Norway in 2011: In a survey recently conducted by Vox (the Norwegian Agency for Lifelong Learning) 22 % stated clearly and distinctly that they needed career guidance. We also know that one in three young people in Norway who commence upper secondary education do not complete their course within 5 years. They drop out. At the same time work patterns are changing. We no longer train once and stay in the same job for 40 years. The workforce is much more dynamic. We have to learn, up-date our skills and change direction all through our lives. The need for career guidance would appear obvious.

Today Spain is facing one of its toughest challenges in recent history, the fight against unemployment, which is not just high (20.7% in March, the highest in the OECD, which averages 8%), but also truly complex in terms of its characteristics. The causes of such high unemployment and the difficulties in reducing it in an acceptable period of time are truly difficult to pinpoint. This is because, among other things, many of these causes are not solely related to the crisis, rather they relate to endemic issues for which there are no quick fixes.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, 1 to 249 jobs) represent 99.6% of the companies in Switzerland and provide 2.327 million jobs (66.6%). Micro-enterprises (up to 9 jobs) and small enterprises (10 to 49 jobs) provide 1.629 million jobs (46.7%)¹. What relationship do they have with continuing education? What are their expectations and requirements?

The interest and impact of digital learning is on the increase. The programme 'Taalklas.nl' from the Stichting Expertisecentrum ETV.nl (Educational Television Foundation) alone already has over 2 million accounts, in addition to the approximately 130,000 registered users of the 'Lees en Schrijf!' programme. A considerable number of these users are low-educated learners. They try to improve their basic skills via digital learning so they can improve their place in society or even move on to a training course or (other) work. Training materials for digital learning have also been developed in other countries such as Ireland or the United Kingdom and in the United States and Canada as well. Research in Ireland and the Netherlands shows that digital learning can be successful. But the big question is, what is it exactly that determines success?

This is why Artéduc has conducted a scientific study, commissioned by the Stichting Expertisecentrum ETV.nl, (Expertise Foundation) on the success factors for supporting digital learning.

Advice as a means of support for adult education has become a more important mediation tool between the concerns of the person wanting the advice and the requirements of the labour and education market in the context of lifelong learning in Germany.

Professional integration and social participation depend on educational opportunities. Good educational guidance can add valuable support here. Educational guidance in Germany has just begun to come into fashion. A glance at the current situation.

As increasing participation in adult learning is high on the modernising agenda in all countries, the importance of adequate guidance in motivating adults to participate in and to stay in learning has been underlined in European and national policies. Lifelong guidance services, including outreach activities, are particularly central to increasing participation in adult learning, especially for adults who have low levels of education and training.

Research on user involvement in guidance is very scarce, if existing at all. The presented evaluative research, titled "Voice of users – promoting quality of guidance for adults in the Nordic countries", examines both the value of adult guidance to its users and their involvement in developing and organising guidance services in adult education.

Non-formal adult education in Denmark has a strong focus on the learning environment. This also has a positive effect regarding the field of guidance. Education and guidance are closely interrelated and the whole life situation of the participant is taken into consideration.

The Grandparents & Grandchildren initiative is about adult digital literacy improvement: it is aimed to promote and facilitate digital active citizenship of elderly people. Main aim is to foster a process of local stakeholders involvement in supporting low cost training initiatives aimed to allow elderly people to gain full citizenship in the digit society.