Project

Family Competencies Portfolio (FamCompass) - Assessing and validating skills and competencies obtained in family life

Term: 01.11.2007 - 31.10.2009

With respect to the aging population and the anticipated shortage of skilled labor force in Europe, we are facing the challenge to better utilize existing resources and to develop them further. In this context, socially orientated jobs will see a stronger importance of competencies and skills obtained in family work.
The project "Family Competencies Portfolio" (FamCompass) is developing a portfolio method, allowing family competencies to be assessed and validated. The objective is to facilitate the access to education and jobs for groups currently in a disadvantageous position, e.g. immigrants, elderly job seekers and women. Methods already used in assessing and validating informal learning are extended to family oriented learning experiences. The method of "Competence Balance", which was developed by the German Youth Institute, is explicitly used as the starting point. The coordination of this project is done by the Higher Institute for Family Sciences in Brussels, Belgium. Further participating countries are Germany, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Rumania and Slovakia.

Project website: www.famcompass.eu