Establishment of a European Office to supply films and educational material for use in occupational guidance and training

Recommendation 307 (1962)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 16th January 1962 (21st Sitting) (see Doc. 1388, Report of the Social Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 16th January 1962 (21st Sitting).

The Assembly,

Considering that the training of skilled labour at all levels is one of the main factors in European economic expansion, both in industrialised countries and in countries in process of development ;

Considering that heavy demands, which it is not always easy to satisfy, have over the past few years been placed on the production and supply of teaching material for occupational training - textbooks, charts, models, films, film-strips and other audio-visual aids ;

Considering that thousands of films, slides, gramophone records and other teaching aids which could be distributed to vocational training and guidance centres are available in Europe and in other parts of the world ;

Considering that most European countries have offices which produce, lend and distribute films and other teaching aids ;

Considering that these national offices are encountering increasing organisational and financial difficulties :

a in keeping up to date and maintaining sufficient stocks to meet constantly growing demands ;

b in exchanging regular information speedily with each of the many national offices in Europe about the production of films and teaching material ;

c in translating and adapting films and texts to the requirements of their respective countries ;

Believing that the establishment of a European Office for collecting and disseminating teaching aids and catalogues relating to vocational guidance and training, to which national or local services could refer, would be most useful and of a nature to stimulate activities in national departments ;

Noting that such material would also be greatly appreciated by those giving technical assistance to non-European countries in process of development;

Having learned that certain European organisations such as OECD and ECSC have a film and film-strip service on subjects confined to a very small sector of activity,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

1 Set up a European office for the collection and distribution of educational material for use in vocational guidance and in occupational and in-service training within the framework of the International Vocational Training Information and Research Centre (CIRF) already set up; the functions of this Office, which would have to co-operate closely with the Council of Europe Working Party on educational films and with the appropriate departments of ILO, OECD (especially the Audio-Visual Section), EEC and ECSC, would be as follows :

a to stimulate and co-ordinate action in this field by national bodies, public or private, in member countries ;

b to draw up comprehensive programmes (series of films, film-strips, etc.) for the different trades and occupations or for use in classes, lectures, educational television broadcasts, etc., at certain stages in vocational training ;

c to adapt European educational material to the needs of non-European countries, particularly those in process of development, and vice-versa; no public or private body is at present engaged in this highly important work ;

d to insert a column on its activities in the CIRF bulletin, Vocational Training in Europe and in the World ;

2 Vote the funds required to maintain this Office on a basis to be defined by the member organisations of CIRF.