The DISCO project supports the needs of Guidance Practitioners, such as employment and career counsellors, who face radical challenges and changes to their practice. It will improve their digital competences and support guidance and counselling services providers in planning and implementing the needed digital transformation in Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), as part of a cultural shift in VET, where the digital transformation of the labor market can be fully taken onboard in the daily work of guidance staff.

The specific objectives are: 

• to improve, consolidate and expand the digital competences of IAG practitioners, jobs and careers counsellors, where they can continuously access and benefit from high quality digital e-learning and blended learning resources;
• to support guidance and counselling services providers in planning and implementing the needed digital transformation in IAG to better respond to the changing needs of their clients as well as labor market evolution and societal changes;
• to promote a cultural shift in VET, where the digital transformation of the labor market can be fully taken onboard in the daily work of guidance and counselling staff, particularly for those clients who are facing barriers and have fewer opportunities – allowing a wider and meaningful use of digital resources for staff training, gaining knowledge and relevance on the labo

Its concrete results include:

1. A Methods Concept for practices and experiences in ‚crisis contexts ‘via distance and blended counselling;
2. Learning matrix of competences for career counsellors in distance, blended and online counselling;
3. Modular blended learning program for distance, blended and online guidance and counselling;
4. ‘Train the trainer’ Methods e-Guide.

During its 30-month lifetime, DISCO will directly and indirectly positively impact  at least: 

• • 50 guidance practitioners, job and careers counsellors who will be actively involved in the project
  • 500 guidance clients, who will benefit from the knowledge acquired by their guidance counsellors
  • 5.000 organizations and practitioners will be informed of the project and its results.

DISCO at a glance:

• 1 Methodological Study – a specification report that incorporates theoretical and practical domains, providing the underlying foundations for designing, planning, implementing and reviewing blended guidance and counselling for the target group
• 1 new framework of competences, aligned to EQF (provisionally Level 6) to complement and augment professionally-obtained (in many cases some years previously) professional qualifications and current training on offer for IAG practitioners, job and career counsellors
• 1 Modular Blended Learning Program, including learning modules, leaning materials, and a self-assessment and skills analysis tool
• 1 Methods e-Guide for trainers of guidance practitioners, a facilitators pedagogical guide as a ‘guiding the guiders’ resource
• 1 Transnational Peer Review and development workshop, conducted in person, with at least 14 practitioners
• 6 localized action learning sets in each country involving at least 50 practitioners
• 1 awareness raising campaign through website, social media, printed and electronic material etc.
• 5 National Dissemination events and 1 final International Conference.