Active ageing in Portugal:
validation, guidance and the life course
Cristina Milagre
ANQEP, IP – National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training – Portugal
Thessaloniki, 10 December 2012
(Extended) Youth
Adult/Worker
Third Age
Fourth Age Proposed model
(Schuller and Watson 2009, quoted by S. McNair 2011)
25 years old
50 years old
75 years old
Youth
Adult/Worker
Third Age
20 years old
65 years old Current model
LIFE COURSE
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in Portugal
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in Portugal
o Portugal ‐ Low‐skilled active population
o Need strong education, training, and employment policies
o The National Qualifications System (2007) ‐ structures, instruments and quality mechanisms
o It aims at
o Promoting diversified training provisions in the context of lifelong learning as the source of qualifications that are grounded upon competences;
o Developing the necessary skills to foster personal growth, social cohesion, and informed citizenship;
o Reinforcing and consolidating the Recognition, Validation and Certification pathway
Adult/Worker
o Recognition, Validation and Certification
o Low qualifications do not imply a lack of competences
o Adults have acquired knowledge and skills in formal, non‐formal and informal contexts, which can be validated and certified,
o Adults who are at least 23 years old
Adult/Worker
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in Portugal
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in
Portugal
RVCC RVCC
Competences assessment
‐ Interpretation of the standards
‐ Generate evidences from life experience (methodology of “bilan de compétences”)
‐ Learning Reflexive Portfolio’s design
‐ Individual and group sessions
RECOGNITION
Competences/portfolio validation
‐ Portfolio self‐assessment
‐ Portfolio hetero‐assessment by the RVC team
Competences certification
The adult is presented before a certification jury
VALIDATION
CERTIFICATION
Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences
RVCC RVCC
Local Centres
Other training or education supplies
Certification Certification
Partial certification Enrolment in external providers
Enrolment in external providers
Attending and Enrolment Diagnosis
Personal guidance
Recognition and validation of competences
Certification
Personal
Development Plan
o From New Opportunities Centers (CNO to Centers for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (CQE)
o Integrating the qualification process in an individual project ‐ career management, qualification and participation in the community;
o Guidance towards both individual and labour market demands;
o RVC as certification, but also as a stage in a qualification pathway o To highlight the strategic complementarity of guidance and
recognition methods
Adult/Worker
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in Portugal
Validation of prior learning and guidance of adults in
Portugal
Active ageing Active ageing
o Portugal is re‐defining active ageing policies ‐ 2012 European Year o European Strategy for Adult Education (2012‐2014)
o Active ageing as one of our national strategic priorities
Third Age
o Validation of prior learning and valuing experience of ageing workers
o Enables recognition and certification of skills and competences acquired in (a long) life experience
o Higher level of formal qualification
o Levels skills and competences with the national qualification standards and the demands of the labour market.
o Reinforces basic competences, especially literacy skills (reading, writing, communication), digital literacy and information technology skills, learning how to learn, and reflexive competences (Valente et al. 2009);
o Bases adults’ decision (on training and employment options) upon ones competences, motivation and expectations
o Increases adults’ motivation to participate in lifelong learning activities, and to define professional, qualification and life projects
o Reinforces social recognition, personal awareness, self‐confidence (Lopes et al. 2009) o Reinforces integration in new social networks, intergenerational communication, and
prevents isolation
Third Age
Active ageing
Active ageing
o Adult Guidance
o Adult Education and Training courses and Modular courses o Basic Competences Training Program
o Portuguese for Foreigners Program
Third Age
Active ageing
Active ageing
Figure 1 – Enrolments in New Opportunities Centres since 2007 by age group (%)
Third Age
Active ageing Active ageing
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
65 + 55 ‐ 64 45 ‐ 54 35 ‐ 44 25 ‐ 34 18 ‐ 24
Source: SIGO online database, provisional data updated on 30 April 2012
Third Age
Active ageing Active ageing
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
65 + 55 ‐ 64 45 ‐ 54 35 ‐ 44 25 ‐ 34 18 ‐ 24
Figure 2 – Enrolments in Adult Education and Training courses since 2007 by age group (%)
Source: SIGO online database, provisional data updated on 30 April 2012
Third Age
Active ageing Active ageing
Figure 3 – Enrolments in Basic Competences Training Program since 2010 by age group (%)
2010 2011 2012
65 + 55 ‐ 64 45 ‐ 54 35 ‐ 44 25 ‐ 34 18 ‐ 24
Source: SIGO online database, provisional data updated on 30 April 2012
Third Age
Active ageing Active ageing
Figure 4 – Enrolments in Portuguese for Foreigners Program since 2010 by age group (%)
2010 2011 2012
65 + 55 ‐ 64 45 ‐ 54 35 ‐ 44 25 ‐ 34 18 ‐ 24
Source: SIGO online database, provisional data updated on 30 April 2012
Constraints and challenges Constraints and challenges
– Limited financial provision
– Youth vocational training as the priority
– Age‐limit of 65 years for the beneficiaries of measures cofinanced by European programmes
– National Qualification System offers a variety of qualification structures, models and schemes that are fully adequate to older workers
– National adult guidance system
Thank you.
www.anqep.gov.pt
cristina.milagre@anqep.gov.pt
References References
o ANQ, National Agency for Qualification (2011). Sistema Nacional de Orientação ao Longo da Vida. Referencial de Competências de Orientação. Documento de trabalho [policopiado].
o Eurostat (2010). Key figures on Europe (2010 edition). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union (Eurostat pocketbooks).
o Ford, G. (2007). Introduction to the third age guidance pilots. In P. Clayton et al. (Ed.) Guidance for Life: Working and Learning in the Third Age. Milan: Franco Angeli.
o INE (2009). Aprendizagem ao longo da vida inquérito à educação e formação de adultos 2007 [Lifelong learning: adult education and training query]. Lisbon: Statistics Portugal.
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Gondomar: Escola Secundária / ANQ, IP.
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ANQ, National Agency for Qualification.