Joe Cullen, Arcola ResearchToolkit for developing the Digital Competences of Carers

Carer+ Conference, Paris, March 27th, 2015

04/15/2023

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Sub-title:

“How to deliver smart homecare – the Carer+ User Manual”

Toolkit for developing digital competences

|Target Groups:|Policy makers|Training providers|Certification bodies|Professional and informal carers

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||The Carer+ Narrative arc

The ToC sets out the Carer+ vision, its aspirations, what it aimed to

achieve and what are its desired outcomes and impacts

The ‘theory’ (or hypotheses and assumptions) underlying this vision

and desired outcomes and impacts

As well as the actions implemented to reach these outcomes and

impacts

a.k.a. the Carer+ ‘Theory of Change’

There are gaps in the ICT knowledge and skills of home

carers and care recipients

These gaps need to be systematically assessed through

competence mapping

Carers' competences

can be improved with access to ICT devices and

training to use them

ICT access and training leads to an improvement in the quality of care provided

An improvement in the quality of

care leads to improvement in the quality of life of older people

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||Supporting the change journeyThe Toolkit for developing the digital competences of carers

The ToC maps a journey towards a desired destination

As always in a journey the traveller expects certain things to be in place

But in every journey obstacles are encountered along the way

Along the way, the expectations of the journey change

And when you arrive at your destination, you find it isn’t really what you expected

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||Purposes of the toolkit

SO THE TOOLKIT IS INTENDED TO:

• MAP THE ROUTE

• HIGHLIGHT THE SUPPORT REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE JOURNEY

• WARN ABOUT THE OBSTACES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

• MANAGE EXPECTATIONS

• SUPPORT TRANFERABILITY AND REPLICATION OF THE LEARNING FROM CARER+

What we hope to achieve with the Toolkit

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|| Inputs to the Toolkit

Theories and Concepts (Scottish constructivism; Feenberg)

Research (CARICT; JRC-IPTS)

Practice (Carer+ process and impacts assessment)

• Carers survey

• Carers and clients focus groups

• Observation/diaries

• Training programme evaluations

The Data and Material used to develop the Toolkit

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||Theories and conceptsFeenberg; Cullen; Cohen

Technical coding

Civilising Choices

Value-embedded use

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||Value-embedded useExamples from Carer+

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||Research

Success factors:The involvement of end-users (carers, elderly people and formal care staff) as active players in the design of the services, complemented by training in digital and care services competences

The progressive integration of ICT-based service for informal carers in the formal long-term care system

Co-operation between stakeholders, including non-profit organisations (third sector)

Exploitation of the existing ICT and digital inclusion infrastructure

Overcoming negative attitudes and scepticism

Scientific evidence of impacts

Efficient business model

CARICT results (Carretero et. al, 2013)

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||Toolkit methodologyCultural, Social and Organisational embedding of a socio-technical system

Infrastructure

ICT-based competence development

Competence acquisition

Embedding through use

Outcomes

MESO

MACRO

MICRO

Welfare system Policy structures Certification systems

Learning needs profilingTraining programme Curriculum and contentMentoring

Adaptation to lifeworldAdaptation through useCarer-client interaction

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||What is needed at macro level?• Adaptation to prevailing welfare system (Esping-Andersen) - Liberal

(England &Wales); Conservative-corporatist (Italy, France,

Germany); Social democratic (Nordic countries); Mediterranean

(Spain, Portugal, Greece); Neo-liberal (Baltic states, Slovakia);

Social corporatist (Czech Republic, Romania); Hybrid (Poland,

Hungary, Malta)

• Sensitivity to transversal EU policy discourses – SIP and social

innovation; Growth and Jobs; Mobility – promote transferable skills

applicable to other sectors

• Adaptation to prevailing certification systems – NOP programme,

Portugal; sectoral committees (Czech Republic)

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||What is needed at meso level? Credible mentoring

system

Credible assessment systemAdaptation to local

context

Time & opportunity cost

Usability of devices

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||What is needed at micro level?Clear pay-offs for carer, e.g. improve co-ordination with social services; improve relations with client family; improve human relationship with client

Clear pay-offs for client, e.g. ICTs reduce time and stress in paying bills

Embedded in client’s life world and routine

Good technical infrastructure and support

Adapt to the limitations of the care environment – Carer+ is not an assistive technology, it is a facilitator