INTRODUCTION

In light of the phase of needs research and analysis, the following step was to develop and improve the list of functions (LF) we have been prepared and tested through the Worker Questionnaire. Such list - even though incomplete and imperfect – was our early outline (like a prototype) to share, ameliorate and validate, in order to build up the core of contents of the innovative curriculum we were looking to. Then, we were aimed to elaborate functions as relevant as possible our CMHW vocational profile would have been EU-wide appropriate, suitable and transferable.
Firstly, we modified some aspects of the LF through a process of systematic revision. These aspects were concerning terminology and lexical form as well as conceptual contents. For this, we arranged a tool to confronting and sharing within the project team. The tool was made to evaluate in depth each function, as far as to modify it on the basis of gathered information from research we were done. Our aim was to extend and articulate the LF. In such sense the suggestions from focus group with service users and the information from the quantitative survey were very important. For each function we identified certain competencies, which are considered as indispensable to the accomplishment of the function itself. We chose the term capability (1) as it extends the concept of competence to include the ability to effectively apply the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to a range of complex and changing settings, as SM ones are.  Thus, we stressed the integration between personal features and developed competencies, and we emphasized concepts such as “reflection-in-action” and “reflection about action” (2).
The Project Team then amended and enriched the functions with additional detail from EU curricula in CMH already realized and implemented crosswise partner countries. The research was conducted using the framework of Content Analysis (3).
As part of the next stage, the Project team planned to circulate the list to a number of invited “experts” in MH from EU countries as part of a structured process of collecting and distilling knowledge and opinion through the application of the “Delphi Method” (4). The results from the Delphi process allowed the Project team to further improve the LF.  In this way the conditions for the final phase of the Project were created and the Project team set up the Curriculum proposal of whom the LF is the conceptual core.