The Greek life-long learning centers in the post-debt crisis era: evaluation of the effectiveness of mentoring in adult trainers training

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the views of Greek Life-Long Learning Centers (LLLCs) trainers, who worked as educational managers and took on informal mentoring roles in the context of counseling guidance and their trainees (who are adults’ trainers), on the effectiveness of mentoring in the post-Greek Debt Crisis era. Design/methodology/approach: The authors performed a quantitative analysis using the SPSS software package’s simple random sampling. The bibliographic review, the identification and specialization of the research objectives, as well as the study of the participants’ unique characteristics, were used in the construction of a research tool. Findings: The majority of participants confirmed the importance of mentoring as a human resource strategy. Regarding its effectiveness in the field of the Greek LLLCs, there were several discrepancies in the perceptions of trainers and trainees, as well as specific malfunctions in its implementation. Research limitations/implications: The research omitted certain qualitative features and was conducted in a relatively limited geographical context. Originality/value: Given the lack of similar studies in the field of the Greek LLLCs, this study illustrates the reality of the mentoring function in the training field of adult trainers, after the onset of the Greek economic crisis, while also highlighting realistic ways to improve the effectiveness of these organizations and conduct future, larger-scale research. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Mentoring Trainers Trainees Adults’ trainers’ training Greek debt crisis Informal mentoring LLLCs

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Department of Educational and Social Policy, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece

Youth and Lifelong Learning Foundation – INEDIVIM, Athens, Greece

School of Pedagogical and Technological Education, Athens, Greece

Funding & Acknowledgements

No funding information

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The Greek life-long learning centers in the post-debt crisis era: evaluation of the effectiveness of mentoring in adult trainers training

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