The Five Swans Career guidance and counselling in the Nordic Countries Career Guidance and Development Practices around the World IAEVG Conference, Cape Town, South Africa OCT 2011 By Peter Plant DPU, University of Aarhus, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nordic countries

Vem kan segla? Song from Åland Vem kan segla förutan vind? Vem kan ro utan åror? Vem kan skiljas från vännen sin utan att fälla tårar? Jag kan segla förutan vind, jag kan ro utan åror, men ej skiljas från vännen min utan att fälla tårar. Wie kan zeilen zonder wind? Roeien zonder een spade? Wie kan scheiden van een vriend, Zonder tranen te laten? Ik kan zeilen zonder wind. Roeien zonder een spade Maar scheiden kan ik niet, Zonder tranen te laten. Who can sail without the wind, Who can row without an oar, Who can leave behind a friend, Without just one tear to pour? I can sail without the wind, I can row without an oar, But I cannot leave a friend, Without just one tear to pour. Qui peut faire de la voile sans vent ? Qui peut ramer sans rames ? Et qui peux quitter son amant Sans verser de larmes ? Je peux faire de la voile sans vent Je peux ramer sans rames Mais ne peux quitter mon amant Sans verser de larmes.

Nordic Inputs 1 Peter Plant (DK): Nordic guidance overview 2 Marjatta Vanhalakka-Ruoho (FIN): Outcomes of a developmental project: Improving guidance and counselling in grade Tron Inglar (N): Career Guidance in Norwegian Schools. An evaluation, 2008 – Rie Thomsen (DK): The Collective Turn 5 Peter Plant on current pan-Nordic research: Users' Voices

DK External municipal/ regional ’independent’ guidance units Heavy emphasis on educational dropout Outreach programme Adult guidance linked with adult education and jobcentres Quality assurance

N School-based Regional career centres Emphasis on educational dropout Guidance on the timetable: ’Educational choice’ Guidance as citizens’ right

S School-based Highly decentralised Emphasis on educational dropout Outreach programme Adult guidance linked with adult education and jobcentres

FIN School-based Emphasis on educational dropout Guidance on the timetable Adult guidance linked with adult education and jobcentres Quality assurance

IS School-based Regional LLL and LLG centres Emphasis on educational dropout Outreach programme Guidance as citizens’ right

Nordic guidance research Sociological Communication/ interviews Gender issues Group work Evidence

Nordic guidance common features Highly professionalised Outreach services Focus on educational retention Focus on transitions Balance support and social control

Refs & contact Plant, P. (2003). The Five Swans. Educational and Vocational Guidance in the Nordic Countries. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 2003, Vol 3, No 2, pp Plant, P. (2007). Nordic Research in Educational and Vocational Guidance. In: Plant, P. (ed.) (2007). Ways. On guidance and counselling. København: DPUs Forlag Contact Peter Plant, PhD Institut for Uddannelse og Pædagogik, DPU Faculty of Arts Aarhus Universitet Tuborgvej 164 DK-2400 København NV Denmark tel