To test this law, a trial phase has been implemented since 1 January 2022, which will last until the end of 2023.
The law stipulates that the 10,000 employees in non-formal education must undergo 32 hours of free training within two years. However, criteria regarding the content of these courses and the qualification of trainers were only introduced in 2022.
The government works with six agencies (Caritas, Red Cross, Elizabeth, Fedas, Focus and Inter-actions) whose task it is to offer training modules that meet the needs of different sectors and ministerial priorities. These agencies can also turn to nurseries or daycares if there is a need for tailor-made trainings.
Inter-actions is responsible for recruiting self-employed trainers, limited liability companies, or non-profit organisations, whose expenses will be reimbursed by the government at the end of the year. The budget for 2023 contains a little over €6 million.
The training courses cover a wide range of subjects, including physical exercises, tips on how to structure cooperation with parents, and how to build a good transition phase between nurseries and daycares.
To ensure the quality of the training, criteria were introduced to ensure that trainers had the required qualifications and were suited to the needs of this sensitive sector. Although a few trainers lacked the required qualifications, the National Youth Service (SNJ) has not received any further reports since last year, and the vast majority of employees appreciate the increase in hours and the opportunity to improve their work.
