TNO North Karelia - information, advice and guidance for the success of North Karelians

TNO North Karelia – Information, Guidance and Counselling for the Success of North Karelians

The joint goal of the TNO North Karelia group project is to promote rapid employment and access to education for residents through low-threshold information, guidance, and counselling services.

University of Eastern Finland Subproject – Knowledge and Training for the Development of Employment Services

– Research-Based Knowledge and Training for the Development of Guidance and Employment Services

The University of Eastern Finland provides training, coaching, and research-based knowledge to support employment services. The aim is to strengthen the expertise of the public sector, educational institutions, and NGOs, and to develop guidance competencies within the employment ecosystem of North Karelia.

We are developing university-level continuing education for supervisors and guidance professionals to improve the quality and impact of guidance work and its leadership across the region.

 Training in Basic Guidance Skills

We are developing and piloting a new type of university-level continuing education that offers both theoretical and practical knowledge in key areas of guidance work. The training is especially aimed at professionals with limited prior education in guidance. The goal is to enhance the consistency and effectiveness of client guidance work throughout the region. The intention is for the training to become a permanent part of ongoing professional development in the field.

Supervisor Training for Municipal Employment Actors

This coaching strengthens leadership skills and the ability to support guidance work in a changing working life. It is linked to the basic guidance skills training and also supports the competence of professionals working in guidance roles. Feedback from the coaching will be used to further develop the training programs.

Multichannel Service Point Network for North Karelia

The group project aims to build a comprehensive regional service point network that combines face-to-face and digital services. The network takes into account the diverse needs of municipalities, such as age structure, employment situation, education level, and immigrant backgrounds.

The City of Joensuu is the main coordinator of the project, and all 13 municipalities of North Karelia are involved. The subprojects are implemented by the University of Eastern Finland, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Riveria, and Rastor Institute.

Towards More Impactful Services Through Collaboration

Together with project partners, we are developing a service model that supports rapid employment and smooth transitions from education to working life. At the same time, we are strengthening the competence of professionals in guidance roles and supporting the regional knowledge ecosystem.