Funding Authority: National Agency for Community Programmes in the Field of Education and Vocational Training (NA)

Budget: 250.000 euro

Partners: CONCORDIA Academia through CONCORDIA Humanitarian Organization (Romania), Kardinal König Haus (Austria), Instituto Politecnico de Leiria (Portugal)

Period: 31.12.2023 – 30.12.2025

Description: The overall objective of the project is to build resilient and inclusive care communities in which professionals, caregivers, patients and citizens work together with the ultimate goal of improving the lives and overall health of patients facing severe conditions or those at the end of life.

A comprehensive training programme will be developed within the framework of the project, which will be addressed to social and medical professionals on the one hand, and to carers and home carers in the three EU countries on the other. Expected project results:

  • an international training which will train a multidisciplinary team of 20 socio-medical professionals
  • national training programmes involving 90 people (professionals and carers) from the 3 countries;
  • A variety of learning materials (podcasts, booklets, practical guides), accessible through the CONCORDIA Academy platform, to support both socio-medical professionals and carers in their efforts to care for people facing severe illnesses or spending the last stage of life

This project is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed, however, are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the National Agency for Community Programmes in Vocational Education and Training (ANPCDEFP). Neither the European Union nor ANPCDEFP can be held responsible for them.

Results – learning resources and materials

The Train of Trainers curriculum in palliative care is based on the experience of the Train of Trainers program developed within the Erasmus+ iCare project, which brought together 21 professionals from Romania, Austria and Portugal. The content reflects practical learning, intercultural exchange and accumulated expertise in diverse palliative care settings.

The aim of the Creating Learning Communities for Developing a Culture of Compassionate Palliative Care (CLC-CPC) course is to support trainers in developing and facilitating learning communities that promote a culture of compassionate palliative care. The curriculum integrates the dimensions of ‘death literacy’ and is designed to be applicable in different social, educational and community contexts, in line with the principles of the Compassionate Cities initiative.

The Trainer’s Manual – Palliative Care Course for Professionals and Caregivers is a practical guide for trainers and facilitators who train people involved in palliative care. The manual provides essential guidelines for organizing and delivering effective training sessions based on compassion, active listening and respect. The content can be adapted to different areas of expertise and supports the development of learning communities that promote a humane and responsible palliative care culture.

The Handbook of Philosophical Self-Care, for people involved in palliative and hospice care, proposes a broad and integrated approach to self-care, beyond the boundaries of work-life balance. The manual starts from the idea that self-care and caring for others are interdependent and deeply influenced by relational, community and structural contexts. The content includes reflections and exercises that support self-care as a personal, team and community practice and is easily adaptable for educational contexts.

This guide is for anyone who provides care for someone who needs support with daily activities. It is centered on the needs of those caring for people affected by serious illness or disability, but can also be applied to other care situations. The guide provides practical information for carers, support suggestions and self-care guidelines, with each chapter including useful resources for further study and additional support.

“Conversations about Life and Loss” is a podcast series that opens an honest dialog about palliative care, who it is for, and why it is essential to the quality of life of patients and their families. Episodes cover topics such as pain management, emotional support, dignity, medical competence and the role of the multidisciplinary team in difficult times, bringing together diverse perspectives, experts and special guests who can change the way we look at life, illness and loss.