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IFAP is a training entity, which specialises in service to the
person.
We train child minders, people who look after the elderly
and people who carry out housework and ironing
at individual's homes.
Our characteristic is to pass on the spirit of service,
as we think that to work in these jobs
with a real spirit of service, with an interest for others, makes a difference.
In serving the person there are some tasks
that are more difficult
and some call unrewarding, that some even call a chore,
which are
important,
and we consider serving
somebody
is not something that can be called a chore. It is all really about a service
we give to others.
The employees that come and train here,
appreciate this thinking because they realise
that it's an important job
to be done with a spirit of service.
Our characteristic is to have a real
interest in people
and to pass on this idea:
a job for the service of others, a service for people
for whom we work for.
Of course, there are some tasks which can seem unattractive,
more difficult than others, effectively
mopping or
hovering. But we try to transmit the idea that we are doing it
as a service for somebody, not just hovering.
So it's true that in this thinking
we give a lot of importance precisely
to the human side which concerns people, and service
to the person in general, is a sector where
the human and emotional
really come
into play,
and we have to take this into account
and at IFAP, it is a reality
which we pass on.
So more than all these human qualities, there are of course
a number of skills according to the jobs.
So the skills are different
if you child-mind or look after elderly people.
There are very specific things of the job to know and to master,
skills of the art,
as well as everything to do with household work and ironing,
like for example, microfibre.
That's it...it's part of having definite technical knowledge,
more than human qualities.
I think that in training, in service to the person,
there is scope for a lot of change. When you look at training in other sectors,
other business sectors,
we are still quite behind.
I also think that society
has to evolve and recognise these jobs that are
so important, whether it be for the elderly or
for children. And most
people don't think
about this question,
and I think that that evidently requires a change
of society, a real recognition
of all these jobs,
which unfortunately can be overlooked by the employee,
since when we talk about recognition,
we talk a lot about salaries, so of course it is important.
But it seems to me that these jobs completely exceed these dimensions,
since at the end of the day how do you value
the smile to a child or to someone?
It's a free act, it is not seen on a pay slip
or an employment contract.
But it is something that is just indispensable for people
and which exceeds
the financial dimension.
So it's a question of really valuing
the specific activity,
of service to the person, of household work with children,
with the elderly.