The social, medical and education sectors are changing because of the creation of social Europe, due to the intrusion of new communications technologies, evolution of legislations, human rights, new intervention methods, new methodological approaches, medical progress, users’ new expectations, requirement for more transparency and democracy allowing easier access to public at risks, subject of discrimination and violence, and HRM needs in companies.
Service users are individuals that should be made active by information and training to become responsible citizens.
In each member state, the social service sector represents nearly 30% of all jobs in private, public and business organisations: social workers, psychologists, nurses, doctors, judicial personnel, educators, rehabilitation workers, teachers, trainers, advisers, administrative workers, health workers, family support, agent of HRM in companies, also volunteers and users relevant consumers.
To perform these expected functions of prevention, assistance, support, fighting against violence, all these personnel and citizens require a continuous training and information process at European level.
The training needs are located at 2 levels: training focused on upgrading knowledge; training focused on new issues requiring practical and theoretical new skills at national and transnational levels.
Should be mentioned in particular the emerging problems of "violence", in companies, institutions, schools that require new skills from staff in order to respond adequately on social, medical, education, security and HRM level.
The changing family structures have created new issues influencing children's development and couples’ behavior.
The WHO highlights the growth of psychiatric prevalence among the population: 10% schizophrenic; 35% of the population suffering from depression at least once in a lifetime; use of drugs / alcohol by 22% of the population.
The impact of globalization on the deregulation of the economy generates substandard risks on mental health needs that are already growing in Europe.
The development of AIDS although stabilized in some countries is growing exponentially in others. Needs arising from legal and illegal immigration have created a new intervention area. Needs resulting from feelings of insecurity, fear, exclusion of stigmatized populations, elderly populations, needs from the syndrome of "catastrophism" associated with climate changes call for new skills and are the issues of a terror syndrome.
These needs were identified by European NGOs through surveys, evaluation seminars, research conducted in EU member states by private and public institutions.
Social partners have identified relational problems inside companies, burnout, mobbing, as well as in the surroundings of/- and inside schools where violence is becoming more prevalent, increasingly overcharged and even at earlier stages.
Network partners are observatories which are really sensitive to local or regional needs.
Professional associations highlight the need for continuous education.
The European Commission puts priority on continuing education as a factor to keep one’s job, of diversification by new technologies and innovative methodological approaches.
The aim of our IEFC association is to prevent and fight against violence towards children, young, women, persons at risk, socially stigmatized and/or disabled by mental illness, immigration and poverty, and to protect victims of violent phenomena which will lead to improve the quality of their life, and their well-being in general.
IEFC aims at strengthening the skills of workers and persons in charge, in relation to the topic, which will allow a better understanding of violence phenomena and improves the care of victims and perpetrators.
This training action along with advocacy informs on the phenomena of violence in order to drop taboos and embarrassment, and activate care quality.
This objective will be achieved by introducing fundamental changes in attitudes by training stakeholders belonging to the psycho-social health sector, families or volunteers, auxiliaries and other social workers, volunteers and professionals who support the targeted public, and relevant social political authorities; by victims' involvement in the implementation of remedies in relation to situations of violence experienced by users of mental health through the NGO Together,
Huis voor de Zorg and local networks of partners; by strengthening staff to respond to discrimination and social, mental and/or physical violence; by expert support to associations involved in the fight against discrimination through NGO’s such as the European network
EuropsyRehabiliation; by the exchange of good practices on vocational training from both the practical point of view and from the point of view of training policy.