The Greek Carers Network EPIONI had the honour to facilitate a job shadowing mobility programme for five mental health professionals from CNP Saint Martin (Dave, Belgium) in Athens, Greece, from 5 to 9 October 2025.
This professional exchange took place within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme (2024-1-BE01-KA121-VET-000200268) and aimed to promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices in the field of community-based mental health care.
During their stay, the participants visited several public and non-profit mental health service providers across the Athens area, including:
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The Cognitive Rehabilitation Unit (CRU) at the Multidisciplinary Mental Health Hospital of Attica, founded by Dr. Dimitrios Kontis;
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Two Day Centres of PEPSAEE in Athens
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The PEPSAEE Day Centre for Employee Support in Aigaleo, offering psychological and employability support;
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The Social Cooperative Enterprise KOISPE EV ZEEN, supporting people with mental health challenges through vocational training and social inclusion;
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The Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos, focusing on psychosocial support and community integration.
The programme also featured cultural and networking activities, including visits to the Acropolis Museum, the National Library of Greece and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, as well as professional meetings with experts, service users, and representatives from EPIONI.
A highlight of the visit was the participation in the European Carers Day 2025 event organised by EPIONI at the Office of the European Parliament in Greece, under the theme “Invisible No More: Let’s See & Value Migrant Care.”
This fruitful collaboration strengthened the bonds between Belgian and Greek mental health professionals and reaffirmed the importance of European cooperation, continuous training, and mutual learning in improving the quality of care and support for people living with mental health conditions and their caregivers.
