Hokus Pokus kindergarten supports the work-family balance of students and employees of the University of Agder and promotes gender equality.
Studies have long shown that a good work-family balance is a key enabler to female participation in the labor market and in the high-tech sector in particular. This was confirmed during FEMINA interregional exchange, concerning female entrepreneurship and access to employment/career progression.
Hokus Pokus kindergarten was launched by the students’ association of the University of Agder to support the daily life of University students with children. Students, former students, and University staff are entitled to priority enrolment of their children, but Hokus Pokus is also open to any resident of the area.
Two kindergartens are open in 2 University campuses (Kristiansand/Grimstad). Certain characteristics make them a precious tool to support work-family balance. They are located in the University campus and opening times comply with University and tech lab schedules. They have extended and more flexible opening hours compared to other kindergartens, so parents can manage child care around their work schedule.
Hokus Pokus is also an example of how to address gender-segregation in labor markets. Childcare is traditionally female-dominated. Hokus Pokus has an active and successful male recruiting campaign and collaborates with schools and Universities to widen student career options. The recruitment tools can be adapted to the other side of the coin: segregation in male-dominated sectors of the workforce, such as the high-tech sectors that FEMINA addresses.
Resources needed
No special resources are needed compared to those normally allocated to a regular kindergarten. The key assets are human resources: staff members have to be competent in gender equality education and proactive in working to achieve durable change.
Evidence of success
150 children attend the Grimstad kindergarten.
Hokus Pokus has exceeded national averages of male participation in this female-dominated sector (10% national average - 33% in Kristiansand / 20% in Grimstad). The highly functional recruitment techniques are a good starting point to develop tools addressing gender segregation in key high-tech sectors. Hokus Pokus won a National Gender Equality prize in 2007. In 2008 were appointed as one of ten demonstration kindergartens at national level.
Difficulties encountered
Working with gender equality in kindergartens can be challenging due to a lot of gendered stereotypes in the outside world and especially in the commercial market. The kindergarten can provide a gender-equal daycare facility, but the limiting gender stereotypes will still be present in toy stores an
Potential for learning or transfer
Enhancing female participation in the high-tech sector is not only about pushing women to take higher education in STEM, but also providing them with effective support tools to reconcile high-demanding careers with family. Creating synergies among employers and daycare facilities, to guarantee flexibility and cater to the specific needs of working parents, is a key element that can be transferred.
Moreover, Hokus Pokus also demonstrates how synergies between higher education institutions and employers can be used to address gender-segregated labor markets and guarantee gender balance in the workplace.
Last but not least, it is an inspiring example of the key role played by early school education in raising awareness on higher education options and future career opportunities. FEMINA interregional exchange, in line with numerous studies, has highlighted that awareness of the female potential to access male-dominated sectors must start from an early age.
Tags: Youth, Education
