Adult Education Guidance as a Public Service encompasses three areas of guidance:

1. enrolment in education and continuation of education,
2. identification and documentation of knowledge and skills,
3. organised self-directed learning.

1. Guidance on enrolment in education and continuation of education

Guidance on enrolment in education and continuation of education offers professional support to adults who plan to include anew into education or continue their previously started education, including:

• encouragement and motivation for enrolment in education and for continuation of education and learning,
• presentation of possibilities and professional support in assessing the most appropriate education and learning opportunities on the basis of prior education and learning (formal, non-formal and informal), career path and other circumstances.
• professional support in the planning and organisation of education and learning, which includes the preparation of an education and learning plan for the adult, a plan for resolving learning difficulties and more,
• training to develop learning competence, career planning and development competence and the like,
• support in removing situational, dispositional and institutional barriers to effective education and learning,
• encouragement and motivation for career planning and development and highlighting career development opportunities arising from education and learning opportunities,
• monitoring the results of guidance and the progress of the adult.

2. Guidance on identification and documentation of knowledge and skills

Guidance on identification and documentation of knowledge and skills supports adults in recognising and documenting knowledge and skills acquired through formal, non-formal, or informal learning. It includes:

• encouraging and motivating the adult to engage with the process of identification and documentation,
• encouraging and motivating the adult to actively participate in gathering proofs and other documentation,
• documentation analysis,
• guiding the adult through the two phases,
• gathering and organising documentation and assessing its adequacy in regard to the purpose and goals of the assessment process,
• presenting and encouraging the use of modern online and electronic tools,
• referral to formal recognition procedures at authorised providers (for assessment and certification);
• demonstrating how the results of this process can be used in further education (to facilitate enrolment in continuing education, for more flexible methods of acquiring key and occupational competences) and career development (for new occupational and personal opportunities).

The validation process, as described in European guidelines, includes four phases: identification, documentation, assessment, and certification. Guidance on identification and documentation of knowledge and skills as a public service focuses on the initial two phases.

Adult learning is validated and recognised for the purpose of:

• enrolment in education and continuation of education,
• acquisition of national vocational qualifications (NPK) and
• documentation and validation of adults’ knowledge and experience to ensure greater flexibility on the labour market, personal growth and the development of key competences.

3. Guidance on organised self-directed learning

Guidance on organised self-directed learning supports adults participating in self-directed learning at Self-directed learning centres (SDLCs). These are for all adults who, for whatever reason, find traditional learning and education inaccessible or unsuitable. They provide a range of learning materials suitable for self-directed learning, modern learning technology and professional support from the counsellors.

The centres offer a wide range of subjects for adults to learn, such as the use of computers and other IT tools, foreign languages, Slovenian, mathematics, and many other.

Participants learn with self-learning materials (CDs/DVDs, manuals, textbooks, online material, etc.) and can also use various lexicons, dictionaries, and other learning aids. Learning is self-directed and participants are guided in their choice of learning materials and learning methods by professionally trained counsellors.