The project, called Q Europe - quality management systems and impact measuring in providing LTC, that Slezska diakonie has launched, is about strengthening the capacity building among management workers, social workers and other active in long term care (LTC) services for elderly people. Our project supports so-called knowledge triangle (education-research-innovation) connected with the involvement of the social partners (Czech, Italian) and Austria and Germany Diaconia(as associated partners), researchers’ partner (Slovakian university) and the European roof organisation (Eurodiaconia) in defining measures and methods of their imposing for quality systems and impact measuring in LTC. By 2025 more than 20% of Europeans will be 65 or over, with a particularly rapid increase in the number of over 80s. Since we do not want 'old age' to become synonymous with poverty, we must grant quality of life to the elderly. There is thinking here mainly of health and of high-quality social conditions for a decent standard of living. This requires improving the quality of education, strengthening research performance, promoting innovation and knowledge transfer throughout the Union. The main objectives of project there are sharing best practices in quality management systems for LTC, improving knowledge and sharing experience and developing new approach in measuring social impact of the LTC and developing a handbook as a tool for further education in quality management in LTC. We want Q handbook (also thanks to translation into 5 European language) to be a proper instrument that helps to support quality management among European social service providers, local authorities and other in LTC, to combat social exclusion of elderly and to promote professionalization in elderly care in Europe. All activities are based on the participatory approach that includes different methods used: e.g. focus group discussions; matrix scoring; flow chart; venn diagrams etc. We support the extended learning means as the primary acquisition of knowledge and skills through study outside the traditional methodology like online course or private instruction. We plan to organise three project meetings (initial information to the project; preparation of the Q handbook and video scenario as a part of Q handbook; preparation on the final Q conference), four 4-days regional workshops ((around 13 participants who will multiply gained knowledge in their own organisations in each workshop) in partner countries (focused on trainings, sharing knowledge and best practice of the maintenance the key principle of the quality, measuring the quality in LTC services for elderly people, trends, staff and qualifications in LTC services) as a core activity and one day national Q conferences (managed by partners in partner countries in cooperation with the project manager. The activity with an important dissemination potential is the proceeding of the handbook "Q handbook" as an educational tool for partner (and other) organisations for the quality management (form: online and DVD); DVD will contain videos from partner organisations practice in quality management. Four 4-day regional workshops as an innovative way of exchange knowledge and skills contain trainings, discussions, work-based learning, researcher work and study visits. Among the most important short term expected results we have defined suggestion of the effective methodology on social impact measuring (checked in practice) and creation of innovative tool for improving the education in quality management specific in LTC services for elderly people: Q handbook. In long term period there are then the design, implementation and running of training activities supporting the education in quality management system in LTC service in other European organisations - especially among Eurodiaconia members and through EPALE Platform. This is a way of strengthening the European dimension of the quality system in LTC, promoting the quality life of elderly people (service users) and ensuring the European labour market with more competitive social workers and specialists in LTC working with elderly people. A much desired impact of the project on the national level in all partner countries would be to see the various actors involved in employing the project results and outcomes as a working tool for improving the quality management in LTC services. Among such actors are social service providers, universitites and adult education providers.
The project, called Q Europe - quality management systems and impact measuring in providing LTC, that Slezska diakonie has launched, is about strengthening the capacity building among management workers, social workers and other stakeholders in long term care (LTC) services for elderly people. Our project supports so-called knowledge triangle (education-research-innovation) connected with the involvement of the social partners (Czech, Italian), researchers’ partner (Slovakian university) and the European roof organisation (Eurodiaconia), with the possible impact on Austria and Germany Diaconias in defining measures and methods of their imposing for quality systems and impact measuring in LTC. By 2025 more than 20% of Europeans will be 65 or over, with a particularly rapid increase in the number of over 80s. Since we do not want 'old age' to become synonymous with poverty, we must grant quality of life to the elderly. There is thinking here mainly of health and of high-quality social conditions for a decent standard of living. This requires improving the quality of education, strengthening research performance, promoting innovation and knowledge transfer throughout the Union. The main objectives of project there are sharing best practices in quality management systems for LTC, improving knowledge and sharing experience and developing new approach in measuring social impact of the LTC and developing a handbook as a tool for further education in quality management in LTC. We want Q handbook (also thanks to translation into 4 European language) to be a proper instrument that helps to support quality management among European social service providers, local authorities and other in LTC, to combat social exclusion of elderly and to promote professionalization in elderly care in Europe. All activities are based on the participatory approach that includes different methods used: e.g. focus group discussions; matrix scoring; flow chart. We support the extended learning means as the primary acquisition of knowledge and skills through study outside the traditional methodology like online course or study visits. There were organized three project meetings (one in form of skype meeting) (initial information to the project; preparation of the Q handbook and video scenario as a part of Q handbook; preparation on the final Q conference), four 4-days regional workshops (around 13 participants who will multiply gained knowledge in their own organisations) in partner countries (focused on trainings, sharing knowledge and best practice of the maintenance the key principle of the quality, measuring the quality in LTC services for elderly people, trends, staff and qualifications in LTC services) as a core activity and one day national Q conferences (managed by partners in partner countries in cooperation with the project manager). The activity with an important dissemination potential is the proceeding of the handbook "Q handbook" as an educational tool for partner (and other) organisations for the quality management (form: online) that is containing videos that were prepared within the project. Four 4-day regional workshops as an innovative way of exchange knowledge and skills contain trainings, discussions, work-based learning, researcher work and study visits. Among the most important short term expected results we have created the innovative tool for improving the education in quality management specific in LTC services for elderly people: Q handbook. The handbook is divided into 7 parts, a separate part consists of rich number of annexes with the aim to provide inspirational information related to quality of long-term care for elderly, it also contains the quality and philosophy of social services provision, as well as the evaluation of quality and the quality standards of social services. The set of measurable and verifiable criteria intended to allow a demonstrable assessment of the services provided. In long term period there are then the design, implementation and running of training activities supporting the education in quality management system in LTC service in other European organisations - especially among Eurodiaconia members and through EPALE Platform. This is a way of strengthening the European dimension of the quality system in LTC, promoting the quality life of elderly people (service users) and ensuring the European labour market with more competitive social workers and specialists in LTC working with elderly people. A much desired impact of the project on the national level in all partner countries would be to see the various actors involved the project results and outcomes as a working tool for improving the quality management in LTC services. We would like to state that this publication will contribute not only to improvement of theoretical training for social service managers, educators and social workers from the field of social services, but it can also inspire students from European universities.