By implementing this project we wanted to achieve: - To improve the level of competencies and skills of professionals to deal with stress related situations minimising the impact of it by employing tools and activities for green care and improving mental and physical health; - To develop and implement new and innovative ENERGY VET Program and Digital Training Platform and educate ENERGY Facilitators as future Green care wellness trainers; - To encourage organisations and managerial staff to use a more caring approach and implement green care wellness initiatives.
The World Health Organisation has revealed that stress is more widespread than ever before and is the “health epidemic of the 21st century.” Certain professionals experience higher levels of stress each day of their working time. The emergence of COVID-19 has affected health-care workers’ psychological and mental health. In ENERGY project we focused on the following professions: Medical professionals, Management staff, Education and Helping professionals and Professionals working in Service industry. All of selected professions have been ranked the highest in several studies done in Europe measuring levels of workplace stress. Another topic that ENERGY project was tackling was the disconnection with nature. We all are paying price of our urban way of living, with rare access to natural environment and outdoor spaces. Addressing these needs and challenges of a big number of professionals and support them with innovative VET program was our main goal. The second target group were managers and owners of SMEs, who are also affected by the situation with stress and directly feel the negative consequences in the work productivity and health of the organization. With this project we also reached number of VET institutions and teachers.