On 6 November, the WELL CARE project partners and members of its Blended Learning Network (BLN) met in Brussels for an engaging and collaborative meeting. The BLN brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including experts, practitioners and individuals with lived experience, all contributing their knowledge to help shape effective and meaningful supports for long-term care works and informal carers across Europe. Serving as a space for dialogue and co-creation, the BLN ensures that the project’s activities remain grounded in real needs and diverse perspectives.

During the meeting, participants shared a series of country snapshots outlining the current supports available to informal carers and the state of long-term care systems in the represented countries. These comparative insights highlighted both common challenges and unique national approaches, enriching the group’s understanding of trends and gaps across Europe. Project partners also presented their latest solution prototypes, inviting feedback from BLN members on planned activities and future development steps. This exchange offered valuable guidance, helping refine the prototypes and align them more closely with the expectations of stakeholders and end users.

A particularly impactful element of the day came from the testimonies of family carers from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden. Their personal stories provided a powerful illustration of the realities of informal carers, its demands, its emotional dimensions and the resilience it requires. These reflections added depth to the discussions and reinforced the importance of ensuring that WELL CARE’s outputs are shaped by genuine lived experience. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue this collaborative work as the project moves into its next phases.