More information
Description
We would like to target our project at Dolny Śląsk activists experiencing work burnout. We will organise activities for ca. 300 participants, aiming at supporting their mental health. According to our research, nearly half of NGO leaders in Wrocław experience burnout related to their work. It is most often related to the sense of solitude, as they feel they are the only ones taking responsibility for their organisation. We will address these problems by organising the ‘Regulation and Regeneration’ workshops that will teach participants release tension in their body and reduce mental stress by means of A. Lowen’s methods, relaxing exercise and yoga practice. We will set up a support group for participants to share their experiences and challenges on an ongoing basis. We will start an online group (lectures, webinars, discussions) devoted to activist burnout. We will also issue an online publication featuring information on activist burnout and coping strategies in which we will sum up our activities and conclusions.
Summary of project results
We directed the project towards activists from Lower Silesia who were experiencing burnout. We organized activities aimed at supporting the mental health of the participants.
According to our research, nearly half of the leaders of non-governmental organizations in Wrocław reported experiencing burnout related to their work. Burnout was most often associated with the leaders feeling isolated, feeling excessive responsibility for the organization, and experiencing high levels of stress.
To address these issues, we conducted workshops titled "Regulation and Regeneration" that taught participants techniques such as A. Lowen''s methods, relaxation exercises, and yoga practices to release tension in the body and manage psychological stress. We established a support group where participants could share their experiences and current challenges in an ongoing manner. We conducted webinars on the topic of activist burnout, and we published an online resource providing information on activist burnout and strategies for coping with it. The publication summarized our previous activities and findings.
Evaluation surveys indicate that over 1,000 individuals increased their knowledge about activist burnout through online meetings. Participants also realized that they were not alone in their struggles, which they found to be a highly empowering experience. The topic of activist burnout was one of the main themes at the 6th Congress of Wrocław NGOs, which took place in June 2023.
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