Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Curriculum
&
Training Manual
Imprint
Project promoter: rad prce, socilnych vec a rodiny Dunajsk Streda,
Alice Dobra, dorsk 41, 929 48 Dunajsk Streda
Web: www.upsvar.sk
Project coordinator: BEST Institut fr berufsbezogene Weiterbildung und Personaltraining GmbH,
Dr. Wolfgang Eisenreich, Mariahilfer Strae 8, 1070 Wien
Web: www.best-training.com
Project Number: SK/04/B/P/PP-177401
Graphics and Layout: TELEHAUS WETTER / VeVFAR e.V.
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PREFACE
Placing Employment
The new Employment Guidelines (2005-8) of the European Employment Strategy EES are
streamlined. Numbering eight they fit within three priorities. To attract and retain more people
in employment ranks first. The objectives require an efficient delivery system, in which the
public employment services play a prominent role. Strengthening the effectiveness of job
counselling and job placement is an European wide concern. Better matching of jobseekers
and vacancies in the labour market are among the key objectives of the EES.
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Consequently the following LOC - Curriculum & Manual is designed to perform both: to
develop key skills and widen the competences of professional activities. They are clearly
superior at putting across professional expert and general knowledge, which are the core
elements of classical offers in the field of vocational training.
Indicators of Quality
The course participants will be involved cognitively (knowledge), affectively (sensations,
intrinsic and ethic values) and in relation to habits and alternative actions. This underlines
and supports the active and self directed transfer into the individual practice of job counselling
and job mediation at the individual workplace in a process oriented way. One of the central
criteria of quality and success lays in the detailed definition and selection of target groups and
training needs (Social Marketing Approach).
Methods
This way of organized vocational training works best with group work and work shops. The
delivery acknowledges and addresses a diversity of learning styles. The methods and modules
provide a need-oriented way of learning, offer an innovative, individual variability and contain
a mix of cooperative and participative training elements.
to raise the awareness for the importance of soft skills in the job placement
process
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T a b l e
o f
C o n t e n t s
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface...................................................................................................................3
1.
UNDERSTANDING CLIENTS........................................................9
T a b l e
o f
C o n t e n t s
Schedule 09 - Two-Sessions-Course...........................................................................78
VOCATIONAL ORIENTATION FOR YOUNG WOMEN...........................................................80
Schedule 10 - Two Half-Days-Course.........................................................................82
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T a b l e
o f
C o n t e n t s
11 Creating a vision.........................................................................................137
12 Handout Filling in a form..............................................................................138
13 Handout Excuses.........................................................................................139
14 Motivation - Communication.........................................................................141
15 How they live their lives..............................................................................143
16 Professional project construction...................................................................144
17 One day in the future...................................................................................145
18 Opposites or diversity?.................................................................................146
19 Pessimists and Optimists..............................................................................147
20 The kind of message pictures send................................................................148
21 Reflection Who am I ...?............................................................................149
22 Expectations of the Course...........................................................................150
23 Morning round with musical instruments.........................................................151
24 Soft Skills in the professional context.............................................................152
25 Collage showing variety in communication......................................................153
26 Communicating Ball as Feedback...................................................................154
27 The only one..............................................................................................155
28 Ball Game in a circle....................................................................................156
29 Dealing with communication barriers..............................................................157
30 Hidden pictures...........................................................................................158
31 Picture dictation..........................................................................................159
32 Expression and variety of non-verbal communication........................................160
33 Morning drawing.........................................................................................161
34 Chain of information....................................................................................162
35 Problem Solving Strategie.............................................................................163
36 Ways of meeting people...............................................................................164
37 Handout Teamwork......................................................................................165
38 Warming up................................................................................................166
39 Drivers of motivation...................................................................................167
40 Motivational factors in the spotlight................................................................168
41 Perception: Mix up.......................................................................................169
42 Dissemination activity..................................................................................170
43 Final sound.................................................................................................171
44 Feedback...................................................................................................172
45 Interview productions..................................................................................173
46 Key Qualifications........................................................................................174
47 Networking.................................................................................................176
48 Typical professions......................................................................................177
49 Women go self-employed.............................................................................178
50 Gender Sensitisation....................................................................................179
51 Feel the difference.......................................................................................180
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T a b l e
o f
C o n t e n t s
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C u r r i c u l u m
1.
Understanding
Clients
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C u r r i c u l u m
The strategies (national and European) of fight against the inequalities in particular regarding
access to employment
The local market analysis shows larger and larger differences between not provided offers and
the stagnation, even the increase in number of unemployed individuals
After long period of unemployment the job seekers have the feeling that their requests are not
taken into account or understood and that office advisers, counsellors, case managers and job
mediators do not bring them the service they are expecting
All this makes essential, for the advisers, the development of their capacities in:
Designing training path in order to facilitate the return of their clients into the
labour market
This analysis must be made thoroughly in order to have a global vision of the professional
profile but also of expectations, assets, constraints, and of the clients autonomy in job
searching
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C u r r i c u l u m
The adviser must have a good knowledge and practice of the various services he will be able
to propose to the person according to the results of the diagnosis.
He must also be able to evaluate the relevance of the training or support measures
developed, whether they are led by himself or an external provider
Diagnosis Interview
METHODOLOGY
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C u r r i c u l u m
To define the advisers role in a following up process of the agreed path where
the unemployed client is at the centre
The choice could be done according to the needs and setting possibilities of the different
contents:
To analyse the speech of job applicants to highlight the decision criteria and to
bring elements of expertise.
EVALUATION
Evaluation at the end of training
Questionnaires of qualitative evaluation of the modules
Definition by participants of the axes of individual progress.
DURATION
2 Days
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C u r r i c u l u m
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C u r r i c u l u m
SCHEDULE 01 - TWO-DAYS-COURSE
Day 1: Guiding and advising clients Skills asessment
Welcome Coffee
Introduction of the trainer
Description of his/her professional background, experience in the field of job matching and
work placement
Introduction of the participants
Description of their respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation,
motivation for participating at the seminar, expectations
[m58]
Preview of Contents
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m04/05]
[m67]
[m28]
Action-oriented learning of gender related aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication (20 min)
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[m44]
15
C u r r i c u l u m
[m68]
Lunch Break
16
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C u r r i c u l u m
(m29)
CRITERIA
ADVISER S SATISFACTION
INDICATORS
Evaluation
Questionnaires of qualitative evaluation of the modules
Definition by participants of the axes of individual progress.
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C u r r i c u l u m
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C u r r i c u l u m
National and local organisations for (i.e. supporting) and of (i.e. self-supporting)
migrants and newspapers for migrant groups (in local and original languages);
Introduction to the information, advice and guidance (IAG) system in your
country (option for students without guidance training).
Flight, exile and even voluntary migration can leave people disorientated and their lives
disrupted, especially in cases where they know little about their new country and have few
resources in terms of social networks. Knitting together disrupted lives can be aided by
education and training, employment, voluntary work or, where these are not possible (for
example, through ill health or disability or caring responsibilities), the motivation just to do
something fulfilling.
Refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, however, face strong barriers against normalising
their lives in these ways, including lack of information and support, as well as the more
intractable barriers of racism and xenophobia.
Vocational guidance, even at a basic level, can assist clients with information, advice,
guidance and active support such as advocacy. For such guidance to be effective, however,
guidance workers themselves need access to information beyond that which is needed for
local clients; they need particular skills to communicate with people from different countries,
cultures, religions, language groups and so on; and they need to ensure that their own
organisations do not raise barriers against such clients.
This course is designed to help counsellors develop their practice in this field.
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C u r r i c u l u m
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C u r r i c u l u m
SCHEDULE 02 - THREE-DAYS-COURSE
1st Day: Important knowledge and information for use in guidance with
refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants
Welcome Coffee
Introduction: Trainer
Description of professional background, experience in the subject
Introduction: Participants
Short description of respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation,
motivation for participating at the seminar, expectations
[m21]
Warm-up/further introduction
Preview of Contents
Presentation: What are we basically going to deal with in this course and which aims do we
want to achieve?
Where I am now: my momentary state of knowledge
Individual reflection, round table discussion
Participants reflect and talk about the following questions:
o
'What difficulties have I had with clients through lack of knowledge of their
origins and their situation?'
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C u r r i c u l u m
Forced and unforced migration, different reasons for people leaving their
country
Legal framework concerning forced and unforced migration
[m03]
This exercise shall serve to clarify how to find the information needed, to
select and present relevant information
[m06]
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C u r r i c u l u m
Group work,
presentation,
discussion,
reflection,
role plays
Handout [m07/08]
Use of self reflection and the internet to explore models of guidance and
multicultural guidance skills.
According to participants needs and interests, this exercise can be
followed/combined with one or more of the following:
EXERCISE: The organisation for which you work in terms of multicultural guidance
Handout [m09]
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C u r r i c u l u m
EXERCISE: The organisation for which you work in terms of multicultural guidance
Handout [m10]
[m11]
Prolongation is possible by integration of key actors, reporting on their fields of knowledge & interest
Feedback
Evaluation
Final Discussion
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C u r r i c u l u m
A person is functionally illiterate if he/she cannot engage in all those activities in which
literacy is required for effective function of his or her group and community and also for
enabling him or her to continue to use reading, writing and calculation for his or her own and
the community's development.
(according to a definition by the UNESCO)
2
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C u r r i c u l u m
There is particular focus on hiding and avoidance strategies employed by clients affected by
basic skills deficits:
The nature of various hiding and avoidance strategies is dealt with in detail, in order to inform
and prepare frontline staff providing guidance and counselling in regard to detection of
functional illiteracy.
The course also shows how to concretely deal with the target group of funcionally illiterate
clients (equipment with respective counselling skills):
There is special focus on questions of how to deal with respective clients in concrete outing
situations, i.e. some ways of possible reaction are suggested. This includes elements such as
how counsellors can help their clients to reflect on their specific situation, abandon avoidance
strategies, develop necessary self-confidence and agree on a new start.
Finally, the course aims at offering ways of assisting clients with going through respective
training programmes, maintaining their motivation and providing methods for escort during
and after the period of training.
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C u r r i c u l u m
Thus, clients affected by functional illiteracy shall finally benefit from the outcome of this
course, since there will be a higher number of counsellors being aware of these problems
among some of their clients, as well as being able to react properly and give adequate and
efficient support by employing respective skills.
DURATION:
2 days-course or 1-day-course
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C u r r i c u l u m
SCHEDULE 03 - TWO-DAYS-COURSE
1st Day:
Session 1: Information and Discussion
Session 2: Functional Illiteracy as a Social Phenomenon
Welcome Coffee
Introduction: Trainer
Description of professional background, experience in the field of basic skills/illiteracy
Introduction: Participants
Description of respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation, motivation for
participating at the seminar, expectations
Handout [m12]
Preview of Contents
What exactly are we going to deal with in this course and which aims do
we want to achieve?
28
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C u r r i c u l u m
collect and note down what they spontaneously associate with these
terms;
they also talk about the question if ever they have come across this
phenomenon in their professional and/or private surroundings
[m04/05]
male/female distribution
social/professional status
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C u r r i c u l u m
Family Situation
Experiences at School
Psychological Problems
Exemplified by
HANDOUT SCHOOL
[m02]
How reading and writing problems affect peoples professional and private
lives in todays society
Exemplified by
30
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[m02]
C u r r i c u l u m
what affected people have told about their reasons for hiding and
avoidance
HANDOUT FEAR
[m02]
HANDOUT EXCUSES
[m13]
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C u r r i c u l u m
Lunch Break
Learning Materials
Confrontation with a selection of various learning materials and programmes available, both
traditional and more modern ones;
Getting to know new, pedagogically state-of-the-art e-Learning programmes (e.g. Target
Skills);
Presentation, practice in groups (hands-on-sessions), discussion and evaluation
Feedback,
Evaluation
32
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C u r r i c u l u m
Final Discussion
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C u r r i c u l u m
SCHEDULE 04 - ONE-DAYS-COURSE
Session 1: Understanding Clients Backgrounds
Welcome Coffee
Introduction: Trainer
Description of professional background, experience in the field of basic skills/illiteracy
Introduction: Participants
Description of respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation, motivation for
participating at the seminar, expectations
[m12]
Preview of Contents
What exactly are we going to deal with in this course and which aims do we want to
achieve?
Lunch Break
34
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C u r r i c u l u m
Feedback
Evaluation
Final Discussion
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C u r r i c u l u m
The population and the workforce is ageing faster in Europe than in the US.
More women are entering the labour market than ever before.
There are more dual-career couples (both working) than ever before
The women employment rates have increased more than those of the masculine employment
and have now achieved the 55.6% compared to the less than 50% of the early 90s; yet, the
difference between women and men in employment is still very high (17.2%).
The employment rates are still low for elderly or less educated women, as well as for young
women with children, whose average employment rate is 12.7% lower than the one of
women without children; men with children have an employment rate of 9.5% higher than
those without children.
As it concerns remuneration, in the UE the difference between the men and women is the
16% on average and almost did not change in the last years. This difference is remarkably
higher in the private area than in the public; this gap is mainly due to the different
participation in the labour market, the gender segregation, the career and wage structure and
the consequent underestimation of the employment areas for women.
Guidance, in long life learning context, has to do with a number of activities that enable,
individuals, of whatever age in whatever moment of their life, to identify their capabilities,
competencies, interests, to make choices on their education, training and employment and to
manage their personal life paths in the training activities, in the professional world or in any
other else environment in which these abilities and competencies can be taken and/or spent.
Public employment services have a key role to play in the pursuit of Europes ambitious
objectives. Public employment services can help along many dimensions in the modern labour
market.
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C u r r i c u l u m
To practically reach the above goals the contents of the course will help to:
Develop a skills assessment path that permits the use of tools (sheets and
grids) and the formulation of a final skills portfolio
The tools presented are aimed at offering guidance and consulting support to the identified
need/problem: the use of the single tools can be further contextualised to increase its range
and effectiveness, if supported by an overall system of job counselling and guidance,
employment support and the valorisation of human resources in the workplace.
The key to this course clearly lies in testing the proposed tools: therefore a concrete use of
the tools can be considered part of the training experience.
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C u r r i c u l u m
Indirect beneficiaries can be considered the women requiring the guidance services especially
because part of the training is on the job as it includes the actual testing of the
tools/methods taught.
Prolongation is possible by integration of key actors, reporting on their fields of knowledge & interest
38
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m60]
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39
C u r r i c u l u m
[m14]
[m43]
[m15]
40
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m50]
Awareness raising on gender roles and typical attributes for women and
men.
Exercise targeting at clichs and perceptions about men and women
(30 min).
Alternative: Feel the difference [p51] Good exercise to make differences
visible through body language. Participants get a chance to feel the
difference (60 90 min).
[m26]
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m67]
[m28]
Action-oriented learning of gender related aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication (20 min)
[m68/69]
42
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m43]
[m70/71]
With this tool learners are able to get a clearer picture of their
competence-profile. Identifying and writing down their skills and
competencies helps them to see themselves more positively and to
increase their self-awareness and self-confidence.
Presentation of outcomes
Plenary discussion moderated by the trainer
[m28]
Action-oriented learning of gender related aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication (20 min)
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m73/74/75]
Presentation of outcomes
Plenary discussion moderated by the trainer
[m44]
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[m75]
C u r r i c u l u m
[m19]
This tool on the one hand serves a desire of many people to express the
reasons they see why something should not work and on the other hand
encourages participants to think about their active part concerning the
subject matter
[m16]
[m43]
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C u r r i c u l u m
[m49]
This approach raises awareness for special resources of women who are
planning to work on a self-employed basis and helps to strengthen
selfconfidence and assertiveness.
Presentation of posters to the whole group.
Group work
Presentation
Report on outcomes
Plenary discussion moderated by the trainer
[m17]
[m44]
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C u r r i c u l u m
collecting 2-5 statements from each participant, which are clustered and
presented by the trainers.
Overview and Discussion
[p26]
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C u r r i c u l u m
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C u r r i c u l u m
2.
Requirements
of the Labour
Market
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C u r r i c u l u m
transform their own newly acquired or brushed-up soft skills into their daily
work of counselling unemployed clients and
In addition to this, they will acquire better understanding of employers expectations from
potential new employees:
Several studies, interviews and investigations among employers from different European
countries have shown that their expectations and demands, apart from ordinary relevant
vocational qualification (i.e. mere subject-related knowledge and skills and experience),
mainly comprise the following characteristics, competences and skills new members of staff
should show:
50
Good presentation
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C u r r i c u l u m
Positive thinking
Communication competence
Self esteem
Flexibility
Diplomatic behaviour
Resoluteness
Inform the team about changes which might influence the work of the
whole group
Be aware that there might be more than one way to solve a problem
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C u r r i c u l u m
TARGET GROUPS
The design and the contents of this module are directed towards actors in counselling, mainly
in the field of active labour market policy (vocational education and training), especially
towards
persons who are responsible for the strategies and contents of vocational
education and training measures
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C u r r i c u l u m
Session 1
Presentation of the course concept, the backgrounds and objectives
Common supper
Small talk with participants
The trainers must have enough time and opportunity to check the personality of the
participants and to get a first impression of the various group and subgroup constellations
which will emerge due to the fact that many people know each other from various occasions
or levels.
Supper and small talk will be an efficient way of obtaining, at least to some extent, a picture
of this very often fragile and delicate network.
Sessions 2 and 3
Presentation of the course and of the trainers
Background of the trainers, their organisations
Organisational aspects: work hours, week-end, departure times
Information about the course design, contents and methods
Presentation of the participants, getting to know each other
Presentation of personal and professional backgrounds (relaxed atmosphere with
communication balls)
(m21)
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C u r r i c u l u m
Presentation of the selection and information about the reason for this decision, information
about the person and about the common interests with (the) other person(s)
(m22)
(m24)
Usually, there are rather large tensions between labour office advisors and employers.
Therefore, these questions should be elaborated before the meeting.
ROUND TABLE TALK: Which relevance do soft skills have for their recruitment policy?
Talks with two to three representatives of local employers about their work
environment and their judgement of the labour market
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C u r r i c u l u m
(m28)
(m29)
[m26]
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C u r r i c u l u m
(m30)
(m35)
Recording of the role play with the video camera by one member of the
group
Exchange of opinions to the role play: verbal and non-verbal signals, active listening including
ones own experiences.
Feedback and explanation by the trainers
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C u r r i c u l u m
Feedback
Short statements regarding impressions, further hints which have been arisen during the day.
Rating of the day with music instruments
LECTURE: Relevance of problems and their solution in the daily life and for the development
of ones personality
Exchange of experiences
(m37)
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C u r r i c u l u m
Participants write their impressions and opinions on cards and fix them at
the pin board
Short statements to the decisions and backgrounds
Overview over the next week, organisation aspects
(m39)
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[m30]
C u r r i c u l u m
Transition with the help of a diagram: The team jointly overcomes obstacles and protects the
single person from damage
Overview over possible problems in a team
Different characters in the team: the authoritarian, the social romantic, the servant, the
solitary fighter
EXERCISE: Formation of areas for the different characters with tags on the floor
Important roles
The tasks of the team leader
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(m20)
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C u r r i c u l u m
Which aspects promote me and bring me into force? (motivation linking up
with creativity and imagination capabilities)
Development of a collage using paper, pictures, paintings, photographs
etc.
Taking the minute: roles in the team, dealing with each other (take the
other person seriously, dealing with discrepancies), basic feeling and how
solutions are found (process, working steps)
Evaluation in two steps, presentation of the collage and its meaning, subsequently
presentation of the perspective of the observer
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C u r r i c u l u m
EXERCISE: The participants are confronted with pictures of persons in various situations
Each participant is requested to describe (in writing) the pictures and their
effects on the situation, on the degree of soft skills and on his/her own
feelings.
Analysis and comparison of the results.
Excursion to town, visit to the Labour Office and the older part of the city.
The participants take photographs and video shots from people in working
situation.
Context to soft skills with focus on self-confidence, autonomy, self-respect,
flexibility, adaptability and coping with stress.
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Session 18
Participants form three groups (if possible according to their work focus)
Elaboration of lists of misunderstanding and barriers and of proposals for
solution how to avoid them
Presentation of the results at the flip board by a member of the group
Answers to questions of the participants: form and assessment of C.V. and job description
materials
The course of a job interview. First impressions, assessment centre
Final feedback and summarising the assessment of soft skills.
GROUP WORK: Formation of three groups and elaboration of statements to the questions:
Statements are delivered and opinions exchanged about the course of the past two weeks, the
training and transfer of soft skills and their practical demonstration.
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Contents:
o
Conflict management
Day 1
o
Expectations
Day 2
o
Communication
Communication barriers
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C u r r i c u l u m
Day 3
o
Final feedback
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C u r r i c u l u m
The counsellor (or adviser) must be able to analyse with precision the unemployed persons
situation but he/she must also know how to :
use all the internal and external resources (specific workshops or measures,
partnership, network)
In order to increase the efficiency of job matchin and work placement in relation to offer and
demand.
Aims of the course
66
This knowledge is both important for guidance, training provision and job
seekers accompaniment but also to fulfil the mediation and advising in
recruitment role towards employers.
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C u r r i c u l u m
Apart from the professional sector and branch it consists in being aware of these particular
company specificities, its culture, its functioning, its organisation, requirements, clients,
competitors, place and row in the market.
To analyse the needs and help the manager to concretize the job offer
To understand the need and help the company to identify the tasks to
implement in order to design the required job profile and kind of employee to
look for.
To build the applicant selection using internal resources which can be:
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C u r r i c u l u m
SCHEDULE 07 - FIVE-DAYS-COURSE
Day 1: The labour market environment
Welcome Coffee
Introduction of the trainer
Description of his/her professional background, experience in the field of job matching and
work placement
Introduction of the participants
Description of their respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation,
motivation for participating at the seminar, expectations
[m58]
Preview of Contents
PRESENTATION: What exactly are we going to deal with in this seminar and which aims do
we want to achieve?
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Presentation: Labour market trends
Indication of future trends: the development of job requirements and
qualification demand in various work sectors
New professions
How to make use of production oriented qualifications in the service sector
Discussion
[m77]
The rules are needed for a concrete, constructive feedback, that helps the
learner and does not hurt him /her.
[m76 ]
[m78 ]
(m75)
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Feedback
[m76 ]
(m65)
This exercise will demonstrate how to find out ones professional and
personal potentials.
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cover different areas such as: enterprise context and job, evolutions,
needs, in order to get a global approach and understanding of the working
environment
(m66)
This exercise will make the participants aware of the important stations in
their (working) life and of the factors that have influenced their learning
and learning habits.
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Design of a recruitment action plan and means to organize selection of
applicants
(m81)
Evaluation:
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Identification by the participants of each ones individual improvement
axes
Additional: Postponed evaluation, in working situation (communication via
email)
CRITERIA
INDICATORS
Satisfaction of the
employer
Satisfaction of the
unemployed client
Satisfaction of the
adviser
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CUSTOMER RELATION
- HOW TO PROMOTE THE DIALOGUE
BETWEEN LABOUR OFFICE AND EMPLOYER
WHY THIS COURSE
The objective of reducing unemployed rate is central for all national European policies. It
consists in:
Taking better into account unemployed clients needs and provide them adapted services in
order to facilitate a quick and durable comeback into the labour market
Considering the needs of enterprises and the requirements of professional branches in order
to facilitate staff recruitment
It is the aim to improve those services, to increase competitiveness against private services
and to be able to deal at the same time with offer and demand.
This means that public services, in order to maintain their future place and role in this market,
have to reinforce their marketing approach, especially social marketing towards their clients
both unemployed and enterprises.
The main principle consists in understanding needs of the target group, answering the users
needs, and designing and implementing strategies related to the observed needs.
To become a real and long term partner for enterprises, and support them in
jobs and competences management.
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SCHEDULE 08 - THREE-DAYS-COURSE
Day 1: Social marketing approach for job services
Welcome Coffee
Introduction of the trainer
Description of his/her professional background, experience in the field of social marketing
approach and enterprise conselling
Introduction of the participants
Description of their respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation,
motivation for participating at the seminar, expectations
[m58]
Preview of Contents
To know the clients: Not only job seekers but also employers
BRAIN STORMING AND DISCUSSION: A social marketing approach applied to job services
situation
Analyse the reasons why users choose a service or a specific action (brand
image, interpersonal relations, staffs efficiency, relevance of the service,
conditions)
Who uses what and why?
Which behaviours or activities would be better adapted and more efficient?
Analyse the reasons why he/she is satisfied or unsatisfied of the service or
action (welcoming, quality of the work, of the accompaniment, active
listening, quick solution, helpful and facilitating attitudes, reactivity)
Analyse the service provided in relation to needs: What are the
advantages and positive points of services provided to clients (costs,
position face to competitors)
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Define expected results for future and means to follows and control
actions settled in order to inform and motivate the users.
Participants match the outcomes of this session with their experience from the current
situations.
(m46)
This exercise will define individual key qualifications and show how to
expand potentials.
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This exercise will raise the awareness of individual conditions that favour
or disturb the learning process.
WORKSHOP
Feedback
INDICATORS
Satisfaction of participants
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The strength power of European economy rests on the SME (small and medium enterprises)
and VSE (very small enterprises) which comprise 95% of the European businesses. Historically
they developed in the form of family businesses (commercial, tourist, small manufacturing
etc.). Some of them became large thanks to the creative genius of small entrepreneurs who,
in spite of their lack of technocratic training, have possessed and still do intelligence,
imagination and willingness to take business risks. These things happened, however, at
different times and under totally different conditions in the European and world business
environment.
The management of most middle sized and especially small enterprises in Europe, was and to
a great degree still is based on the personal authority of the owner. All authority is
concentrated on one person with very little delegation of responsibility to members of the
family or faithful employees, mainly accountants. The managerial style they employee ranges
from totally autocratic to paternalistic and occasionally idiocratic. However, given the rapid
developments in society and technology, the globalisation of the economy, the large scale of
business transactions and the complexity of business activities, this style of management
rarely works. I
We find ourselves in a new global order which is based on knowledge and particularly on
specialised knowledge. In this new reality the comparative competitive advantage of any
business cannot be found in the conventional factors of production (land, machines, capital)
but in the correct utilisation of human resources and technological developments. Mobile Work
is an employee-employer-relationship which has been established in parallel to the
development of modern information and communication technologies. The employers have
many reasons to introduce mobile work / telework, for example the flexibility in customer and
service orientation, the search for qualified staff, higher work content and increased efficiency
or less working time lost through absenteeism
Therefore is recommended that the management priorities are not put on controlling the
employees working time and behaviour, but should be targeted at the results produced in the
end. Management by Objectives means that objectives and results are defined and achieved
together. The implementation of modern management techniques as management by
objectives are preconditions for the instalment of new forms of work organization.
One of the aims of labour office advisers, counsellors and job mediators is to assist clients
with information, advice, guidance and active support preserving the principles of new and
flexible work organization and management by objectives as regards access to employment.
The course is designed to inform office advisers, counsellors, case managers and job
mediators and sensitise in the field of the required key skills.
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AIMS OF THE COURSE
Externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
DURATION
Two half days
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SCHEDULE 09 - TWO-SESSIONS-COURSE
Session 1: ICT Challenges and benefits
Welcome
[m36]
etc
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LECTURE & PRESENTATION Development of ICT Challenges and benefits for employees
The employeers have many reasons to prefer the option of mobile work /
telework, for example
etc
Presentation
Discussion
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Externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
Keeping records
Giving Feedback
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Prolongation to 4 Half-Days-Course is possible and useful with regard the sustainability of inputs
Session 1: Information Sensitization Understanding different
approaches of young men and women in access to vocational training
Welcome Coffee
Introduction: Trainers
Description of professional background, experience in the field of gender mainstreaming with
special focus on gender relevant aspects of labour market and labour market policy
Introduction: Participants
Description of respective professional backgrounds and momentary occupation, motivation for
participating at the seminar, experiences concerning the topic and the context of gender
mainstreaming, expectations
Preview of Contents an Methods
[m65]
Reflecting the own life and professional development. Raising awareness for gender related
decisions and circumstances.
[m66/67]
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Raising awareness for gender-typical professions and activating participants to reflect on and
discuss conflicting attitudes and opinions
Plenary Discussion
Feedback based on the use of the Learning Diary as an instrument for the reflection and the
promotion of the learning process.
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[m18]
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Understand differences in roles, attributions, attitudes, reflecting
influences of gender stereotype habits etc. (30 min)
[m19]
This tool on the one hand serves a desire of many people to express the
reasons they see why something should not work and on the other hand
encourages participants to think about their active part concerning the
subject matter
[m44]
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3.
Cultural and
Gender Distinction:
awareness raising,
needs and benefits,
networking
strategies
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REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on equality between women and men, 2005
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Students during classic- three year training of the labour office personnel
administrative education at the Mannheim University,
externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
ARGE and JobServiceCenter (Option) staff, i.e. employees of the former welfare
offices, external applicants,
Giving Feedback
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[m62/63]
[m50]
[m51]
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[m48]
Information about the relevant sources and databases within the organization
regarding laws, regulations, execute statements etc. of the labour office, labour
market etc.
Theoretical Input
Power Point presentation - not longer than 30 minutes!
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How do you see men? How do you see women? How do you see men and women working
together? Reflection on own concepts of gender stereotypes, exchange of experiences,
knowledge about gender specific aspects in the field of every days life and work situations.
Group work
[m54]
The participants get a digital camcorder for each group and take "every day
life's" pictures.
They arrange an exhibition of their own pictures
Joint analysis & discussion.
[m53]
Reflecting the own life and professional development. Raising awareness for
gender related decisions and circumstances.
Reflection within small groups separated by women and men, discussion within
mixed groups of women and men
(90 min)
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[m66/67]
[m79]
Becoming aware of high points in life / working life, evaluation with regard to
gender specific aspects and developments (> 60 min)
Group work How do you see men? How do you see women? How do you see men and women
working together?
Elaboration of collages using newspapers and magazines, presentation of group products...
Plenary discussion
Information about gender relevant data on labour market in Europe and the
own country actual statistics, developments, aims.
Theoretical Input
Power point presentation - not longer than 30 minutes!
What are the gender related advantages and disadvantages in the labour market?
Metaplan-Technique, collecting 2-5 statements from each participant, which are clustered and
presented by the trainers.
Overview and Discussion
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[m44]
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REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on equality between women and men, 2005
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externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
Continually refer to the three main levels of gender mainstreaming: a) Have women
and men been consulted equally? b) How many women versus men are involved in
the decision-making processes? c) What is the likely impact on women and men (on
gender equality goals)?
DURATION
Five half days
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[m55]
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[m87/88]
[m43]
Ongoing preparation of meeting with the first of the two experts / referees
Joint preparation of questions and arguments
Group work
Plenary discussion on questions, arguments, outcomes
Coffee break & welcome of expert
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[m36]
C u r r i c u l u m
Political and legal obligations in the vocational field of Labour Office Advisers,
Counsellors and Job Mediators
Input of Expert 1
Discussion based on prepared questions and arguments
Moderateted by the trainer
Final resume
[m58]
[m44]
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Report on outcomes
Plenary discussion moderated by the trainer
[m28]
[m43]
[m15]
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Political and legal obligations in the vocational field of Labour Office Advisers,
Counsellors and Job Mediators
Input of Expert 2
Discussion based on prepared questions and arguments
Moderateted by the trainer
Final resume
[m89]
[m44]
Participants find answers to the following questions: what was important for me
/ what will I integrate into my work / what was less interesting / what I wanted
to add ...
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Report on outcomes
Plenary discussion moderated by the trainer
[m17]
This exercise supports creativity, inspires motivation to look ahead and design
working life actively and supports goal-definition.
Final Feedback
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All too often, gender mainstreaming policies "evaporate" before implementation, and remain paper
commitments only. Policies must include action plans with clear procedures and targets as well as
designated roles and responsibilities for promotion, implementation, and monitoring. These must
be based on a clear and realistic analysis and understanding of the criteria for gender oriented job
placement activities and trainings.
Experience has shown that those organisations which created structures (such as working groups
spanning various directorates-general) to implement GM internally, had the best success in the
introduction of this policy throughout their institutions and were able to guarantee the most
sustainable results.
The implementation of gender mainstreaming principles into practice of job placement activities,
trainings and qualifications comprises all organisations active in the sector including for example;
educational facilities, local and regional organisations and non-governmental organisations,
advisory bodies and local companies.
making links with all organisations active in the sector as well as external gender
lobbying and advocacy groups
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Students during classic- three year training of the labour office personnel
administrative education at the Mannheim University,
externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
ARGE and JobServiceCenter (Option) staff, i.e. employees of the former welfare
offices, external applicants,
DURATION:
Five half days
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[m62/63]
[m68/69]
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Discussion
Collection of Networking competences
elaborating a list, discussing gender related aspects of the listed competencies.
Feedback
Based on the use of the Learning Diary as an instrument for the reflection and the promotion of the
learning process.
Discussion
Questions & Answers
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Feedback
Based on the use of the Learning Diary as an instrument for the reflection and the promotion of the
learning process.
[m25]
Discussion
Questions & Answers
Feedback
Based on the use of the Learning Diary as an instrument for the reflection and the promotion of the
learning process.
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[m68]
in this case the participants are asked to define their Organization / companies
networking competencies to the group.
Presentations (Overhead)
Discussion
Collection of Networking competences of the own organization/ company
elaborating a list, discussion of gender related aspects of the listed competencies.
Where my organisation is now, what it should be like in the future
Round table talk
[m26]
A ball is thrown from one participant to next, each giving his/her statement
about the course of the day.
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[m68]
Theoretical Input
Power Point presentation - not longer than 30 minutes!
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[m36]
Plenary discussion
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Equality of opportunities is the foreground for the full development of a society through the
contributes of all its members, and, at list in theory it is a deeply rooted concept in EU member
states, both the traditional members and the new ones.
Since the beginning indeed, men and women equality has been one of the fundamental principles
of the European Union. In the last decades the legislation on gender equality has shaped a
coherent juridical framework and it is now a well established part of the acquis communitaire that
both old and new member States must respect; it had, and still has, a crucial role in promoting the
equal conditions in participation in the labour market; it had also a remarkable and continuous
influence on the subject of equal opportunities in the member States.
If the 80s approach focused on equality of treatment, todays policies are widely mobilized to
achieve the gender equality goal. Such policies are followed by some important initiatives such as:
the adoption of programmes able to encourage the experimentation of intervention models in
diverse areas (childcare services, women participation in decision-making process and political
representation), the encouragement of new actions and policies on violence against women;
Of paramount importance was the adoption, in 1997, of the Amsterdam Treaty in which equality
between men and women is not only an explicit goal of the and its achievement becomes
compulsory: articles 2 and 3 state that the promotion of gender equality in all its programmes and
activities, is compulsory for the Union Institutions.
In spite of the improvements as far as legislation is concerned the concrete application of Equal
opportunities is far from being considered full.
The Employment services play a key role in spreading information on the opportunities available at
a local level and in highlighting a gender approach in the guidance and counselling processes.
To practically reach the above goals the contents of the course will help to:
Overview the historical and social process leading to the idea of Equal opportunities,
referring specifically to the labour market;
Deepen the concepts of Equal opportunities and Positive actions, meant as those
activities aimed at introducing changes to the organisation of labour to eliminate
(reduce) unequality between men and women, not only at the workplace;
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Raise awareness on the public institutions, key actors and policies existing to
facilitate the implementation of Equal opportunities: activities roles and functions.
APPROACH
The approach underlying the whole training activity is the focus on the customer, in this case the
adult women entering the Labour Office/Employment service seeking for information and support
for the job search.
This approach is concretely applied in different ways, according to the teaching methodology
chosen, but it is anyway evident both in the way the contents are taught and in the contents
themselves.
This course can be delivered in the form of classroom training, but also as an interactive seminar
with key actors.
The course in both forms can last 8 hours.
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[m62/63]
[m50]
Awareness raising on gender roles and typical attributes for women and men.
Exercise targeting at clichs and perceptions about men and women
(30 min).
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Equal opportunities
Overview the historical and social process leading to the idea of Equal
opportunities, how it is actually implemented in the European Union and on
national level.
Power point presentation-not longer than 30 minutes!
Questions & Answers
[m48]
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[m52]
[m26]
A ball is thrown from one participant to next, each giving his/her statement
about the course of the day.
[m56]
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LECTURE AND PRESENTATION Regional Approaches of Equal opportunities and Positive actions
Prolongation is possible by integration of key actors, reporting on their fields of knowledge & interest
[m44]
Participants find answers to the following questions: what was important for me
/ what will I integrate into my work / what was less interesting / what I wanted
to add ...
Participants provide an overview on the basis of the individual Learning Diaries.
Presentation of the main contents to the whole group.
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C u r r i c u l u m
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
FOR LABOUR OFFICE ADVISERS,
COUNSELLORS AND JOB MEDIATORS
Society can be conceptualised as a complex of diverse groups, according to criteria such as sex,
age, class, family situation, health, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and so on. Some of
these groups hold an unequal position in the society in which they exist and some are very
disadvantaged.
The course is designed to help office advisers, counsellors, case managers and job mediators to
develop diversity awareness. Clients differ in many ways!
The term diversity management is usually found in the context of the business case. In order to
achieve better matching results, labour office staff working with employers must understand the
language of employers diversity management from entrepreneurs view.
But the term diversity management can also be adapted to labour market organizations and to the
delivery of counselling and vocational training opportunities. One of the aims of labour office
advisers, counsellors and job mediators is to assist clients with information, advice, guidance and
active support preserving the principle of equal treatment. In seeking to understand the clients
needs as well as in order to strengthen the efficiency and quality of the counselling process
managing diversity involves identifying the issues that arise from this diversity as well as
developing ways to address these issues.
Office advisers, counsellors, case managers and job mediators need a well-founded qualification on
aspects, strategies and measures of diversity management. This should become a prerequisite for
guidance workers in charge of counselling, job placement and training.
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Students during classic- three year training of the labour office personnel
administrative education,
Externally recruited staff members of the labour office during their vocational
adjustment
Giving Feedback
DURATION
Two half days
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[m62/63]
[m18]
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[m29]
How to move our frame of reference from an ethnocentric view ("our way is the best way") to a
culturally relative perspective ("let's take the best of a variety of ways")?
Plenary Discussion
Diversity Management:
How does it work
Definitions of aims and instruments
Information about legal necessity, social responsibility and business necessity
Theoretical Input, Power Point presentation - not longer than 30 minutes!
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[m56]
Feedback
Based on the use of the Learning Diary as an instrument for the reflection and the promotion of the
learning process.
[m90]
Plenary Discussion
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[m44]
Prolongation is possible by integration of key actors , reporting on their fields of knowledge & interest
Prolongation
possible by integration of key actors and representatives of organizations actively assessing their
handling of workplace diversity issues, who already have developed and implemented diversity
plans and report on their fields of knowledge and benefits of diversity management.
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M a n u a l
MANUAL
Exercises &
Handouts
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M a n u a l
01
Introduction to Subject
Handout
READING
Does not refer to information which he/ she could have read in a written document.
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M a n u a l
WRITING
Handwriting is babyish
SENSE OF TIME
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M a n u a l
ORAL EXPRESSION
Difficult to understand
LISTENING
Lacks concentration
SENSE OF SPACE
Factors in the persons speech that indicate distortions and errors with regard to space
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M a n u a l
LOGICAL REASONING
NUMERACY
Claims not to understand figures and numbers or says they are too difficult
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M a n u a l
02
Introduction to Subject
Handout
School
The teacher wont notice that I cannot read for a month and a half.
So well do I remember what I hear and see.
When a classmate reads the lesson , I know it by heart.
Pretending to follow it in the book I can even spot where you have to turn the page
But one day I misbehaved and had to change places.
And I had to go first.
Its terrible.
She wont believe I cant read since she saw me reading.
My troubles are only beginning.
(Pascal JARDIN: extract War at Nine)
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M a n u a l
Example Worker
It used to be hard but now it has become impossible. Everywhere you go there are forms to fill in
and they are often very complicated; even at work, doing the same job, I now have to take orders
directly from clients.
Rene, 51 years old, is a manual worker in a small business. Like many other 50 year olds, who
grew up in the country, his schooling was brief and erratic and is now a distant memory. He sees
the evolutions at work; instructions are rarely given by word of mouth, every machine is equipped
with a monitoring screen.
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M a n u a l
03
Introduction to Subject
Objective
This exercise shall serve to clarify how to find the information you need, to select and present
relevant information on
Description
Students are working individually or divided into groups.
They are asked to imagine this scenario: a client from another country has asked for a meeting
with you. What kinds of information do you already have about the country s/he comes from? What
other information do you need? Do you know how to find it? What will you not know until you meet
the client personally?
It would be impossible to know everything by heart - the important thing is to know how to find the
information you need. We have put some of this on the website and there are also links to other
web sites that should be useful. In addition, you might like to search the web, using a search
engine such as Google or AltaVista, for further information of value to you. Bookmark sites to
which it will be useful for you to return and organise your bookmarks so that you can easily find
them.
Students could start with these:
How can I find out what rights my clients have to education, training and work?
What reasons are there for migration and who is likely to migrate to my country?
How do I spot problems caused by torture and trauma, and what do I do about
them?
Material
Duration
60 - 90 minutes
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M a n u a l
04 Functional Illiteracy
04
Introduction to Subject
FUNCTIONAL ILLITERACY
Objective
This exercise shall serve to clarify and exemplify terms used before (functional illiteracy, basic
skills etc);
Intensive exchange of experience at dealing with the target group of clients affected by reading
and writing deficits
Description
Students are divided into four groups, discussing one case each.
They share ideas of how to deal with respective clients and offer most suitable counselling. By
developing the groups counselling concept they should integrate theoretical and practical
knowledge already acquired in the first stage of the course. After that, group results are presented
to all participants and the trainer and then discussed and evaluated together.
Material
Duration
80 minutes (20 minutes for each group to work on a case, 60 minutes for
presentation and discussion of results)
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05
Share ideas of how to deal with respective clients and offer most suitable
counselling.
1) ALFRED T., AGE:52
driving licence
132
woman returner
urban area
no driving licence
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urban area
no driving licence
basically cooperative,
worked as a cleaner
no driving licence
basic skills deficits (including IT and social skills), talks about frustration during
school time, but would not mention her reading and writing problems
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06 My culture
06
Reflection
MY CULTURE
Objective
Intensive exchange of experience at dealing with the target group of refugees or migrants
Description
Students share ideas on:
By developing the groups counselling concept they should integrate theoretical and practical
knowledge already acquired in the first stage of the course. After that, group results are presented
to all participants and the trainer and then discussed and evaluated together.
Imagine that you are a refugee or migrant in another country. What aspects of your
own culture might create challenges for you and for a guidance counsellor there?
Students will write a short report on reflections and, email it to the tutor or tutor-group
Material
Duration
60 minutes
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07
What extra guidance and counselling skills do I need in order to give a good service
to someone from a different country?
Where they have rights, what kinds of problem are my clients likely to have in
actually accessing guidance, education, training and work? What changes can my
organisation and I make to help to overcome these problems?
When you have found out what kind of information is available and which is the
most relevant to your needs, you should be ready to write the assignment.
Material
Duration
60 90 minutes
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08
The processes described above which most accurately reflect how I work at the
moment (or have worked in the past);
How my practice should take into account the heterogeneous nature of the client
group and its diverse needs.
Students will write a short report on reflections and, email it to the tutor or tutor-group
Material
Duration
60 90 minutes
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09
Think about the organisation for which you work in terms of refugee, asylum-seeker or migrant
clients.
Write a short report on your reflections and, if you wish, email it to your tutor or your tutor-group.
Material
Duration
60 90 minutes
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10
Material
Duration
60 90 minutes
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11 Creating a vision
11
Creating a vision
Objective
Intensive exchange of experience at dealing with the target group of refugees or migrants.
Description
Students are working individually or divided into groups.
They are asked to use information taken from the course and from clients, to assess the support
needed by clients and compare it with the support offered by their organisation.
They are asked to identify areas where they do not match and write a proposal (3-5 A4 pages) on
how the organisation could develop in order to serve this client group better.
They should include case studies of organisations that offer good models of practice.
Material
Duration
60 90 minutes
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Handout: Reflection
FILLING IN A FORM
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13 Handout Excuses
13
Handout: Excuses
EXCUSES
People say that they have forgotten their glasses. They then ask the person who
gave them the form to complete it.
If they know that their inability to read or to write is going to become apparent they
may bring distractions with them, e.g. a dog, a child or a mobile phone that keeps
ringing.
They say that they are in a hurry and ask if they can take the form or document
away and bring it back later. They then get someone else to complete it.
They may say something like, I will have to ask my husband/wife about this before
I fill it in, so please can I take it away and bring it back later?
They bring a friend, partner or parent who does this sort of thing.
They ask where to sign a form with no attempt at reading what they are signing.
They say that they only want to go on courses where they do not have to fill in
forms.
They are unsure about when they did things in the past, e.g. previous jobs etc.
Having to deal with institutions like banks, people with low literacy levels have a
strong preference for face-to-face contacts and prefer to return to the same branch
and the same member of staff.
They are very reluctant to use automated phone systems and computerized kiosks
or workstations.
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People are happier dealing with a company when they can develop a good
relationship with the one person who they meet on each visit.
The first contact with an official in an organization is often critical, but if they show
sensitivity and are not condescending, the relationship is likely to develop.
Many use avoidance as a coping mechanism, hoping that if they avoid something it
will go away.
They never do written things right there, but take forms etc. with them to bring
them back when they come next time.
They repeatedly ask you to explain what they have just read.
They ask you to call rather than mail the information to them.
They generally turn down opportunities that require reading and/or writing.
From a social point of view, they often appear shy, awkward and may be tonguetied.
They may act aggressively or continously make jokes to cover low levels of
confidence.
If they do write something, they make spelling errors, there are reversals of letters
and words, omissions of letters.
People say that they have hurt their arm or hand, sometimes even to the extent of
having it bandaged or in a sling.
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14 Motivation - Communication
14
Motivation - Communication
Notes
In this exercise it is important that participants really use their creativity and phantasy to dream up
something extraordinary that makes a difference to plannable reality.
Material
Timeframe
90 minutes
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The two observe each other according to certain aspects determined prior to the session in regard
to communicative and social areas and exchange their observations at the end of the course. If this
exercise is used in gender-related trainings, please note the following: Experience in different
trainings has shown that women observe men more benevolently than the other way round; men
apparently observe more fact-related, orient themselves by what they consider to be the facts.
Women interpret rather emotionally, men more in patterns and clichs. Women interpret much
more detailed and embedded in strong experiencial knowledge. They tend to give men a bonus
when they realize that they are open to subjects regarding women and families.
Notes
This exercise is valuable for general communication trainings in regard to communicating nonverbally. Participants come to realize how much they observe about the people surrounding them
and also how much they communicate themselves by outfit, body language etc.
Material
paper, pens
Timeframe
30 minutes
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15
Reflection
Description
This exercise requires men and women to work in separate groups (4-6 individuals each group).
Each group is asked to predict life of the opposite sex in regard to work, education, social life,
spare time, family and living conditions.
The groups ideas are written down on a notepad. When finished, the results are presented to the
other group. A joint discussion proceeds of what is similar and different between the groups.
Notes
This exercise helps participant to understand how different perceptions about the opposite sex can
be. It may very well add to the fun factor in a training but also raise serious discussions. Can also
be used in teambuilding processes when two or more teams have to be integrated.
Material
Timeframe
45minutes
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16
Mobilization
Description
A simple questionnaire to be worked out individually and then to be presented to the whole group.
If its a big group pair can make the preparation.
Two parts:
1/ About my professional objective:
6 questions allow putting words on some notions, which are still not clear as for example the
barriers, or resources, which may block or help them to reach their objective. All problems raised
during the training are considered but from the persons point of view who makes a point on
herself regarding her professional objective
2/About my project construction
What does Building a professional project, mean? And which elements are required to reach
this goal?
This question allows to put in evidence all the subjects and thematic of the training. A synthesis
document identifying the different modules of the program and the different objectives targeted are
given to them.
The last question allows them to write down which are the elements they possess and which one
they need to work on in particular.
The vocabulary used has to be simple and the questions short and precise.
Materials
Duration
146
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17
Reflection
Description
Plenary - imagine this is the year 2013. It is Monday...
Write down key words what you do, hear, see and how you are spending the day.
Small groups/pairs:
Notes
This exercise supports creativity, inspires motivation to look ahead and design ones own life
actively and supports goal-definition.
Material
Timeframe
30 40 minutes
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18 Opposites or diversity?
18
Reflection
OPPOSITES OR DIVERSITY?
Understand differences in roles, attributions, attitudes
Description
Participants move around the room accompanied by music.
As soon as the music stops the trainer separates the room with her/his arms:
participants on the other side are assigned a contrary role with the task to get into
contact with the other side non-verbally.
Possible roles: Men women Handicapped people not handicapped people From Austria not
from Austria Female boss male secretary Children grown-ups Female doctor male doctor
Mother with child father with child Various professional groups Etc.
Notes
Good exercise that offers opportunity for participants to slip into roles they normally dont have.
Material
Timeframe
15 minutes
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19
Reflection
Description
Each participant gets two cards. On the one they write the obstacles they see for gender
mainstreaming and on the other they write ideas how they can facilitate gender mainstreaming.
The cards are collected and clustered.
A discussion is facilitated how to overcome the obstacles and implement changes.
Notes
This tool on the one hand serves a desire of many people to express the reasons they see why
something should not work and on the other hand encourages participants to think about their
active part concerning the subject matter.
Material
cards, markers
Timeframe
45 minutes
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20
Reflection
Options
Plenary - Only enter the quantitative results of the groups of two and have the other participants
guess which area the pictures were from.
Small groups - Review a whole newspaper, vacation brochure, magazine regarding the presentation
of women/men/girls/boys. - How many pictures, cartoons, illustrations in total emphasize the
stereotypes? How many are neutral? How many show modern, non-clich like, diverse
presentations of gender?
Notes
This exercise can be used in general communication trainings by having participants work on
questions like: what do all these pictures and their contextes tell you? What do you think is the
intended message?
Material
Timeframe
30 minutes
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21
Reflection
Objective
Get to know each other, find similarities, identification via a picture which reduces stress in
connection with talking about oneself
Description
A large variety of pictures and fotos out of magazines that show various situations, emotions and
people are put on a table to choose from.
Duration:
Material:
First Step: Each participant chooses one picture that he/she likes best or thinks
suits best.
Second Step: like-minded persons with similar themes should be found among the
participants. This developes into an exchange of similarities and preferences
discovered on the basis of the pictures.
Third Step: each participant presents his/her picture to the whole group, explaining
why he/she chose this specific picture, what it has to do with his/her person and
which similarities he/she could find among the other group members. Then it is
another persons turn with who similarities had been identified.
1 hour
various pictures, fotos out of magazines, journals, brochures
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Action planning
Description
Participants are sent to work in small groups on three questions:
Answers are captured on the paper. Afterwards a speaker of the group is chosen to present the
results to the whole group.
Duration:
Participants:
Material:
152
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23
Awakening Senses
Description
Various rhythmic instruments are put on a table. Participants are asked to choose one instrument
suiting their current mood the best and to try it out.
Then each person presents a sound corresponding to his/her mood. The other participants try to
assess, which mood this sound represents. Once found out and confirmed its the next persons
turn.
Duration:
30 minutes
Participants:
material:
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24
Introduction
Description:
In preparation of a meeting with persons out of the professional context, participants produce
answers to the following three questions:
Results are written on flipchart paper and afterwards presented to the responsible persons
representing the companies, thus serving as a basis for discussions.
Duration:
1 hour
Participants:
Material:
154
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25
Introduction
Description
Participants are briefly introduced to the subject. The group is then asked to choose adequate
pictures, symbols for the subject communication and relevant aspects and to glue these pictures
onto paper so that a collage develops. Arrangement and choice is determined by the groups
processes.
The observer initially named is now sent into the group with the instruction to observe the following
aspects:
tolerance
discrimination
Duration:
Participants:
whole group of 15 individuals, one person of the group is chosen to act as observer
Material:
paper for the background (e.g. several pieces of flipchart paper) glue, removable
adhesive tape, scissors, markers, magazines, journals, brochures,
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26
Activation
Description
A ball is thrown from one participant to next, each giving his/her statement about the course of the
day.
Duration:
15 minutes
Material:
1 small softball
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27
Activation
Material
Timeframe
90 minutes
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28
Activation
Objectives
activity to relax, action-oriented learning of verbal and non-verbal communication
Description
Participants are standing in a circle. There are two steps:
First step: the balls are to be thrown without speaking as quickly as possible. After a few minutes
the activity is interrupted and the next step is explained. Second step: throw the ball only if eyecontact has been established with another person.
In the end the differences of the two phases are reflected and focus is drawn to verbal and nonverbal communication.
Duration:
20 minutes
Material:
158
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29
Introduction to Subject
Objectives
Introduction to the subject, determination of problem areas, recognizing and exchanging of already
existing potential solutions
Description
Participants receive the following questions regarding the subject Communication in the
professional environment:
Results are put on paper and presented to the whole group by one person. They are then used as a
transition into the theoretical area of the subject.
Duration:
45 minutes
Material:
Participants:
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30 Hidden pictures
30
Reflection
HIDDEN PICTURES
Change in perspectives, entering into others perceptions, sharpening of own perception, tolerant
behaviors
Description:
One picture at a time is presented via the overhead projector. The task is to recognize several
different pictures in one picture to transition to dealing with different perceptions and finding
tolerant behavior regarding differencies in opinions.
Duration:
20 minutes
Material:
160
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31 Picture dictation
31
Reflection
PICTURE DICTATION
Communication, dealing with association, enhancing imagination and change of perspectives
Description:
Participants get paper and markers and they draw onto their paper what the selected person
dictates:
rectangle
circle
triangle
diagonal line
horizontal line
dot
including the respective positioning (upper left, central, lower right, etc.)
The results should look like the original.
Participants are requested not to ask questions but simply put down on paper what they hear. This
exercise serves as transition to the subject communication barriers, loss of information, self- and
others perception.
Duration:
15 minutes
Material:
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32
Reflection
Description:
Participants seperate into four groups. Each group has to communicate different moods/feelings
using various types of media:
impatient/annoyed
uncertain/hesitant
happy/optimistic
convinced/self-confident
The type of media is then selected from: painting, sound/rhythm, pantomime, building a human
sculpture.
After rehearsals in small groups the results are presented to the other participants who should
recognize and name the presented mood/feeling.
Participants:
Duration:
1 hour
Material:
162
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33 Morning drawing
33
Introduction to Subject
MORNING DRAWING
Warmup, picture of the groups and the participants individual mood
Description:
One person expresses his/her mood by making a few strokes with a marker. The poster is handed
around until a picture of the whole group is completed and conclusions can be drawn regarding the
general mood of the group.
Duration:
15 minutes
Material:
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34 Chain of information
34
Introduction to Subject
CHAIN OF INFORMATION
Concentration, understanding loss of information, relaxation, fun
Description
Everybody except for one person leaves the room. The person is instructed with either a short
story or four related pictures.
The task is to transmit the information without any questions to the next person re-entering the
room, the second person will then transmit the information received to the third person until, in the
end, the very last person presents the final version of what has been understood to the whole
group. In case of pictures the last person can draw the pictures as understood on flipchart paper.
This excercise shows loss of information in communication and the development of rumors.
Duration:
Material:
164
30 minutes
short story or four related pictures
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35
Introduction to Subject
Description
As an introduction to the subject a text is read to the groups ( max. 6 participants each) as an
example:
The manager of the restaurant calls a meeting with his personnel and says: a lot of plates get
broken these days. You have to improve this situation and something has to happen very soon!
The task is now for the small groups to analyse the following aspects:
missing information
and to prepare an appropriate roleplay. Each group then presents their results in their roleplay.
Duration:
Material:
none
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36
Introduction to Subject
Description
This exercise serves as a warm-up activity or for relaxing
Step 1: All participants move around the room and find a way of making contact.
Step 2: Contact is made my shaking hands.
Step 3: five participants are chosen. One person gets blindfolded and now has to try to recognize
the other four by the individual pressure of their hands.
Afterwards the discussion is led about the variety of possibilities to make contact in different
situations, cultures etc. and about aspects of recognition. Then the connection is made to nonverbal perception channels.
Duration:
30 minutes to 1 hour
Material:
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37 Handout Teamwork
37
Handout: Introduction to
Subject
TEAMWORK
By Webster Dictionary
Teamwork is the concept of people working together as a team. The concept has spread from the
world of sports where it is well known and accepted, to business, so much so that it is in danger of
being considered by some as an empty buzzword, or a form of corporate-speak. In the 21st
century, as people are becoming more sophisticated and society is becoming more technically
advanced, working as a team makes it easier to accomplish goals.
Some things cannot be accomplished by people working individually. Larger, ambitious goals
usually require that people work together with other people. Anyone who has ever been to a job
interview will invariably be asked what the concept of teamwork means to them. The reason for
this is because companies today want people who are team players, people who are able to get
along with their colleagues and work together in a cohesive group. Because teamwork is the
desired goal of many organisations today, they will often go to the effort of coordinating team
building events in an attempt to get people to work as a team rather than as individuals.
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38 Warming up
38
Introduction to Subject
WARMING UP
Relaxation, supporting concentration
Description
Different objects are arranged on a table, important is that all objects can be seen by all
participants.
One person memorizes the arrangement and is then asked to leave the room. The objects are rearranged and one thing is removed completely.
The task is to recognize which object has been removed. This exercise can be repeated several
times and alternatively objects can be added.
Material:
20 different objects (e.g. scissors, paper clips, ruler, rock, leaf, shell, key, match
Duration
30 min.
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39 Drivers of motivation
39
Introduction to Subject
DRIVERS OF MOTIVATION
Finding motivational strategies, teamwork
Description
Participants will find answers regarding a) signs, b) reasons, and c) change strategies for the
following questions:
Results are presented to the whole group on posters and used as a basis for discussions about
motivational drivers.
Material:
Duration
30 min.
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40
Motivation
Description:
After an introduction to the subject and the techniques of camera work participants, equipped with
cameras, go outside where they will take pictures that show motives and factors that support their
motivation and factors that help them be at ease in stressful situations.
Results are then presented to the whole group either as a poster of fotographs or a video.
Duration:
3 hours
Participants:
Material:
170
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41 Perception: Mix up
41
Motivation
PERCEPTION: MIX UP
Flexibility, relaxation, change of perspectives
Description:
After a few consecutive days of seminars name tents are changed before participants arrive.
The facilitator observes how participants deal with the new situation upon their arrival.
The experience from the participants point of view is then discussed and the connection to the
subjects flexibility and change of perspectives in different situations is made.
Duration:
15 minutes
Participants:
Material:
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42 Dissemination activity
42
Action planning
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITY
Summary of contents, capturing priorities relating to importance in professional context, dealing
with transfer
Description:
Two groups with professional priorities are formed whose task it is to:
to discuss the integration of soft skills in the training context with objective,
methods and contents.
Duration:
2 hours
Participants:
Material:
paper, markers
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43 Final sound
43
Action planning
FINAL SOUND
Relaxation, team spirit
Description:
Each participant selects one instrument of choice and briefly experiments with it. Then all
participants stand in a circle.
One person begins to present his/her sound and one after the other joins in. Objective is to find a
common beat which can be taken away in everybodys mind as the sound of the group.
Duration:
10 minutes
Participants:
whole group
Material:
rhythmical instruments
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44 Feedback
44
Action planning
FEEDBACK
Objectives
Summary of the seminars contents, provide overview
Description
Participants find answers to the following questions:
Duration:
1 hour
Participants:
Material:
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45 Interview productions
45
Action planning
INTERVIEW PRODUCTIONS
Practice working with video, sensitization for individual strengths and areas of improvement
Description
In a brainstorming session ideas for subjects are collected, two subjects defined and two teams
formed accordingly. Participants receive rules of the game for their interviews (1. say hello in a
friendly way, 2. ask the person if she/he has some time, 3. explain briefly what the interview is
about and what kind of questions will be asked, 4. careful camera positioning, 5. ask questions, 6.
say thank you and good by politely). The teams leave accompanied by one trainer each to make
their interviews. Upon their return the videos are analysed. Reflection: Which role(s) have you tried
out? What did you like, what was fun? What did you not like so much?
Notes
This exercise supports creativity and having fun at work. Teamwork and cooperation turn out to be
important to make good productions. Different feelings about different roles in the team support
selfreflection on conflicting emotions; observations of participants can be analysed in regard to
typical roles for women and men.
Material
Timeframe
2,5 3 hours
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46 Key Qualifications
46
Action planning
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
Define individual key qualifications, expand potentials
Description
The worksheet below is worked through together with the participants.
Guiding questions:
As a consequence research may be performed (via internet or newspapers) for additional key
qualifications. After this collection the next step is considering which key qualifications suit
particularly for each individual participant. These key qualifications can be compiled in small groups
or in pairs and then presented to the whole group.
Worksheet:
1. Organization and execution of an assignment: precision, systematic approach, organization
and coordination skills are required to complete an assignment
2. Teamwork and cooperation customer-oriented behavior and the ability to express oneself are
becoming more and more important. That includes willingness and ability to work in teams.
3. Application of learning and working techniques knowledge and application of various workingand learning techniques as well as the ability to abstract and transfer are very important besides
technical knowledge.
4. Assurance in cultural techniques Customer-oriented behavior requires quick independent
information to questions and independent working. Therefore reading, writing and calculating are
essential.
5. Problem solving and decision making competences approach to structure problems,
presentation of possible solutions and independent decisions will be more required from employees
in future.
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6. Independence and responsibility reliability and sensible action are as important as selfreflection and the resulting individual control of work processes and results.
7. Perseverance and endurance very important is perseverance in finding a solution to an
assignment, the ability to concentrate but also the tolerance to frustration in case of failure and the
motivation for another attempt.
8. Creativity and flexibility special appreciation will be acknowledged those employees that
develop and implement their own ideas and also participate in the setup of their workplace and
engage themselves in new work areas.
9. Speaking competence in foreign languages employees on all levels are more and more
required to have language competences due to the stronger international economical connections.
Most important is verbal communication with the business partners.
10. Ability and willingness to learn learning does not end with school, on the contrary thats when
it starts.
Every person in work life nowadays has to participate in further education besides her/his job.
Thats the only way she/he can keep up with or anticipate the developments at the workplace.
Notes
It is very important for the facilitator to help participants connect individual qualifications with
examples they know from their experience and examples where these qualifications can be applied.
For women with children it is important to gather key qualifications out of periods of time when
they were raising their children.
Material
worksheet, pens
Timeframe
90 minutes
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47 Networking
47
Action planning
NETWORKING
Research concrete contacts to companies
Description
The trainer provides a worksheet to insert several contact information.
To begin with, the worksheet personal contacts is filled out by participants individually. Who has
got the most people listed? In a second step all the people listed are reviewed regarding their
connections to local companies (Where do parents work, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles of
these persons?)
At last, everybody produces a list of companies for interviews. Whatever is not clear can be
clarified immediately by phone or as homework over the weekend.
Reflection:
Notes
This tool is an excellent basis for very concrete steps toward job applications. It helps participants
to concentrate on their resources and thus motivates to take the next step.
Material
Timeframe
30 minutes
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48 Typical professions
48
Action planning
TYPICAL PROFESSIONS ?
To raise awareness for gender-typical professions
Description
Brainstorming on the flipchart: which professions are said to be typical male, female?
Information about vocational orientation of participants: women decide for 3 professions, men for 5
professions out of a total of 250 professions.
Exchange of experience of the participants. Discussion: What are advantages and disadvantages of
a gender-typical choice of profession? In groups of men and women, participants work on
advantages and disadvantages of gender-atypical professions for each gender.
Example: men work on servant; women work on car-mechanic.
Present and discuss in the whole group.
Notes
This tool is a good basis for introducing the subject of gender mainstreaming as well as activating
participants to reflect on and discuss conflicting attitudes and opinions. Working in groups supports
teamwork and presentation skills.
Material
Timeframe
30minutes
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49 Women go self-employed
49
Action planning
WOMEN GO SELF-EMPLOYED
Develop female approach to self-employment.
Description
Typical approach bigger is better (new jobs). Bigger projects have more chances of being
supported as they create jobs; risks however are also higher.
Typical approach: conventional business plans developed for companies that sell reproducable
goods and services.
Notes
This approach raises awareness for special resources of women who are planning to work on a selfemployed basis and helps to strengthen selfconfidence and assertiveness. Women stands for
authentic, sustainable, integrating; selfemployment stands for strategic, selfassurance and
professionality; = selfemployment for women
Material
n/a
Timeframe
60 minutes
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50 Gender Sensitisation
50
Sensitisation
GENDER SENSITISATION
Awareness raising on typical attributes for women and men
Description
The group brainstorms words for the following topics and the trainer writes everything down on the
flipchart: Jobs/ professions (e.g. teacher, surgeon, farmer); Adjectives (e.g. strong, sensitive,
honest); Nationalities (e.g. Spanish, Italian, Austrian); First names (e.g. Pablo, Julia, Elisabeth).
Then the trainees individually associate different words and build statements. Each trainee writes
down at least 4 statements on cards.
The trainer picks up all the cards, mixes them and reads out one by one. The group then discusses
clichs and perceptions about men and women.
Notes
It is important to point out that there are no right or wrong answers. Collecting all cards at once
and mixing them helps to keep input anonymous so participant dont have to defend their ideas
Material
Timeframe
30 minutes
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51
Sensitisation
Description
Plenary: Imagine a line that separates the room into two areas, the female area and the male
area...
Everybody moves into the male area first and presents with movements, body posture, mimic and
gestures how you feel as a man. I am . Ive got . I do .
Everybody now changes over to the female area and present with movements, body posture,
mimic and gestures how you feel as a woman. I am . Ive got . I do .
Now move back and forth between the male and the female area and try to feel which body
postures, movements, which gestures and mimic suit you.
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Option
Let participants find a place in the room.
Notes
Good exercise to make differences visible through body language. Participants get a chance to
feel the difference.
Material
Timeframe
60 90 minutes
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52
Sensitisation
Description
The story takes place in a densely populated urban area. A shopping center is supposed to be
extended but there are few green areas in the immediate surrounding and the nearby shopping
street is endangered, too.
Roles of politicians, planners and citizens can be experienced. It is also possible to take on a role of
the opposite sex.
All participants are simultaneously active and attempt to get their interests through. The objective
is to find concerted possible solutions. The game offers lively experience relating to the subject
equal opportunities.
Notes
This tool offers a great opportunity to experience completely new roles as well as processes of
discussion and decision-making and the dynamic these processes and the people involved create
Material
Timeframe
- 1 day
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53 My Life
53
Sensitisation
MY LIFE
Compare experiences of women and men
Description
Small groups separated by women and men:
Notes
Good exercise to reflect ones own life in general and in the gender-context.
Material
paper and pens to take notes; mixed group (women and men)
Timeframe
90 minutes
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54
Sensitisation
Description
Participants form small groups and get a digicam for each group. The assignment is to take fotos
with a focus on the relevant subject e.g. gender.
Questions may be for the example-subject gender:
In consequence the participants arrange an exhibition of their pictures and the trainer analyses it
with them. The participants may write a report about the results of their analysis which may be
forwarded to a local newspaper or hung out publically in the institute or placed in the internet
(depending on availability and infrastructure).
Notes
Very creative tool to introduce a subject and activate participants to discuss it. At the same time it
supports cooperation and presentation skills
Material
Timeframe
1 day
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55 Qualities
55
Sensitisation
QUALITIES
Self-Reflection Conflict Management Gender Sensitisation
Comparing statistics about male and female qualities
Description
The trainer provides a list of 20 qualities and the trainees mark them with 1 for women or 0 for
men, next to each quality.
Qualities:
clever - self control - physical strength - high size beauty - professional success - fighting spirit
aggressive - risky behaviour - being able to love - acting tenderly sweet weak romantic - able
to cry - ability for physical love strong assertive competent - soft.
The trainees read out their total results for men and for women. The trainer notes the results, asks
for explanations about the choices. She/He adds up all the results from the group and shows the
final average.
The group discusses and compares their results.
Notes
This exercise helps to raise awareness about how we associate qualities / characteristics and the
different / conflicting opinions that exist in this respect.
Material
Timeframe
30 minutes
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56 Ranking
56
Sensitisation
RANKING
Self-Reflection - Conflict Management - Identify existing norms and values, understand ranking and
differences of approaches
Description
Participants have to rank 5 fictional individuals that are described with certain traits on who will
have the highest status to the lowest status in the company or in a group.
Notes
The ranking exercise can be used in many arenas. It can be used individually or in groups or first
individually and then in the group.
If the later option is used it is important to compare the individual ranking with the group ranking
and to have a separate discussion about that.
Material
Timeframe
30 minutes
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57
Introduction to Subject
The 6-3-5 method can be used in a process of getting ideas - to make sure everyone gets the
chance to make a contribution. This sort of brainstroming usually opens the discussion, encourages
to utter thoughts participants might have kept to themselves fearing they don't fit into the current
stream of discussion.
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58
Introduction to Subject
Objective
Cooperate as a team to produce a collage, expectations among teammembers
Description
Which attributes does a good woman/good man have? Collection of arguments in small groups
and preparation of a collage. Presentation and evaluation in large groups. Group discussion on the
subjects: Who sets the rules? Which rules am I prepared to comply with?
Notes
This exercise provides an opportunity to reflect own conflict management strategies and at the
same time supports teamwork and cooperation. Participants also experience the different roles
within a team. The exercise as described above enhances the topics to roles of women and men.
Material
Timeframe
90min.
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59 Activation
59
Self-Reflection
ACTIVATION
Recalling individual childhood and youth experiences, realize emotions and experiences
Description
Plenary assignment for individual work: Think back. Imagine an environment from that time.
How did you feel at the age of 5 (8, 10, 12, 14, 16)? Pick one of these objects that appeals to you
spontaneously. Plenary reflection: Participants present the object they have chosen and answer
the question how they felt at that time. Small groups assignment: Exchange ideas, thoughts
about the object and the emotions and experiences. Prepare a pantomimic scene for the plenary in
which you present your emotions and moods from that time. Plenary presentations of small
groups.
Notes
This exercise can be used as an introduction to reflecting what has influenced participants in their
childhood. Participants should have had the chance before to get to know each other in order to
feel comfortable with such an exercise.
Material
prepare various objects associated with childhood and youth such as Teddybear,
diary, ball, toys, lipstick .
Timeframe
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60 Self-Reflection
60
Self-Reflection
Description
The circle of career possibilities is explained on the flipchart: the inner circle contains the name of
the individual participant; the second circle around the first contains names of all the people that
have played a role in the participants life; with a different color age and profession are added to
each person; in the third circle one characteristic per person is added (in the color of the names
again); with a third color the profession is added that this person has been anticipating for the
participant. Participants work individually on this exercise.
In a second step they write down all professions they like themselves left to the circle and the
professions they do not like so much on the right. The circle of career possibilities are then
discussed in the group and the participants receive feedback from their colleagues and the trainer.
Reflection: which person (woman/man) in individual participants environment anticipates which
kind of job for him/her?
Notes
This exercises is helpful in reflecting career aspirations in paricipants environment and whether
they comply with their own. It helps to determine whether there are role models concerning
careers in their immediate environment and if participants are supported in their vocational
orientation or constrained or if there is indifference.
Material
Timeframe
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61
Handout : Introduction
IMMEDIATE
LESS IMMEDIATE
IMPORTANT
LESS IMPORTANT
Immediate/Less Important: The jobs that are demanding, but can wait a moment.
Less Immediate/Important: Those tasks that can wait, but which will become
problematic if put off too long.
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62 Learning Diary
62
Reflection
LEARNING DIARY
Accompanying the learning process: at the end of a learning unit/learning day for reflection; to
prepare learning conferences or counselling sessions. In order to evaluate and reflect different
learning units in order to plan and influence the learning process
Description
The Learning Diary can be used as an instrument for individual reflection as well as for the
documentation of the learning process or for collecting material.
Normally it contains working sheets for reflectinos/evaluations of the learning units, experiences
with the topics of the units, special reflections as preparation for learning conferences or
counselling sessions, etc.
The Learning Diary is in the possession of the learners and stays there. Its a personal, individual
instrument for reflection. The working sheets are only a proposal for the learners. If they use the or
do their reflection in a different way ist the decision of the learners. The chance of using the sheets
in the Learning diary is to document the learners thoughts so that they can look them up later or
remember things they want to discuss/clarify.
Variables
The Learning Diary is an offer for voluntarily using. Trainers should make clear the chances of using
it, but should not force learners to use it. If learners refuse to use it, trainers should offer them
different forms of individual reflection/evaluation.
Material required
Duration
5-15 minutes
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63
Handout Reflection
LEARNING DIARY
Accompanying the learning process: at the end of a learning unit/learning day for reflection; to
prepare learning conferences or counselling sessions. In order to evaluate and reflect different
learning units in order to plan and influence the learning process
_______________
My name:
_____________________
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Reflection of the
first learning phase
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Where I would like to continue and deepen my learning in the next few
days/weeks
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Reflection of the
excercise _________
What did I learn from the way we worked in this excercise? Can I use this in
different surroundings?
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What do I want to talk about concerning the planning of the learning process?
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Date:_________________
________________________________
(signature)
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64
Introduction to Subject
Objective
Understand and deal with clichs
Description
The trainer gives an example of stereotyped phrases and clichs in our everyday life.
Then the group is separated into a group of men and a group of women.
Each group has to write down a list of typical behaviors the other sex is usually attributed. How
they drink, how they smoke, how they sit, how they walk, how they move, .. Each group has to
choose the way they will show these behaviors: role play, drawings, little songs or poems, jokes
Afterwards, the trainer asks 2 representatives who accept to be the only one man among women
and the only one woman among men. Each representative has to watch the presentation, listen to
compliments and also critical statements and if he or she wants to may also comment.
To end the exercise, the 2 representatives express their feelings about being alone like this, talk
about their reactions, how they see the rest of the group, what do they think about their feelings,
what have they perceived themselves.
Note
This exercise supports creativity and humor on the one hand and provokes strong experience
especially for the one woman/one man. Conflicting attitudes and opinions become visible and can
be dealt with. Participants practise different ways of communication.
Material
Timeframe
90 minutes
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65
Reflection
LIFE TREE
Biography work to find out ones: potentials and fears
Description
Each person paints a tree. The tree should describe this person as she or he is.
The group gives feedback to each painted tree.
Variables
root: beginning of ones life, ones talents, the family one was born in
tree trunk: the life one has lived so far, important moments of ones life
tree top: ones situation here and now, important relationships,
Duration
2 hours
Material required
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66
Reflection
Duration
Material
Copies of the working sheets, pencils, quiet rooms for the small working groups
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Handout: Reflection
How did I cope with these situations, how have I overcome or blocked out
the difficulties?
Present your life curves to the working group. You decide which aspects to
discuss openly.
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68 Web of competences
68
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
WEB OF COMPETENCIES
Goals
This tool is designed to help clients to be aware of individual competencies developed during their
life and allows to graphically represent competencies for further professional and personal
development.
Description
The Web of competencies allows client to assess his/her skills and knowledge in a specific area of
work and to ask for specific feed-back on his/her self-perception. An exercise allowing both
highlighting strengths and identifying learning goals.
Variables
Attention to the personal development
Material
Duration
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Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Description
The exercise is divided into three phases:
1.
Learners fill in the first working sheet with the activities, jobs etc. they have performed and
with the skills and competencies they have developed or used for these activities.
2.
Then the learners transfer their competencies to the second working sheet, a list of
competencies, where they can range in their own and get an overview over their strengths and the
fields/competencies they might develop further more.
3.
In the last phase the learners think about fields/competencies they want to develop and
develop learning goals and perspectives.
Variables
Learners with low self-esteem and difficult learning biography with mostly negative experiences
might need counselling and attendance in identifying activities and competencies with a positive
connotation. The tutor might have to point out the positive aspect even within activities the
learners experienced as negative.
Duration
30 60 minutes according to the intensity of reflection, additional time for
developing learning interests/goals
Material
Copies of the working sheets, pencils, quiet rooms for the small working groups
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71 Handout: Profiling
71
Worksheet 1
List up the jobs and occupations you had so far in your life in the left column (also temporary jobs
or jobs in a private context). In the right column then please register the
qualifications/competencies necessary for the respective work.
WORK/OCCUPATION:
QUALIFICATIONS/COMPETENCIES:
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Worksheet 2
On the following worksheet you find a set of qualifications and competencies, that are increasingly
required in different fields of work. They are classified into 3 categories; methodical abilities, social
competencies and occupational qualifications.
Please read through the worksheet first and clarifiy misunderstandable aspects
within your group.
As the next step, valuate the qualifications and competencies given in worksheet 2
for yourself: do you consider them well developped, moderately or rarely
developped?
Good luck!
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Worksheet 3
ARE
strongly
moderately
rarely
developped
developped
developpe
d
I. Occupational qualifications
Specific knowledge and skills of my occupation
Technical skills/dexterity in
Computer/software applications
Knowledge of foreign languages
II. Methodical abilities
Learning competencies
Learning styles and strategies, reception and
processing of infomation
Retentivity
Memory capacity, short/long-term memory
Concentrativeness
Ability to concentrate, wide-awakeness
Cogitation
logic, abstractly, conceptional, coherent, exactly
Imaginative Power I
Transformation of verbal instructions into
practice, to proceed from thinking to doing
Imaginative Power II
Technical understanding, handling of symbols,
spacial imagination
Transfer
Bring new knowledge into everyday situations,
turn general statements into specific action
Flexibility
To turn on to different /new topics
Overview
Ability to assess and to valuate, to detect
connectedness, to distinguish essential from nonessential aspects
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ARE
strongly
developped
moderately
developped
rarely
developped
Phantasy
creative thinking, improvisation, strike new paths
Correctness
Orderliness
Discipline
Punctuality
Structuring, planning, deciding;
classify tasks, define steps of procedure,
supervise perfomance, valuate results
Ability to analyse
Find out possible causes/reasons of problems
III. Social und personal competencies
Patience, endurance
Accurateness, diligence
Reliableness
Keep emotions under control
Sensitive perception
Understanding for behavior and acting of others
Cooperation and teamwork
Social correctness, stand to the rules
Take over responsibility
Ability to cope with pressure
Commitment
Autonomy, self-reliance
Willingness/readiness to social adjustment
Ability to cope with criticism, Express and accept
criticism
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72 Skills Analysis
72
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Description
After a short introduction the participants are asked to draw a personal mind map and describe
effects of family experience and learning on their own person.
The whole range of coping skills that are needed or must be mobilised to solve everyday problems
is presented using an everyday example, i.e. a child that suddenly falls ill.
This and similar examples are intended to show how to transfer the skills one uses in daily family
life into ones work situation and how they can become part of a career-oriented skills profile.
Variables
It is up to the participants if they want to draw a mind map or if they prefer another form of
representation.
Duration
About 90 minutes
Material
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Example: Personal mind map and describing effects of family experience and learning on their own
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75 My latest success
75
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Description
The participants write down the latest success they have experienced.
The latest success is presented to trainer and other group members
Variables
What kind of success is important for the participants (occupation, family, friends,
etc.)?
Duration 1 hour - 45 minutes for the individual work +15 for presentation
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76 Feedback vehicle
76
Feedback provision
FEEDBACK VEHICLE
Allows teams to practice feedback during and after the training event.
Description
In pairs or individually, imagine this team as a vehicle. It can be anything you wish, a car, tractor,
steamboat or plane. The vehicle should express what you feel is the essence of the team.
Duration
Material required
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77 Feedback rules
77
Feedback provision
FEEDBACK RULES
The rules are needed for a concrete, constructive feedback that helps the learner and does not hurt
him/her, whenever a group or a team reflects a process or exchanges experiences or in counselling
situations.
Description
The feedback rules describe,
Variables
In groups that do not know feedback rules, they should be presented and explained. They might be
visualised in the room for the whole learning process.
Material required
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78 Feedback chair
78
Feedback provision
FEEDBACK CHAIR
During and after the training event to allow teams to practice feedback during and after the
training event.
Description
Find a comfortable space for your team. Sit in a circle, place one chair in the middle.
One by one, team members sit on this hot chair.
From there, tell your team colleagues what you would like to get feedback about: your
performance as a trainer, your role in the team, and so on. The other team members will then
answer you, bearing in mind the guidelines you have agreed on.
Set a time limit for each persons visit to the hot chair.
While sitting on the hot chair, you cannot react to individual comments, but you have some time for
reactions and questions once the feedback round is over and before the next team member takes
the chair.
Variables
Attention, this can be a very sensitive exercise. Remember to agree some basic rules for giving
feedback beforehand! Attention to: Group Dynamics, Project Management, Personal Development
Duration
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Feedback provision
224
Feedback is not to analyse the person, but to express your personal impression.
Therefore form sentences using the first person singular.
Feedback can only refer to specific, concrete behaviour people and perceptions
keep changing permanently. Generalisations are out of place!
You should only ask for feedback when you are ready to receive some.
When receiving Feedback, just listen. Do not interrupt the other person.
Consider the Feedback you received and see which aspects you can accept and
apply, which help you to develop. You do not need to justify yourself, since
Feedback is the other persons subjective perception.Reminder of past success or
decisions taken autonomously can give the student some confidence.
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Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Description
For successful job searching, education and career planning the participants should be aware of
their knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, work experience and interests. Most people dont
have a clear idea about their capabilities (knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, experience).
They are not able to adjust their capabilities to the employers needs. Sometimes even the key
strengths of the person are overlooked.
It is important to distinguish between formal and informal knowledge. People gain formal
knowledge in the formal education systems. On the other hand informal knowledge and experience
are obtained by self-learning process, part-time work, voluntary work etc. The informal knowledge
and experience are often unjustifiably overlooked.
1. The participants are asked about:
Material
pen, paper
Timeframe
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81 Positive thinking
81
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Thought awareness: the participants think about their negative thoughts (worries
about how other people perceive them, self-criticism, feelings of inadequacy etc.).
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of eliminating negative thoughts.
Rational thinking: The participants write the negative thoughts down and review
them rationally. They should consider whether the thoughts have any basis in
reality.
Positive thinking and affirmation: The participants replace negative thoughts with
positive affirmation.
The participants can use affirmations to build confidence and change negative behaviour patterns
into positive ones. They can base affirmations on clear, rational assessments of fact, and use them
to undo the damage that negative thinking may have had done to their self-confidence.
Examples of affirmations are:
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I can do this.
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Variables
Material required
Duration
1 hour
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82 Survival strategies
82
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
MY SURVIVAL STRATEGIES
This tool is suitable as a first autobiographical approach to individual learning. It can be applied
early in the learning process, due to its playful character and the support it gives to group
formation.
To raise awareness of ones attitudes and behavioural patterns in situations of organised learning as
products of individual learning history
Description
The participants are asked to remember their time in school and to focus on the subjects they
disliked, they were not interested in or they were not successful in. They shall identify their
individual strategies of hiding or masking their lack of knowledge or their disinterest in the subject.
The tool is based on a sequence of the phases individual reflection, group reflection and
drawing consequences for the ongoing learning situation.
Variables
Dependend on the target group, the participants shall be encouraged to take notes on their
individual reflection.
In the group reflection phase the protection of individual rights has to be ensured: every
participant decides himself/herself, what to share with the group and open to discussion and what
to keep for himself/herself. This phase can be held with or without the tutor.
When several small groups work parallel, experience shows that its important to bring toghether
the reflection in the plenary round; learners often wish a collective analysis, also when working
autobiographically.
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Feedback to group members (by tutor and/or other learners), whether those
strategies of his/hers are still noticeable in his/her behaviour.
Draw consequences:
Duration
Ca. 90 minutes: 10-20 minutes of individual reflection; 30 minutes of reflection in
a small work group (4 participants per group); 30 minutes plenary round
Material
Provide enough space for the individual reflection (do not sit too closely), for group
reflection (if several small groups work parallel) and the plenary round, Instructions as worksheets
or on flipchart paper, Pens for all participants if taking notes on individual reflection
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83 Learning situations
83
Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Duration
30 minutes + discussion
Material
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Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
WHAT IS EASY
WHAT IS DIFFICULT TO ME?
RATHER
EASY
RATHER
DIFFICULT
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Awareness raising to
knowledge & skills
Duration
At least one hour. A few minutes to explain what is to be done and show the
student an example. 15 minutes to list the significant events. 15 minutes to evaluate them. 15-30
minutes to discuss them with the counsellor.
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Handout:
Awareness raising
Events
234
4 Getting married
5 Abandoning my studies
8 Having a baby
12 Learned to touch-type
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Evaluation
1 Success
2 Stress
3 Failure - stress
5 Failure
7 Excellent
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87 American debate
87
Communication
of Pros & Cons
AMERICAN DEBATE
With this tool, pro and contra arguments for any topic are developed. It is very useful as an
opening exercise to a certain topic. But as it requires hardly any preparation, it can be used
spontanously and flexible whenever discussion is needed as an intermediate result, consolidation or
conclusion of a learning phase.
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Formulate arguments
Description
The participants work in two groups and collect arguments pro and contra a topic. The arguments
are presented in a debate, which is structured by certain communication-rules: Group As argument
has to be repeated by Group B before reacting with an appropriate counterargument. This
procedure ensures that the participants listen closely and actively re-think the other groups
argument.
Variables
Depending on the learners communicative skills it might be necessary to suggest formulations for
the argument repetition.
Duration
15-20 minutes of group work 10-15 minutes of debate 5-10 minutes of postprocessing. total of 30-45 minutes
Material
The room has to be suitable for group work in two groups, if possible provide two
rooms. Flipcharts and flipchart-markers
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Handout: Communication
of Pros & Cons
The American Debate is a form of pro/contra discussion. Extreme positions are developed and
represented in the group.
In order to work on a controversal question, the group is divided in two equally large groups.
Depending upon the topic, the group situation or personal interests it can be better to organize the
grouping as free choice. Group A is then supposed to collect pro arguments, whereas Group B
gathers contra arguments in group work. The arguments shall be listed on a Flipchart.
Meanwhile the moderator sets up two chair rows facing each other. When the group work is
finished, the groups sit down facing each other, the flipcharts are posted well viewable on the
opposite wall for visualisation and support. Then the debate starts. The first participant of Group A
presents an argument. The first participant of Group B takes up this argument by repeating the
core statement and attaches a counter-argument. Inquiry is possible.
FLOW CHART
Presentation of the topic and the pro/contra positions (e.g. in the form of
statements).
Allocation of the group in two approx. equally large groups (encourage the
participants also to work in the group that does not correspond to the personal
opinion/attitude).
Depending on the level of selfdirection: Hand out a work sheet with the topic and
the two viewpoints, concrete tasks to accomplish, the time schedule and materials.
The groups gather in separate rooms for the collection of arguments and they note
them on Flipcharts or presentation cards.
Meanwhile the seat order is changed: two rows of chairs facing each other.
The groups post their arguments (flipcharts) on the opposite wall, pin board, etc.,
so they can read it and the other group can not.
The learning advisor/moderator of the debate presents the communication rule: the
other groups argument has to be repeated in own words before answering with an
own argument.
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Group A starts the debate with an argument. A participant of Group B reacts with a
short repetition of the statement and a counterargument, etc.
After approx.. 20 30 minutes the moderator terminates the debate. The goal is
not to convince the other group or to find a common solution or consent.
The moderator and the learners recapitulate the central arguments. Further
questions for reflection concern the experiences with the debate, difficulties and
easiness, what they dis/liked, what was unusual/new,
EXAMPLE
The American debate can be used in different situations: To work on technical contents, the tool
can serve as an opening exercise to a new technical field.
The learning advisor gives two opposite statements (pro and contra) as slogans for the respective
groups: E.g. the topic "Rhethoric and the treating of restaurant guests"
PRO
CONTRA
One can also apply the tool to bring on the discussion of the organisation of the learning process:
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In order to sensitise the learners for new or unusual forms of learning and of shared responsibility
and to activate a reflection on good learning conditions, the learning advisor can open for
discussion e.g. the following statements:
PRO
CONTRA
Preparation:
This tool hardly needs any preparation, which allows for its spontanious application.
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Awareness raising
There are numerous state and federal antidiscrimination laws designed to assure that employers
hire based upon skill, rather than stereotypes. Therefore, there are some things an interviewer isn
t allowed to ask. How do you know whats fair game? Here are some questions that should raise
red flags.
1. Whats your race?
It is illegal for an employer to ask you questions about race or skin color. Unless appearance is a
bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)for example, if youre applying for a modeling job
you cannot be required to submit a photo with an application.
Fair questions: None. An employment application may include a space where you voluntarily
indicate your race.
2. What is your national origin?
An interviewer cannot ask if you are a U.S. citizen, where you were born, or remark upon your
accent. Unless a business case can be provided, a company cant specify that English be the only
language spoken on the job.
Fair questions: Are you eligible to work in the U.S.? Could you, once employed, submit
documentation to that effect? Companies now require all employees to fill out an I-9 form, in
order to confirm that youre a citizen or resident who is eligible to work. If fluency in a language
other than English is a job requirement, an employer may ask how you learned that language.
3. What is your maiden name?
An interviewer cant discriminate on the basis of gender or marital status. Recruiters may not ask
different questions of female and male applicants or of married and unmarried women. Its also
inappropriate for an employer to ask if youre planning to have a family or have young children.
Fair questions: An employer can ask for your full name or whether youve worked under another
namein order to check your employment history. Interviewers may inquire about childcare and
other family issues by asking: Where do you see yourself in five years? What hours are you
available to work? Do you have other responsibilities that may interfere with your ability to meet
the requirements of the jobsuch as overtime or travel?
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Fair questions: Employment applications often include questions about felony convictions, along
with a disclaimer saying that a conviction wont necessarily remove you from consideration.
In accordance with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) policy, employers
must weigh a variety of elements when factoring convictions into hiring decisions. These include
the nature and severity of the offense, the time that has elapsed, and whether the offense has any
relation to the position advertised.
8. What type of military discharge did you receive?
An employer may not ask whether you received an honorable or dishonorable discharge.
Fair questions: The interviewer is allowed to inquire about your rank when discharged and discuss
the skills you gained while in the military.
9. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy?
Questions about your financial status, whether you own a home, or have previously had wages
garnished are off-limits.
Fair questions: If good credit is a requirement of the job, a company is within its rights to perform
a credit check.
10. Do you belong to any organizations?
Its inappropriate for an interviewer to ask whether you are affiliated with or are a member of any
political, social, or religious groupsincluding unions.
Fair questions: An interviewer may ask you if youre a member of a professional organization, like
the American Bar Association.
How to React to Unfair Questions
Try and determine what type of information an employer is looking to receive with her questions.
For example, if an interviewer asks if you have children, you may deduce that she wants to know if
youd be missing work often to care for them. You might simply answer that you have no problem
meeting the positions attendance requirements.
If you suspect you were denied a job because of discrimination, check with the EEOC as to the best
course of action.
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PARTNERSHIP
The project consortium comprises 16 partners from 10 countries. The multi-actor partnership
comprises development partners, expert partners and labour market administration organisations.
IFOA (IT)