EARLALL Working Group on Lifelong Guidance and Ageing Societies Explores Discusses Digital Inclusion and Career Guidance Trends

11/12/2025

On 11 December 2025, EARLALL hosted the Working Group on Lifelong Guidance and Ageing Societies, co-led Ministry for Education, Youth and Sports Baden-Württemberg in cooperation with Camilla Winter AB. The session brought together project partners to exchange on ongoing initiatives, emerging trends in career counselling, and the role of digital and intergenerational approaches for older learners.

The meeting opened with a presentation by Markus Haas (Germany) on the “Gesund und Digital” project, funded by ESF+, which aims to improve digital health literacy among people aged 55+. Implemented through adult education centres in Baden-Württemberg, the project addresses key challenges related to digital health applications, data security, and accessibility.

Key elements of the initiative include

• Using adult education centres as local hubs for outreach and training
• Training educators and establishing digital ambassadors among seniors
• Promoting peer-to-peer and intergenerational learning approaches

The discussion highlighted the importance of reaching hard-to-reach groups, such as older adults with low digital skills or limited access to technology, and the need for continuous upskilling in a rapidly evolving digital environment. Participants also stressed the value of combining a digital-first approach with non-digital alternatives to ensure accessibility for all learners.

Andrea Bernert-Büerkle (Baden-Württemberg) provided updates on the Lifelong Guidance 5.0 project, which focuses on modernising career guidance systems in response to digitalisation, green transitions, and labour market uncertainty.

Recent and upcoming activities include:

• A webinar series addressing emerging trends in career counselling. The first webinar, “Two Megatrends in Career Counselling: Mediation and Green Guidance”, featured Prof. Dr Dennis Mocigemba from the University of Applied Labour Studies, HdBA. The webinar highlighted how mediation techniques and green guidance are reshaping career support. Participants were also informed of upcoming webinars featuring Sylvana Hiltrop, Senior EU Project Manager at Skillab.
• An international conference in Vienna (23–24 March 2026) on transformations in lifelong guidance, with opportunities to participate via Erasmus+ KA1 funding
• A modular training programme on digital and AI-based guidance tools, taking place in Vienna and Brussels
• A final conference and training session in Brussels (June 2026) for lifelong guidance professionals

Camilla Winter concluded with an overview of Erasmus+ projects supporting skills for quality jobs, a green transition, and stronger European cohesion. With concluding ideas from member regions about EARLALL’s upcoming 25th Anniversary, EARLALL can continue to champion innovative, inclusive and digitally competent guidance systems, ensuring that older learners and career counsellors are fully supported in Europe’s evolving skills landscape.