USING LEARNING NETWORKS TO BUILD WORK-FAMILY BALANCE

Good Practices of the Project: Networks of the Fathers

Tartu 15.5.2008Tuula Piensoho, Ph.D. (Educ.), Project Leader

University of Helsinki, Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education

Using Learning Networks to Buid Work-Family Balance

• The challenges of work-family balance in Finland

• About the project

• Good Practices of the Project:

”Fatherhood Initiatives as Part of Parenting Education”

“Fatherhood as a Resource in the Workplace”

• Publications carried out within the project

www.tyoperheoppimisverkosto.fi

WORKING LIFE & WORKING POLICY

Changing working time arrangements• flexible working times• shorter working hours

• part-time workChanging organisation of work

• diversifying conditions of employment• local agreements

FAMILY-LIFE &SOCIAL POLICY

Care for small children• parental leave

• child-care leave/homecare subsidy• day care

• caring for a sick childArranging care for others

requiring it• school-age small children

• the sick, the disabled• the elderly

GENDER &EQUALITY POLICY

• women’s position in the labour market• men’s position in families

WORK

&

FAMILY

(Salmi 2004,3)

Working life & working policy

• Working life in Finland is in a constant state of flux

• Work performance requirements have become more demanding andin workplaces it is common to have plenty of work with too little time and limited resources

• In Finland it is typical for both men and women to work on a full-time basis (two-breadwinner model), yet women tend to work more on a part-time and temporary basis than men

• Gender segregation of sectors, occupations and tasks is typical for our market

• Unemployment figures are high (6,4 % 9/2007)

• Due to the increasingly uncertain, part-time and short-term nature of employment, many employees, in particular young and well-educated women, tend to find it difficult to make plans for their future

• Employees are increasingly committed to their work

• Work flexibility does not benefit employers and employees equally

Gender and equality policy

• The role of women is more work-oriented than before, while that of men has become more family-oriented. However, the latter change proceeds at a slower pace (Jallinoja 2000)

• Housework is done mostly by women. It is also women who tend to take care of ageing parents and relatives (Salmi et al. 2004)

• Women are well-educated but their education level has not resulted in equality in employment; gender pay-gap ”a woman’s euro is 80 cents”

• Gender equality in family responsibilities would balance employer costs and improve women’s position in the labour market

• Due to the ageing of the population and large number of people retiring, employees of both genders will be needed in the labour market of tomorrow (Statistics Finland, Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA 2003)

• It is more difficult for women to progress in their career, and still most managers are male. However, the number of female managers has increased in Finland

Family life & social policy

• About 80 % of the employed labour force are women and men with families

• Family structures are changing; number of single parents and stepfamilies is increasing

• Statistics show that there is an increased feeling of insecurity among children and that their actual ill-being has increased (e.g. the increased number of children placed into foster care)

• Employees have more and more problems related to working ability; e.g. career requirements, small children, etc. in their early career years, whereas in the later career stages employees tend to take care of their parents, relatives, grandchildren, etc.

• Most of the beneficiaries of family allowances are women. It is increasingly the task of women to reconcile work and family life. Almost all mothers use theis parental leaves, but men only 2-3 %.

ON THE OTHER HAND

• We have in Finlannd good health-, child- and day care systems, which help employees and citizens as generally to cope.

About the project

The project was an EQUAL (ESF) Community InitiativeProject and it was co-financed by the Ministry of SocialAffairs and Health. It belongde to the Equal OpportunitiesFor Women and Men priority.

The project aimed to

• promote gender equality, well-being and family-friendliness at all levels of society: individual, family, workplace, municipality and the whole society

• build co-operation and learning networks which help members work together on issues related to work-family balance

USING LEARNING NETWORKS TO BUILD WORK-FAMILY BALANCE EQUAL 2004 – 2008

National DP-partners: Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education (DP Managing Organisation)

Laurea Polytechnic, Järvenpää The Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters in Finland

The Central Association of Women Entrepreuneurs in Finland.

Building support networks for the family

“product development workshop” new support services and

methods new networks

”Towards a family-friendly work culture

organisations develop their own work community

Researching work and family

provide and collect research knowledge

Thematic seminar

Thematic seminar

Thematic seminar

Thematic seminar

STUDY PROGRAM Work-Family Change Agents for employers, developers and entrepreneurs

two study programmes (2005 - 2006 ja 2006 - 2007) containing common part and differentiated part according to target group

OPEN FORUM

OPEN FORUM

OPEN FORUM

Open forums for everyone interested in the subject

The key activities of the project

• Development work in learning networks - each learning network meets about 8 times during the

project, consultation & education & mutual learning& small group activities- development work in the workplaces, regional small group activities

• Common theme days for learning networks- four theme days during the project

• Research activities of the project (researchers and students)

• Kick-off and closing seminars, Open Forum meetings- three forums during the project, designed to disseminate results to the public

• Work-Family Change Agents -Programs - two similar study programmes during the project

Main Results of the Project

TOWARDS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORK-CULTURE• GENDER EQUALITY, WELL-BEING AND FAMILY FRENDLINESS IN

WORKPLACES, NETWORKING• DEVELOPED AND TESTED INNOVATIVE WORK PRACTICES AND MODELS IN

WORKPLACES• DEVELOPED MANAGEMENT WORK IN WORKPLACES• PUBLICATIONS, RESEARCH

BUILDING SUPPORT NETWORKS FOR THE FAMILY• PROMOTION OF FAMILY WELL-BEING AND SUPPORTATIVE NETWORKS FOR

FAMILIES• DEVELOPED MEASURES AND SERVICES FOR FAMILIES• NEW NETWORKS FOR FATHERS• PUBLICATION, RESEARCH

RESEARCHING WORK AND FAMILY• ESTABLISHED CLOSE LINK BETWEEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE

FIELD• COMISSIONED STUDIES, PUBLICATION• NETWORKING

WORK-FAMILY CHANGE AGENTS –PROGRAMS• 30 NEW AGENTS

Good Practices of the Project:

Fatherhood Initiatives as Part of Parenting Education

The aims of the experiment were:

• to encourage, urge and guide men to get more involved in the care and upbringing of their child right from birth.

• to develop the dialogue and interaction between fathers and mothers and to recognise the fathers‘ experiences in trying to balance work and family.

The process:

• the experiment started in 2006 in Mäntsälä

• introduction to the current operations of childwelfare clinics in the municipality of Mäntsälä

- introduction to the objectives and the action plan of the experiment

- agreeing on common goals and a common plan

• starting a parenting course for fathers in the municipality of Mäntsälä- providing consultation and training on fatherhood- introducing the thematics of balancing work and family in parenting courses aimed at dads- engaging in discussion with companies on the issue of balancing work and family, especially from dads’ point of view

The contents of the courses focused both on the time before

the child is born and the time after it.

The themes of the courses:

- experience and results from parenting courses for fathers- the role of the father in the family- the ensemble of the life of a father: the core issue

of balancing work and family- the involvement of fathers in the care and upbringing

(early interaction)- interaction and dialogue between fathers and mothers

New Dads’ Groups as part of parenting educationstarted in 2007 and summing-up event was in 2007.

Municipality of Mäntsälä continues to organize dad´s groups after the project.

Fatherhood as a Resource in the Workplace

The aims of the experiment were

• to develop and test various activities and operational models aimed at guaranteeing the involvement and communication of fathers and children even after a divorce.

• to try out new operational models alongside the traditional family support work aimed at mothers and children

• to bring fathers in alongside the single mothers to support the development of the child

• to get fathers and children to spend more time together. Strengthening of fatherhood promotes well-being at work, which is also in the interests of the employer.

• the work community benefits from supporting fatherhood, since fatherhood is a learning process.

• the experiment was organized in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during 11/2006-8/2007.

• the activities included trips for fathers and children and various campaigns for the whole family organised by the employer together with a child welfare organisation.

The process:

• 11/2006 the Exhibition ” Fathers and children” inMinistry of Foreign Affairs during three weeks. The photoexhibition was done earlier by a child welfare organisationcalled Pienperheyhdistys ry.

• the activities of the experiment included trips forfathers and children and various campaigns for thewhole family

• 8 fathers and 11 children took part in this Experiment - some grandfathers, too.

• 08/2007 a seminar for the spouses ofthe officers of the ministry took place in Helsinki. In thisseminar there was a lecture of the topic.

• the results of the experiment were very positive both in employees and employers side. Also children liked theactivities.

Publications carried out within the project

• ”WORK EMPOWERED BY FAMILY – FAMILY EMPOWERED BU WORK. EXPERIENCES OF THE WORKING POPULATION ON BALANCING WORK AND FAMILY” (PIENSOHO 2006)

• PUBLICATION COMPILING ARTICLES ”TYÖN JA PERHEEN TASAPAINO” (CASTRÉN 2007)

• “RECONCILING WORK AND FAMILY. GOOD PRACTICES FROM FINLAND, POLAND AND SPAIN (2007)

• ”ARKI TASAPAINOON. TYÖN JA PERHEEN YHTEENSOVITTAMISEN MALLEJA, TUOTTEITA JA KÄYTÄNTÖJÄ” (PIENSOHO, HAKULINEN, RÄTY 2007)

• ”KOHTI PERHEYSTÄVÄLLISTÄ TYÖKULTTUURIA. KAHDENTOISTA TYÖPAIKAN TYÖN JA PERHEEN YHTEENSOVITTAMISEN HYVÄT KÄYTÄNNÖT”(PIENSOHO JA KÄNSÄLÄ 2008)

• ”TOIMINTAA JA TULOKSIA. TYÖN JA PERHEEN TASAPAINOA RAKENTAVA HANKE ARVIOI TOIMINTAANSA” (PÍENSOHO 2008)

• COMMISSIONED STUDENT RESEARCH CARRIED OUT ON THE ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT (12 STUDENT RESEARCH) www.tyoperheoppimisverkosto.fi

• ”WORK-LIFE BALANCE. JOINT RESEARCH. FINLAND, POLAND JA SPAIN” (2007)