Career guidance in Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Centre
Karin Olševski
Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Centre
• Established in 1995 and operates under the administration of the Ministry of Social Affairs
• Main function of the Centre is to provide professional training and adjustment courses along with various rehabilitation activities to persons with special needs
• The main goal is to contribute to the social coping of people with special needs and to support their transfer to the labour market
Structure
The Centre is divided into 7 units:• Vocational training department• Rehabilitation department• Employment unit• Sheltered workshops • The centre of disability related information and assistive
technology• Development unit• Administrative department
Vocational training department
• Academic year of 2009/2010-117 trainees in 17 study groups. Each group has 6-8 trainees.
• Adjustment courses, rehabilitation course, professional training courses and vocational training courses.
Employment Unit
• Was created in 2002. • 3 employment specialists and 1 employment
specialist-psychologist.• Main activities:
– Preparing students for labour market (career guidance and company visits)
– Support in finding work practice places and jobs (supported employment method)
– Cooperation with Estonian Unemployment Incurance Fund; projects; statistics regarding employment of AVRC graduates.
Career Guidance
• Purpose of the lessons:– Support in making a suitable career choice– Preaparing students for employment (open labour market,
sheltered work, day centre)
• Number of lessons:– Adjustment courses and professional training courses-16
lessons in academic year– Vocational rehabilitation courses and rehabilitation courses- 6
lessons in academic year– Company visits- for all courses (exept rehabilitation course) 4
visits in academic year
Career guidance for adjustment courses
• Self recognition related to career planning• Introduction and analysis of different
vocations/occupations (working time, tasks, necessary skills, salary etc).
• Schools and specialities for people with special needs• Terms associated with employment • Different want ads• CV composing• Company visits
Career guidance for professional and vocational training courses
• Working in chosen speciality (conditions at work place, working hours, assignments, necessary skills, work positsions, salary etc)
• Employment oppurtunities near home• Want ads• Terms associated with employment• Company visits• Alternatives
Career guidance for professional and vocational training courses
• Job searching• CV, application, motivational letter• Job interview- video training• Employment contract• Behaviour at work place and during work
practice• Sick leave benefit• Services offered by the Estonian
Unemployment Inscurance Fund
Materials/methods
• Job description DVDs• Animated cartoons (behaviour at workplace and job
safety)• Other materials/worksheets- websites related to career
planning; issued by Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund; combined by employment specialists.
• Video training• Games, role plays• Practical assignments
Company visits
• Purpose- to see real work enviroment• Overview of the different companies in the area • Overview of the positions within the companies• Contact with employers (future work practice
places and jobs)
Work practice
• Support in finding a suitable work practice place in cooperation with vocational teachers and students network member
• Take into account students abilities, preferences, previous work practice experiences
• Supprot during work practice to the student and also the employer
• Summary and analysis
Thank you!
Contact:Karin Olševski
AVRCHead of the Employment Unit
Phone: +372 6877 219
E-mail: [email protected]