9 October: Workshop on Family friendly regions – towards smart and sustainable growth, Brussels

Programme

COFACE organized a Workshop on Family friendly regions on October the 9th, in the framework of the Open Days of the Committee of the Regions. The afternoon was divided in two round tables: The first one on sharing of best practices by regions and cities and the second one on sharing of best practice by civil society.

The projects and best-practices showcased (the "Audit family/work project” from the Veneto Region, the Integration courses from the city of Graz and the Work-Life Balance Roadmap implemented in the Lombardy Region) have all already proven to having contributed to social inclusion, gender equality, labour market inclusion, improvement in productivity and growth, as well as the wellbeing of the family members.

Social development at local level also means reconciling work, and what is important to the citizens in terms of their family, and care responsibilities, but also delivering the economic commitments, and contributing to growth.

There is an increase in available examples, where a partnership between civil society organisations, companies, institutions and local and regional authorities has done just that, and through adequate family policies (time, services and resources for families) increased productivity.

Anna Kokko from Vaestoliitto, Finland, presented a project on Family-friendly practices in working places. Lutgard Vrints from Gezinsbond, Belgium, presented several tools to promote family friendly working places in Flanders and Brussels. And finally, Simon Burnett from Working Families, UK, presented the project Working Fathers: Combining Work and Family Life. This project reflects the impact of flexibility on father’s engagement and wellbeing on the private sector.

The workshop’s aim was achieved: participants shared a few examples of how this has been done in different countries, how they adapted to the local realities and how this experience and knowledge could be transferred to other regions.

One of the conclusions of the day was that being Family Friendly is a choice of individuals, who may be the mayors of cities, managers in a company, or fathers, mothers themselves, who understand, that unless there are proper reconciliation measures and policies (like tele-work, flexi-time, part-time possibilities, available childcare help, or help for the family carer), the employees will always feel unsecure, and less motivated on their jobs. Those employees, who were able to benefit from above mentioned schemes felt more in control of their time and lives, and thus felt more loyal and more motivated to perform on the job.

Presentations

First round table: Sharing of best practices by regions and cities

Empowering families through reconciliation policies: the audit project
Barbara Trentin, Head of Cabinet Regional Minister on Social Affairs, president of ELISAN Steering Committee

Graz – Family friendly city
Sissi Potzinger, Member of Graz City Council and COFACE’s Administrative Council

New Communities and Territorial Development. First results of the Work-Life Balance Roadmap implemented in Lombardy
Francesca Pasquini, EUPOLIS - Lombardia Institute for Research,Statistics and Training - Milano

Second round table: Sharing of best practice by civil society

Family-friendly practices in working places
Anna Kokko, Vaestoliitto, Finland

Strategy and tools of the Gezinsbond to promote family friendly working places in Flanders and Brussels
Lutgard Vrints, Gezinsbond, Belgium

Working Fathers: Combining Work and Family Life
Simon Burnett, Working Families, UK