1. Guidance and counselling services provided by PES in Slovakia
LLG for jobseekers
Guidance and counselling services provided by PES in Slovakia
Differences and similarities in approach to unemployed and employed job seekers
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Dissemination seminar,
Brussels, February 19, 2009
Štefan Grajcár, COLSAF

2. LLG for jobseekers Contents
Short history of career guidance and counselling services in Slovak PES
Current legislation defining guidance and counselling
Contribution of guidance services to efforts focused on reducing consequences of present crisis on the labour market
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3. History of Slovak PES since 1990
LLG for jobseekers
History of Slovak PES since 1990
Before 1990: no employment services, ″full“ and even compulsory employment
1990 – 1996: Employment Services Administration as part of the ministry of labour, a network of labour offices
1997 – 2003: National Labour Office as a public institution built on tripartite principles; three levels of NLO (national, regional, local)
2004 until now: Central Office and local Offices of Labour, Social Affairs and Family as budgetary organisations under the MOLSAF
Two types of clients from the very beginning – unemployed and employed job seekers
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4. LLG for jobseekers Definition of guidance and counselling services (1)
1991: career (vocational) guidance and counselling helping people in their assertion on the labour market defined as part of economic and social policy, thus supporting to fulfil targets of national employment policy
1993: three types of guidance and counselling services
information and guidance services
counselling services
special counselling services (psychological and medical)
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5. Definition of guidance and counselling services (2)
LLG for jobseekers
Definition of guidance and counselling services (2)
1997: guidance and counselling as a tool helping clients in
choosing a career (mainly for young people),
choosing or selection of employment including its change
selection of an employee (for an employer),
guidance and counselling is provided for ″citizens“ (not distinguishing between unemployed and employed job seekers)
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6. LLG for jobseekers Current legislation
Act. No. 453/2003 on state administration institutions in the area of social affairs, family and employment services (valid since January 2004)
Organisational structure of PES SR
Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
46 Offices of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
135 contact points throughout the country
Act No. 5/2004 of Employment Services, valid since February 1, 2004, with major amendments valid since May 2008
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7. Guidance and counselling in current legislation (1)
LLG for jobseekers
Guidance and counselling in current legislation (1)
distinction is made between career information and guidance services on one hand and counselling services on the other
all three types or levels of these services are part of active labour market measures
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8. Guidance and counselling in current legislation (2)
LLG for jobseekers
Guidance and counselling in current legislation (2)
information and guidance services are provided by the office to citizens, unemployed and employed job seekers and to employers
counselling services can be provided by the office to unemployed and employed job seekers
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9. LLG for jobseekers
Information and guidance services defined as part of mediation services are services focused on:
choosing a career (mainly for young people),
selection of employment including its change
selection of an employee (for an employer),
adaptation of an employee in new employment
Information and guidance services are also services providing information and advice on
vacancies and employment possibilities in the territory of the Slovak Republic and abroad,
requirements of individual occupations,
possibilities and conditions of participating in active labour market measures and programmes,
conditions of claiming unemployment benefits, etc.
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10. LLG for jobseekers Counselling services
are focusing on solving problems associated with job seeker's employability, on harmonizing his/her personal characteristics with requirements of a certain job, as well as on improving his/her decision making, job search and other skills needed for successful personal and social adaptation to the labour market
counselling services are provided internally or externally (outsourcing) mainly for disadvantaged unemployed (registered) job seekers – here individual action plan is offered to specific group of clients (mainly those under 25, over 50 years of age, long term unemployed, etc.)
counselling services may be provided by counsellors with university degree (master level)
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11. LLG for jobseekers Active labour market measures are focusing on
increasing employability of unemployed job seekers
creation of new jobs
supporting to maintain employment, retain employed people in their job places
currently there are about 20 active LM measures (and few others are focused on people with disabilities), 5 new will be introduced since March 2009 – only two of them have direct link to guidance and counselling services
recent development of registered unemployment rate
October
November
December
January
Source: COLSAF/UPSVAR
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12. Thank you for your attention!
LLG for jobseekers
Thank you for your attention!
Štefan Grajcár
Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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