Day 5, September 28, Social Service Workforce Week

Since it was created, FICE has carried out numerous initiatives aimed at supporting the professionals in the field of child and youth care. This includes(but not only) activities for increasing the capacities of child and youth care workforce(seminars, conferences, training activities, congresses, exchange activities); developing standards and guidelines in the field of child and youth care(FICE International Code of Ethics; Quality for children); mapping the qualifications of child and youth care workers around the world(FICE International Survey and Interactive map). Supporting the Social Service Workforce Week and joining the Call for Action are a logical way of continuing what FICE has been doing since 1948. Strengthening the social service workforce is task that requires global action and strong partnership. FICE is honored to be part of this initiative together with over 30 organizations around the world.

In order to help tracking the progress in the field of supporting social service workforce, the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance has established a set of indicators. These indicators are relevant to any individual or group providing social services, and can be measured at the national level and compiled at a global level.

• Existence of a government-led, national coalition to strengthen the social service workforce

• Existence of a national strategic plan on strengthening the social service workforce

• Existence of a normative framework on outlining/defining functions (roles and responsibilities) for social service workers and practice standards

• Budget and mandated institutions for planning, developing and supporting the social service workforce

• Nationwide comprehensive mapping of social service workforce regularly carried out and documented in an information management system

Furthermore, the Alliance has proposed further steps that each individual can take in order to contribute to strengthening the social workforce either globally or locally.

You can:

1. Help support or establish a national level government-led stakeholder leadership group or coalition in your country, whether you are a representative of a government, civil society, non-governmental organization (NGO), university, training institution, professional association, religious entity, national donor, multilateral, bilateral, or private sector. It’s an opportunity to work with others involved in planning, budgeting, managing and supporting your country’s social service workforce.

2. Does your country have adequate data on the current structure and needs of the social service workforce? If not, advocate to the stakeholder leadership group to carry out a workforce mapping and help to gather data.

3. Support the development and implementation of your national workforce strengthening strategy based on available workforce information. It is important that these strategies include a diversity of views and experiences, including those who access social services.

4. Help measure and report on the indicators mentioned above.

5. Get involved in advocacy efforts to ensure that social service workforce strengthening remains high on the global agenda.