Expertisecentrum Compassionate Communities (COCO) 

Project description

The Compassionate Communities Centre of Expertise (COCO) wants to create a more compassionate society in which communities have the capacity and know-how to provide care for their members during times of serious illness, death, dying and loss and to take on the social challenges associated with it. In other words, we aspire to transform communities into  Compassionate Communities. This shift in practice will require an even broader cultural shift and relevant expertise is currently lacking on many fronts. 

 

The specific aims of COCO are: 

  • Build expertise: Develop knowledge and expertise through conducting, stimulating, coordinating and collecting interdisciplinary research into Compassionate Communities; 
  • Provide expertise: Disseminate and implement knowledge and expertise through knowledge exchange and scientific, societal and educational valorisation for various target audiences; 
  • Build a network: Bring people together and collaborate with researchers, communities, societal actors, policymakers and other stakeholders to build an effective external network and grow into a center of expertise that is anchored in research and practice. 

 

COCO is funded by VUB IRP funding.  

Keywords

Compassionate Communities, Public Health, Serious illness, death, dying and loss, End-of-life  

Partners

Want to know more?

Contact persons

Prof. Dr. Sarah Dury - sarah.dury@vub.be  

Hanne Bakelants - hanne.eline.bakelants@vub.be