Two employees of CONCORDIA Academia participated in a job shadowing mobility in the field of palliative care and compassionate communities in Graz, Austria, on April 28-29, 2025, hosted by CIRAC (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Ageing and Care), part of the University of Graz.

The main aim of the mobility was to strengthen the inter-institutional partnership with the University of Graz and to identify other relevant local actors in order to support the sustainability of the projects and initiatives that CONCORDIA Academia is developing in this field. The work was carried out in direct connection with the ongoing Erasmus+ iCare project on palliative care and the development of compassionate communities.

During the mobility, the participants had the opportunity to meet professionals in the field, to visit reference social institutions and to discover examples of systemic change and societal impact through innovative interventions. Visits included:

  • Radio Helsinki – independent community radio promoting social and cultural projects;
  • Gesundheitsdrehscheibe – health center offering care services in an affordable way;
  • Palliativer Konsiliardienst – public advisory service for palliative care;
  • Pflegedrehscheibe – guidance center supporting access to social and medical services;
  • Hospice and Elisabethinen Palliative Care Unit;
  • Demenztagtagesstätte, Haus am Ruckerlberg – day center for people with dementia, also offering palliative care.

This experience brought a significant addition to the participants’ professional skills and personal development, giving them:

  • a deeper understanding of the concept of compassionate communities as a public and social health strategy emphasizing collective responsibility in the face of suffering;
  • knowledge of palliative care financing, including sustainable funding mechanisms and efficient allocation of resources;
  • community involvement and mobilization skills to support people in situations of serious illness, care, loss and bereavement;
  • experience in interdisciplinary collaboration with professionals from diverse fields – from clinicians and social workers to researchers and community facilitators – to develop initiatives centered on compassionate care.

The results of the mobility will be capitalized in future initiatives aimed at supporting the development of palliative care and the culture of compassionate communities in our society.