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Published on: 20/06/2017Updated on: 20/06/2017
The European TRACK project, coordinated by IPERIA l'Institut, ends after almost two years of work. The final conference will occur on 21 June in Brussels, at the Palace of the Academies, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
A Final Conference Full of Promise
"Empowerment of Caregivers through Training, Skills Recognition and Certification: Perspectives for the European Union?"
How can we ensure that carers receive the support they need to fulfill their commitment while caring for their own well-being? How can we facilitate the return to employment of informal carers who have left the labour market to care for a loved one for an extended period?
Baptiste Lenfant, Managing Director of IPERIA l'Institut, will introduce and conclude the discussions of this final conference. The five other European project partners will also speak throughout this morning of discussions, during which multiple guests, experts and institutional representatives of the sector will participate:
- Stecy Yghemonos, Director, Eurocarers
- Marie Béatrice Levaux, President, EFFE
- Marisa Matias, Member of the European Parliament
- Ana Carla Pereira, Head of the Modernisation of Social Protection Systems Unit, DG EMPL, EC
- Gloria Ortiz, European Project Officer, IPERIA
- Claire Champeix, Policy Officer, Eurocarers
- Claudie Kulak, President, La Compagnie des Aidants
- Peter Wintlev-Jensen, Deputy Head the eHealth, Well-Being and Ageing Unit, DG CONNECT, EC
- Heidemarie Müller-Riedlhuber, Founder and senior consultant, WIAB
- James Churchill, CEO of Social Care Training, Honorary President of Board of European Care Certificate
- John Dunne, CEO of Family Carers Ireland, President of Eurocarers
- Mathias Maucher, Policy Staff - Officer Health and Social Services, European Federation of Public Service Unions
- Camille Savre, Coordinator of the certification engineering unit, IPERIA
- Godelieve Van den Brande, Senior Policy Advisor, Skills and Qualification Unit, DG EMPL, EC
Nearly 100 participants from all over Europe are expected, including caregivers, representatives of European institutions and organisations, training organisations, social partners, service providers, associations, non-governmental organisations, researchers, and the project partners.
During this final conference, the audience will be able to:
- Discover TRACK, the innovative blended learning programme (face-to-face and distance learning) for caregivers who care for a person with Alzheimer's disease.
- Discuss the added value and possibilities certification offers as a tool to highlight and recognize caregivers' skills, particularly transversal skills related to care.
- Discuss using innovative ICT-based solutions to offer new learning opportunities for caregivers.
- Participate in a debate with specialists and institutional decision-makers on developing training for carers at European, national, and local levels.
Reminder of the TRACK Project
The TRACK project, part of the Erasmus+ programme, brings together 6 European partners: La Compagnie des Aidants, IPERIA l'Institut (France), Diputación de Jaén (Spain), Eurocarers (Belgium), WBS SCHULEN (Germany) and WIAB (Austria).
This project is funded with the support of the European Commission. It began on 1st September 2015 and ends on 31 August. It aims, among other things, to develop specific training for informal caregivers to:
- Better manage the consequences that caring for people with Alzheimer's disease can have on the health and social life of carers
- Increase the chances of reintegrating the labour market for working-age carers during or at the end of the caring period.
- Improve the relevance of vocational training and reduce the shortage of professionals in personal services.
As part of the TRACK project, a study on caregivers' training needs was also carried out (published in March 2016), and a survey of certification feasibility is ongoing. It will be finalized and made available online following the final conference.
