Employment in Luxembourg – Young men encouraged to work in the social sector
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LUXEMBOURG – The Minister for Equality between Women and Men launched the “Social Boys” project on Wednesday to increase the number of men working in crèches or relay houses.
In Luxembourg, there are only too few men in social work. Women account for 85% of jobs in non-formal education for children. In order to reduce this imbalance, Taina Bofferding, the Minister for Equality between Women and Men, launched the “Social Boys” project on Wednesday at the Forum Geesseknäppchen in Luxembourg. It consists of allowing teenagers aged 14 or over to work on a voluntary basis in a social structure (example: nursery, relay house), two to four hours a week for a period of three to six months.
“We currently have 9 participants, aged 14 to 17, says Alex Carneiro, member of the infoMann information service, who implemented the project with the ministry, the Technical High School for Educational and Social Professions (LTPES) and the Daachverband vun de Lëtzebuerger Jugendstrukturen (DLG). We have 20 places in total until the end of October, the boys who are in demand can still register”.
“I love working with children”
Luis, 17, is one of the registrants. The high school student explains that he wanted to take part in the project to “get more information” about the social sector. “I like working with children, I have already spent a week in a crèche”, specifies the resident of Diekirch.
For his part, Joao Paulo, 17, signed a volunteer contract with a relay house in Dalheim, even before the launch of “Social Boys”. “I’ve been a volunteer for a year,” he explains. After high school, I come to work for two or three hours at the relay house. I want to become an educator later, it is important for me to accumulate experience”. Joao Paulo plans after his fifth year to do an apprenticeship as a life assistant, before taking the educator’s diploma.
It should be noted that the voluntary work carried out within the framework of “Social Boys” will be valued by a certificate.