The project set out to familiarise the participating staff with the principles of positive education and, through joint discussion, practical testing and shared evaluation of selected approaches, to strengthen their professional competencies while simultaneously enhancing their motivation and well-being at work. A related objective was to address the persistent challenge of poor study motivation among adult learners. By engaging education professionals directly in the development process and equipping them with new perspectives and concrete pedagogical tools grounded in positive education pedagogy, the project aimed to establish a sustainable chain of impact: well-supported and inspired staff who are, in turn, better able to engage and motivate learners struggling with commitment and a sense of purpose in their studies. An additional motivation was that all participating organisations were newcomers to Erasmus+ cooperation. A Small-scale Partnership offered a manageable yet meaningful framework for gaining first-hand experience of European collaboration, strengthening our capacity for international project work, and laying the groundwork for future Erasmus+ activities.
In all participating countries, support resources for adult learners with fragile motivation or pessimistic future outlooks are scarce, leaving the responsibility largely with individual teachers. Partners first identified this shared concern at a contact seminar in Vilnius in June 2023, and online meetings confirmed mutual interest in developing new pedagogical and advisory approaches for this group. Positive education — grounded in positive psychology and shown to support well-being, resilience and engagement — has been widely applied in early childhood and basic education, but its potential in adult education remains underexplored. The project was designed to address this gap through structured dialogue, knowledge sharing and transnational collaboration, adapting existing tools and developing new methods for adult learners. An additional motivation was that all participating organisations were newcomers to Erasmus+ cooperation. A Small-scale Partnership offered a manageable yet meaningful framework for gaining first-hand experience of European collaboration, strengthening our capacity for international project work, and laying the groundwork for future Erasmus+ activities.