CBS RIGA 2022 Workshop Annotations, Presentations, Articles

1. Workshop No1 (Austria)

Time: November 8 (11:30-13:00)

Career Guidance moving towards the new normal by developing effective strategies of orientation, decision-making and coping

Workshop Leader: Margit Pichler

Margit Pichler works at the University of Teacher Education, Lower Austria in the Centre for Vocational Education and focuses her work on career education and guidance research. The University is known for high quality of teaching Career Education and Guidance research. Her main achievements are in the area of international cooperation work in Career Education and Guidance. She is an expert in the national strategy for Career Education and Guidance of the Ministry of Education. She is a lecturer and keynote-speaker in Career Development and Career Management Skills at a national and international level.

Workshop Description: 

In terms of uncertainty career counselors have to search for new opportunities about how career guidance can be carried out. The change in economic structure triggered by advancing digitalization, crises and changes in the organisation of work, increase the demands on career management skills, such as resilience and career adaptability. Orientation, decision-making and coping issues have become a central theme of our contemporary society. Therefore, more support is needed to prepare young people in a proper way for the future of work. Different strategies of coping, orientation and decision-making may help young people to deal with these unknowns, this unpredictability and maintain their resources and strengthen their resilience in context of uncertainty.

Workshop presentation (pdf)

Menti survey results screenshot (png)

Article on workshop (pdf)

2. Workshop No 2 and 14 (Croatia)

November 8 (11:30-13:00) and November 9 (11:00-12:30)

“Be your own Super Hero”

Workshop Leader: Tihana Hrkač 

Tihana Hrkač is a psychologist, and has been working as a senior expert advisor at the Croatian Employment Service (CES), in Vocational Guidance and Education Division, since 2015. She gained previous work experience as a school psychologist and counsellor in high school, and as psychologist at the Centre for social welfare. This overall work experience enabled her to work with different groups of clients (elementary and high school pupils, students, parents, unemployed, employers, persons with disabilities…).  Working with them, she improved her counseling and communication skills, her open-minded way of thinking and problem-solving methods. She has experience in conducting workshops, vocational informing and counselling (group and individual), professional selection (direct employment), professional selection (labour market oriented trainings), and experience in conducting and implementing Active Labour Market Policy measures.

Workshop Description: 

The last two years have been very challenging for all of us, both professionally and personally. We were all facing big changes and adjustments that we had to deal with. The majority of them were related to workplace adaptations (e.g. working from home due to COVID-19 measures), while others were related to our personal adaptations and ways of dealing with stressful and challenging situations. 

One of the goals of this workshop is to provide an overview of the activities and challenges that we have carried out at the CES with our users in the last two years. 

The goal of the second part of the workshop will be more personalized and intended for all of us, regardless of the workplace or institution we come from. In the second part of the workshop, through interactive discussion and work in small groups, we will discuss our own ways of dealing with the entire situation we have encountered. The emphasis is on the experience exchanging, getting new ideas, but also personal empowerment for all that the future holds for us.

Workshop presentation (pdf)

3. Workshop No 3 and 10 (Germany)

Time: November 8 (11:30-13:00) and November 9 (9:00-10:30)

""Good vibes only!"

How to increase mental resilience at work and in your private life!"

Workshop Leader: Tanja Kraft 

Tanja Kraft - Study of pedagogy and major in adults education at Cologne University, further study of personnel development at Kaiserslautern University, Work experience as trainer for professional application, Career counsellor for young adults and students at the “Employment Agency Cologne” since 2000, Experiences in meditation und mindfulness training.

Workshop Description: 

In difficult times we need a strong psyche and resilience to deal well with stressful circumstances. Supporting our customers and advising them requires also taking good care of ourselves and questioning our own handling of stress. But what does mental resilience actually mean? And how can we train them? In this workshop we will discuss our experiences and try practical exercises in mindfulness, mind control and breathing.

Article on Workshop (pdf)
Workshop presentation (pdf)
Video material (mp4)

4. Workshop No 4 and 15 (Serbia)

Time: November 8 (11:30-13:00) and November 9 (11:00-12:30)

"My Ideal Job"

Workshop Leader: Marko Glišić 

Marko Glišić - Youth Counsellor with 18 years of experience with a demonstrated history of working in the civil & social organization industry, Facilitating Workshops for Young people, Training, Coaching, Education, Psychosocial support, Counselling, Public Speaking about the needs of young people at risk. Strong community, youth work and social services professional background, finished master studies of social work and master studies of philosophy. Since 2017 I have been providing support through career guidance and counselling in the Center Strong Youngsters, SOS Children Village’s Serbia in Belgrade to young people from alternative care and other young people from vulnerable social groups.

Workshop Description: 

The Aim of the Workshop: Realize the wealth of attributes you possess which can assist you in defining your own future. Gain self-awareness about our own habits and tendencies. To reflect on our dominant personality traits can help bring focus to our search for a job and new occupation. In order to find and keep a job that we like, it is very important to grow personally, as well as to be able to respond to the requirements set by employers. Some qualities are very important for all kinds of jobs and all employers expect us to possess them. Some jobs require special, additional knowledge and skills that we must possess and constantly improve. Create an advantage by using this in future for combining personal interests with the future profession. Description: The facilitator divides the participants into pairs. The task is to introduce themselves to each other by saying their name, occupation, hobby and ideal job. Then they present their pair in the plenum. The facilitator writes down on the Flip chart the occupations of the participants. Next, we talk about what skills are needed for these jobs. It is written on the Flip chart and “7 Magnificent skills” are presented. Energizer. Then the participants are divided into groups where they discuss how they can turn their interests and hobbies into their future job and what skills are needed and how would they succeed in that. In the plenum, ideal jobs for every person and the skills needed for those jobs are written down. During the discussion it is considered whether there are common/basic skills necessary for any job that every employer is looking for. At the end is integration.

Arcticle on workshop (pdf)

5. Workshop No 5 (Slovenia)

Time: November 8 (14:30-16:00)

"Managing career uncertainty and career transitions with Time perspective questionnaire"

Workshop Leaders: Julija Pirnat and Daša Babič 

Julija Pirnat MSc is a psychologist with Master of Science degree in Human resource management. She is working at Employment Service of Slovenia, where she has diverse work experience in the field of career guidance - she provides career counselling individually and in groups. She has several years of experience in the field of education, participates in the coordination and implementation of the Modular Training for Career Counsellors, and has obtained a certificate as an education trainer and coach. Currently, she is a project manager of National coordinating point for lifelong career guidance and career development. As part of the project, she participates in the planning, development and implementation of training in the field of Lifelong Career guidance and in the development of guidance tools. She is cooperating in the development of lifelong guidance as a member of National expert group for lifelong guidance and thereby contributing to greater competence of institutions operating in this field, which increases the accessibility of lifelong guidance services for individuals.

Daša Babič MSc is a psychologist. She has been working as a career counsellor for the past 14 years at Employment Service of Slovenia. As a career counsellor, she has been working with unemployed people and youth, individually and in groups. She has been coordinating work in Career centre in Maribor and work of in-depth counselling. For several years, she participated in the Educational Center project at the Employment Service of Slovenia, where she worked in the field of developing educational workshops for employees, implemented them and she has been also delivering trainings. Currently, she is content expert in a project National coordinating point for lifelong career guidance and career development, where she is organizing and delivering trainings for career counsellors, she is participating domestic and international conferences and seminars for dissemination good practices in a field of career guidance. She is working on developing career guidance tools and accessories for youngsters and unemployed.

Workshop Description: 

Individuals making career decisions are more than ever facing uncertainties, especially in career transitions. The client's perception of time (past, present and future) affects his/her thoughts, feelings and actions. The Time Perspective Questionnaire (P. Zimbardo) is a tool that helps us recognize that an individual has difficulty planning and implementing a career plan if he feels that he has no real influence on his life and future, or if the future seems uncertain and he is afraid of the future. How can improve our or someone else's time perspective if it is not optimal? We’ll present Time perspective theory, The Time Perspective Questionnaire, examples of clients results and some exercises and hints that can help you with reshaping time perspective that may not serve your clients best. Steps and activities to improve time perspective – working in small groups.

Workshop presentation (pdf)

Article on workshop (pdf)

6. Workshop No 6 and 11 (Portugal)

Time: November 8 (14:30-16:00) and November 9 (9:00-10:30)

"New locals - Creating a new life plans"

Workshop Leader: Filipa Batista

Filipa Batista - Coordinator of the Fundão Center for Migration and the Office for Cultural Inclusion and Diversity (CIG), born in Fundão.

Leader of a multidisciplinary team from the GID (Office for Inclusion and Cultural Diversity), made up of psychologists, social workers, sociocultural animators, translators and intercultural mediators, jurists and specialized technicians. Filipa Batista has a degree in International Relations from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra.

Workshop Description: 

The experience of the city of Fundão in welcoming and integrating migrants and refugees and in creating their new life plans.

Creation of a Training Center for Third-Country Nationals, through the Fundão ACOLHE Project, training new locations to reinforce the supply of qualified labour, essential for the business fabric of an entire region.

The work carried out, namely during the initial period of 18 to 24 months after arrival in Portugal and in the period of independence and empowerment, aims to actively promote the inclusion of these minorities, aiming to ensure the enjoyment of the rights and duties that are consecrated to nationals. For this, a strategy is outlined that, based on the participation of migrants and local institutions, leads to the implementation of a set capable of promoting reception and the construction of a life plan that allows the most adequate insertion of these citizens.

Workshop presentation (pdf)

7. Workshop No 7 and 12 (Latvia)

Time: November 8 (14:30-16:00) and November 9 (9:00-10:30)

"Let’s play! Metaphorical cards as a tool of resource exploration"

Workshop Leader: Viktorija Gaina

Psychologist at Riga Technical university, lecturer and author of metaphorical cards set “Shadows”

Workshop Description: 

Endorsing the process of imagination, it is possible to find proper symbol to describe pain as well as access to deeply hidden resources.

During the workshop participants will work with metaphorical cards in small groups, exploring both disturbing topics and supporting points.

Presentation about metaphorical cards (pdf)

8. Workshop No 8 and 16 (Czechia)

Time: November 8 (14:30-16:00) and November 9 (11:00-12:30)

"Creation of Career Guidance System at Schools"

Workshop Leaders: Pavla Frňková and Veronika Kirchnerová

Mgr. Pavla Frňková works as a career advisor, lecturer, supervisor, coach and consultant for schools and teachers. 

Mgr.et Mgr. Veronika Kirchnerová PhD. works as a school psychologist, lecturer and educational specialist. 

Workshop Description: 

We will show five steps that a school can go through if it wants to set up a functional and effective career guidance system. We'll describe the different ways we're helping schools and educators implement this change. We will also give the participants some of the worksheets that we offer to schools, which the participants will be able to use to reflect on the Cross-Border workshops.

Workshop presentation (pdf)
Article on workshop (pdf)

9. Workshop No 9 and 13 (Slovakia)

Time: November 9 (9:00-10:30) and (11:00-12:30)

"Hiring and retention of people with disabilities in a competitive workplace-setting"

Workshop Leader: Anna Podlesná 

Anna Podlesná is Corporate Social Responsibility manager at Profesia Company. She focuses on under-represented groups on the labor market. Anna initiated Help from the Heart program which includes a wide network of partners from the public and nonprofit sectors in Slovakia. Anna received a scholarship from the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program and was a visiting scholar at Michigan State University in 2021/2022, studying the most recent trends in employment of neurodivergent people, vocational rehabilitation and counseling and job couching. In 2019, her employer Profesia received the CSR Award Via Bona Slovakia for achievements in employment of people with special needs. In 2021, Euroguidance recognized Profesia with a National Career Award related to activities supporting employment of people with special needs.

Workshop Description: 

Participants of this workshop will learn more about current trends in employment of people with disabilities in a competitive workplace setting – in Slovakia and globally. Activities of the workshop will cover the best practices in preparation of job seekers with disabilities, data from labor market and practical resources in adjustments of the workplace reflecting individual needs.

Workshop presentation (pdf)

Profesia lab (pdf)

Article on workshop summary (pdf)