Quality Assurance in Career Guidance Services IAEVG 2009 Conference Jyväskylä, FI Leonardo Evangelista

Aim of this presentation This presentation describes a simple model for quality assurance in career guidance. Quality assurance is defined here as a set of measures necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will be of good quality. In this presentation first ‘good quality’ will be defined. Than some ex ante (before the service is activated) and ex post (once the service delivery has started) activities to be implemented to assure quality will be described.

A Definition of Good Quality A good quality product or service is one which: 1. fully meets the expectations of the customer 2. is recognized by experts in that particular field.

The Role of the Experts Reference to experts (practitioners, researchers and decision makers) is necessary as, in many instances, the customer is not capable of fully assessing the overall quality of the CG service. For example in a CG interview the client is not able to evaluate if the practitioner has omittted to signal some of the training opportunities available on a specific field.

Good quality as a social concept Good quality is a relative concept and subject to constant change. A service may no longer be considered of good quality if the expectations of the customer and/or the parameters of the experts change. Good quality is a 'social' concept; the result of negotiation among those involved in the planning, assessment, supply and use of a service.

Steps for Quality Assurance in CG 1.Define previously in a concrete and measurable way, by means of a written document, the expected outcomes and delivery standards of every CG service 2.Involve representatives of all stakerholders (clients, practitioners, researchers, decision makers) in the process 3.Review periodically the document and if possibile raise expected outcomes and delivery standards Once we have set desired outcomes and delivery standards we have to assure we reach them and comply with them.

Planning for Quality: the General Model Every product/service is created by a combination of : A. Human resources B. Other productive factors, excluding human resources (eg: premises, computers, computerized data banks) C. Productive processes (e.g. the steps requested for carrying out individual interview). To assure the production of products/services of good quality (i.e. of a set socially agreed quality), human and other productive factors should be procured and used conveniently.

An example referred to the CG interview (1) (agreed between representatives of all the stakeholders) Desired outcome: to help clients (according to individual circumstances) to identify professional goals, to develop, implement and revise action plans, to make their jobsearch more effective Standard of the service: at least 80% of interviews must be carried out within 2 week of the appointment being made.

An example referred to the CG interview (2) To assure the production of products/services of good quality, human and other productive factors should be procured and used conveniently. Let see how we could set the 3 factors (quoted from Florence PES experience, simplified): A. Human resources. Requested: practitioners with a degree + 1 year of specialized training in CG, + at least 2 years of previous experience in CG interviews B. Other productive factors. Requested: a soundproofed space; possibility to use a pc connected to the internet C. Productive processes. Requested: the practitioners follow the model of interview set by Egan opportunity for the client if in need to contact the practitioner after the interview by of telephone + fortnightly discussion amongst all the practitioners of the most complex cases

Steps for quality assurance 1. Define previously in a concrete and measurable way, by means of a written document, the expected outcomes and delivery standards of every CG service. 2. Involve representatives of all stakerholders (clients, practitioners, researchers, decision makers) in the process 3. Review periodically the document and if possibile raise outcomes and delivery standards 4. When planning the service, define features of productive factors and an appropriate procedure for service delivery

Checking and Maintaining Quality Standards There are several means to assure quality standards in CG delivery are complied with. Here some of the more effective: 1.Check customer satisfation of a random sample of users of services 2.‘Mistery shopper’: an expert in incognito uses the service by time to time, then giving feedback to practitioners and to the responsible of the service 3.Monthly feedback discussion amongst all the practitioners about their own practice (‘shared supervision’)

Steps for quality assurance 1. Define previously in a concrete and measurable way, by means of a written document, the expected outcomes and delivery standards of every CG service. 2. Involve representatives of all stakerholders (clients, practitioners, researchers, decision makers) in the process 3. Review periodically the document and if possibile raise outcomes and delivery standards 4. When planning the service, define features productive factors and an appropriate procedure for service delivery 5. Assure with appropriate measures standards are met and maintained

Thanks for your attention Leonardo Evangelista

1. Alla ricerca della competenza

Valutazione delle caratteristiche personali o della prestazione Colloquio di valutazione delle caratteristiche personali (competenze): quali sono le sue caratteristiche? Quali sono i suoi punti forti? Quali sono le sue abilità principali? Vuole raccontarmi un episodio da cui emergono? Qual è la sua conoscenza di…… Cosa è importante per lei sul lavoro? Vuole raccontarmi un suo successo / insuccesso sul lavoro? Ritiene di essere una persona socievole? Cosa pensano di lei i suoi colleghi? Colloquio di valutazione della prestazione: Quali sono le fasi principali di un colloquio di orientamento? In un colloquio, in che modo spiega il suo ruolo / spiega in che modo è assicurata la privacy dei dati raccolti / segnala che il tempo è limitato / chiede permesso di prendere appunti / segnala che il tempo è quasi terminato / termina il colloquio / Quali autori o teorie segue quando svolge colloqui? Quali possono essere le principali difficoltà nel condurre colloqui? In che modo le affronta? In che modo rileva i bisogni dei clienti? Quando e a quali altri servizi interni e esterni alla sua organizzazione rinvia i suoi clienti? In che modo?

Il B.d.C. nell’orientamento Nell’orientamento, il B.d.C. non è altro che la consulenza di orientamento per adulti finalizzata alla scelta dell’obiettivo professionale Pertanto in Italia l’offerta di un servizio a sé stante con questo nome è discutibile.