"In many countries, domestic work suffers from insufficient regulation and recognition. In 2010, the ILO published the report “Decent work for domestic workers” to set standards “in response to the long-standing perception of domestic work as a form of “women’s work” that does not require any real skills, qualifications or training”. At EU level, the EU Parliament resolution 28th April 2016 encouraged member states to protect the rights of these workers. To do so, the sector shall be professionalised through training and certification, in line with the growth and jobs agenda and the Strategic Framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), as defined by the Copenhagen process and the Riga Conclusions. With this aim, PRODOME addressed the professional profile of domestic housekeeper (ESCO 5152) to provide a common European curriculum and to promote certification standards.This multifaceted goal required a complementary consortium: 6 full partners and 5 associated partners from 4 member states, France, Italy and Spain (within Europe, the biggest employers of domestic workers, which proves the geographical relevance of the consortium): •IPERIA(French platform for the professionalisation of home employment),France•FEPEM (French Federation of Household Employers),France•MARGOTTA (VET provider),Italy •ASSINDATCOLF (National Association of Domestic Employers),Italy •FOREM (VET provider),Spain •CCOO - Construccion y Servicios (Federation of trade unions),Spain •EFFE (European Federation for Family Employment)•Grupo SSI (cooperative for care services), Spain•Regione Emilia-Romagna, Directorate-General Knowledge Economy, Business, Employment, Italy•ANCL (Associazione Nazionale Consulenti del Lavoro),Italy•Fundae (Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo),SpainTo reach this main project goal, 3 main objectives were fixed:1.To achieve a better understanding of the situation of domestic workers in Europe 2.To develop a training programme adapted to the needs of the sector3.To promote certification at EU level for domestic workers.The first key output produced was the study ""The state of the art of domestic work in Europe"" (deliverable 1), based on desk and field research involving 54 experts and 109 domestic housekeepers via semi-directive interviews, a Delphi exercise and questionnaires.In line with this study, a curriculum was completed (deliverable 2), including a competence framework with specific and transversal skills (e.g. green and IT skills), in line with EQF (level 3) and validated by a panel of 26 stakeholders (domestic housekeepers, VET providers, decision-makers, social partners, PES and other experts) involved in 6 focus groups.The learning architecture and path developed accordingly included 9 modules with a total length of 300 hours: 180 hours in blended learning, face to face and distance learning, and 120 hours in work-based learning, corresponding to a total of 10 ECVET credits.The related training contents and training materials (deliverable 3) were developed in 4 languages (EN, FR, IT and ES) and tested according to EQAVET principles by a total of 58 domestic housekeepers with very positive results: 96% rate of completion of modules, 98% rate of satisfaction from learners and 100% from trainers, and above all 7 trainees having found a job right after the training.In parallel, certification perspectives were addressed (deliverable 4) and 3 concrete steps for domestic housekeepers’ professionalisation were proposed, on the basis of desk research and consensus building activities, mainly 5 policy visits involving 112 stakeholders and 5 consensus workshops involving 29 stakeholders. As a last step, the roadmap “Professionalising Domestic Work” (deliverable 7) was presented during the final conference (deliverable 6) hold in October 2019 in Paris, gathering high level speakers and participants."

Demographic ageing in the EU leads more and more people to engage in informal care giving. It is indeed the backbone of care provision in Europe: around 100 million of family carers across the EU provide over 80% of all care, from which 2/3 are women, mainly daughters (in law) and wives/partners. In addition, the number of people affected by degenerative diseases is also increasing, among which Alzheimer represents about 10 million. At the same time, key social changes, such as the massive access of women to education and to the labour market, have greatly impacted care provision. A shortage of labour supply in caring services is expected to reach 20 million by 2025.In this context, TRACK project (TRAining and recognition of informal Carers’ sKills) addressed socially disadvantaged informal carers dealing with people affected by Alzheimer, to support them during their caring experience and beyond, by reinforcing their well-being, skills, and employability. This multifaceted goal required a complementary consortium, composed by 6 partners from 5 member states: • IPERIA, a VET provider and certification body for care workers, • Diputación Provincial de Jaén, a provincial government, • WBS Training, a VET provider,• La Compagnie des Aidants, an association of informal carers• WIAB, a research institution on labour market and education research• EUROCARERS, a European organisation representing carers at EU level.To reach this main project goal, 2 main objectives were fixed:1. to design, develop and test (in France, Germany and Spain) a tailored blended training programme, and2. to develop a roadmap for the recognition and certification of the skills acquired by informal carers thanks to TRACK training and their caring experience, enabling to valorise hem and to identify professionalising perspectives for those wishing so.To do so, a study to define the learning needs and the training offer available for carers in the EU was conducted. It involved 58 experts consulted, 26 publications, 8 initiatives and 10 EU projects reviewed. Its conclusions were validated by 3 focus groups gathering a total of more than 40 stakeholders, among which informal carers, care and health professionals and representatives of local communities: the need of adapted training, the obstacles (lack of time, replacement for caring during training), the preference for blended learning (face-to-face and online) and the most relevant issues (information about Alzheimer, stress management, self-care, communication and daily activities).Based on these results, a training programme was designed in 4 languages (EN/FR/ES/DE) and tested by around 60 participants. A short (about 20h), blended, and micro-learning-based training, including:• The Training kit: user’s guide and face-to-face,• Online resources: eLearning contents, quiz and info sheets.According to the evaluation, 90% of the informal carers were satisfied and 84% considered the training as operational, helping them to be aware of the skills developed (care planning, resources finding, communication and stress management, etc.). In parallel, a feasibility study was conducted to explore further development of the training and certification perspectives, on the basis of interviews with 6 national and 2 international certification experts, as well as the analysis of 25 good practice projects at national and EU level, 8 initiatives and 10 EU projects. The conclusions highlighted the importance of using existing tools and mechanisms (available professional certifications and available processes for the validation of experience on care sector), as well as ensuring online free open access to the training programme to guarantee long-term impact.These conclusions were validated as well by 3 focus groups that gathered more than 60 stakeholders and experts (informal carers, professional caregivers and health professionals, policy representatives, decision makers, validation experts, VET professionals and information providers for the elderly and public employment services, recruitment agencies and enterprises) who considered TRACK training as a facilitation tool for empowerment, professional positioning and employability for informal carers. All these results enabled to draft the roadmap for the recognition and certification of the skills of informal carers, validated as well during the final conference of the project in Brussels. Around 80 participants, stakeholders and experts in the field of informal care and training, as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission, who made possible to attain a reinforced dissemination and sustainability.