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Creative Care: Tools for Preventing Compassion Fatigue

2025-1-PL01-KA153-YOU-0002974452025Mobility of youth workersongoing
Countries: PL|IT|MK|ES|TR · Grant: €30,101
Physical and mental health, well-beingQuality and innovation of youth work

Objectives

Compassion fatigue (also known as vicarious trauma) is a reaction to the ‘on-going demands of being compassionate in helping those who are suffering (Downs, 2013). Compassion fatigue is a common and frequently under-recognized issue that affects youth workers' mental health as well as their capacity to effectively care for and support the young people they serve. Repeated exposure to such emotional and psychological stressors can lead to compassion fatigue, which manifests as emotional exhaustion, reduced empathy, and diminished job satisfaction (Figley, 1995). Youth workers play a crucial role in supporting vulnerable youth and adolescents, many of whom experience trauma, abuse, or mental health issues.The consequences of compassion fatigue highlight the urgent need for creative strategies that address this issue and empower youth workers to prioritize their well-being. Starting from this urgent point, GASZO, Polish NGO, has conducted Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) – Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue, developed by B. Hudnall Stamm, 2009-2012. We have attached the results to the form as Annex-A.Based on this results of ProQOL; -Compassion Fatigue needs to be described in our community and partnership because it has a direct impact on youth worker's performance and productivity in their work with youth, their own education, and other areas of life. - Most of them think that they might have been affected by the traumatic stress of those they help. -They often feel worn out because of their work as a helper of young people. -They sometimes have felt "on edge" about various things because of their helping. Creative Care, our project, will seek to address these needs through three main objectives: increasing compassion fatigue awareness, providing accessible toolkit, and creating a Virtual Museum on Compassion Fatigue that integrates intermodal arts as a key method. Intermodal arts—a therapeutic approach that combines multiple art forms such as music, dance, visual art, and creative writing—will be engaged into each objective to enhance engagement, healing, and understanding. Objective 1 (O1); To increase compassion fatigue awareness among youth workers. The first line of defense against compassion fatigue is creating awareness and education. Increasing youth workers' and stakeholders' knowledge of the causes, signs, and effects of compassion fatigue is the goal of this purpose. Workshops, webinars, and seminars will offer evidence-based content with professional perspectives and useful tactics. Videos, infographics, and articles containing information will also be extensively distributed. In order to promote more emotional engagement and comprehension, intermodal arts will be incorporated into these educational initiatives. Workshops will, for instance, incorporate interactive exercises like expressive dancing, group mural-making, or contemplative journaling. In addition to improving learning, these activities give youth workers a chance to artistically process their feelings and experiences. In order to give voice to their tales and promote a sense of community, youth workers will also contribute artistic expressions during seminars, such as spoken-word poetry and short films. O2; To provide accessible toolkit of self care for compassion fatigue. we will focus on equipping youth workers with tools and resources to manage compassion fatigue via this O2. This will be a self-care toolkit that offer practical strategies; mindfulness exercises, time-management tips, and relaxation techniques. Intermodal arts will play a pivotal role in these resources by offering creative and therapeutic outlets for stress relief. The self-care toolkit will include guided art therapy exercises, music for mindfulness, movement and dance practices, reflective writing and journaling, drama and role-play activities, interactive multi-arts projects. It will offer youth workers a dynamic and engaging resource to explore their emotions, nurture their well-being, and build resilience against the challenges of their work with youth community. It will provide a meaningful and transformative pathway to healing and renewal by engaging creativity with self-care. O3; To create a virtual museum on compassion fatigue. We will create a virtual museum about compassion fatigue on https://www.artsteps.com/. This virtual space will feature art exhibits including paintings, sculptures, and digital posters that depict the emotional and professional pain of compassion fatigue. Interactive features such as self-assessment tests and creative activities will encourage visitors to reflect on their experiences. The “Voices of Youth Workers” section will present personal stories through multimedia formats including audio recordings, video interviews, and poetic works.

Project partners (6)