CONCILIATION Project “TWINNING FOR CONCILIATION BETWEEN FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE”

1. CONCILIATION Project “TWINNING FOR CONCILIATION BETWEEN FAMILY AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE” Institute of FamilyScience - PortugueseCatholicUniversity March, 2011

2. GENERAL INFORMATION • The Project wassetupbasedonthe bilateral relationbetween Portugal andNorwayandisbeingdevelopedincommoneffortsbetweenbothcountries • TheprojectwasdevelopedbetweenAugust 2008 andApril 2011 • FundedbyIceland, LitensteinandNorwayunder the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area

3. PARTNERSHIP • PortuguesePartners • FamilyScienceInstitute, PortugueseCatholicUniversity • Portuguese Association of Large Families • Municipality of Leiria • Municipality of Faro • Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity - Strategy and Planning Cabinet • NationalAssociation of PortugueseMunicipalities • RolearEnterprise • IncenteaEnterprise • NorwegianPartners • Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities • Municipality of Kristiansand • Municipality of Tvedestrand • NationalOilwellVarcoEnterprise • PragmaEnterprise

4. OBJECTIVES • Increase the policy implementation capacity and social awareness regarding the conciliation between work and family life. • To build institutional, human and operational capacity of public and private entities with a view to benefiting existing Conciliation measures and contributing to the diversification of social market and labor organization. • Consolidation of the municipal economies launching the basis for long-term effects on local economies and organization of its labor market. • Implementation of concrete measures of conciliation in the twinning entities.

5. ACTIVITIES • Comparative Analysis: Macro & Micro • Twinning Development Plans • Twinning Study Visits • Web Page and Platform • “Conciliation Community” Network and Sustainability Plan • Information and Marketing Campaign

6. ACTIVITIES • 1. Comparative Analysis and Gap Situation • Macro Analysis • Analysis and comparison of the main statistics and indicators between Portugal and Norway in the areas of: • Demography • Economy • 2. Legislation comparative analysis: • Rights and economic benefits for the individuals • Private economy, services and work • Practices and general attitudes about gender • 3. Main policy trends in Portugal and Norway related to: • Kindergardens • Elderly care • Part-time work • Work segregation and wage differences • Parental leave

7. 1. Comparative Analysis And Gap Situation • Micro Analysis • Organizational and functional diagnosis of Portuguese and Norwegian twinning institutions • Conciliation is seen as an element of social responsibility, although not all the project organization look at it in the same way. • Conciliation practices identified by the twinning organization vary according to: type of organizational structure, legal framework and business area  • Communication, training and innovation  identified as determinants for future organizational change • Importance of economic sustaining and productivity as a foundation to support conciliation measures. • The legal framework is not yet known in depth by the actors.

8. 2. Twinning Development Plans • Change Management Theory • Organization Development Model 6. Learning Opportunities 3. Operational Actions 1. Organization of Work 2. Management Practices 4. Communication 5. Training

9. 2. Twinning Development Plans

10. 3. Twinning Study Visits • 1st study visit 29 March – 4 April 2009 Portugal  Norway • Reports about Knowledge sharing between Portuguese and Norwegian local authorities • 2nd study visit – 26 September – 2 October 2010 Norway  Portugal • Discussion about the selection and implementation process of conciliation measures • 3rd study visit – November 29th – December 3rd, 2010 Portugal  Norway • Deepen the understanding of the selected issues and of the specific actions – implemented or not – during the project period • 4th study visit – March 21st – 25th 2011, Norway  Portugal • Final Results and the conclusion of the project • Project evaluation

11. 4. Web Page and Platform • Support of the ongoing collaborative tasks • Information exchange between project partners related to selected measures • Archive for the documents elaborated under the project • 50 users 20 were foreseen

12. 5. “Conciliation Community” Network and Sustainability Plan • Establishment of the Conciliation Platform founded by the Portuguese project partners ensure the project sustainability • Meeting organized in the municipalities of Faro and Leiria with other municipalities • Enlargement to other municipalities: • LEIRIA • Torres Vedras, Alvaiázere • FARO • Vila Real de Santo António, Tavira , Lagoa, Lagos, S. Bras de Alportel

13. 6. Information and Marketing Campaign • Development of a communication strategy ensuring: • Project development follow-up • Dissemination of results • Identification and dissemination of good experiences within the project • Development of promotional materials (CD/DVDs; brochures; flyers; website, logo) • Promotion of 2 conferences for the project dissemination and networking • Final externalevaluation

14. RESULTS Construction and application of a diagnosis instrument regarding the promotion of conciliation measures, the behavioral adequacy and practical problem-solving. Implementation of “small” measures able to improve Conciliation, to be regarded not as a complex process but rather as a set of specific “small aids”. Identification of the inappropriate approach to the concept of Conciliation which causes difficulties in the “operationalization” of measures and brings about the need to promote a culture of Conciliation. Creation of a "Conciliation Network" composed of public and private entities, in order to facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge, the dissemination of good practices, the creation and consolidation of new products on matters relating to the Conciliation and equal opportunities between genders. Knowledge of the existing practices and conciliation measures needs by the Portuguese population through the implementation of the survey.