Public Employment Services ESF projects on guidance and counselling

In 2019, the project 'Service development of lifelong career guidance' implemented various activities:

1. a video prepared presenting a good example of career development;
2. two manuals for counsellors prepared and published (a questionnaire for decision making style and a questionnaire for problems when deciding for a career for upper secondary students);
3. a set of tests for career decision making for primary schools;
4. a competition, I know, where I am headed to, for primary school students.

In the project 'Performing services for the unemployed, other jobseekers and employers', various activities were implemented:

1. an innovative new service for employers, Inclusive job creation. This provides support to employers, enables them to solve their human resources problems, and, at the same time, enables employment of unemployed persons from vulnerable groups. After the employment, job coaching is offered to the employer and the individuals, enabling faster and easier integration of the newly employed person into the work environment and more permanent employment;
2. the implementation of a new service developed by the project Preparing for an employment interview continued with 461 coaching sessions. The satisfaction of the users with the service is high (98% satisfied);
3. a new screen-sharing service was developed and piloted, enabling the Employment Service of Slovenia to connect more effectively and work with audiences and conceptualise the knowledge base for external users;
4. in multichannel service provision, 12 service providers had 159 992 contacts with users of services: 94 478 calls, 9 462 emails and 56 052 questions asked of IZI (the interactive institute assistant).

In 2019, in the project 'Development of services for workers' transnational mobility facilitation, EURES' advisers made 10 949 individual contacts with clients, conducted 67 EURES seminars for jobseekers (655 participants) at ESS regional offices and 32 presentations of EURES services outside the ESS (674 participants).

The jobseekers' workshop, 'How to write a good international CV' for jobseekers abroad, was organised 21 times in 2019.

The 'What I need to know when going abroad for employment' workshop, was conducted 11 times in 2019.

In 2019, a new workshop was developed, Using the EURES portal and other sources of information for finding a job abroad.

The 2015-22 project 'Strengthening counselling work with young people'

Before the pandemic, the counsellors' main tasks were related to the activation of recipients of social assistance, who tend to perceive themselves trapped in inactivity. The service providers worked even more intensively with this subgroup of young people and encouraged them to find suitable career and consequently life goals. Counsellors provided individual and group counselling, referred them to active employment policy measures, PUMO, to job vacancies. The provision of services was adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, many young people lost their jobs due to the first economic consequences of the epidemic. Newly registered young people expressed high motivation for employment. The counsellors were trained in identifying competences through behavioural interviews and online training for acquiring networking skills. They also conducted approximately 2 170 consultations for young unemployed people.

The 2016-22 project 'Service development of lifelong career guidance'

Preparations started for a website for the presentation of professions as an aid in the career orientation of young people, part of the renewed web portal mojaizbira.si. (mychoice.si). Descriptions of professions adapted for primary school children are being published there. The aim is to increase interest in shortage and lesser-known professions. Over 30 education events for lifelong career guidance were organised. Promotion activities were implemented, including the I know where I am going (Vem kam grem) competition for primary school students.

The 2016-22 project 'Performing services for the unemployed, other jobseekers and employers'

Promotion activities included a webinar Preparation for a job interview (Priprava na zaposlitveni razgovor). Counselling process: on average one employee out of 65 realised 2 014 counselling sessions. In addition, there were 233 208 contacts with users through various communication channels, among which there were 124 182 calls, 34 101 emails and 74 925 questions posed to the interactive institute assistant (IZA). Due to COVID-19, there was an increased number of calls, so an additional phone line was set up.

The 2016-22 project 'Development of services for workers' transnational mobility facilitation, EURES'

In 2020, 6 423 individual contacts, 50 informative EURES group seminars and other forms of group counselling were largely conducted online. Due to the need for online communication with clients during COVID-19, the counsellors developed four online modules for informing and counselling within the EURES services (such as the webinar Return to Slovenia after employment in Europe), which can be applied for via the web.

The 2015-22 project 'Strengthening counselling work with young people'

The year saw a big share of newly registered young people's quick transition into employment. Those young people still registered as unemployed were the ones with troubles and obstacles preventing them from finding employment, most without upper secondary education. In this situation the importance of counselling and specialisation for working with young people is emphasised. The project is in line with the Youth Guarantee. According to analysis of results, Slovenia is very successful in responding to challenges but there are some remaining, including inactivity of NEETs and long-term unemployment of young people. In 2021, 2 199 counselling sessions with young people took place.

The 2016-22 project 'Service development of lifelong career guidance'

The 2021 activities included:

1. materials entitled Descriptions of professions for primary school children;
2. a tool for encouraging discussions with primary school, upper secondary school students and the unemployed: cards and a manual 'Jump';
3. preparation and realisation of the reward game for primary school children, 'I know where I am going';
4. various training exercises for career orientation counsellors: Career orientation for special needs persons; Internet - a career possibility or dangerous opportunity for addiction development; Training on personality disorders.

The 2016-22 project 'Performing services for the unemployed, other jobseekers and employers'

Training and workshops were organised for counsellors working with the unemployed and jobseekers on psychological approaches, communication and digital skills. The counsellors working with the employers received training on working in line with the emergency measures, green economy and the future of work. Through various communication channels 181 797 contacts were made. 107 529 individuals were informed and counselled via telephone and 19 218 via email.

The 2016-22 project 'Development of services for workers' transnational mobility facilitation, EURES'

Due to COVID-19, the work was mainly done online, to that effect extra workshops were prepared for the users: how to use the EURES portal and other sources of information. 16 workshops took place instead of the planned seven. The counsellors had 8 658 contacts with jobseekers, unemployed and employers. A total of 253 participants took part in 23 EURES seminars. There were 24 workshops on How to prepare a good international CV; there were 266 participants.