The Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville, organised this 29th and 30th of January 2025, together with the partners of the European project Safer Path, the second Transnational Project Meeting (TPM), held at the headquarters of COCEMFE Seville.
This strategic meeting brought together representatives from Consorzio Global Med Care (Italy), Action Synergy (Greece) and COCEMFE Seville (Spain) to assess the progress of the initiative and define the next steps.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to the progress of the project, research ideas and development of the Burnout Toolkit.
It started with a presentation on the work of COCEMFE Seville to familiarise partners with the local context. Then, Consorzio Global Med Care (Italy), as project coordinator, provided an update on overall progress, highlighting key milestones achieved so far.
As context, the Safer Path project, whose official title is ‘Safer Social Professionals at Home’, aims to improve the well-being of social professionals by addressing work-related stress, providing resources to prevent burnout and improving employment sustainability in the sector, with co-funding from the EU’s Erasmus+ programme.
One of the focal points of the meeting was the Comparative Research Activity, where Action Synergy (Greece) presented the final results and conclusions of a study that analysed home care systems in Italy, Spain and Greece. The research revealed fundamental similarities and differences between the three countries:
For the case of Italy, it follows a structured framework with home care regulated by national laws and integrated into the health system. However, bureaucratic rigidity and lack of financial incentives are major concerns. Spain (Andalusia), on the other hand, has a decentralised approach, often outsourcing services to private entities such as Clece. While professional training is available, work overload, emotional stress and lack of formal psychological support remain challenges.
Greece has a less formalised system, with many home care services provided informally by migrant workers or through municipal initiatives such as ‘Help at Home’. Stability is a major problem, with most carers working on short-term contracts and with little psychological support.
The study also highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that in all three countries workload, stress and emotional pressure on carers increased. One of the main conclusions was the need to improve training, extend working hours, increase funding and strengthen support networks for home care professionals.
Following the discussion on research, the meeting moved on to Activity 3: The Burnout Toolkit, led by Action Synergy (Greece). This toolkit is designed to help social sector professionals recognise, prevent and manage burnout, a growing problem in the sector.
The Burnout Toolkit will include self-assessment tools, such as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), to help professionals assess their stress levels. As well as Work-Life Balance Strategies, with prioritisation techniques, time management exercises and tips for setting boundaries, self-care practices, covering physical health (exercise, nutrition, sleep hygiene), mental health (mindfulness, meditation, relaxation techniques) and emotional well-being (peer support groups, career counselling).
Other tools in the Burnout Toolkit will include professional development modules on conflict resolution, assertive communication, online source checking and coping with death in care settings, organisational support strategies such as mentoring programmes, teamwork initiatives and mental health support systems in the workplace. A key component of the Burnout Toolkit will be interactive resources, such as Google forms for self-assessment, worksheets and video guides, to ensure accessibility and ease of use.
The session concluded with discussions on the toolkit implementation plan, and the partners agreed to pilot test the material in different national contexts before finalising its content. To foster collaboration in a more informal setting, the partners met later for a social lunch, enjoying the vibrant Sevillian gastronomy while strengthening their professional ties.
The second day began with a session on Activity 4: Pilot Workshops, led by COCEMFE Seville. These workshops represent a fundamental step to test the resources developed in the project and ensure their effectiveness before full-scale implementation. Attention focused on the preparation of the next online meeting, scheduled for 10 March 2025. The partners discussed the logistical arrangements and key issues to be addressed in this virtual follow-up. As the meeting drew to a close, participants reviewed the upcoming project activities, expected results, indicators, milestones and timelines. This final session ensured that all partners were aligned on the next phases of the project, facilitating its smooth implementation.
The Safer Path transnational meeting in Seville marked another significant step forward in the implementation of the project. With valuable discussions, strategic planning and a strong commitment to collaboration, the partners left with a clear roadmap for the coming months. The partnership will reconvene for the final multiplier event in Italy on 4-5 June, where the project results will be ready to be presented to the general public.
From COCEMFE Seville, we are committed to teamwork in Europe to strengthen the training processes of professionals who are carrying out intervention for the social inclusion of our group with disabilities in the Andalusian capital and throughout its province.
