SPARK - Gamification of Youth Work to Decrease Burnout

The SPARK (Start, Play, Aspire, Recharge, Keep-going) project offers a unique training course for youth workers by combining two key themes - burnout and gamification - with a special focus on escape rooms. Grounded in an extensive Needs analysis and literature review, the project responds to the prevalence of burnout in youth work, where high emotional demands, heavy workloads, and the pressure to stay innovative contribute to chronic stress. While prevention is essential, SPARK specifically supports youth workers already experiencing burnout by using gamification - particularly escape rooms - as an engaging, motivating, and skill-building method that promotes creativity, professional growth, and time-efficient practices. Through interactive, culturally diverse, and non-formal learning activities such as "Burnout Map", gamification labs, card-based reflections, and escape room challenges, participants explore burnout's causes, develop resilience strategies, and design innovative tools for their work. Ultimately, SPARK aims to reignite motivation, strengthen soft skills, and provıde practical, reusable methods that empower youth workers to sustain their well-being and professional passion - while spreading these benefits across the broader youth work community.