Portugal: training for active ageing services

Background 

Portugal's 2021 census shows a significant increase in the number of older adults and a decrease in young people. For every 100 young people, there are already 182 older adults. Portugal is one of the countries with the world's highest ageing index, and recent projections rank Portugal as the fourth fastest ageing country. 

The sector of care for older adults is one of the fundamental pillars for a society with a high rate of ageing, and vocational training is crucial for individuals, employers and the country. The promotion and sustainability of economic growth and human and social development, play a prominent role in the appropriate strategy for adaptation to an ageing society.  

The measure 

The Centre of Competences for Active Ageing (Centro de Competências para o Envelhecimento Ativo – CCEA) is a partnership between the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the Association for the Development of the Algarve Biomedical Research and Training Academic Centre (AD-ABC) and the Social Security Institute (ISSS). The participation of well-recognised entities ensures that the definition, implementation and monitoring of VET programmes and qualification processes in this field are part of an effective system of anticipation of, and adaptation to, the changing needs for competences and qualifications, so that care for older adults is provided when needed. The CCEA is based in Algarve, although delegations can be established nationwide. It opened in May, financed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

Mission 

The CCEA's mission is to promote vocational training and the recognition, validation and certification of competences in the field of care for older people to empower those who provide care for them: 

• development of human resources and capacity building of entities involved in the provision of care to older people by developing upskilling and reskilling training courses for workers and the unemployed seeking to enter the labour market in this sector of the economy; 
• enhance the value of informal caregivers of older people through their training and capacity building to provide differentiated care; 
• adding value to the provision of care by sharing good practices, through cooperation, both in training and technical support. 

Attributions 

To fulfil its mission in the context of care for older people, the CCEA has the following powers: 

• contribute to the diagnosis and definition of strategies for the empowerment of carers of older adults;  
• ensure the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the vocational training required for professional qualifications and development; 
• promote innovative training responses to provide working people with specific skills in the area of care provision, essential for adequate performance and more effective and efficient responses to the needs of the Portuguese society and active ageing; 
• establish strategic partnerships of collaboration, engaging well-experienced entities for training in those areas that respond to the needs of the labour market better; 
• promote qualification processes that contribute to accelerating innovation and promote its appropriate transformation to the needs of users and society in general. 

Target groups 

• jobseekers, including those who are unemployed 
• workers of entities involved in older people care 
• informal caregivers of older people 
• entities that promote the creation and/or development of projects for the provision of care for older people 

Read more

• Portaria n.º 119/2023 de 11 de maio (Regulation No 119/2023, of 11 May 2023)