M+: Promoting Mental Wellbeing among Educators

<< Background >>We applied for this project to respond to the increasing need for mental health education and support in adult learning environments. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified feelings of anxiety, isolation, and emotional vulnerability across all age groups, but particularly among adults facing social, economic, or personal difficulties. Our partner organizations, working in the field of adult education and community support, identified a lack of tools and structured opportunities to address mental wellbeing in a safe, accessible, and educational way. The need to equip both learners and educators with basic mental health literacy, and to foster environments where emotions and psychological challenges could be discussed without stigma, became a shared priority. The project aimed to fill a gap in existing educational approaches by focusing on self-awareness, emotional expression, and preventative care—ensuring that adult educators feel seen, supported, and empowered in their personal growth<< Objectives >>Our goal was to promote emotional wellbeing and mental health awareness in adult education through the development of inclusive, participatory, and non-clinical educational resources. We aimed to provide adult educators with tools to approach mental health topics confidently and sensitively, and to empower learners to reflect on their emotions, recognize signs of distress, and adopt self-care practices. The project also intended to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by normalizing open dialogue and integrating these discussions into everyday learning contexts. By encouraging a more compassionate and human-centered approach to adult education, we sought to create a replicable model that partners and other institutions could adopt. Furthermore, the project aimed to strengthen European cooperation and the exchange of good practices in the field of adult mental health education.<< Implementation >>Over the course of 18 months, we implemented a well-structured and collaborative work plan. We organized three transnational partner meetings to align project goals, share methodologies, monitor progress and design the outputs. A joint staff training event brought together educators and facilitators from all partner countries to exchange approaches to mental health in adult education and to build common facilitation skills. At the local level, we conducted needs analyses through interviews and focus groups with adult learners and educators to inform the development of the educational toolkit. Each partner co-designed and piloted learning activities focused on emotional literacy, self-care, and communication. These workshops provided valuable feedback that helped refine the final materials. Dissemination was a continuous effort, involving social media communication, newsletters, and national multiplier events aimed at promoting the project results to relevant stakeholders and expanding its impact<< Results >>The concrete outputs and results are:- a mental health education toolkit, co-created by the partners and piloted in diverse adult education contexts. The toolkit includes a collection of ready-to-use activities, reflection exercises, and facilitation guidelines that help address mental wellbeing in a non-clinical, inclusive manner. - A State of the Art report that sheds light on the current landscape of mental well-being among educators across four European countries—Italy, Greece, Latvia, and Portugal, providing an in-depth understanding of the current landscape. It highlights challenges, explores national and European policies, and showcases innovative practices designed to foster resilience and well-being among educators. - An Action Plan that allows organizations, policymakers, and individuals to select strategies that align with their unique needs and circumstances. It's not just a guide—it's an invitation to be part of a movement that puts mental well-being at the heart of education.We strongly believe that M+ has contributed to raise awareness on the potential role of NGOs in promoting the mental well-being of adult educators and enhanced adult educators' competences in promoting mental well-being