The objectives we wanted to achieve: 1. To empower and equip trainers and educational activists with the necessary knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to support different groups of people supporting others (professionals and non-professionals, employees and volunteers) in maintaining their well-being and mitigating the risk of burnout. 2. To invent a new educational model that will help trainers and educational activists work with different groups of people supporting others to help them maintain their well-being. 3. To exchange and transfer good practices and experiences between trainers and educators on the topic of well-being, support against burnout and maintaining well-being. 4. To empower and equip people supporting others (professionals and non-professionals, employees and volunteers) with the necessary tools to help them maintain their well-being and mitigate the risk of burnout.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have observed that people who actively support others in need also need support. There is a tendency among people helping others to work beyond their strength, without respecting their own needs and limitations. This tendency leads to the risk of burnout and health problems. We observed this tendency during the refugee crisis, when all partner countries were strongly involved in helping refugees. Since the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, we have faced the largest refugee crisis in Europe. During this time, we met volunteers and workers who worked hard and slept only a few hours, helping refugees at the borders, at reception points, finding accommodation, providing medical care and reorganizing school activities to support refugees. At the same time, we clearly saw many risks that we should consider. The volunteer-based support system is limited, and one of the limiting factors of support is the physical and mental health of supporters, employees and volunteers. This can lead to a support crisis. We anticipated that great enthusiasm and the desire to help others could quickly turn into frustration and burnout.