1. European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network, ELGPN ‐ support for national guidance policy development
Raimo Vuorinen, Ph.D. Coordinator of the ELGPN Finnish Institute for Educational Research,
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
National conference on lifelong guidance policy development
21 February 2011, Budapest, Hungary

2. Support for national guidance policy development – Establishment of the ELGPN
Conclusions of the Finnish EU-presidency conference
Preparatory meeting in Brussels, March 9, 2007
Inaugural meeting in Helsinki, May 7-8, 2007
Undelying principles and draft work programme
Contract between the ELGPN coordinator (FI) and the EU Commission, December 2007
First ELGPN network meeting, December 2007
ELGPN website January 2008
ELGPN I 2008, ELGPN II
ELGPN III

3. Aims of the ELGPN
The European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN) aims to assist the European Union Member States (and the neighbouring countries eligible for the EU Lifelong Learning Programme) and the European Commission in developing European co-operation on lifelong guidance in both the education and the employment sectors, particularly through the Open Method of Co-ordination.
Lifelong guidance covers all activities designed to help individuals, at any point in their lives, to make educational, training and occupational choices and to manage their careers.

4. ELGPN added value
The ELGPN provides added value to participating countries, through actions which include:
Sharing knowledge, experiences and ideas on on policy issues and challenges.
Testing ideas and innovation.
Showcasing good practice.
Proposing practical policy solutions so as to boost performance and enable cost-effectiveness.

5. ELGPN membership 2011-12 A member state driven network
29 member countries, 2 observers
The national partners
represent a lifelong learning perspective, covering education, training and employment for both young people and adults
are clearly linked to relevant policy-making processes within their country.
have the capacity both to contribute to the activities of the network and to involve the relevant national stakeholders in the education, training and employment sectors, including the social partners and guidance practitioners
National representative in Hungary: Hungarian Lifelong Guidance Council – National Employment Office

6. Co-operation with other structures
The Network and the national fora has been linked, through appropriate membership or co-operation arrangements, to other relevant networks and initiatives at European level. These include:
Cedefop, European Training Foundation (ETF)
The Euroguidance network.
The Public Employment Services (PES) network.
Professional networks, e.g. IAEVG, FEDORA, NCDA
Other international organisations, bodies (e.g. the OECD)
Other relevant stakeholder networks (e.g. social partners, parents).

7. Co-operation Arrangements and Governance
Supported by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme (75%)
National contributions by the Members (25 %)
Steering group with rotating membership
: ES, HU, PL, DK, CY, FI
Co-ordination unit
Finland

8. ELGPN Outputs 2009-2010 Reflection notes from the thematic activities
Policy briefings related to thematic activities
Additional thematic briefings: e.g. Guidance during the economic crisis
Activity report with examples of promising/good practises in lifelong guidance policy development
Database of interesting/good policy initiatives
National and international events with ELGPN member contributions

9. ELGPN report

10. ELGPN strategic goal
To deepen attention to the four themes within the 2008 Resolution;
to link this LLG perspective more closely to sectoral policy development
(in schools, VET, higher education, adult education, employment, and social inclusion)
at both national and EU levels;
and to produce concrete tools to support these processes.

11. Thematic clusters 2011-2012 Promoting career management skills (WP1)
Widening access (WP2)
Co-operation and co-ordination mechanisms in guidance practice and policy development (WP3)
Quality assurance/Evidence-based practice and policy development (WP4)
Education & Training and Employment policy analysis from Lifelong Guidance perspective (Task group)

12. ELGPN Objectives
To provide national policy-makers, developers and stakeholders with concrete supports to assist them in their national and EU policy development.
To extend the dissemination of the ELGPN’s work.
To strengthen the ELGPN’s links with relevant international organisations.
To improve the internal efficiency of the work of ELGPN itself.

13. Thank you! For further information, please contact:
Raimo Vuorinen, Senior researcher, Ph.D.
Co-ordinator of the ELGPN
Finnish Institute for Educational Research
P.O. Box 35
FI University of Jyväskylä
tel , Mobile
Fax
www:
Skype: vuorai