Idea of Cross Border seminars came into existence in 2005 as an initiative of Euroguidance centres of three neighbouring countries – Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Main objectives were not only joining EG centres and their cooperation in common activity, but also meetings and networking of practitioners and policy makers from the field of guidance from cooperating countries. To provide participants of the seminar with the broadest possible perspective on chosen topics all centres were involved in programme planning and preparation. This way, seminar could get together national experts and offer presentations of trends and topics actual in all countries. In years 2005-2008 three Cross Border seminars were realized within this cooperation with following topics: Psychological methods in career and vocational guidance in 2005, Transition from secondary schools to the world of work in 2006, and Guidance in institutions of higher education in 2007. In 2009 three other countries - Germany, Hungary and Slovenia - were involved in preparation and organization of Cross Border seminar with the title Career guidance without barriers. This broadening of cooperation proved to be meaningful as more interesting workshops, speeches and discussions could take place. Therefore we continued in this cooperation also for Cross Border Seminar 2010 and another new country - Poland - joined this initiative, too. Cross Border seminar became this way an event involving majority of Central European countries.

Traditionally also this year´s seminar interconnected not only different countries but was an opportunity for bringing together policy makers, decision makers from ministries, experts from research institutions and universities as well as guidance counsellors and other practitioners. The content of the seminar was therefore as usually diverse and parallel workshops with discussions occupied most of the working time. This year the seminar was enriched by special workshop targeting directly policy issues. Representatives of National Guidance forums and ELGPN presented actual developments in their countries and proposed common goals for further cross-border cooperation regarding research and professionalization of guidance counselling.

The discussions during the seminar led to formulation of conclusions and recommendations in all four areas approved by participants.

Supervision and Intervision:
• Supervision is recognised and valuable measure but can be time consuming and quite expensive
• With regard to the challenging work of counsellors and clients’ expectations supervision should be at least in a minimal amount included in working standards
• Intervision is more effective and appropriate for lifelong learning at the workplace. It could be successfully supported by e-tools.

Further Training:
• Professionalization of guidance requires systematic monitoring of training needs and preparation of targeted training offer
• Demand for quality vocational training from public sector is necessary for generation of offer on the training market
• Innovation of knowledge and methods is an ethical obligation of counsellor and should be a part of the working standard

Well-being and Intervention Resources:
• Working environment influences client’s trust in professionalism of offered services; it is recommended to revise current facilities with regard to expectations of clients and changing needs of counselling profession.
• Attention should be focused on prevention measures in the first place.
• Employer and social partners should promote existing prevention and intervention measures among counsellors.