Aim of the project is improving skills and qualificants of cancer patients and their families, who are in the post-treatment phase, in order to enable them to support and care themselves at home. Since, post-treatment process lasts extended period of times and these patients need regular medical counselling for support, provision of this support by regular hospital visits is an inefficient process for both health providers and patients. In order to provide a more effectual health support for cancer patients and their families, the project consortium under the leadership of Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital plan to employ ICTs. Consisting of Oncology Hospital, ANT Foundation, APEC Education, Phoenix Institute and Previform, the consortium is going to develop three intellectual outputs. There will be an e-book containing education modules about palliative care for cancer patients in post-treatment period. The second output will be educational video series. The series will contain practical information about cancer patient care at home. The video series will explain how to implement patient care procedures at home and explanations are going to be made by medical personnel. The third one will be a digital education are for cancer patients and health providers in the field of oncology services. The area will serve as a social solidarity portal for cancer patients and their relatives. Updates, news and events related with member organisations, articles published by medical personnel of the member organisations, information regarding medical services in proximity will be available the area.There were an estimated 1.4 million new cases of cancer in men and 1.2 million in women in the EU in 2018. In Turkey, cancer is the result of 1 of 5 deaths in 2018. Considering the large amounts of people who are in need of continuous medical support after the treatment process in both Turkey and the EU, the necessity to add transnational dimension into this project becomes evident. The project will be managed in a systematic manner. Partners will regulary meet in face to face and in Skype meetings. Cloud storage will be used for cooperation and document share. Regular supervision and reporting will ensure the quality of project management. An effective dissemination plan will be executed in order to reach maximum amount of people who are in target groups. Multiplier events will be held in medicine conference format for promoting the project results.Upon the completion of the project, the first imminent results we expect is that cancer patients and their families will be able to access tools to equip themselves with information and skills which are needed to support the patient in the post-curation stage. Palliative cancer care skills will be ready to be gained for adults via project results. Finally, there will be a sustainable and lasting platform for health providers to use for providing better post-treatment support.

"Cancer is a disease that induces a very strong stress because it is perceived as a death sentence. Although discovered cures for this disease, the perception remained at the society level. The cancer has become the second cause of mortality in 2013, behind cardiovascular diseases. Less focus is put on the effects of cancer on living conditions in general and on work in particular. Staying in work is essential for most people of working age for maintaining a decent standard living, sustain social acquaintances and self-esteem and feeling useful as an individual. Although the incidence of cancer is one big social level still remain nuanced forms of stigmatization, which vary in intensity. In many cases this disease experience involves a redefinition of relationships with others and a sudden reconfirmation of the circle of friends, some of them adopting a defensive attitude limitation or avoidance of people diagnosed with cancer. People diagnosed with cancer feel the need to communicate and interact with those in similar situations, sensitivity and responsiveness to their life stories and experiences of having a dual dimension: informational and therapeutic. Efficient communication and provision of information to cancer patients and their families about their illness, treatment choices, and potential outcomes improve psycho-social outcomes. It is known that the mental state of a person diagnosed contribute substantially to improving his health or can worsening the disease.In recent years, technological and organizational innovations, determined a very wide use of the Internet, mobile devices, 2.0 Web tools that increase the access to knowledge and training for individuals, from formal courses to informal ad-hoc learning. The SPAC project -Supporting people affected by cancer in their social and professional life- aims to increase the social and professional integration of people with cancer, to reduce their and their families' distress by empowering persons involved with people with cancer (caregivers, psychologists, medical staff, social workers, voluntaries, employers) with professional information about cancer and the impact of living and working with cancer by using ICT tool and social networking. The project creates a positive and stimulating environment to improve the coping process of persons with cancer and improve their chances to reenter social and professional life. 4 local “circles of trust” has been created to reduce social and emotional isolation of the persons diagnosed with cancer. The target groups to which the project refers are: people with cancer and people in contact with people with cancer (caregivers, psychologists, medical staff, social worker, voluntaries and employers) over age 15. The Partnership was made up of 6 organisations: 3 NGO- Institutul Postliceal Phoenix( RO)- partner coordinator, APSCO-Asociatia pentru Servicii si Comunicare in Oncologie(RO), Fondatione ANT Italia Onulus( IT); 1 vocational education center- Rize Anadolu Saglik Meslek Lisesi( TR); 1 university- UMF Cluj (RO); 1 SMEs- Institut INPRO a.s,(CZ). They have been selected in accordance with their expertise in the major thematic areas of the project and experience in similar transnational projects. All of them have vested interest in project topics with view to reach target groups/final beneficiaries. The main activities of the project were: 1. Designing the project website and the project identity; 2. Designing the learning platform; 3. Research about Learning trough Social Networks in partner countries; 4. Designing Interactive learning& training materials; 5. Adaptation of the Interactive Learning and training materials to the country context regarding the right examples, images and technical terminology used on the field of lifelong learning; 6. Recognition of non-formal and informal skills acquired on Internet; 7. Creation if ""circles of trust""; 8. Conferences on project outputs for dissemination purposes in partner countries. During the development of the project, 4 transnational project meetings has been held. The approach consisted of the following stages: realizing an analyze for the real situation regarding the use of social media for learning in partner countries; offering professional information about cancer and the impact of living and working with cancer by using ICT tool and social networking; designing a model for the social integration of the target group by creating the local ""circle of trust"".The main expected outputs are: the learning platform www.spac-help.com; the Report on Learning trough Social Media/Networks about living and working with cancer in partner countries; the interactive learning &training materials about Living and working with cancer adapted to the partner counties; the Reference guide of recognition of non-formal and informal skills on working with/for person with cancer acquired on social network; the local “circles of trust” for people with cancer and caregivers."

Since the second half of the 20th century, medicine has been achieving more and more important successes that have considerably increased the quality and duration of life of those living in the West. However, the extension of life span does not only concern the time of health, but also that of the serious illness and its terminal phase. In this background Palliative Care (PC) and Death Education (DE) are becoming an increasingly important area of expertise in the field of psychology. The lack of university education has been identified as a barrier to the development of this crucial area of health Quality of Life intervention. World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Association of Palliative Care (EACP) have argued in favor of its implementation within under and post graduate curricula, because it is a basic pillar of public health strategy for integrating palliative care. The DE4PP project is a Death Education project aimed at training European university students or postgraduates in psychology in the field of palliative care and grief management.Primarily, DE4PP is aimed at defining the content that must be taught to students in these two fundamental areas of intervention, the teaching methodology, the psychological strategies that must be acquired by the students so that they can work in the future with mourners and in health facilities that cure the dying.At the same time, since contact with terminal illness and death requires empathy and the ability to relate personally with those who suffer, the project aims to propose psychological strategies and arts therapies technique in order to manage these issues keeping anxiety at bay. DE4PP is aimed also to increase the network of collaboration between universities from different European countries, in order to strengthen a European identity also in the field of care and support to those facing death, in the field of removal of all forms of discrimination against the weakest, good practices that in the future can be further exchanged in the field of PC.100 students (undergraduate or graduate) will be interviewed to collect information and opinions to build a background on the topic of Death Education and Palliative Care.100 students (undergraduate or graduate) who may in the future be part of a multidisciplinary team of palliative care and grief management will pilot the e-learning course in Austria, Poland, Israel, Italy and Romania.In addition 20 students in total from those who have attend the e-learning course will select to participate in learning, teaching and training activities.The Partnership consists of 6 organizations. 5 Universities: University of Padua (IT), partner coordinator; University of Klagenfurt (AT); Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (RO); Catholic University of Lublin (PL); University of Haifa (ISR); 1 NGO: ANT Foundation (IT) They have been selected in accordance with their expertise in the major thematic areas of the project and experience in similar transnational projects. All of them have vested interest in project topics with view to reach target groups/final beneficiaries.The main activities of DE4PP project are: 1.Designing the earning platform and the project identity; 2.Research about the level of knowledge and diffusion of PC and DE; 3.Designing Interactive learning & training materials; 4.Adaptation and translation of the Interactive Learning and training materials to the partners country context/language; 5.Recognition of skills and knowledge acquired on the modules; 6. Conferences on project outputs for dissemination purposes in partner countries;7.Five transnational project meetings will be held. The approach consists of the following stages: analyze the real situation regarding the level of diffusion of PC in partner countries; offering professional information about PC and DE in future health care professionals by using ICT tool and social networking; propose a model for the integration of new higher education curricula at EU level spreading the culture of PC in the territories where they will work in the future; Publication of results of the Research.The main expected outcomes are: A report about the level of knowledge and diffusion of PC in partner countries as well as the level of knowledge about palliative care on a sample of the target group; Interactive learning &training materials about Palliative Care, Death Education and Arts Therapies techniques adapted to the partner countries; a manual with the works of students related to the modules topics; Publication of results of the research.Future perspective: partners intend to continue to collaborate in this field, increasing the network of sharing skills and research. They also intend to disseminate the educational and operational curriculum prepared with DE4PP to enable other European university courses to adopt the same teaching material and practices that have proven effective, through an e-learning platform that can gradually increase.

"The project enhances the responsibility and the social impact of vocational training, through a deepening of the sectors that show a more evident orientation in this perspective: the sectors of well-being and aesthetics that actually represent significant numbers in the European economy, directly impact psycho-physical health and the quality of life of European citizens. The project is based on the real exchange of ""practices"" carried out through the development of a new multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral approach to the training of operators, in such a way as to simulate at a qualifying level the work in teams alongside doctors, psychologists, social assistance workers, etc. All this in order to share, define and disseminate common methodological lines at national and European level to define the multi-disciplinary profile of ""social beautician"", promote lifelong learning and improve the quality and effectiveness of international experiences and practices for the purposes of learning and continuous improvement in the levels of professionalism and qualifications and their accessibility. The Project directly involves the operators of different sectors and the managers and operators of organizations that with different skills work towards the pursuit of a common goal: the health and well-being of the people through the construction of higher levels of qualification, competence and professionalism putting into practice paths based on dialogue, participation and international comparison, on multi-disciplinarity, inter-sectoriality and on ""learning outcomes"" in carrying out a professional training activity really at the service of the European community and its citizens , at the same time potentially functional to the development of new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.Participating organizations:(Applicant) ECIPA UMBRIA (Italy) - Leader of the Partnership - Vocational Training Center (VET)(P1) OSEDAE (Greece) - National federation of professionals in the aesthetic sector(P2) ATEI.Th (Greece) - Third Level Vocational Training Institute(P3) DIAKONIA COLLEGE (Finland) - Vocational Training Center(P4) TEB (Poland) - Vocational Training Center(P5) CNAIB (France) - National Association of the wellness-aesthetic-health sector(P6) AUCC (Italy) - Association for the fight against cancer(P7) CNMRNC ""DR N Robanescu"" - Public rehabilitation ClinicAssociated Partner - CEPEC: European level umbrella organization of the national associations of the BES sectorMethodological approach:The proposed project is constructed through the application of an integrated and innovative Bottom-Up participatory approach based on the exchange of ""practices"" and on a relational system that characterizes both the management and the implementation methodology (MULTI-LAbs Program) . This method requires the creation of multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral working groups (teams) involved in the production of a new and common European training course for the qualification of Expert in Social Aesthetics.Within a heterogeneous, dynamic and flexible partnership, the primordial nucleus of a future inter-sectorial network, subjects coming from different environments and with different specific roles are compared and worked together. A partnership that intends to acquire strength and representativeness to obtain the recognition and / or improvement of training and employment policies in the various European countries that are currently characterized by significant development gapsAction Plan:(A1) Project coordination and management activities (transversal)(A2) Preparatory activity (information, training, selection of participants)(A3) Implementation activities (No. 4 MULTI-LABS + Methodological guidelines of the training course + Recommendations with Agreement of Understanding for project follow-up) The project, through the implementation of bottom-up participatory and training processes based on the exchange of ""practices"", on the involvement of multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary groups and on the simulation of the coordinated work experience as a team, intends to develop common methodological guidelines at European level at the base of the ""expert in social aesthetics "", supported by a concrete proposal of Recommendations for the formal recognition of the same path at a social and political level and to improve accessibility to continuous improvement of qualifications and key competences.(A4) Communication, networking and dissemination activities (transversal)Expected impact: permanent dialogue, comparison and efficient exchange of ""practices"", ideas and experiences, direct and participatory involvement of target groups and stakeholders."

<< Background >>Palliative care (PC) “is fundamental to human dignity and a component of the human right to health” (Resolution 2249 – 2018 of the European Parliamentary Assembly) and this is why education and training on PC are essential components of undergraduate medical education. Nevertheless, PC is not yet fully developed in the EU and the lack of services and teachers with a specific expertise in the PC domain also hamper the design and implementation of effective educational programs on PC for undergraduate students. Worldwide, many countries developed a core competencies catalog for PC at the undergraduate level and, in Europe, the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) issued a White Paper listing and discussing the core competencies on PC education.The various forms of technology-enhanced learning and – more in particular – synchronous and asynchronous online learning are promising pedagogies to foster effective teaching of the PC core competencies, overcoming the constraints of resources, at least for most of the cognitive and technical- manual learning outcomes and for the basic relational skills.<< Objectives >>The main goal of the ELPIS project is to enhance the quality of PC in the EU through a better and more uniform education at the undergraduate level. This goal is relevant not only because of the already mentioned importance of PC, as stated by the European Parliament but also because of the increasing cross-border mobility of medical graduates across the Union, seeking both post-graduate education and occupation. To achieve this goal, the ELPIS project has five intertwined objectives:1. to promote the design of internally coherent and comparable online undergraduate medical education programs on PC, through the development of a theoretical educational framework2. to promote effective implementation of online programs on PC, through the development of practice guidelines that are flexible enough to be- suitable for the local organizational context of higher education and PC- fit for the local cultural approach to palliative care and other end-of-life issues, including the students’ point of view3. to broadcast sharable educational resources, in different European languages4. to validate the theoretical framework and guidelines through testing and comparing the effectiveness of some local implementations of an online program on PC5. to design and implement faculty development programs to sustain the design of curricula in PC and the use of the educational resources<< Implementation >>The ELPIS project has four Work PackagesWP 1: DEFINITION OF THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND DRAFTING OF THE COURSE ON PCThis WP will define a theoretical educational framework to design an online undergraduate course on Palliative Care (PC). We chose the realist synthesis method to develop the theoretical framework from international literature. The final result of a realist review is a “final program theory”. The final output of WP1 will be the template of a course, ready to be reviewed by the experts of each partner institution. The structure of the template will be: according to the program theory, for this type of educational outcome, in this type of context, this type of structure of the course, use of technology, teaching, learning and assessment activities is likely to be the best choice.The theoretical framework and the draft design of an online course on PC are valuable products in themselves, addressed to all teachers in the field of PC education.WP2: EDUCATIONAL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LOCAL COURSESThe aim of WP2 is to develop and implement the local online courses on PC of the seven participating partners. The courses will be comparable, because they are based on the same template, but also adapted to the local organizational and curricular context. WP2 will also account for the production of the contents (text, exercises, tests of assessment) of the course both in English and in each partner’s language. The WP has three steps.1. The structure of each local training course will be designed, according to the general template developed in WP1. The course will aim to achieve two learning outcomes: a cognitive outcome of high taxonomic level (prescribing, planning, managing) and a relational-communication outcome. 2. The contents of the courses will be developed. The contents of all six courses will be translated into English language, to have an English version of every course, which will act as a template for possible further national translations in the future. Every single course will be delivered in the national local language (Italian, German, Hungarian, Romanian, Spanish) for local use. 3. Six partners will implement the course for delivery, according to the resources and rules of the local level, ready to be offered to the students in the experimental phase.WP3: PILOT & TESTING OF THE LOCAL COURSESThe aim of the WP3 is to empirically validate the theoretical framework through testing and comparing the effectiveness of the local implementations of the online courses on PC.The partners will run a quasi-experimental trial with a group of students attending the online course and a control group attending face-to-face teaching. The educational outcomes and the course contents will be the same, the two courses will differ only for the method of delivery and the implicated differences in the activities. WP4: QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DATA, STATISTICS AND ELECTRONIC REPOSITORY OF CONTENTSThis WP is aimed to assure the quality of experimental data and to gather the data and all the produced electronic contents (texts, exercises, tests).validation of the instruments for the assessment of learning outcomes. creation and delivery of a survey on students’ satisfaction of the course (both online and face-to-face), perception of relevance, utility, difficulty, self-confidence about the outcome.design and creation of an electronic repository for all the produced and tested contents. The repository will have a web interface and will be accessible to all academic centers and palliative care facilities involved in training, upon free registration. design of Faculty development programs for the design and implementation of online courses<< Results >>The results of the ELPIS project will be:-a theoretical framework to describe elements and methods for an effective design of online PC courses.-practice guidelines for the implementation and assessment of PC courses at the undergraduate level.-a core of multilingual educational resources in an open access repository-new knowledge and perspectives about the feasibility and comparative effectiveness of different forms of online learning vs in face-to-face learningThe outcome will be the impact of the ELPIS project on the target categories: undergraduate medical students and teachers at medical schools. We shall also consider the impact on the other relevant stakeholders: the national academic and scientific community, political decision-makers, the resonance of the information media. We expect an increase in knowledge and clinical skill in students participating in both online and face-to-face courses. We also expect a high level of student's satisfaction with the online course. If a substantial equivalence is demonstrated, this will increase the propensity of teachers to use online teaching to overcome the lack of resources (few hospices) and the ethical problems of exposing end-of-life patients to a large number of students.The multiplier events that will run during the project will raise the awareness of the academic community and local political stakeholders on the importance of education and policies for end-of-life.