Regional partnership Nordland County Jorulf Haugen, Director of Education,

Nordland County 800 km from north to south From Berlin to Oslo: 839 km….

Nordland county in Europe

Nordland county – some figures About inhabitants 44 municipalities 16 upper secondary schools – about pupils About km² - 12 % of Norway's land area About 25 % of Norway's coastline Unemployment per Nov1st 2011: 3278 persons - 2,7% Of these: 41% under 30 years. 62 % of these have not completed upper secondary education

Partnership for career guidance in Nordland Established as a project in 2004 Why: Need for an integrated and life long career guidance service for adults. Because: The service was fragmented, no co- ordination, quality not good enough. Adults in various situations of life. The County Council and the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) did not live up to the demand. National and international reports pointed at the need for a better service in Norway – i.e. OECD report No national co-ordination. Need for a regional initiative

What we did? Established a partnership at county/regional level Nordland County Council NAV, Labour and Welfare Administration NHO, Employers' organisation LO, Confederation of Trade Unions KS, The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities Fylkesmannen,The County Governor

An integrated and life long service for adults The partnership at county level: in cooperation with municipalities, NAV local and upper secondary schools: in 2004 established a project consisting of career centres in 5 districts in the county Developed a service of career guidance for all adults. Some work towards schools. Funded by regional/local education and labour authorities. Evaluation funded by national authorities

The partners - included political authorities - have established a permanent and county wide service of district career centres 8 centres - the 9th will be established this year Gerd Forseng, leader of one of these centres To day: Lofoten Vesterålen Bodø

Tasks Individual career guidance for adults and youth Jan – Jun 2011: About1450 individuals 2010: About 2500 persons (2009: About 1790). Evaluation of guidance talks. Use of QuestBack Formal tasks concerning upper secondary education for adults: assess rights of secondary education, assessment of real competence (formal, informal and non-formal), find training places Competence centre for schools er trinn. Kurs Career guidance plans, Courses for teachers, parents, students. Cooperation school - enterprises. Competence centre for NAV, enterprises etc.

The partnership at county level: s. 10 Funding of district partnerships Defining district borders Deciding on core tasks and quality assurance Rapporting and evaluation of services Follow up common challenges – county/national level Development of services – upgrading of qualifications Common grafic profile and marketing County Council main responsibility and coordination

s. 11 District management of the service Budget and accounting Local funding (municipalities, NAV local etc) Location – accessibility in the municipalities Local strategies and priorities Information in the districts Evaluation – rapporting Responsibilities for wages and personel: local upper secondary school Responsibility of district partnerships (District: 3 – 6 municipalities

Funding The County Council, NAV and municipalities and others. Nordland County Council about 10 mill NOK (of this 1,4 mill from VOX) NAV (buying services from the centres) about 2,5 mill NOK Municipalities about 2, 1 mill NOK Others about 1,8 mill NOK

Challenges and input to the work of ELPGN Both young people and grown-ups should have good career management skills in various phases of life. Need for national framwork – defining knowledge and skills Competence-building and qualification requirements for guidence teachers

Accessibility and cooperation s. 14 Need for a career guidance service accessible, operative and free of charge for adults – recognisible in all counties in Norway. Common standards. National authorities (education and labour) should take responsibility – also about funding of services Integrated life long guidance and life long learning