The European project D+ComFor, now completed, has sought to develop the Skills and Training of professionals who work with people with dependency/disabilities. It precisely tries to relate the research and development of Competencies and the continuous training of professionals in a sector that is especially sensitive to the continuous improvement of the quality of care.

From the beginning, the project has been set out in an ambitious manner: Thus, the research methodology developed has sought to guarantee the correctness of the conclusions adopted and their validity in a wide geographical/political/administrative spectrum. In the same way, the desired transfer and impact of the project had to be as broad as possible. All of this made the participation, from the beginning, of actors belonging to different autonomous communities convenient and necessary.

Thus, in addition to the project partners, the configuration and participation of a Group of experts from different regions was made possible for the methodological contrast of the project, and that of several Working Groups/Antennas of Experts belonging to organizations located in different regions for the carrying out field work.

These groups were made up of experienced professionals with different profiles and levels of responsibility, family members and people with intellectual disabilities at the level of self-advocates, in such a way that, together, they make up a Network of Antennas of Experts on the subject that is still alive. finished the project.

The following have participated in the project as partner organizations:

• ATADES HUESCA.
• KOINE AEQUALITAS Foundation and ARETÉ ACTIVA, from Navarre.
• ASSOCIATION POUR LA PROMOTION SOCIALE ET PROFESSIONNELLE and ATELIER LAN BERRI, from Aquitania.

And as collaborating entities:

• ATADES ZARAGOZA
• ATADI TERUEL
• ASPANIAS BURGOS
• FUNDACIÓN SAN CEBRIAN, from PALENCIA
• TALLER SHALOM, from LLEIDA
• GRUPO AMÁS, from MADRID

Throughout the project the following actions were carried out:

• Diagnosis of the grouped entities, regarding the definition of professional profiles, management by competencies, and tools currently used:
  • Detailed and exhaustive collection through group dynamics of all the tasks, functions, attitudes and behaviors involved in the work performance of each of the professional Qualifications identified as references in the sector of care for people with disabilities and dependency.
  • Preparation of a consultation questionnaire to pass to professionals belonging to the Qualifications studied about their actual performance with respect to the tasks, functions, attitudes and behaviors selected for said profiles. The developed questionnaire aims to know the interaction between knowledge, abilities, skills, aptitudes and attitudes inherent to the Qualifications studied.
  • Selection and filter of the main tasks, functions, attitudes and behaviors of each of the professional profiles identified as references in the sector of care for people with intellectual disabilities, with the aim of identifying the transversal competencies of each Qualification.
  • Consensus on the expected and desired level of development of each Professional Qualification.
  • Preparation of a consultation questionnaire on the most appropriate training needs to complete the differential between desired profile and effective performance.
  • Adaptation of the questionnaire so that it is accessible to all people in the organization (in language and format)
  • Conducting semi-structured interviews with workers with disabilities and dependence on the services of the participating entities to consult the work carried out so far on the professional’s profile.
  • Dynamization of discussion groups with relatives of people with disabilities and dependence on entities to consult the work carried out on the profile of the professional under study.
  • Definition of the typical profile of the different professional qualifications under study.
  • Reflection and consensus, within each of the organizations, on the typical profile of the professionals of the Qualifications studied.

• Debate and agreement on the transversal competences, common techniques and specific techniques of the profile of the professionals of the Qualifications studied and the level of current competence development of the profile of the professionals of the Qualifications studied.

• Determination of the training actions most appropriate to the real needs of the organization.

• Development of valid and feasible tools to implement in entities of the sector for management by competencies.

The D+COMFOR project has been 65% co-financed by the European regional development fund “FEDER”, through the POCTEFA operational program. “Investing in our future”.

More information at https://www.arete-activa.com/?s=D%2BCOMFOR