Report available: EuroHealthNet Country Exchange Visit on the Potential of Caring Communities for Health Promotion (Members only)

CEV report now available to download here. 

Vienna,  Austria

Across the world, there are efforts to develop new social spaces, neighbourhood and community-oriented models and support networks that foster health and social cohesion. “Caring communities” promote social participation, and help cities and municipalities meet the increasing demands for care and create age(ing)-friendly environments. It is an emerging concept in German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland and Germany that focus on (mental) health promotion and community empowerment. Caring Communities also address cooperation between neighbourhoods, civil society initiatives, municipal administrations and the health and care system. 

This Country Exchange Visit, hosted by our member the Austrian Health Promotion Fund FGÖ, the Competence Center for Future Health Promotion and the Department for Long-term Care at Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, will enable representatives of national or regional public health agencies from across the EU to explore: 

• How to establish caring communities by e.g., inter-professional approaches to health promotion and care at the local level, fostering links between formal and informal care, supporting community nursing, social prescribing, and related concepts; 
• How to ensure an equal distribution of care and safeguard caring communities from reinforcing inequalities; 
• How to monitor and evaluate impacts of caring communities’ projects, including on healthy ageing and mental health;  
• How to ensure the sustainability of caring communities. 

Participants will discuss examples of community level programmes and other health promotion and primary care strategies and explore the practical, financial and policy factors needed to strengthen the links between health promotion at the community level, primary care and social services. Participants will also discuss what role these initiatives have or can play in broader health system reform strategies. 

During the meeting, there will be an opportunity to visit work taking place in this field in Vienna. Participants will meet and discuss with health promotion experts and community service providers in the framework of a Caring Community initiative and a Community Nursing initiative in Vienna. We will also explore European level strategies and programmes that can support such efforts and help build capacities in this area, and the financial considerations of running cross-sectoral programmes.  

Some practical details: 

• EuroHealthNet Country Exchange Visits are member-only events that are open to senior delegates.  
• Please note that all participants will be required to invest some time in preparing for the event, for example, by presenting information from your country. 
• Country Exchange Visits are held in English. Unfortunately, no interpretation service will be available. Due to the interactive nature of Country Exchange Visits, it is therefore advised that the representative attending feels comfortable exchanging information in English.  
• Participants should arrive on the 28th of March 2023, since the Country Exchange Visit will begin the following morning at 9.00 CET.  
• EuroHealthNet can fund the participation (travel and accommodation) of a limited number of Members. EuroHealthNet will contact you with confirmation if you can attend on a funded basis. 
• Have a look at the agenda here.
• Read the outcome report here.

For more information about EuroHealthNet Country Exchange Visits, please contact Lina Papartyte.