The Department of Education is seeking expressions of interest from Guidance Counsellors who are interested in joining a panel of Guidance Associates for 2022/23 who will deliver the European Schools’ Guidance Support Service to children of Irish citizens attending the European Schools.
The closing date for return of expression of interest forms is 5pm on Wednesday 19th October 2022. Forms may be requested from [email protected]
The Department of Education (DoE) provides funding for access to appropriate guidance for post-primary children of Irish citizens who are enrolled in the European Schools. From 2022 this service will be coordinated by the Department of Education Guidance Unit (part of the Curriculum Assessment and Policy Unit) in co-operation with the Inspectorate and is delivered by qualified guidance counsellors.
A number of part-time Guidance Associate (European Schools) panel positions for the school year 2022/23 are available.
The Department of Education is forming a panel and seeking expressions of interest from currently serving qualified guidance counsellors.
A Guidance Associate (European Schools) is a registered post-primary teacher/ guidance counsellor who has maintained his/ her registration with the Teaching Council, who is then engaged to work in a part-time capacity after school hours with the DoE European Schools’ Guidance Support Service.
Any person who has previously worked with the NCGE on the European Schools guidance support services, over the past 5 years approximately, is eligible to be considered as a Guidance Associate.
Associates may work for a maximum of 20 days or 40 units. Any payment for hours worked up to 3.5 hours per day is considered as one half day or one unit. Any payment for hours worked from 3.5 hours to a maximum of 5 hours is considered one day or 2 units.
You may only work as a Guidance Associate if you are actively teaching, hold an active recognised part or full time school guidance role, or are on a career break.
You may not work as an Associate if you do not hold an active Teaching Council Number (TCN) and recognised school role or if you are on any leave paid or unpaid where you have declared yourself unavailable to work in your school - except career’s leave to a maximum of 15 hours per week, or if you hold a substitute only role.
Guidance Associates will provide professional guidance services and support to Irish students in post-primary European Schools’ and to their parents. The European Schools are official educational establishments controlled jointly by the governments of the Member States of the European Union.There are currently 13 European Schools.
Students have access to the local careers teacher/ advisor and guidance programme in their school. The DoE Guidance Support Service provides additional guidance support to allow students to explore their post-school options here in Ireland, should students wish to return to study or engage in training after completion of S7. The Guidance Associates providing this service are expected to be familiar with the full range of education and training options here in Ireland.
The European Schools Guidance Support Service is provided as individual appointments to S6 and S7 (similar to 5th and 6th years) and a number of group sessions will be provided to younger students in small groups. The individual appointments and group sessions will be provided online and take place after school hours, usually on Mondays to Thursdays over the months late October 2022 to January 2023.
Guidance Associates commit to being available for a maximum of up to 20 days or 40 units over these months. The number of times you may be called upon depends on your availability and the demand for the service. Guidance Associates indicate their potential availability and appointments are scheduled to suit all parties.Guidance Associates are drawn down from the panel as per the needs of the DoE European Schools’ Guidance Support Service.
Remuneration for the service will be through the ALFA system. In advance of providing the service to students, training and support will be organised by the DoE Guidance Unit.
How to register your interest in the Guidance Associate role
Expression of interest forms are available from [email protected]
If you are interested in applying to be considered to join this panel of Guidance Associates send an email to the Guidance Unit of the DoE with Guidance Associate European Schools in the subject line requesting a form.
For more information about the European Schools and the Guidance Support Service see attached guide for prospective Guidance Associates.
For more information and to read more about the European Schools service, please see: gov.ie - Guidance Counselling in Schools (www.gov.ie)
Click on the link below to download PDF:
European Schools’ Guidance Support Service A Guide for Prospective Guidance Associates