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 spadeMaar 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 amantSans verser de larmes ?

Je peux faire de la voile sans ventJe peux ramer sans ramesMais ne peux quitter mon amantSans 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 6-9

3 Tron Inglar (N): Career Guidance in Norwegian Schools. An evaluation, 2008 – 2011

4 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. 85-100

• 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, PhDInstitut for Uddannelse og

Pædagogik, DPU Faculty of ArtsAarhus UniversitetTuborgvej 164DK-2400 København NVDenmarktel + 45 87163675pepl@dpu.dk