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Published on: 11/02/2020Updated on: 11/02/2020
Digital tools reinvent models and occupations while transforming society and the economy. This is the digital transition. The individual employment and domestic work sector is not immune to this transformation, particularly for the personal carer occupation. IPERIA engages in this digital transition through professionalization: studying employee behaviors and practices, designing adapted training and certifications, and innovating and adapting tools and systems to support their skill development.
At the Heart of "Field" Needs
IPERIA recently conducted quantitative and qualitative research among 550 personal carers, focusing on their digital practices. It provides a close-up picture of their digital skills in the home, highlighting their interest in new technologies, their equipment levels, the nature of this equipment, and their professional and personal use.The findings show they are not far removed from Internet access or use: 95% own a smartphone, 85% have Internet at home, and 95% have an email account. However, 59% encounter obstacles or barriers to using the Internet and computer tools, and they believe strengthening digital skills is necessary for their occupation. Regarding preferred training topics related to this theme, 70% answered "supporting their employer in digital technology use."
→ The complete study results are available in an infographic and summarized in a video.
Sector employees' expressed digital needs in their daily practices focus on three aspects:
- General Use: They want to develop skills in software and services (email, calendar, search engines, social networks, video conferencing, etc.), become more comfortable with administrative procedures (taxes, job searching, Cesu, Pajemploi, etc.), and tool security (viruses, spam, pop-ups, etc.).
- Activity Development: They aspire to showcase their skills, experiences, and training (creating CVs and cover letters) and professionalize their job search by developing tools (business cards, flyers...).
- Working Relationship with Individual Employers: They want to be able to transmit information, communicate, and support their employers by using digital tools.
Understanding as a Source of Innovation
Eager to better support employees in the individual employment and domestic work sector in their professionalization journey, IPERIA has been addressing digital technology since 2011. Several successful initiatives have been conducted through European projects Carenet and Carer+ (the latter project was ranked among the 25 most influential European projects in ICT and active aging). These projects enabled the experimentation of digital technology training for personal carers. At the time, digital inclusion was already serving the social inclusion of elderly people, with the personal carer acting as a skill transmitter.
Today, IPERIA fully integrates digital technology into the qualifying training offering for personal carers and other sector employees, currently with five modules related to this theme. Plans are in place to go further in upcoming certifications by strengthening specific skills, as announced by Michel Fourmeaux, Skills Certification Director: "In upcoming frameworks, digital technology will be approached as a recreational activity tool with supported individuals, home automation will be covered in the training pathway of a skill block and integrated throughout the frameworks in daily activities."
IPERIA is also innovating in terms of tools. Two examples:
- The design of a CV creation support tool that guides users -- sector employees and job seekers -- step by step and provides professional visibility for their skills. It has been quite successful, with over 2,000 CVs online.
- The evolution of personal carer networks, which already constitute an innovative professional development program (cycle of 5 sessions of 3 hours each), supported by CNSA, based on professional practice exchange between peers under a facilitator's guidance. This "tailored" meeting place allows personal carers to recognize the professional nature of their activity to potentially engage in an RPL process, open paths to other training programs, and build a professional network. For 2 years, IPERIA has been implementing actions to sustain, establish, and enhance these networks, defined under a new partnership agreement 2018-2020 with CNSA, including:
- A "RAVie" mobile application (spring 2020): it will allow network participants to continue the experience "beyond the walls." Beyond social connection, this application aims to address one of the key challenges faced by these professionals: isolation.
- Testing a digital network (end 2020): "We are currently creating digital resources that will be made available to personal carers and the facilitator, which is a prerequisite for building a digital network," explains Sandrine Leroyer, Social Innovation Project Manager at IPERIA. The implementation of digital practices within networks will be tested from May to July 2020 in four pilot resource centers launched in the last quarter of 2019 in the Hautes-Alpes, Corrèze, Loire, and Seine-Maritime departments. These resource centers are physical locations for exchange, listening, and information designed to inform and support personal carers, individual employers, and caregivers.
Digital technology is increasingly part of employees' professional practices. And this is a good thing! Baptiste Lenfant, Managing Director of IPERIA, is convinced: "Robotics and digital technology will transform occupations, not replace but rather put humans back at the center because being a personal carer isn't just about supporting the assisted person in daily activities. They also act as agents of change through their teaching role, whether in digital transition or environmental challenges. Their trusted relationships can help the people they assist better understand new practices and adapt."
To learn more:
Nadège Turco, Development Director at IPERIA, spoke at the inaugural conference "Digital Technology and Home Care: Experience Feedback and Prospects" at the Personal Services and Home Employment Show 2019.
→ A presentation to discover or listen to again in the podcast (00:50:25).
