Learning for Caregivers in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Learning for Caregivers in Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Health and wellbeing; Gender equality / equal opportunities; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

The Greek Carers Network EPIONI in collaboration with the Panhellenic Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Vocational Rehabilitation (PEPSAEE), Eurocarers, Care Alliance Ireland and La Compagnie des Aidants, to mark the completion of the Erasmus + KA2 learn4carers project has developed a good practice guide for supporting informal carers. The guide is available at www.learn4carers.eu, in Greek, English and French.

Owing to the excellent cooperation of institutions from Greece, Belgium, France, Ireland, Cyprus, Italy and the United Kingdom, the “Learn for Carers in Europe” project (Learn4Carers) provided opportunities for

1) The organisations involved, to exchange information on good practices in supporting caregivers.
2) Exchange of information regarding the support services for informal carers.
3) Dissemination of information to professionals supporting informal carers.
4) Increasing communities’ awareness of the issues facing informal carers.
5) Development of proposals regarding the support of informal carers on local as well as at European level.

The project lasted 24 months, from December 2018 to November 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two in situ meetings were held in Athens, and Dublin (2019) and the rest were held virtually.

Focus Group Interviews with informal carers, professionals and policymakers.

Mapping of caregivers needs and good practices was done by the use of questionnaires and electronic forms.

Information campaigns were conducted with the support of the office of the European Parliament in Greece (Caring for Carers 2019 and Caring for Carers 2020)

The Website (www.learn4carers.eu) and Social Media (Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin) with information material will remain active for five years after the end of the project and will be available n three different languages.

The Video messages from MEPs on the role which informal carers play in the sustainability of national health systems will be available on EPIONI youtube channel.
The video for the dissemination of the project is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zf2ppU-3M&t=3s

As interest in the topic of family carers is growing rapidly in Europe we accordingly included as partner Eurocarers, the European umbrella association working with carers. This European network representing informal carers and their 67 organisations in EU Member States and beyond supported the project by sharing information on the European policy agenda, due to their representation, actively supported by the European Parliament and disseminating our exchange of best practices in a European level.

Our associated partner EUFAMI promoted the project at an EU level. EPIONI as the lead partner is a dynamic organisation of caregivers from Greece with practical experience supporting caregivers.

It was the first time that EPIONI was involved as coordinator in an Erasmus+ KA2 project. Despite the challenges of the project we managed to navigate the respective complexities and difficulties successfully.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 48197,88 Eur

Project Coordinator

Greek Carers Network EPIONI & Country: EL

Project Partners

• Care Alliance Ireland Ltd
• La Compagnie des Aidants
• EUROCARERS-ASSOCIATION EUROPEENNE TRAVAILLANT AVEC ET POUR LES AIDANTS NON-PROFESSIONNELS
• PANELLADIKI ENOSI GIA TIN PSYCHOKOINONIKI APOKATASTASI KAI TIN EPAGGELMATIKI EPANENTAXI