What is the IAEVG - AIOSP?IAEVG-AIOSP is an international non-profit making body that represents individuals and
national and regional associations and institutions concerned with educational and
vocational guidance. It was founded in Paris in 1951 and its vision is to maximise the world's potential through guidance. 62 years later, its membership has increased substantially in number and geographical representativity, and more services are offered to the guidance community. It is the only world-wide association for educational and vocational guidance practitioners and career practitioner associations.
How many members belong to the association? What is their profile? What countries do they come from?
The association has over 20,000 members, the majority of whom are association members, that is, their membership is by virtue of their national association being members of IAEVG-AIOSP. Members are from 42 countries across all continents. The majority of these members are career guidance practitioners, but there is also a strong representation from academics, researchers and to a lesser extent policy bodies.
What advantages motivate members to join IAEVG?
These are many and various. Being an international association, with great leadership in the field, it provides a unique opportunity to be aware of what is going on in educational and career guidance and counselling around the world. The major advantages reported by our members are access to regular newsletters and the professional journal, attendance at IAEVG conferences at discounted rates and networking with colleagues in similar roles around the world. Specific documents and guidelines such as the Ethical Standards, which are now being updated, and the International Competencies for Educational and Vocational Guidance Practitioners, which has led to the EVGP credential, are a reference for practitioners and academics, and used widely in the training of future professionals. Furthermore, some special interest groups are being created within IAEVG, thus allowing members with common interests to work collaborativelly in different projects.
Recently, the members have participated in a survey to evaluate the association. Could you share the conclusions with us?
We are currently analyzing the findings and will discuss them at our Board meeting that will take place in Montpellier immediately prior to the IAEVG-AIOSP conference. Preliminary analysis suggests that members value the newsletter, conferences and journal (as reported above). They want some changes made to conferences to make them more relevant and more accessible, the website to be upgraded and greater networking opportunities.
The annual conference is held this year in Montpellier, under the theme "Career's Guidance: a human or a citizen's right?" What is the purpose of the meeting?
As for all conferences, the Montpellier conference is an opportunity for career guidance professionals to gather and discuss the major issues facing our industry. It also gives the opportunity for our members to meet face to face. This is the second year that we have had our international conference in Europe and next year we will meet in Canada, then in 2015 in Japan. The conference focuses on a current and critical issue: How can we build an equitable human society? Drawing from the myth "Scylla – a totalitarianism that negates individuality – and Charybdis – a radical liberal society where everyone is bent on preserving his private rights" the organisers of the conference pose the following question: "How can career counselling contribute to the construction of citizens who conceive their own human development as related to others' developments and the common good? Which public policies might be implemented for that purpose". The key-note speeches, round tables, symposia, papers and posters will address these issues from different perspectives, and it promises to be an insightful and exciting conference!
How can guidance promote the education of citizens that keep their personal development in mind and, at the same time, their influence on society?
I think that these two concepts are complementary rather than in conflict. We need to provide excellent information to citizens about world of work opportunities and labour market forecasts, along with helping them to recognize their strengths and passions and ways of pursuing these. Workforce engineering has been tried in the past and failed and I have no reason to think it will succeed again in the future.
Is this a utopian goal considering that many countries do not even work on professional and career guidance in an organized and structured manner, much less over a lifetime? Are there good practices currently in a certain country that can serve as references?
I think that all goals that are worth pursuing have a degree of utopia about them. That doesn't make them impossible. Career guidance is a relatively new profession in developed countries yet it has made huge strides in a short time. Many developing countries are now realizing that it is a key to their future economic and social development. South Africa and India are good examples here, and there is also much activity in the Middle East around setting up career guidance structures.
What importance and role does the public administration have in career development? Do we need more involvement from them? What policies should be prioritized?
I think that public administration has a critical role to play in this area. Government must set direction and help establish basic functionality and ensure that standards are adhered to in where career guidance is provided by public institutions.
And in this context, what challenges are faced by guidance practitioners to give responsible guidance?
Practitioners must always be aware of the wider context. At the same time as exploring client interests and abilities they must also help the client to understand the wider world of work and the opportunities that exist within it. They must help clients to consider a range of options, rather than staying exclusively with what the client may have in mind. They must maintain their own professional competence through ongoing training and adherence to codes of practice of relevant associations.
Could you please give us three reasons to attend the conference in Montpellier?
(a) To join up with colleagues from around the world who share a common interest.
(b) To hear some of the world's leaders in this field and discuss the questions raised.
(c) To experience one of the most beautiful cities in Europe in the late summer.
