1. Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI)
Jennifer McKenzie
National Co-ordinator

2. Adult Educational Guidance Initiative – Historic Context
NCGE report ‘Guidance in Adult and Continuing Education’ (1998)
Green Paper on Adult Education: Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong Learning (1998)
White Paper on Adult Education: Learning for Life (2000)

3. Historic Context
The AEGI was set up and funded by the Department of Education & Science under the National Development Plan
NDP Social Inclusion Priority
The National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE), an agency of the Department of Education & Science, has been given the lead role in co-ordinating and supporting the AEGI.
NCGE were given responsibility for the Co-ordination of the AEGI pilot projects from
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

4. NCGE role in AEGI Co-ordinating the development
Co-ordination of monitoring and reporting of AEGI activities
Staff development & support & AEGI staff in-service training programme
Co-ordinate Service visits and evaluations
Provision of technical support
National Advisory Group – convene on behalf of DES
Report to and advise DES
Represent AEGI on other national Advisory groups
Educational Management of Adult Guidance (EMAG) Course
NCGE Convened the first National advisory group on behalf of the DES to advise on the selection, set up and role out & developments of the AEGI
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

5. Aims of AEGI services
To provide adult educational guidance, to support participants in 4 priority target groups
To develop and document models of good practice
To address gaps in the provision of adult educational guidance
To build local capacity, to develop support structures and to encourage local partnerships

6. Structure of AEGI’s 38 AEGI’s managed and administered by VEC’s / WIT
Local management / advisory / consortium group
Phased introduction Phase 1 – 2000, 8 projects: Phase II -2001,8 Projects: Phase III – 2002, 8 Projects: Phase IV 2006/ projects
Staff: Adult Education Guidance Co-ordinator / Guidance Counsellor, Information Officer ( min 2 staff)
VEC’s ar the Vocational Education Committee
WIT Waterford Institute of Technology
Each service will have its own locally based advisory group – made up of VEC / WIT management, Local employment services, Local community education providers
As this was a pilot project, agencies were invited to apply for funding to run the AEGI service in their area under certain conditions. Funding allocated to successful applicants
NCGE co-ordinate the set up on phased basis from 2000 – 2006
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

7. AEGI Priority Target Groups
Literacy
1-1’s, groups, FETAC groups, Junior / Leaving Cert, Computers etc
VTOS (Vocation Training Opportunity Scheme)
Core / dispersed, return to education
Groups / FETAC accredited courses etc
Adult Community Education
Accredited / non accredited / BTEI / VEC / Non VEC
Education Finance Board
Former residents and their adult family members
Originally first 3 were the target groups- now EFB added since 2006.
BTEI – back to education initiative
Adult Community education – course running in local community educaiton centres – especially in disadvantaged areas.
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

8. Models of Guidance
Literacy – evening work, awareness raising, appropriate to students level and skills, scheduled not “add- on”
VTOS – integrated, scheduled into weekly timetable, access to students
Adult Community education - outreach, appropriate,
Confidential
Outreach
Flexible
Accessible
Adult friendly
Innovative approaches
Client –specific models of guidance
“Non-traditional”
Networking – FAS, LES, Teagasc, Social Welfare etc
Because when the services started there was no formal guidance available to theses groups, the services were requested to develop models locally to address the guidance needs of theses target groups in their area.
Some services worked more in one area than another - but now – we are working on pulling together & sharing all of the best practice ideas for working with the various target groups.
In All areas – the model reflects – confidential, outreach, flexible………
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

9. Monitoring / Reporting – Quantitative & Qualitative Data
Outreach
Local Networking
Marketing
ICT use
Any gaps in Provision in Area?
Key barriers for clients in Area?
Key issues raised
Best Practice
Details of Client /Group meetings
Target group
Education/ Employment details
Referral History
Local Analysis information
Progression details
Over 30,000 clients recorded
General Public Queries
Over the 6 years the AEGI services have completed 4 quarterly reports per year for the DES. These reports were collated on paper by nCGE and figures / reports produced for the DES & National Advisory group
Since 2002/3 NCGE have worked with a software company to develop a database for all services – info / data captured
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI

10. AEGI developments 2007
AEGI and ITABE ( Intensive Tuition for adult basic education)
Guidelines for Guidance / Literacy
Integration into literacy programme from beginning
Training seminar on Barriers to Progression
Client Feedback Form pilot
Guidelines for working with clients of Education Finance Board
AEGI handbook ( revised)
Phase IV Evaluation Report

11. AEGI 2007-2013 €1million extra funding announced 2006
Expansion of services -demographic and geographic spread
National Guidance Forum recommendations
Self evaluation process
For next few years – expansion of existing services
National Guidance forum recommendations on guidance will impact on the AEGI – hopefully positively eg Quality Assurance framework , Gudiance Counsellor competencies framework etc
JMcKenzie National Co-ordinator AEGI