eGos

[EN] By monitoring the development of the eGos project, private and public bodies will observe, from a close point of view, the evolution of guidance practices. Subscribing the eGos newsletter, they are going to receive periodically information about works in progress and useful documentation (see for example the "Ethical guidelines for e-guidance delivery and usage"  by Mr. Raimo Vuorinen, Institute for Educational Researc, University of Jyväskylä, and Mr. James P. Sampson, Jr., Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä).
 
The project has got several expected results and impacts: to integrate the traditional guidance services with distance ones, in order to reach also those target groups that, for different reasons, have difficult access (or no access at all) to traditional help-desks. To deliver highly customised on users’ needs and sophisticated e-guidance services. To improve and support cross-border mobility for educational and professional reasons. To reduce in a long term administration costs of these services when delivered in a traditional way. To simplify internal administration procedures in a medium and long term. To train guidance practitioners to use ICT-based tools in the delivery of help services to their clients, in view of a future implementation of the service. To train and inform final beneficiaries on the use and benefits they’ll be able to have in using the eGOS system. To test a prototype that will be commercialised after the project end by the core partners to public but also private services to citizens, not only in the guidance field but also related to other e-government areas (i. e. social, health, transports services, etc.). To raise awareness among decision makers on the benefits of the use of ICT in government services through dissemination activities organised during the whole project length. To contribute, in a long term, to change the mentality of practitioners and convince them on the benefits that the IT can offer, supporting them with training.
 
Decision makers in charge with educational, training and employment policies and guidance practitioners will reach citizens that wouldn’t be able to take benefit from traditional guidance. In a long term, such a service could reduce management costs and procedures (less human resources needed, less clients applying traditional desks, etc.).
 
The eGOS prototype will be jointly used with already existing traditional educational and vocational guidance services. Users who won’t use distance guidance activities will receive help and advice in a traditional way as always. Thus, digital divide won’t be improved: on the contrary, information and training activities for final users will be organised during the project length.