Development of integrated e-informing and counselling support to job seekers Project aims at developing a user friendly internet application by which the Employment Service of Slovenia will provide self-service vocational orientation and counselling services to the unemployed and other job seekers in searching for employment, supported by an e-advisor.

Development of integrated e-informing and counselling support to job seekers (e-counselling) Project is being implemented within "Modernisation of Public Employment Services 2006" programme by which the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities at the European Commission is encouraging the development of public employment services of the liaison member states. In addition to the Employment Service Slovenia, the framework partner, also Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding (VDAB) and Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich (AMS) participate in this international Project.

E-counselling Project is being implemented in the period from January 2006 to November 2008, and its total value is EUR 399,819.00.

Prime E-counselling Project objectives are as follows:

• to provide electronically supported counselling to the unemployed and others when making decisions about their career path and job search activities;

• to provide personal electronically supported counselling to the unemployed and other job seekers aiming at identifying an individual's needs;

• to ensure a comprehensive system of careers advice service and counselling for employment for faster employment, available on the internet.

All the e-services, developed within the Project, will be supported by promotional material and activities as well as training for using them.

By developing an integrated system of e-informing and counselling for job seekers the Employment Service continues the implementation of the strategy of multi-channel operation, according to which the services to the customers such as unemployed persons, employers and others, may access the services in different ways, such as personal contact in business premises, by telephone and on the internet.

E-counselling system is aimed at all unemployed persons and job seekers, however, it will undoubtedly be used mainly by younger unemployed persons and other job seekers, who are more experienced in using e-services on the internet.

Integrated e-counselling system will facilitate easier and faster access to information, such as information on job vacancies, the position of individual occupations on labour market in Slovenia and in the European Union, as well as more rapid access to counselling tools for the identification of occupational interests and for setting occupational and employment objectives.

For further information about E – counselling Project contact the Head of the Project Dorotea Verša, MA, Tel.: ++386 1 479 09 45 or e-mail dorotea.versa@ess.gov.si