in italiano

The National Resource Centre, at the B.D.P. (Biblioteca di Documentazione Pedagogica) in Florence, appointed by the Ministry of Education - General Directorates of Vocational and Technical Education, operates in the framework of the European Programme "Leonardo":

• as a developing and promoting agent for a European dimension of guidance;
• as an agent, at EU level, for the exchange of data and information for guidance and vocational training.

The Centre's activities follow two main guidelines:

• national, through the definition of forms of collaboration among the various guidance services, set up by the Regions, the Provinces, and other subjects;
• transnational, through the development of a European Network for the exchange of information among Member Countries.

How was it born?

A specific action concerning vocational training was envisaged for the first time by the Petra Programme in the framework of EU activities. In such a context, Action III of Petra II promoted, in Autumn 1992, the institution of National Resource Centres, for transferring information on study opportunities, training and comparability of qualifications, from a Member State to another, in a framework of multinational cooperation.

The Resource Centre - Education Area, as part of its statutory duties, i.e. supporting the exchange of ideas, experiences, methodology, innovation processes, focuses its activities on the following:

• information support for mobility actions; acting as a link and as a centre for the exchange of data with European partners;
• documentation centre for the various aspects connected with its functions;
• collaboration with the N.C.U. - National Coordination Unit - ISFOL (Institute for the Development of Vocational Training), entrusted of the technical assistance of the European Programme "Leonardo";
• participation in multinational projects for the creation of products concerning the specific objectives of the Centre.