Editorial by Conny Reuter, SOLIDAR Secretary General

Demographic change? Demographic challenge! Who cares?

31 October 2014

The demography of our European societies is changing, not only due to the crisis and fears about the future, but also due to changes in cultural habits concerning our personal lives and family planning, not forgetting the perennial issue of balancing private and professional life. From the business side we are often reminded that these demographic changes will have a negative impact on our labour markets, with an increasing gap between supply and demand. In reality the figures show there is problem on the supply side and the oft-mentioned mismatch is actually a lack of quality jobs in Europe for job seekers.

At the same time we are becoming more aware that while being able to live longer is a benefit, it also means we have an ageing population, creating more need for care, whether it be individual care in the home or institutional care. There is great job potential, with employment in this sector increasing between 1995 and 2011 from 8.4% to 10.1% as a share of employment in the health and social services (European Commission, 3rd Biennal Report on Social Services of General Interest, 2014, p 3). However, most workers in the health and care sector are female and, increasingly, migrants. Providing care is not always decent work and does not appear to be very attractive for several reasons: tough physical and psychological challenges, flexible working hours, low wages and little societal recognition. And the experience of recent years, with a growing number of profit orientated providers, has been an increase in price (and wage) pressure as well a growing grey market of domestic care. The lack of qualified workers in the sector is a clear signal to which employment and social policy makers should pay far more attention.

Increasing the attractiveness of the sector, recognising better skills and qualifications throughout Europe and recognising the particular role of not-for-profit providers would all help increase the attractiveness of the sector and unlock the job potential. Needing care, being sick or disabled is a personal challenge, but we need solidarity within our societies and to recognise that public policies at national and EU level in this field matter. It is a matter of taking a civilising approach, when we call for integration and inclusion: Europe needs to care more and better! And it needs social investment!

SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards – Call for Nominations

The SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards were launched in 2000 to raise awareness of organisations and individuals who have significantly contributed to improving social justice and equality around the world. This event brings together more than 400 people to celebrate individuals and organisations whose extraordinary struggles contribute greatly to social justice and solidarity throughout the world. The Awards are presented each year at a prestigious awards ceremony held at the European Parliament in Brussels. This year’s edition will take place in February 2015 (exact date to be confirmed).

Who can make a nomination?
Everyone is welcome to make a nomination, especially member organisations or other organisations and individuals who actively support SOLIDAR’s work. The deadline for the submission of your nominations is 28 November 2014. The nomination should be made using the nomination form. A more detailed explanation of the procedure can be found here

Together for Social Europe

Who Cares? Experiences and possibilities to reconcile work and care responsibilities for dependent family members

28 October 2014

This year SOLIDAR has been involved in the European project ‘Who Cares?’ led by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in collaboration with the European Public Service Union (EPSU) and the European Federation of Retired and Older People (FERPA). The aim of the project is to collect and assess examples of policies and initiatives taken by social partner organisations to support and assist workers who have to combine work with (non-professional) caring responsibilities. The main focus is on solutions to improve working conditions and enable workers with dependent family members to stay at work.
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Promoting a balanced and inclusive revision of the Europe 2020 Strategy

30 October 2014

In response to the public consultation of the European Commission on the Europe 2020 mid-term review, SOLIDAR hereby presents its contribution including proposals to ensure a balanced and inclusive revision of the Strategy. The contribution is based on the findings of an extensive consultation carried out with members and partners through the Social Progress Watch Initiative as well as on the main findings included in the SOLIDAR briefing ‘Europe 2020: How to spur social progress for a more inclusive Europe? ’.
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Milan Declaration – Boosting Innovation for a Better Social Outcome

30 October 2014

On 23 October, the Various Interests Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held its conference on ’Boosting Innovation for a Better Social Outcome: proposals for EU policies’ and adopted the Milan Declaration. SOLIDAR Secretary General Conny Reuter has contributed to the Milan Declaration in the framework of his chairmanship of the EESC liaison group. The Milan Declaration stresses the fact that social innovation has demonstrated its potential to bring about systemic change and reshape society at large by applying a bottom-up approach and involving civil soc iety.

The Declaration calls for a continued social investment approach, the stimulation of the development of public policy, more support for broad partnerships and communities as well as the application of social impact measurement. It gives furthermore concrete policy proposals such as “Member States should be asked to report on progress in social innovation, using social indicators based on activation, empowerment and community involvement.” Christian Reuter, Head of SOLIDAR member Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Germany, contributed in a panel debate on “Ways of financing the new approach to welfare”. SOLIDAR supports the Milan Declaration and stresses that a social investment approach is urgently needed to rebuild our Social Europe. Our members are applying socially innovative solutions on a daily basis through their work to empower socio-economically vulnerable people and thereby contribute to a more cohesive society.

Final Milan Declaration

Building Learning Societies

SOLIDAR Foundation Contribution to the Europe 2020 Strategy Stock Taking

31 October 2014

SOLIDAR Foundation has contributed (full version) to the process of taking stock of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, by participating in the public consultations that will feed into the making of further proposals for the strategy in 2015. With the involvement of member and partner organisations, and through their contribution to the Social Progress Watch, the response to the consultation was formulated together with the call to reinforce a balanced and inclusive strand in the Europe 2020 Strategy, specifically regarding access to education and lifelong learning for all.
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Roundtable Debate – ‘Social inclusion through VET – new opportunities for NEETs’

31 October 2014

This roundtable brings together policy-makers from the European institutions, VET stakeholders and civil society organisations to discuss just how inclusive VET really is, what measures can be taken to increase inclusion in vocational training and how to utilise existing policies and VET models to help the younger generation get back to – or begin – work in decent jobs. At the roundtable we will also hear examples of projects already implemented in different countries to create new opportunities for NEETs through VET.

Draft programme
Registration

Organising International Solidarity

Asia-Europe People Forum calls on ASEM governments to support the implementation of universal and comprehensive social protection systems

28 October 2014

Between 10 and 12 October, the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF) held its 10th Forum in Milan under the title “Towards a Just and Inclusive Asia and Europe – Building States of Citizens for Citizens”. Over 400 people from 42 countries and representing community based organisations, social movements, NGOs and trade unions came together to discuss and find convergences around an alternative development paradigm. The discussions were structured around five main areas: (1) Socially Just Trade and Investment; (2) Universal and Transformative Social Protection – Guaranteed Decent Work and Sustainable Livelihoods, Access to Essential Services and Social Security for All; (3) Food Sovereignty and Sustainable Land and Natural Resource Management; (4) Climate Justice, Sustainable Energy Production and Zero Waste; (5) Peace and Security.
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Support the United Nations Social Protection Floor Initiative, says Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights

28 October 2014

In his reportpresented this week to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Professor Philip Alston, urged governments around the world to embrace the United Nations Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPFI) to ensure guaranteed basic income security and access to essential social services for all.
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Civil dialogue in and with the Middle East and North Africa

28 October 2014

On Tuesday 28 October, the fourth consultation meeting on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) South Civil Society Forum was held in Naples. The meeting took place in framework of the tenth anniversary of the Anna Lindh Foundation, named after the former foreign minister of Sweden from SAP. Stefan Füle, Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy, kicked off the meeting by quoting Vaclav Havel “without peace between citizens and between citizens and the state there cannot be peace”. Civil society in the region needs to lead the democratic transformation process in the region; the EU will not promote one model but will seek to support those that have the same democratic goals.
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