Well, essentially the Cisco model is on site child care, which they also have in the US. Until October of this year, the Cisco centers were essentially satellite offices for Cisco.
Part of the issue here in the Netherlands is that in many ways, the whole society is built on the one-earner model, folks are rapidly switching to the two-earner model but the institutions are mostly not keeping up. Schools do not for instance typically have lunchrooms -- kids go home for lunch. And day care..well, when I came here six years ago there was exactly one professional day care in this town of 50,000 souls. "Preschool" starts at 18 months to 2 years and is two half days per week. For another example, children with learning and other disabilities are not integrated into the school system here, they go to different schools which are regionally based, These kids are therefore bussed via contract with taxi services -- picked up at the door and dropped off at the door. Until this year this city (which provides the service) refused to drop the kids off or pick them up anywhere other than at one home address -- so not at day care, not at the sitter, and god help you if you are, for example, divorced or otherwise not living together. So mothers with kids with learning disabilities are pretty much washed up for working unless it's part time or self employment. Large companies therefore find that solving the day care dilemma goes a long way to attracting and keeping employees. In many ways the Dutch do value work life balance more than Americans do. But not in that way. I don't think we are likely to follow this model in this area, as there are too many associated cultural differences we would be unlikely to accept. Jeannine On Dec 22, 4:22 pm, "TechVenue.com" <[email protected]> wrote: > Mark, > > Thank you! This looks like a great system and again shows that we in > the USA have a lot to learn and adopt when it comes to sustainability > and work/life balance + valuing the whole family as a part of it all. > > Looking forward to hearing more from others in the group - > > Cheers, > > David > > Re: > > On Dec 22, 8:17 am, Mark Gilbreath <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Onsight child care was a core element of the prototype "Smart Connected > > Workcenter" (SWC) that cisco developed and launched in Almere Netherlands > > (just outside Amsterdam) in 2008. This project was a part of a broad > > "Connected Urban Development" initiative that cisco developed, inspired by > > their involvement in the Clinton Global Inititive on sustainability. Much > > of what cisco demonstrated in this project (which has grown to a > > substantial network of locations in the Netherlands and inspired other > > projects around the globe) is relevant to coworking, including business > > models, public/private partnership models, space planning concepts, > > technology platforms (obviously, they want to promote their network, voice > > and video solutions), and service offerings...including child care. > > Their focus with the the SWC demonstration was enterprise customers, eg the > > IBM or HP employee who is looking for a more convenient, sustainable, > > productive place to work in lieu of the corporate office that may be > > further away (or as increasingly is the case at places like IBM, where 42% > > of their employees work remotely, the SWC becomes their only office. > > > Stuff to search on to find more info on this: almere, SWC, smart work > > center, CUD, connected urban development, bas boorsma, smart connected work > > > Mark Gilbreath > > CEO/Founder > > 208.720.8107 > > [email protected] > > > LiquidSpace(TM) - find a better space to work. > > We're a location-based mobile application that lets you use your phone to > > find a better space to meet and work, book it, check in securely, and share > > it with your colleagues. Visitwww.liquidspaceapp.comtolearn more! > > > On Dec 22, 2010, at 5:25 AM, autena <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I agree, this is a critical issue for me. I am a lot of the home- > > > based businesses and workers in my area are also parents that have to > > > be with their kids after school, or when the don't have child care > > > coverage. > > > > I am actively trying to recruit a partner that could have this as a > > > "service-next-door". I belong to a Gym that has child care but the > > > drop off is limited to 2 hours. > > > I think this is a great discussion, would love to know what other > > > members think/do about this. > > > -A > > > > On Dec 21, 5:33 pm, "TechVenue.com" <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> Hi All, > > > >> Does anyone have any data on generally what percentage of coworking > > >> places offer any childcare inside or adjacent to the space? > > > >> Felicity athttp://www.cubesandcrayons.comhassharedin a few threads > > >> already, and has a great thing going - I hope it spreads. > > > >> If this need is not considered to some degree in coworking business > > >> plans, I'm concerned this could be an obstacle to inclusion and > > >> therefore long term sustainability for coworking, as there's always a > > >> piece of the coworking pie that for ~18 years of their career have > > >> dependents. That's a huge chunk of prospective community members. > > > >> For that matter, could childcare facility partnerships with coworking > > >> spaces be mutually beneficial if they are located in close proximity? > > > >> -- > > > >> Cheers, > > > >> David Flint, MPA > > >> Founder,http://TechVenue.com > > >> Since 1998, Your Venue for Business Technology Events and Networking > > >> Email: D a v i [email protected] > > >> Phone: (312) 772-5631 > > >> Twitter: TechVenue > > >> __________________________ > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > > "Coworking" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]. > > > For more options, visit this group > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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