2nd Seminar EPSU and Social Services

2nd Seminar EPSU and Social Services

14-16 January 2006

Helsinki Fair Centre, Finland

- Meeting documents

Social Services trade union officials are invited to the 2nd EPSU Seminar on Social Services. The seminar starts at 19.00 on Saturday 14 January 2006 and ends at 17.30 on Monday 16 January 2006 in Helsinki, Finland.

As part of the discussions at the ETUCO/EPSU Social Services seminar in Budapest in March 2005, participants agreed that it would be a good idea to have an annual social services ‘event'. The main reason for this recommendation being that it is the easiest way to establish and maintain a network of trade union social services experts.

The Seminar follows on from the work in Budapest. Jane Lethbridge (PSIRU) will give a more detailed paper on Overview Quality working conditions/ Migrant workers, including the role of volunteers and migrant workers.

This will be backed up by country reports and an EU overview (the latter focussing on the European Commission Communication on Social Services).

A significant part of the two-day seminar will be taken up by workshops.

The theme of training and professionalisation in the sector will be explored through a discussion on Mutual recognition of qualifications in the sector, and through an expert on the research framework of training in the sector.
This will be followed by workshops on aspects of these issues.

The final aspect of the seminar will be the formulation of a statement on social services.

Practical Information

Interpretation: Working languages will be English, French and Spanish.

Venue of the Seminar:

The seminar will take place at:

Finnish Fair Corporation

Helsinki Fair Centre

Messuaukio 1

P.O.B 21

FI - 00521 Helsinki

FINLAND

Website: www.finnexpo.fi

How to reach the Fair Center:

The Airport is only 13 kilometres away, and coming from there takes 15 minutes by car. The ports are also nearby. You have also a “Shuttlebuses” between the city and the Airport (more information about the Shuttlebuses see website www.ytv.fi). The Fair Centre has parking space for 4 300 cars.

Only five minutes by train from the city centre. All trains stop at the Pasila Station, 300 metres from the Fair Centre.

From the city centre, you can also come by trams number 7A and 7B as well as bus number 17. Regional buses number 504, 505 and 509 from Espoo all stop here.

There is a taxi rank in front of the main entrance.

Accommodation

EPSU made a block booking of 50 rooms in the hotel “Holiday Inn Helsinki Hotel”. The hotel is located in conjunction with the Helsinki Fair Center. Participants are responsible for PAYMENT of hotel bookings. The price for the room is:

From 14 January to 15 January 91€/room/night

From 15 January to 17 January 115€/room/night

For more information about the hotel:

www.helsinki.holiday-inn.com

Reimbursement

It possible to offer reimbursement for 8 participants from members states of the European Union, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey. We will reimburse a maximum of 500€ for the travel and accommodation. Travel costs will be reimbursed on the basis of the most economic fare available (economy/APEX/PEX air fares).

Reception and Dinner

A welcome reception is offered by the Finnish affiliates on the Saturday 14 January 2006 at 19.00. The reception will take place at the “Winter Garden Cabinet”.
A dinner is also organised on Sunday 15 January 2006 at 19.00 and will take place at the “Winter Garden Cabinet”.

A maximum of 50 participants can be accepted

Please fill in and return the attached participation form by 20 December 2005 at the latest.

Participation form














REVISED draft programme (document EN/FR/GER/SP/SWE)



























WORKSHOP QUESTIONS














Updated appendix to the EPSU report 'changing care policies in Europe' by Jane Lethbridge (PSIRU)

distributed at the ETUCO Budapest seminar. The original report is available in English, French, German, Spanish and Swedish at the following web address www.epsu.org/a/894



























Template for the country reports, which will be delivered by participants as part of the seminar



























Draft 'conference statement', to be discussed and amended by participants