Desk research on existing VNFIL good practices and tools

Good Practice No3

Country – Greece

NAME OF THE PRACTICE: adequacy of Vocational Guidance Counsellors

1. AIM

The adequacy of Vocational Guidance Counsellors is one of the most important criteria for providing quality services for the benefit of the whole community. Knowledge, abilities and skills are required to provide vocational guidance services.

In Greece, the lack of an institutional framework for the registration of the profession of guidance counsellor has resulted, in many cases, people who do not have the necessary qualifications trying to provide quality services.

National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP), in its institutional responsibilities, specifies the conditions and rules the vocational guidance organizations’ must function within and the adequacy of the qualifications of the service providers plus the maintenance of corresponding registers.

2. OBJECTIVES

Counselling and Vocational Guidance Register is defined as the Register maintained in the Department of Scientific Support of Executives and Organizations of E.O.P.P.E.P. which integrate the Vocational Guidance Counsellors. It consists of the following Sub-Registers:

§ Counselling and Vocational Guidance Sub-Register level A (higher level), that consists of the following Sub-Registers:

o Counselling and Vocational Guidance Sub-Register level A1 (higher level-evaluators)

o Counselling and Vocational Guidance introductory Sub-Register level A2 (higher level)

§ Counselling and Vocational Guidance Sub-Register level B (basic level), that consists of the following Sub-Registers:

o Counselling and Vocational Guidance Sub-Register level B1 (basic level)

o Counselling and Vocational Guidance introductory Sub-Register level B2 (basic level)

Vocational Guidance Counsellors who are part of the Sub-Register of level 1 perform professional functions and tasks that require responsibility and scientific specialization such as designing, conducting and evaluating Vocational Guidance training, supervising duties, designing and developing professional assessment tools, scientific research, etc.

3. TARGET GROUP

§ Candidates for integration at Sub-Register level A1 (higher level-evaluators) are required to have a Higher Education Degree in Counselling and Vocational Guidance or other related science specialized in Counselling and Vocational Guidance, or any Higher Education and PhD or Postgraduate degree in Counselling and Vocational Guidance.

§ Candidates for integration at Sub-Register level A2 are required to have any Higher Education degree and A.S.PE.T.E. (School of Pedagogical Technological Education) degree in Counselling and Vocational Guidance.

§ Candidates for integration at Sub-Register level B are required to have:

either

o A Higher Education degree

o Certificate of successful completion of 250-hours of training in Counselling and Vocational Guidance organized by the Ministries of Education and Labor, E.O.P.P.E.P. , Manpower Employment Organization and higher education institutions

o Certificate of relevant internships in the application areas of the Vocational Guidance Counsellors at least 200-hours or certificate of at least two years of full-time professional experience in Counselling, in public or private sector.

o Any Higher Education Degree

o Certificate of integration in Support Service Counsellors Register

4. SECTOR

The practice is cross sectorial, and applicable to all the sectors were professional guidance can be given from professional counselors

5. HOW TO USE

Those who are interested in joining the Counselling and Vocational Guidance Register have to apply through an E.O.P.P.E.P. online application with the required supporting documentation. They will be informed through the E.O.P.P.E.P. website about the initiation of the procedure to send the necessary supporting documents for evaluation and integration in the relevant Register. https://www.eoppep.gr/index.php/el/news/announcements

E.O.P.P.E.P. has creates a list of Private Vocational Guidance Counsellors Organizations. The list includes individuals and entities providing Vocational Guidance services. It is available for use by organizations implementing Vocational Guidance Counsellors actions as well as citizens who want to apply to the Private Vocational Guidance Counsellors Organizations.