Österlenprojektet: A shared vision for a better, safer, more compassionate end of life.
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Palliativt utvecklingscentrum |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 279 885 |
| Project duration | May 2019 - February 2020 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Social innovation - development and testing |
| Call | Test and develop a social innovation – step 1 2019 |
Important results from the project
With local stakeholders and community leaders in Simrishamn, our project team has developed and tested Skåne´s first attempt at a “compassionate community” - a global movement of communities which are committed to improving awareness, knowledge, and support around the issues of serious illness and grief. Milestones: Fostering a vibrant base of engagement among local leaders and citizens through arts and culture; creating a democratic method for community collaboration; consolidating the project agenda with needs and policies enumerated in the municipal omsorgsplan.
Expected long term effects
1. A collaboration between stakeholders, community and municipal leaders has been made clear. 2. All citizens have been invited to participate in defining local needs and what support should be delivered. 3. Several hundred people have participated in project events which have used arts and culture as a means to open up conversation and reflection about death, dying, and grief. 4. Project goals have been aligned with the 2020 municipal omsorgsplan. 5. Community leaders and volunteers have agreed to develop a more effective and strategic coordination of volunteer services.
Approach and implementation
In 2019, Österlenproktet has driven community development around end-of-life issues through three primary pathways: 1) engagement and awareness raising, 2) outreach through media, 3) building a strategic collaboration through bottom-up and top-down partnerships. After our test period, we were able to successfully formalize a partnership between community groups, the municipality, and the church under a coordinated support strategy addressing the local needs of frail, dying, and bereaved elders.