Providing Access to Childcare and Employment | 2 Mers Seas Zeeën

PACE

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Providing Access to Childcare and Employment

Priority Axis

Technological and Social Innovation

Specific objective

Social Innovation

Lead partner

Stad Mechelen

Begindatum

01/10/2016

Einddatum

31/03/2021

Project budget

6 551 263

ERDF amount

3 930 758

ERDF rate

60%

    Over

    Common challenge

    A lack of affordable childcare is identified as a major barrier to employment (Resolution Foundation, 2014). By supporting families to access quality ECEC (Early Childhood Education&Care) PACE can improve incomes, enhance participation in society and reduce childpoverty. Research proves impact of good ECEC on child development is visible through the whole school career. (Sylva, Melhuish, Sammons, Siraj-Blatchford,&Taggart,2004). PACE supports parents to return to/enter employment using an accessible childcare as a gateway, and improves the life prospects of vulnerable and deprived families.

    Main Achievements

    The PACE project started the 1st October 2016. The overall objective is to establish research-backed tests that improve access to childcare, with special attention to employment of vulnerable families. PACE offers a method to use parental involvement, voluntary engagement, training and tailored employment programmes to remove barriers to participation, to labour market and society, including building relationships and community spirit. PACE broadens skills of childcare staff and improves soft skills of volunteers and parents and coaches them towards employment, improving the living conditions and life prospects of vulnerable and deprived families.

    Since the start of the project, 9 partner meetings took place hosted by all partners, a major modification (a new partner was added) and 2 technical modifications were carried out. Every partner has had a a staff turnover, some more than others. A new project leader for the LP was assigned January 1st 2019. In a cross border approach PACE develops common solutions to reach the overall objective.

    The 8 outputs that need to be delivered are proceeding according to plan. Some outputs are already delivered, such as O5,6 and 7, directly related to WP4 (Investments). The other deliverables that lead to achieving the other outputs are going as foreseen. Implementing the same methods by all partners can be a real challenge, since there are different legislations, regulations, values, standards, in the participating countries. But what we do have in common is that we all are focusing on the same objective. In a cross border co-operation the partnership discusses what needs to be carried out during partner meetings to find common threads, differences and communalities so partners can learn from each other, can share good practices and improve the methods used.

    Cross border co-operation and mutual learning is inspiring, it gives the partners a new, alternative and fresh perspective. The added value of the cross border cooperation is clear: since partners in each country are looking for ways to provide occasional childcare that fit their situation and regulations, a lot of options come into existence that are inspiring for the other countries.

    Enhancing access to childcare, new routes to employment, creating a legal and organisational framework to make upscaling possible, are objectives that are almost achieved. Next to this, what counts for the moment is how to get these outputs transferrible and durable.

    Partnership

    Partners

    Association des Centres Sociaux de Wattrelos

    Centre Social Jean Ferrat

    Karel de GroteHogeschool

    Arteveldehogeschool Gent

    Centre Social Eclaté

    Stichting voor de Haagse Jeugd Clubhuizen De Mussen

    Stad Gent

    Brighton and Hove City Council

    Kent County Council

    Stad Turnhout

    Sociaal Huis Mechelen

    Outputs

    Output name
    Type
    Target
    URL / Download
    30/09/2020

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Method/service
    Target: Citizens
    30/09/2020

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Method/service
    Target: Citizens
    30/09/2020

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Pilot and demonstration action
    Target: Local, regional and national authorities
    30/09/2020

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Pilot and demonstration action
    Target: Local, regional and national authorities
    30/06/2020

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Feasibility study
    Target: Local, regional and national authorities
    31/10/2019

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Infrastructure/building
    Target: Citizens
    31/10/2019

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Infrastructure/building
    Target: Citizens
    01/02/2017

    PACE

    Thema: Integration and educationInnovative social services
    Type: Infrastructure/building
    Target: Citizens