|
Mission
For the European Union, Vocational Guidance is an integral part of the social policy for employment and vocational training. The infusion of the European dimension into Vocational Guidance comprises a new area of interest for most Member States. It involves a structured cooperation and exchange of information on a broader basis among the diverse national systems for Vocational Guidance, and encompasses the required tools and methodologies to leverage the infusion of the European dimension to Vocational Guidance activities on a regional and local level. The aim is to render all training systems and existing opportunities accessible to all Member States of the European Union.
The European Network of National Resource Centres for Vocational Guidance (or Euroguidance Network) was set up on the basis of these considerations. Initially it came under the PETRA II (1991) programme as an initiative with the aim to strengthen and organize Vocational Guidance services as an on-going process for the benefit of the young - a process that would not limit itself to provision of information alone, but also provide “hands-on” experience on the job (placement). The tasks of the National Resource Centres are to collect, process and continuously update all the data utilized by the Vocational Guidance agencies in all Member States, promote cooperation for the collection and organization of material pertinent to Counselling & Vocational Guidance and, where possible, organize training (exchange) visits of their Guidance practitioners.
Recognising the need to restructure, improve and expand the institution of Vocational Guidance in Greece - with an emphasis on reviewing the relevant principles and aims, and with an eye to the direct, short-term and long-term design of services - the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs established a National Resource Centre for Vocational Guidance in Greece (E.K.E.P.) (Law 2525/97). In addition to the above stated objectives, EKEP also operates in line with the objectives of the Euroguidance Network. In other words, E.K.E.P is vested with a twofold function: to operate as link between education and the labour market, on a national level, and, contribute to the promotion of the European dimension in information dissemination, Counselling and Vocational Guidance, on a transnational level. In particular:
|
