Explanations and testimony about the role of IPERIA jury members

Published on: 31/01/2024Updated on: 31/01/2024

Since 2009, domestic employees and individual employers have participated in juries alongside us. Their commitment is essential for evaluating candidates and supporting their professionalization in sector professions. What does this role involve? Explanations through Florence's experience.

A valuable contribution to professionalization

"For candidates, having a professional qualification is extremely important. It shows that their work is valued": Florence is an individual employer. Her commitment to working with us is crucial, just like the 130 people who make up our network of jury members. After completing their training or through Recognition of Prior Learning, candidates must appear before a jury for final validation to work as childcare providers, childminders, family assistants, or personal carers. This step is essential to ensure they have the core skills required for these professions.

This jury is composed of a skills assessment officer and domestic employees and/or volunteer individual employers. For Florence, as for many jury members, fulfilling this mission stems from a desire to act in support of the sector: "In my opinion, domestic work professions don’t have a strong enough recognition in our society. These jobs are much more technical and human than people imagine. I wanted to get involved to support all these employees who want to do things well, improve, and learn. It's to their credit; I think it's an excellent approach that needs to be supported."

A calibrated mission, a key role

Each candidate's jury presentation is meticulously orchestrated, as Florence explains: "We first make introductions, perform certain administrative checks, and the candidate returns to the waiting room. During this time, we read their file. Then there's a harmonization phase for us to see if all jury members have the same understanding of the file and pathway. We agree on the points to explore during the interview, which lasts exactly 30 minutes. Finally, we agree on the result and announce it, giving some comments and recommendations, even for people who validate their qualification."

To evaluate candidates as scrupulously and fairly as possible, jury members rely on documents specially designed by our Certification Program development: "We have an assessment rubric, meaning that the answers to questions must help us determine whether skills have been verified or not."

Continuous support

Our skills assessment officers are asked to supervise jury members. Their role, during a candidate's evaluation, is to chair the jury and therefore ensure the quality of exchanges and compliance with the legal framework. But their support goes further: "All IPERIA contacts are attentive, very present, right from the training. My first jury was remote, so it was a bit more difficult. But I had an open and friendly exchange with the skills assessment officer. We were able to debrief for about twenty minutes about what I had felt. We aren't professional jury members, so it's important that this responsibility remains pleasant."

Listening skills and sense of responsibility

"As a jury member, your natural instinct might be to certify everyone since candidates put in effort, invest time, and deal with stress. However, you must remain fair and rigorous in your evaluation. We're not here to please but to ensure that skills have been acquired. In their careers, employees may work with vulnerable individuals, so we have a responsibility to maintain high standards": maintaining neutrality to ensure fair evaluation of candidates isn't the only skill required to successfully carry out one's responsibility as a jury member. Listening skills top the list: "It's not about hearing, but about active listening. No two pathways are similar, people can express themselves differently. You also need to be open and especially, not project too much, break free from your own patterns, telling yourself 'I've seen an employee like this before, or I'm like this, so this person must be the same'. You have to judge without any preconceptions, focus on substance, experience and background."

Thank you to Florence and all other jury members who work with us throughout the year to recognize the skills of childcare providers, childminders, family assistants, and personal carers.

Want to get involved in the sector and help support future employees in their professional pathway? Become a jury member! Learn all about it here:

www.devenirjury.iperia.eu