From Burnout to Balance: a Training Course for ESC tutors

Mental health and wellbeing are key aspects of youth work and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programmes. Tutors ad supervisors play a crucial role in supporting young people and their work is a form of care work, even if it is not always recognised as such. This ongoing emotional and relational labour can be highly demanding, especially in the long term. Sometimes, youth workers experience burnout and a negative impact on their own mental health, which may affect their motivation and sustainability in the profession. In this training course, participants will reflect on challenges, share experiences and develop practical approaches that strengthen their ability to care for their own wellbeing.

In particular, the training will focus on analysing, trying out, and designing strategies and tools for youth workers wellbeing, that combine self-care with communal care. We are hoping to together move beyond purely individualised solutions and tools and promote group-based and collective approaches to the wellbeing of youth workers by youth workers, so it can be integrated into youth work daily practice and organziations.

Participants are encouraged to present their own ideas and activities, as the methodology is based on peer-to-peer learning. We also wish to integrate some partnership building activities.