The slogan could summarize the project main idea: "FROM CAREER GUIDENCE TO SELF-GUIDENCE SKILLS" Context of the project: Nowadays, the youth career guidance format undergoes rapid changes. More and more young people are learning about jobs and how to reach them by the net, asking for advice their peers or some more experienced people via social networks, job portals, discussion forums or other Internet services. Although the traditional methods for career guidance will still be used, traditional face-to-face guidance in youth career centers shifts more and more to abilities of self-guidance. Here comes the question to what extent nowadays career consultants are familiar with modern media literacy. Skills like rating the information, validating the resources, intelligent searching, abilities to "scan" etc. become of vital importance for the career orientation. This changes the shape of the modern consulting process - from pure career guidance to modern media literacy and self-guidance. Aims and objectives: "Quality of youth career guidance and nowadays media literacy" project main aim is to improve the quality of youth career guidance via providing innovative methodology, quality indicators and online tools for youth career counselors. The project objectives are: - to develop the consultants' skills in the area of so called "self-guidance" via modernizing the Quality Indicators (QI) and Quality Model (QM) in youth career guidance, including the development of new indicators related to nowadays media literacy (rating the information in the net, validating the resources, intelligent searching, abilities to "scan", social networks usage, ePortfolio usage etc.); - to improve the quality of youth career guidance via providing innovative tools and manual for career guidance - online self-assessment toolkit for consultants to test their knowledge, skills and competences in media literacy and self-guidance; - to train youth counselors and mangers of youth career services in modern aspects of youth career guidance and quality assurance; - to develop a strategic partnership network among the partner organizations within the project so that the organizations continue working on the project main topics after the project end; Target group: youth guidance services managers, youth career consultants, the project results could be also useful for the pedagogic consultants (in the schools); Potential beneficiaries: youth (16-25) & youth with special needs (early school leavers (ESL), outsiders, minorities) who need more knowledge and skills in "self-guidance" area. Total number of participants from the target group and potential beneficiaries: 320 Description of activities: - project management activities; - quality assurance and evaluation activities; - learning outcomes and quality indicators related to modern media literacy and self-guidance (needs assessment, drafts, experts reviews, polishing and translation); - Modern media literacy self-assessment toolkit for youth career counselors (planning and scenarios, interface and programming of the e-games, interactive tests and ePortfolio examples, testing, polishing, translation); - Manual "Self-guidance and modern media literacy" (framework and contents, writing the chapters, design and pre-printing, testing and polishing, translation and printing); - project web site (design and programming, content); - testing and piloting activities; - dissemination activities; Methodology: designed to incorporate necessary research, design, testing, production, implementation, exploitation and sustainability phases. Activities are scheduled to allow for essential reflection and inputs both by the consortium partners and target groups. Main results: 1. New learning outcomes and quality indicators in the field of: - Self-guidance and modern media literacy (consultants nowadays should be able to consult young people how to orient themselves by using modern media) - rating the information in the net, validating the resources, intelligent searching etc.; - Disadvantaged youth (youth at risk of ESL, cultural and economic obstacles) - key factors of ESL and their influence on the young person - family, "street" and in-class factors; 2. Modern media literacy self-assessment toolkit for youth career counselors - online toolkit with free access; 3 simulator e-games, 3 interactive multimedia tests and ePortfolio examples demonstrating self-awareness. 3. Manual "Self-guidance and modern media literacy" - theoretical and practical information (cases) how nowadays youth career consultants should advice youngsters to use modern media in their professional orientation, in their job search and job application. Impact: Increased competences (related to modern media literacy and working with disadvantaged youth) of youth career consultants, youth career services managers and pedagogic consultants; Increased competencies in "self-guidance" field; Improved QA approaches.