A European Good Practice Model: Job Shadowing in Mental Health

Workplace learning, comparison between healthcare systems and cooperation between Belgium and Italy

How can new skills be developed in a complex professional field such as mental health?

Continuing professional development does not take place only through lessons, courses and manuals. A crucial part of adult learning comes from observing real work, exchanging experiences with colleagues and gaining direct knowledge of different services, practices and organisational cultures.

This was the principle behind the Erasmus+ job shadowing experience carried out from 11 to 13 May 2026 at the Department of Mental Health of ASL Foggia, which hosted four professionals from the Centre Neuro Psychiatrique Saint-Martin in Belgium.

The mobility involved three nurses and one professional educator and was organised within two Erasmus+ pathways in the field of Vocational Education and Training:

• Job Shadowing F15, Erasmus+ project 2024-1-BE01-KA121-VET-000200268;

• Job Shadowing F21, Erasmus+ project 2025-1-BE01-KA121-VET-000315393.

The sending organisation was the Centre Neuro Psychiatrique Saint-Martin, based in the Namur area. The hosting organisation was the Department of Mental Health of ASL Foggia.

Stigmamente APS – Art, Media and Psychiatry contributed to the promotion of the initiative, to the training and cultural activities, and to the dissemination of the results, with particular attention to social inclusion, stigma, neurodiversity and group dynamics.

Why job shadowing is adult education

Job shadowing is not simply an institutional visit.

It is a workplace learning methodology through which an adult professional temporarily enters an organisation different from their own, observes daily activities, engages with teams and compares operational models and professional cultures.

The participant becomes, at the same time:

• an observer of practices;

• an interlocutor for the host professionals;

• an active subject of their own learning;

• a mediator between different organisational systems;

• a potential promoter of innovation within their own organisation.

Learning therefore develops through the interaction of four fundamental actions:

1. observing work in its real context;

2. comparing different practices and models;

3. reflecting critically on what has been observed;

4. transferring the learning to one’s own professional environment.

In mental health, this methodology has a particular value. The quality of care depends not only on clinical skills, but also on team functioning, language, relationships with families, organisational culture and the social representations of psychological suffering.

Knowing another healthcare system also makes it possible to understand one’s own more clearly.

The training need

European mental health services share many aims, but they operate within different healthcare, social and cultural systems.

For adult professionals, it is therefore important to be able to:

• learn about different care models;

• observe reception and care pathways;

• compare the roles of different professional figures;

• understand how multidisciplinary teams work;

• deepen their knowledge of pathways related to autism and neurodevelopmental disorders;

• observe the organisation of acute psychiatric care;

• analyse dynamics of inclusion and exclusion;

• recognise the influence of stigma in healthcare and social contexts;

• identify practices that may be transferred to their own workplace.

The programme responded to these needs through three days in which professional observation was integrated with training, peer exchange, reflection and knowledge of the local area.

Learning objectives

The Learning Agreements of the two pathways identified three main areas of learning.

Knowledge and understanding

Participants were expected to deepen their understanding of:

• the structure and organisation of Italian mental health services;

• clinical and rehabilitation pathways related to autism and neurodevelopmental disorders;

• the principles of acute psychiatric care;

• the concepts of prejudice, stereotype, stigma and discrimination.

Practical and professional skills

The activities aimed to strengthen the ability to:

• observe and interpret clinical and organisational processes;

• interact with multidisciplinary teams;

• use observation tools in professional contexts;

• analyse dynamics of inclusion and exclusion;

• identify practices that may be transferable.

Transversal skills

The job shadowing also supported the development of:

• intercultural communication;

• adaptability;

• critical thinking;

• active listening;

• professional collaboration;

• integration of clinical, educational and social perspectives;

• the ability to reflect on one’s own practices;

• the sharing of learning with colleagues.

The pedagogical structure of the good practice

The experience was designed by combining different adult education methodologies.

Workplace observation

Participants followed activities, briefings, organisational pathways and moments of professional exchange within real services.

Peer learning

Dialogue with Italian professionals made it possible to compare experiences, roles and intervention methods.

Theoretical and practical training

The activities observed during the mornings were connected to afternoon modules on inclusion, stigma, research tools and group dynamics.

Critical reflection

Participants were invited to interpret the practices observed, identifying similarities, differences and possible transferable elements.

Intercultural learning

Knowledge of the local area, socialisation and informal dialogue supported the development of linguistic, cultural and relational skills.

Dissemination

Video testimonies and communication activities carried out in both countries transformed the participants’ experience into a resource accessible to a wider professional community.

First day: services, reception and the language of inclusion

The first day, held in Foggia, was dedicated to understanding the Department of Mental Health and its organisational processes.

Activities included:

• an introduction to the structure of the Department of Mental Health;

• observation of reception processes;

• understanding care pathways;

• participation in team briefings;

• discussion with different professional figures.

In the afternoon, a training module on the language of inclusion was delivered, focusing on:

• prejudice;

• stereotype;

• stigma;

• discrimination.

The module showed how words and social representations can influence the care relationship.

Language is not a secondary aspect of care: it can foster recognition, participation and dignity, or reinforce distance, labelling and exclusion.

Second day: autism, neurodiversity and observation tools

The second day focused on Child Neuropsychiatry and the Autism Centre of the Department of Mental Health of ASL Foggia.

Participants explored:

• the organisation of autism pathways;

• diagnostic processes;

• rehabilitation activities;

• multidisciplinary work;

• personalised interventions;

• relationships between services and families.

In the afternoon, a training session was held on tools for studying inclusion, including:

• questionnaires and scales;

• qualitative methods;

• quantitative methods;

• observation of social representations;

• an introduction to StigmaQuest.

This activity connected professional observation with the possibility of analysing attitudes, stereotypes and stigmatisation processes through structured tools.

Third day: acute psychiatry and group dynamics

The third day took place at the Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment Unit in Manfredonia.

Activities concerned:

• observation of psychiatric care in acute situations;

• the role of the nurse in the hospital service;

• clinical briefing;

• crisis management;

• organisation of work;

• collaboration among different professional figures.

The afternoon training module focused on group dynamics and processes of inclusion and exclusion.

The discussion highlighted that inclusion does not concern only the relationship between the service and the person receiving care. It also concerns:

• internal communication;

• distribution of roles;

• sense of belonging;

• participation in decision-making processes;

• the quality of professional relationships.

The practical activities also benefited from the collaboration of the association iFUN, which is involved in activities carried out in coordination with the Department of Mental Health.

The importance of the cultural context

The programme included moments dedicated to learning about local cultural heritage and socialisation.

This component was not considered secondary.

In adult education, intercultural learning also develops through informal relationships, everyday life, linguistic exchange and knowledge of the context in which services operate.

Cultural activities supported:

• the building of trust;

• mutual understanding;

• dialogue between professional cultures;

• the development of relational skills;

• the creation of links useful for future cooperation.

Institutional recognition

According to the institutional communication of ASL Foggia, the initiative represented an opportunity for comparison between European healthcare systems and for sharing professional practices in the field of mental health.

This institutional recognition strengthens the value of job shadowing as an adult learning methodology capable of integrating workplace observation, peer exchange, skills development and the transfer of good practices.

Full institutional information and statements are available in the communication published on the Sanità Puglia – ASL Foggia portal:

“European cooperation and professional training.”

Dissemination that respects privacy

Communication about a project carried out in a healthcare setting requires particular attention to the dignity and confidentiality of the people receiving care.

For privacy reasons, it was not possible to document the clinical and care activities carried out directly in the services through photographs or video recordings.

Audiovisual dissemination therefore focused on the opinions and reflections of the participants, collected at the end of the pathway.

This choice made it possible to describe:

• the skills acquired;

• similarities and differences between healthcare systems;

• the cultural value of the experience;

• participants’ perceptions;

• the professional meaning of the mobility.

At the same time, it avoided showing service users, interviews, clinical procedures, sensitive environments or health information.

Privacy protection therefore did not limit dissemination. It encouraged a more responsible narrative approach, centred on learning and on the voices of the professionals.

The words of the participants

The video produced by Stigmamente gathers the opinions of the four Belgian participants and a final reflection from the organisation that promoted and supported the experience.

Audrey — 00:19–00:38

“It was a wonderful experience: excellent organisation, many discoveries and a very warm welcome. Everything was genuinely positive. I recommend that everyone experience something like this.”

Her testimony highlights the role of hospitality and organisational quality in supporting learning.

Benjamin — 00:39–00:58

“It was a truly extraordinary experience and I recommend it to everyone.”

His evaluation underlines the positive impact of the mobility and the willingness to promote it among other professionals.

Julie — 00:59–01:34

“I took part in this Erasmus experience to learn about the healthcare system of another European country. In Foggia and Manfredonia, we were able to visit different services, including those dedicated to autism and acute psychiatry. I strongly recommend this experience because it offers a very interesting exchange, both culturally and professionally.”

Her testimony links the observation of services with the comparison between European healthcare systems.

Morgane — 01:35–02:15

“This experience allowed me to meet many people and discover different healthcare services in the area. We discussed autism and the way care pathways are understood within the mental health system. It was a very enriching experience, and I hope everyone has the opportunity to take part in something similar.”

Her contribution highlights the value of meeting professionals and comparing different models of care.

Luigi — 02:16–03:44

“Stigmamente proposed to the Department of Mental Health of ASL Foggia the organisation of a job shadowing activity within the framework of European opportunities. The Department and the service dedicated to autism welcomed the proposal with openness and interest. This made it possible to carry out a first exchange with the Centre Neuro Psychiatrique Saint-Martin, a Belgian organisation dedicated to psychiatry, child neuropsychiatry and rehabilitation.”

The contribution reconstructs the origin of the cooperation and underlines the intention to continue activities focused on prevention, mental health, neurodiversity and European cooperation.

The full video is available on Stigmamente’s YouTube channel:

“The voices of the participants in our Erasmus+ Job Shadowing project.”

Interviews as qualitative evaluation

The testimonies are not only a communication product.

They can also be considered a qualitative evaluation tool, because they make it possible to identify the aspects of the experience that participants considered most significant.

The interviews reveal several common elements:

• quality of the welcome;

• effectiveness of the organisation;

• interest in the services visited;

• value of comparing different systems;

• cultural and professional growth;

• knowledge of autism pathways;

• observation of acute psychiatry;

• willingness to recommend the experience.

The participants’ voices therefore complement the formal evaluation foreseen in the Learning Agreements and convey the lived dimension of learning.

Results of the good practice

The experience supported:

• greater knowledge of the Italian mental health system;

• observation of different clinical and organisational contexts;

• comparison between nursing and educational practices;

• deeper understanding of autism pathways;

• understanding of acute psychiatric care;

• development of intercultural skills;

• greater awareness of stigma processes;

• reflection on group dynamics;

• the creation of European professional relationships;

• the identification of practices to be discussed and adapted within the sending organisations.

A particularly important result concerns the transition from individual learning to organisational learning.

The knowledge acquired during the mobility can be shared with colleagues, integrated into internal training activities and used as a basis for new professional and project pathways.

Evaluation and recognition of learning

The Learning Agreements provided for:

• final meetings with participants;

• self-assessment;

• questionnaires on learning outcomes;

• evaluation of technical skills;

• analysis of cultural and transversal skills;

• satisfaction assessment;

• exchange between sending and hosting organisations;

• monitoring of dissemination activities.

The criteria included:

• relevance;

• effectiveness;

• efficiency;

• impact;

• sustainability.

This approach makes it possible to evaluate not only whether the activities were carried out, but also their ability to generate change in professionals and organisations.

Dissemination in Italy and Belgium

Dissemination was carried out in both countries.

In Italy, the experience was communicated through:

• the institutional communication of ASL Foggia;

• the channels of Stigmamente APS;

• the video testimonies;

• professional and association networks;

• publication of the good practice on EPALE.

In Belgium, the mobility was disseminated through MentalNet.EU, with a Facebook post and communication on LinkedIn.

The coordinated use of institutional channels, professional social networks and audiovisual content made it possible to reach different audiences:

• healthcare professionals;

• educators;

• trainers;

• health and social care organisations;

• associations;

• potential European partners.

Dissemination therefore became a continuation of learning: the experience of four participants was transformed into a resource available to a wider professional community.

Why this is a good practice

The experience can be considered a model of good practice because it coherently integrates:

1. workplace learning, through observation of real contexts;

2. reflective learning, through comparison and re-elaboration;

3. peer learning, through dialogue between professionals;

4. intercultural learning, through European mobility;

5. thematic training, focused on stigma, inclusion and group dynamics;

6. ethical protection, through privacy-sensitive dissemination;

7. evaluation, through formal tools and qualitative testimonies;

8. transferability, through the possibility of adapting the model to other services;

9. sustainability, through continued networking;

10. European added value, through comparison between different healthcare systems.

Transferability of the model

The model can be replicated through an essential sequence:

1. analysis of training needs;

2. shared definition of objectives;

3. selection of participants;

4. preparation of the Learning Agreement;

5. selection of services to be observed;

6. connection between observation and training;

7. mentoring during the mobility;

8. final reflection;

9. evaluation of learning outcomes;

10. dissemination and transfer.

The methodology can be adapted to different sectors:

• mental health;

• autism and neurodiversity;

• disability;

• social services;

• rehabilitation;

• care for older people;

• healthcare training;

• employment inclusion;

• adult education for people in vulnerable situations.

Conditions for replication

To replicate the good practice effectively, it is important to:

• connect the programme to the professional profiles of participants;

• actively involve the hosting teams;

• avoid visits limited to protocol or institutional presentations;

• provide opportunities for observation in real settings;

• integrate theory and practice;

• support individual and collective reflection;

• guarantee privacy protection;

• prepare evaluation tools;

• plan dissemination;

• maintain relationships after the mobility.

Sustainability and future developments

Sustainability depends on the ability to maintain the relationships built during the mobility.

Possible follow-up activities include:

• new job shadowing experiences;

• reciprocal mobility;

• online meetings between teams;

• webinars;

• exchange of training tools;

• further work on autism;

• discussion on community psychiatry;

• initiatives against stigma and discrimination;

• comparative research;

• new joint Erasmus+ projects.

Job shadowing therefore does not end when participants return to their home country. It continues through the re-elaboration of the experience, the transfer of knowledge and the development of a European community of practice.

Conclusions

The job shadowing experience carried out between Belgium and Italy shows how Erasmus+ can support a concrete and transformative form of adult education.

The good practice does not consist only in the mobility of a group of professionals. Its value lies in the ability to transform travel into a process made up of observation, dialogue, reflection, evaluation and transfer.

Observing the work of others does not mean copying it. It means using it as a mirror through which to critically reconsider one’s own system and imagine possible improvements.

In mental health, where clinical skills, the social dimension and the quality of relationships are deeply interconnected, this approach can contribute to building services that are more open, inclusive and aware.

Job shadowing thus becomes not only a training methodology, but also an instrument of European cooperation and organisational development.

Organisations interested in carrying out job shadowing experiences in the field of mental health at the Department of Mental Health of ASL Foggia may contact Stigmamente to explore new opportunities for professional observation, training and European cooperation.

Organisations involved

Sending organisation
Centre Neuro Psychiatrique Saint-Martin, Belgium

Hosting organisation
Department of Mental Health – ASL Foggia, Italy

Collaboration in training, cultural activities and dissemination
Stigmamente APS – Art, Media and Psychiatry

Collaboration in practical activities
iFUN

Contact

stigmamente@gmail.com

Keywords

Adult education; job shadowing; workplace learning; Erasmus+; vocational training; mental health; autism; neurodiversity; psychiatry; social inclusion; peer learning; intercultural skills; stigma reduction; good practice; European cooperation; professional mobility.