Career Guidance and Civil Society in Post-Socialist Central and Eastern Europe
Abstract
The paper examines the self-definition, operation, and social embeddedness of career guidance NGOs in four post-socialist countries. The research highlights that in the decades following the regime change, the institutional system of career guidance in the region has become increasingly fragmented, while civil society organizations have simultaneously attempted to build professional capacity and take on advocacy and policy-shaping roles. The findings indicate that the civil sector plays a key role in professional identity formation, advocacy, and regional knowledge transfer, yet its operation is constrained by structural resource shortages and low institutional trust.
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