37Participants on this exchange receive funding as a contribution towards their travel and subsistence costs as part of the LLP Leonardo da Vinci Mobility Programme. When re-telling their experience to NCGE who co-ordinate the exchange for Irish guidance counsellors, the enthusiasm and praise for the experience on a personal level is reflected in anecdotal evidence of some of the friendships made, the graciousness of those hosting the group or some of the activities embarked upon. Here we feature two experiences of an Academia day.Academia - European Exchange of Guidance Counsellors is a long-running exchange programme enabling guidance counsellors to share work practices, innovative ideas and direct experience of guidance systems in other European countries. Each country has a unique aspect on the training, delivery and practice of guidance and counselling in schools and in other education settings. Selected Irish guidance practitioners join a group of European colleagues for a week long guidance study visit. NCGE NEWS Winter 2011GeneralJust another Academia day

38Aisling Roche - Tuesday My Academia visit took place in April 2011 in the city of Tallinn in Estonia. The title of this Academia programme was 'Networking with Partners in Guidance' The purpose of the programme was to learn about the advantages of networking, how networking is conducted in other countries and the different types of networks that are utilised by the guidance professionals in Estonia and other European countries. On the second day of the study visit the group travelled to the centre of Estonia to a place called Turi, where we had the pleasure of visiting a Gymnasium (secondary school). We received a warm welcome from the Principal of the school and were shown around by the Careers Co-ordinator. This visit gave me a great insight into the implementation of career guidance in secondary education in Estonia. I learned that all schools must implement 'Professional Career and its Development' as a compulsory cross-curricular theme since 2004. Usually an individual staff member takes on the responsibility of co-ordinating the career management activities within the school. The Careers Co-ordinator is then responsible for liaising with regional information and counselling centres and class teachers, supporting subject teachers in implementing the cross-curricular theme, organising of study visits to employers and the delivery of the designated careers lessons. The careers lessons are provided as an elective course for students in their last years of either basic school or secondary school. In the Turi Gymnasium the Careers Co-ordinator was responsible for all these activities along with organising visits by past-pupils, career information lectures and work shadowing. I found the visit to the gymnasium very interesting and I especially liked the idea that subject teachers have a big role to play in implementing guidance lessons in schools as well as the Careers Co-ordinator. They deliver guidance lessons in their weekly tutorials and bring in their own expertise about their subject areas. The Careers Co-ordinator in the Turi gymnasium highlighted the importance of guidance provision being a 'whole school approach'. Historically, class teachers have been the ones with the main responsibility for their students' future career management skills so it is imperative that they still play a very significant role in the implementation of the guidance programme. GeneralJust another Academia day continuedNCGE NEWS Winter 2011