Join our “Active Hope: facing global concerns and building regenerative futures”, a participatory learning journey to help teachers, educators, staff in educational institutions and trainers, to explore Active Hope, navigate uncertainty and concerns about global challenges and transform these concerns into meaningful action towards a more sustainable, compassionate and hopeful future.

Context

We live in a global reality that worries and distresses us, particularly with regard to future prospects. There are many areas of concern, from climate change, economic crises, wars, decline in biodiversity, increased socio-economic inequalities, social isolation and mental health problems, among others. Lack of confidence in the future and uncertainty are common psychological realities (*). These realities are generally considered “depressing”, “negative”, and they remain largely ignored, denied and unspoken. How can we change something we don’t think or talk about?

Aims

In this course, we explore our sense of purpose and connectedness with each other as human beings and with life as a whole, to nurture and strengthen our ability to face our concerns for the world and to contribute to a fair and humane world.

This learning journey invites teachers and educators to explore the local and global issues that matter most to them and their learners, and to discover meaningful ways to contribute to positive change. Recognising that every person brings unique experiences, interests, skills and perspectives, it will support participants in identifying and developing their own authentic and meaningful responses within their educational contexts, while empowering them to inspire learners and communities to help shape a “hope-full” future.

Target: Teachers working with all types of learners in both formal and non-formal context; staff of educational institutions; educator’s and trainers.

Duration: 5 days (25 – 30 hours)

Venue: Lisbon, Portugal

Working Language: English

Learning methods

Experiential and non-formal learning, where participants actively participate in the process through small group interactions, deep listening, personal reflection, and (where possible) time outdoors to reconnect with the natural world, music, and movement, along with presentations and conversations on concepts such as Systems Science, Deep Ecology, the state of the world, and the aspiration to a life-sustaining society.

Programme

Prioritizing You: Self-Care for Resilient Educators is a transformative, hands-on 5-day program designed exclusively for teachers and educational staff who need to step back, recharge, and build sustainable emotional resilience. Set in the relaxing and inspiring city of Lisbon, this course blends practical wellness training with enriching cultural experiences. It’s time to invest in yourself so you can return to your students with a renewed mind, a healthy body, and a lasting passion for education.

Duration: 5 days (25 hours)

Target:

• teachers working with all types of learners in both formal and non- formal context
• staff in educational institutions
• trainers

Objectives:

• Identify the signs of stress and burnout and implement proactive, research-based self-care strategies.
• Practice and lead mindfulness exercises (such as breathing techniques, grounding, and sensory awareness) tailored for both educators and students.
• Cultivate emotional regulation and resilience to manage challenging classroom environments and daily educational pressures.
• Design a personalized Well-being Action Plan to sustain healthy habits and personal self-care beyond the training.
• Network and collaborate with international peers, creating a supportive community focused on mental health in education.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Recognise and identify common signs, symptoms and contributing factors of stress and burnout in educational settings, identifying when additional professional support may be needed.
• Demonstrate and facilitate basic mindfulness exercises, including breathing techniques, grounding and sensory awareness, adapting them to the needs of educators and learners.
• Apply evidence-informed self-care and stress-management strategies to strengthen emotional regulation, resilience and well-being when facing challenging classroom situations and everyday professional pressures.
• Design and implement a personalised Well-being Action Plan, incorporating realistic self-care routines, healthy habits, stress-management techniques and strategies to maintain well-being beyond the training.
• Integrate practical mindfulness and well-being activities into educational practice to support a more balanced, supportive and emotionally aware learning environment.
• Collaborate and exchange good practices with international peers, sharing experiences, exploring approaches to mental health and well-being in education, and building professional connections to support continued learning and mutual support.

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)

Includes:

• Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
• Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
• Training materials and educational resources

• Administrative and organisational costs
• Certificate of participation
• Europass Mobility
• Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

Keywords

Well-being in Education, Mental Health, Stress Management, Burnout Prevention, Mindfulness, Self-care, Emotional Regulation, Resilience, Adult education, Teacher well being, Work life balance

Programme:

Day 1 – Is Stress Already Taking Over? 

09:00 – 10:30 Level 1: Presentation of training institutions, trainers and participants

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:15 Introduction to the programme, warmers and icebreakers

12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break

12:30 – 14:00 Level 2: Mapping our triggers – Presentation of current challenges and coping mechanisms participants already use

14:00 Free afternoon

Day 2 – Becoming Aware of My Inner Space 

09:00 – 10:30 Level 3: Introduction to Mindfulness

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:15 Micro-practices for the classroom – Breathing exercises and grounding techniques

12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break

12:30 – 14:00 Level 4:Emotional awareness and regulation tools

14:00 – 18:00 Free afternoon

18:00 – 19:00 Tour Guide around Lisbon’s best-kept secrets

19:00 – 21:00 Dinner in a Typical Restaurant

Day 3 – Learning How to Teach with Joy 

09:00 – 10:30 Level 5: The Pillars of Self-Care

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:15 Level 6: Practicing self-compassion and overcoming “educator guilt”

12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break

12:30 – 14:00 Creative expression and movement

14:00 Free afternoon

Day 4 – How Can Tech Be a Support and Not a Stressor?

09:00 – 10:30 Level 7: Digital well-being – Establishing boundaries with technology and emails

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:15 Level 8: Mindful communication with students, parents, and colleagues

12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break

12:30 – 14:00 Practical tasks

14:00 Free afternoon

Dia 5 – I’m ready to transform Education!

09:00 – 10:30 Level 9: Knowledge into action

10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break

10:45 – 12:15 Level 10: It all comes together

12:15 – 12:30 Coffee break

12:30 – 14:00 Closing and evaluation of the course

14:00 Free afternoon

Empowering Voices: Human Rights & Inclusive Pedagogy is an interactive 5-day program designed for adult educators, trainers, and community leaders. Set in the vibrant, multicultural city of Lisbon, this course equips participants with practical tools, participatory methodologies, and human rights-based frameworks to address social inequality, encourage critical thinking, and build truly inclusive learning environments for diverse adult learners.

Duration: 5 days (25-30 hours)

Language: English

Target:
teachers working with all types of adult learners in both formal and non- formal context
staff of educational institutions
trainers

Objectives:
– Apply Human Rights Education (HRE) principles to learning contexts and non-formal education frameworks.
– Identify and deconstruct implicit bias, discrimination, and barriers faced by marginalized learners (e.g., migrants, seniors, disadvantaged socio-economic groups).
– Utilize participatory, learner-centered methodologies to address sensitive issues.
– Design inclusive learning activities and curricula that promote social justice, active citizenship, and democratic participation.
-Network and collaborate with international education practitioners to build inclusive European educational projects.

Programme:
Day 1 – Where Do Human Rights Begin?
Presentation of hosting organization, represented schools/organizations, trainers and participants
Human Rights in our everyday practice – Presentation of tools and approaches

Day 2 – Understanding the Adult Learner
Core frameworks – Human Rights Education (HRE), intersectionality, and addressing privilege in the classroom with practical examples
Deconstructing stereotypes and implicit bias in adult learning spaces
Creating safe and brave spaces for difficult conversations and vulnerable learners

Day 3 – Learning How to Teach for Empowerment
Transformative pedagogy
Storytelling and narrative methodologies for social inclusion
Practical tasks

Day 4 – How Can Tech Be a Support and Not a Stressor
Gamification and interactive tools for teaching civic rights and active citizenship
Adapting learning materials to meet diverse accessibility, linguistic, and cultural needs
Addressing contemporary Human Rights challenges: Digital rights, climate justice, and migration in adult education

Dia 5 – I’m ready to transform Education!
Knowledge into action
It all comes together
Networking
Closing and evaluation of the course

Learning Outcomes
1. Apply Human Rights Education (HRE) principles to formal, non-formal and adult learning contexts, integrating human rights, equality, dignity and democratic values into educational practice.
2. Identify and critically analyse implicit bias, discrimination and barriers to participation experienced by marginalised learners, including migrants, older adults and/or people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
3. Facilitate participatory and learner-centred learning activities using methodologies such as Theatre of the Oppressed, story circles and critical dialogue to explore sensitive issues and encourage reflection, empathy and mutual understanding.
4. Design inclusive learning activities and educational programmes that promote social justice, equal opportunities, active citizenship and democratic participation, responding to the diverse needs and experiences of adult learners.
5. Apply inclusive facilitation strategies to create safe, respectful and accessible learning environments where participants can express different perspectives, challenge stereotypes and engage in constructive dialogue.
6. Exchange experiences and good practices with international education practitioners, identifying opportunities for cross-border collaboration and developing initial ideas for inclusive European educational projects.
7. Develop an action plan for integrating Human Rights Education into professional practice, identifying practical approaches to address discrimination, strengthen inclusion and promote a human rights-based learning culture.

Course details:

Course Fee: €400 per participant (5 training days × €80/day)
Includes:

• Course preparation and delivery by qualified trainers.
• Five days of structured training, including workshops, practical activities and group discussions
• Training materials and educational resources
• Administrative and organisational costs
• Certificate of participation (upon 80% attendance)
• Europass Mobility  (upon 80% attendance)
• Pre-course coordination and participant support.

Not included: Travel to Lisbon, accommodation, meals and local transportation. These expenses are the responsibility of the participants or their sending organisations.

 Pre-Register HERE .

Looking forward to be meeting you in Lisbon!