IPERIA and Europe: A "Win-Win" Partnership

"For 30 years, we have been observers and actors in the sector's transitions, and we closely observe Europe to export a French model that we have structured. In 2010, we established our European involvement as a major priority. It allows us to expand our expertise, engage in partnerships, and spread innovative and impactful projects in collaboration with many EU member countries.": as expressed by our Deputy Director, Nadège Turco, creating, building, and experimenting are fundamental to IPERIA's activities. By conducting work directly connected to the reality of professions and societal challenges, we are shifting boundaries at both national and European levels on issues common to all our neighbors: support for immigrant women, aging populations, digital divide, social inclusion, work-life balance, etc.

Our European projects are designed as laboratories to conceive and test initiatives supporting the skills of (future) sector employees and their social recognition. They're also an exchange of best practices facing cross-border trends: thinking about and sharing solutions helps us address our common challenges while respecting each country's specificities. Finally, this European dimension requires us to build reusable tools, always with the goal of accessibility for all audiences.

In Europe we lead and implement specific projects. At the helm: a dedicated team led by Marion Marty, Head of European and International Projects: "In Europe, we share common observations about support for families and households. We face the same challenges: it's therefore important to break down silos in our actions, to consider bridges between European countries". Marion’s department is responsible for project setup and monitoring, and partnership work to cultivate our network with other stakeholders. Additionally, we conduct strategic intelligence gathering on EU developments and project calls, particularly the annual Erasmus+ opportunities.

IPERIA has led seven European projects as a lead partner (out of 9 total), intending to provide adapted responses to several common EU challenges. These projects have allowed us to evolve and advance our expertise:

• Carer+ (2012-2015) and CareNET promote digital and social inclusion. Carer+ was selected in the top 25 most influential European projects in new technologies and active aging.
• Prodome (2016-2019) developed the professionalization of family assistants in Europe.
• Valchild (2018-2020) enabled the implementation of the skills diagnostic questionnaire with migrant women, which informed Sector-specific career guidance and development consulting (COEPS).
• ChildIn (2018-2021) realized the development and testing of training for in-home care of children with autism spectrum disorders. This project was designated as an "example of best practice" by the Erasmus+ Agency.
• MiCare (2020-2023) for the integration through the training of immigrant women. It is characterized by an individualized pathway specifically designed and built with our partners, notably based on a tool we developed.
• MyCred4Home (ongoing) focuses on a micro-certification system adapted to the PHS sector (Personal and Household Services).

Involved and at the forefront of innovation, we partnered with other actors to form the European Federation for Family Employment and Home Care (EFFE). We co-founded it and actively participate in it because the mobilization of multiple European funds and programs allows progress toward practical professionalization of the domestic work sector at the European scale, responding to the needs of our current and future societies.

EFFE's mission is to facilitate exchanges with European institutions and develop new programs, particularly related to the professionalization of domestic work. EFFE celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, and we are proud to mark this first decade alongside them. We are also proud to work toward the recognition of family services and employment in the home at a European level.