CNSA Agreement: IPERIA Goes into Extra Time

The agreement dedicated to sustaining and developing the carers' centers (RAVie) model, signed by IPERIA and the National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy in 2018, has been extended until December 31, 2021, due to the health situation. This demonstrates confidence from the CNSA, which has supported the program for many years. This extension provides an opportunity to review actions taken and consider new perspectives. Interview with Sandrine Leroyer, social innovation project manager and coordinator of this agreement for IPERIA.

"Carers' centers are an innovative professionalization program established by IPERIA in 2011, serving employees working with individual employers who are losing autonomy. This CNSA/IPERIA agreement follows in the footsteps of the previous two. Specifically, it focuses on strengthening and sustaining the carers' centers through two main focuses: sustaining the program and changing it across territories to make it as widely accessible as possible. Over these past three years, all teams involved have done excellent work, and the results have exceeded our expectations. Quality is meeting standards and there's a real dynamic of exchange and consultation around this wonderful project."

"We identified the key success factors of the carers' centers, a preliminary phase in modernizing the program, through focus groups, studies on the profession, and research on the role and impact of the facilitator... In parallel, a highly qualitative study on peer exchanges (how does the carers' center create competency?) was conducted.

Furthermore, we designed an expanded service offering around the carers' centers. It takes the form of resource centers, piloted in 4 departments (Seine-Maritime, Corrèze, Hautes-Alpes, and Loire). It's a 360° solution focused on personal carers. These physical information centers linked to local carers' centers promote and facilitate access to all information necessary for understanding the environment and securing the profession. They are open to personal carers (and home care workers), individual employers, caregivers, job seekers, and partners.

"The results are very positive! We've already exceeded our target with more than 10 new departments joining the program. The latest: the Nord Department, with the signing of a partnership agreement in Lille on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.This brings the total number of carers' centers to 39, including both active centers and those about to open. We've also worked on creating a 'development toolkit' for the centers: analyzing assessments, structuring tools, and redesigning the facilitator training module. It's detailed groundwork because the target audience is difficult to reach. Through the training module, facilitators will have everything necessary to launch the center and be responsive. Finally, last April, we launched an RAVie application that allows the experience to continue after the center sessions. It promotes exchanges and offers numerous resources. More than 500 personal carers have registered, asking questions and helping each other. It's a tool that creates connections and helps navigate the information available on the Internet about the profession, rights, training..."

"The various studies conducted are currently being put into perspective in a promotional publication to be released in spring. It illustrates the dynamics that develop when a department establishes a center.

Regarding resource centers, we will integrate the Particulier Emploi network in a second experimental phase. This will support facilitators who can focus more on workshops. These resource centers are intended to become a tool for the individual employment and domestic work sector, creating a very concrete link with the security challenges departments face with direct employment. In two territories, the Departmental Councils have already expressed their desire to see these centers sustained.

The RAVie application will be further optimized. Our ambition is for it to become THE privileged exchange platform reserved for personal carers, where they can share their needs and find local replacements, exchange with peers about professional issues, and access expert resources. The big news for 2021 is Apple's development. The application will also be available on iPhone before summer.

Finally, the deployment of carers' centers across the territory continues... even beyond mainland France! A center will be established on Reunion island very soon. This opportunity was made possible thanks to the extension of the National Collective Agreement for domestic employees to French overseas departments and regions in early 2021, which allows personal carers in these territories to access professional training.