Ruling shows that deleting personal data can remove burdens brought by data subject access requests, says expert

via Out-Law.com

A ruling by the High Court on the issue of dealing with data subject access requests highlights the positives that can be derived by businesses that decide to dispose of personal data records they no longer need, an expert has said.

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Competence and competence frameworks in career guidance: complex and contested concepts

an article by Ronald G Sultana (Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Educational Research, University of Malta) in International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance Volume 9 Number 1 (March, 2009)


Abstract

This paper considers some of the debates surrounding the term competence and the relevance that these have for the development of competence frameworks. Such frameworks are increasingly on the agenda, since they purport to support training programme development, to identify competence gaps, to promote self-development, and to ensure common standards. This paper shows, however, that notions of competence have specific meanings in particular contexts, that they have been contested, and that they have fallen into and out of favour over time. The paper concludes by teasing out the implications that competing definitions of competence have for the guidance field.

Hazel’s comment:
I wanted to hold this back until I'd had the opportunity to read the full article but the hard copy journal wasn&rsquot in the British Library when I visited yesterday and I didn't want to hold on to this any longer.

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The evolution of a national distance guidance service: trends and challenges

an article by A G Watts (National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling) and Gareth Dent (University for Industry) in British Journal of Guidance & Counselling Volume 36 Issue 4 November 2008

Abstract
Three trends in the evolution of the UK Learndirect advice service are identified:

1. the partial migration from telephone to web-based services;
2. the trend within the telephone service from information /advice-oriented interventions to more guidance-oriented interventions; and
3. the move from a mainly learning-oriented service to a more career-oriented service.

The extent to which these trends are due to changing patterns of customer needs and behaviours, or the effects of policy decisions reflected in social marketing campaigns, is reviewed. Comparable information from New Zealand is presented to indicate the impact of investment in such marketing. Implications for the proposed integration of the Learndirect service in England into a new careers service for adults are discussed. A number of more general conclusions are noted.

Hazel's comment:
Hard copy not yet available in the British Library (at least it wasn't last week) so I'll have to wait to read the whole thing. $28 to purchase if you want it purely from reading the abstract.

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12 council 'trailblazers' to offer homes and jobs advice

A Communities and Local Government: Corporate News article on 3 July tells us "Advice on training, employment and childcare are just some of the extra services that will be on offer to people when they discuss their housing options with their local authority".

Housing Minister Caroline Flint announced the winners of the first of two programmes of "trailblazers" that will offer a greater range of advice to people looking for housing, with some moving towards a "one stop shop" approach of personalised advice and links to employment opportunities and training.

The twelve trailblazers will also take on a mentoring role, sharing best practice and support with around 20 councils that will receive funding to kick start their own enhanced housing options schemes in 2009/2010.

The twelve local authority winners are:
1) Camden
2) Croydon
3) Greenwich
4) Hammersmith & Fulham
5) Southwark
6) Norwich
7) Nottingham
8) Kettering
9) Blackpool
10) Calderdale
11) Ashford
12) Bournemouth

Full press release

Hazel's comment:
Given the amount of time that it takes to learn about employment and training opportunities this seems to me like a thoroughly daft idea. Surely it would make more sense to add "housing advice" to the long list of topics about which guidance practitioners have knowledge. Hang about, don't personal advisers in Connexions Services (where, of course, these still exist) cover health, housing, drugs etc etc? What is going on here?

I'd be grateful for comments that explain it since I can find nothing else except the departmental view.

Advice for those aged 50+

Thanks to Intute: Social Sciences Gateway

Web page is provided by the UK government's Directgov website and offers advice for over 50s who want to get the best out of work. There are sections on learning, benefits, health, care and discrimination.

Personally I wouldn't use the learning section which links to the learndirect database via a slightly different interface.