Transforming the case stories of families affected by mental illness into learning and awareness raising tools

The project aimed to achieve three key objectives. First, it sought to raise awareness about the complex and often hidden challenges faced by family members caring for individuals with schizophren...

The project aimed to achieve three key objectives. First, it sought to raise awareness about the complex and often hidden challenges faced by family members caring for individuals with schizophrenia. This was addressed through the development of a multi-axial classification (map) of these problems, offering a structured view of the emotional, social, and practical burdens caregivers face. Second, the project aimed to increase the competence and confidence of core staff in partner family associations to use real-life stories as learning tools. This was achieved by creating a collection of easy-to-read family member case stories and accompanying guidelines for their use in educational and support contexts. Third, the project aimed to expand access to these resources by integrating the problem map and case stories into an interactive digital format. This resource promotes informal learning, encourages social inclusion, and can be freely used by family associations and caregivers across Europe.

The StoriesOfCare project implemented a series of structured activities to achieve its goals. First, project management ensured effective coordination, monitoring, and communication among all partners. A key early activity was a study visit to HPE services in Vienna, where Romanian partners learned from Austria’s long-standing support structures and collaborated on designing project tools. Next, the team developed a multi-axial map of family caregiver problems, drawing from decades of documented experience and relevant literature. Based on this map, partners created a collection of 60 real-life case stories (50 Austrian, 10 Romanian) illustrating the diverse challenges and resilience of caregivers. These stories were then interlinked with the problem map to form an interactive digital resource, improving accessibility and practical use. To guide application, the team elaborated easy-to-use guidelines showing how stories can be used in group discussions, awareness efforts, and training. Finally, dissemination activities (including a dedicated conference in Cluj-Napoca) shared results with family associations and stakeholders, promoting continued use and impact beyond the project.

The StoriesOfCare project delivered several key outputs and results. First, it produced a multi-axial map of 168 topics commonly faced by family members caring for individuals with schizophrenia. This tool helps structure and raise awareness about the complexity of caregiving. Second, the team created a collection of 60 real-life case stories (50 from Austria and 10 from Romania) highlighting the diverse challenges and coping strategies of caregivers. These were written in accessible language to support learning, empathy, and advocacy. Third, the project developed a website that interlinks the problem map with the case stories, allowing users to explore topics based on their interests or needs. Fourth, user-friendly guidelines were designed to show how the stories can be used in support groups, training sessions, blogs, or public awareness campaigns. Additionally, the project enhanced the skills of ten core team members and fostered collaboration between Romanian and Austrian organizations. Finally, dissemination activities, including a conference in Cluj-Napoca, helped share results widely