Evaluation of the Model About the Greek samples, participants expressed their perplexities about the way of dressing of both the Greek applicants and did not appreciate the background used, in particular the one proposed by Polydynamo, nevertheless they appreciated the authenticity of the two candidates. For what concerns the Italian experience, the interviewed Conselors expressed also their interest for the Video-CV as guidance tool, and not only as an aid aimed at helping people to find a job. Thinking in particular to the case of the first Italian Pilot sample and its protagonist, Domenico Reda, the Video-Cv had a specific value in helping the applicant to the self-empowerment.

OUTCOMES OF THE INTERVIEWES Evaluation of the Model The Italian managers and operators interviewed expressed their interest for a Video-Cv built with a mix of “in studio” and external shooting (“in situation” shootings, showing applicants on their potential workplace as in the German Video-CV samples).

METHODOLOGY Effectiveness of the Model proposed Interviewed experts evaluated positively the possibilities provided by the Video-CV to contribute to the matching between job demand and supply. They believe that the Video-CV tool should not be tailored only for a 45 years old target, but for all those people who face particular difficulties in finding a job and that can take advantage from this tool.

METHODOLOGY Effectiveness of the Model proposed About the script and the structure of the Video-CV, counselors did not appreciate the interview style of the Video-CV pilot sample n. 1 proposed by the British colleagues of the Oake Europe. They expressed a very positive evaluation of the second British pilot samples, with particular regard to the target proposed: a young immigrant who can be a very adequate subject for this kind of tool, taking advantage from a medium that can make visible the linguistic abilities of the applicants.

METHODOLOGY Possible problems of the Video-CV process The limits and problems pointed out during the experimentation phase were mostly related to the shootings: counsellors expressed their preference for a seated or three-quarter position instead of a standing one; The need to have a better back-ground, possibly coloured or with posters, etc.

METHODOLOGY Suggestions for improving the Model proposed At the end of the informative sessions, participants expressed a general positive evaluation of the experience done in creating the first Video-Cv samples. Furthermore, they expressed the need to better tailor the Video-CV tool for the applicants’ personality, trying to do more efforts in order to better exalt and valorise the authenticity but also the points of strengths of candidates’ personality.

.…TO SUMMARISE THE EXPERIMENTATION OUTCOMES STRENGHTSWEAKNESSES According to the experiences done, the Video-Cv can be regarded as guidance tools for the users; The Video-CV tool can highlight lacks in communicating; The Video-Cvs realised in Italy can be regarded as self-empowering tools and supporting users’ personal and vocational development through the exploration of their interests, skills and personal characteristics

.…TO SUMMARISE THE EXPERIMENTATION OUTCOMES OPPORTUNITIESTHREATS Professional level Video-CV can be effective in favouring the matching of the job demand-supply with links to other professional, educational and social websites. The outcomes of the experimentation warn us to focus the Video-CV on 1 aspect of the applicant’s personality, on its main point of strength;