School guidance in Spain

The next activity it is focus in the spanish context. We had study in general terms what school guidance and conselling mean. Now we will be focus on:

1. Spain: Guidance and Counselling in Early Childhood

2. Spain: Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education

3. Spain: Guidance and Counselling in a Lifelong Learning Approach

4. Spain: Support Measures for Learners in Adult Education and Training

It was done using  a collaborative  methodology: the Group of expert ( explain in the methodology category)

 As  we had to choose  within one of the  options, I worked on : Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education.

 The activity finised with a questioner about all the content, It was quite a disaster in my case, even though  it was a correct way to finish the activity and to evaluate the knowledge.

Here I expose a brief summery of our part:

 In order to have a better conception of what Spanish guidance and counseling in high education is referring to, we are going to focus on the following issues:

-          -Who receive school guidance and counseling.

-         - Specific measures provided.

         Financial aids for students.

         Organizational options and alternative structures.

         Specific measures for disabled students.

         Specific programs for victims of terrorism and victims of gender-based violence.

-          -Measures promoted by the statute of the university student.

-           -Measures promoted by the Spanish Ministry of education.

-           -Measures promoted by the Spanish Public Employment Service.

School guidance and counseling is directed to a specific target group which includes: Students with needs related to disability, highly gifted students, and economically disadvantaged students. Besides, special attention is paid to:  people with family responsibilities, victims of gender-based violence and victims of terrorism.

In order to guarantee that nobody is excluded from university because of economic reasons, some basics grants, aids and credits are provided. It includes: general grants and aids (Its awarding depending on the state and the Autonomous Communities). Special grants and aids (for specific academic achievement), graduation project grants (expenditure on academic material), grants for students with specific needs (to pay the needed activities in order to improve some kind of disability).

It is also proposed the existence of  other basic structures apart from the assistance way of learning such as:  Distance learning at university, UNED (related with degrees), and the Center for innovation and development of distance education, CIDEAD, (linked with a training education).

For disabled students, apart from financial aids, universities carry out adaptations to access their curriculum, studies or installations and buildings. Its aim is to guarantee their access, entry, stay and exercise of academic degrees. Furthermore, for students who are victims of terrorism universities carry out personalized aid.

Besides of what it has been said, the Statute of the university student takes into account some ways for providing guidance and attention comprehensive activities for university students. For instance: tutorial systems (incorporating information, guidance and training support actions for students), tutorship (guidance and cross curricular monitoring on their degree) or units for attention to students (They provide psychological and health guidance).

The Ministry of Education is also interested in giving some basic tasks to ensure school guidance and counseling. Most of them are focused on academic issues like: flexibility to work and study, action plans for student’s participation in university life, aids to make easier the transition between pre-university levels and university environments…

Finally, Spanish Public Employment Service will help students at the end of their degrees in order to find and job by informing them about the existing training and professional choices