"<< Background >>In recent years the ETS has provided strong support for the recognition of and the recognition of the work of the trainer working at the international level. The introduction of the Competence Model for Trainers Working Internationally in 2014 was a giant step forward. Outside of the main institutions, the creation of the International Youth Work Trainers Guild in 2014 was another huge step for the support and recognition of trainers. The Guild has gone on to develop two specific tools and an internal programme for the development of trainers. Despite these gains, there are too few trainers with many years of experience and the level of ability and competence that the youth sector deserves. Many simply stop working after a few years to get “a real” job or leave the youth sector to earn better money as a trainer in another sector. For many the quality of life is low, unhealthy and or unstable. The COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and amplified existing issues and in a survey amongst trainers conducted in May of 2020 (by Stefan Georgiev), 23% said they were considering leaving the sector. Other statistics from this survey reveal a cocktail of issues affecting the mental and physical health of trainers in the youth sector.More and more, trainers, trainer organisations and affiliated organisations are realising the need for broader development and support, something that goes beyond their competencies, the skills, knowledge and attitude for the actual training sessions they develop and run. The needs of the target group are the same as those for the partner organisations, this is a need/issue within the youth sector as a whole that needs to be faced by the youth sector.In a small survey conducted by the Guild in the spring of 2021 over 40 trainers responded to an online survey covering a holistic approach to needs. Some of the key points raised by the participating trainers included:Physical wellbeing - working lifestyle leading to sleep, nutrition and relaxation issues, back and stomach problems, long hours of sitting in front of a computer, long hours of standing during training courses, extremely long hours of working during training courses without time off or space for relaxation. Substantial travel (planes, trains, buses, etc.), heavy luggage, long hours of waiting in airports and stations, constant changing of beds, bedrooms, and pillows, constant changing of sleep patterns, different environments, lack of privacy, constant change of diet, etc. Poor home office equipment.Mental and psychological wellbeing - burnout, various forms of stress, dealing with failure or rejection, insecurities - work continuity and economic, bringing of work home, conflicts at home and or with colleagues, anxiety, exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed, multitasking multiple jobs, etc. Need to create more time for themselves, set boundaries, more structured and reasonable hours, say no to new work, seek professional support, be more assertive, cut off from email, develop more internal support in the trainer community… Intellectual, professional and financial wellbeing and rights - Intellectual property rights, Creative Commons, access to professional legal advice. Visibility, self-promotion of work done, achievements made, and products developed, etc. Recognition for work done, achievements made, and products developed/created. Clarity of contracts and to be able to have a better understanding of what is being asked and the legal wording used. Creating a culture of sharing.Self-management - holding a better and healthier work-life balance, knowing how to price oneself in tenders, need to improve the writing of tenders, more knowledge on how to create partnerships, developing of peer support and supervision systems.<< Objectives >>By implementing this project we want to increase the quality and impact of youth work training by supporting trainers in their physical and mental wellbeing, motivation and job satisfaction through examining all aspects of their personal and professional lives, therefore contributing to the quality and recognition of youth work. OBJECTIVES- To explore all the aspects of a trainers life that contribute to their work as a trainer linking into the existing policies, practices and competence frameworks - such as LifeComp, ETS, Competence Model for Trainers at the International level... - To identify individual and common needs in the trainer community in order to develop 3 forms of responses as a means of support and self-help for trainers- To identify and share trainer hacks and practices, support processes, core pieces of information that respond to the identified needs in the form of a Trainer Hacks page on the Guild website- To collate expert advice and opinion about physical wellbeing, mental and emotional wellbeing, legal matters, and advice from the travel industry, the results of which would be turned into a series of digital resources- To monitor ongoing developments throughout the period of the project among trainers in order to support individuals and the trainer community as a wholeThe project will examine different areas of a trainers life; continuous travel, lack of control over own diet because of spending large amounts of time in hotels, hostels and conference centres, self-management including understanding contracts, tax and VAT laws, intellectual property rights and ownership of materials produced, the physical impact on the body of a trainer, the mental and emotional impact on a trainer, and being more ecologically sustainable in the work.The project will explore each of these topic areas, using research, peer knowledge, exchange of practices and expert input. In each topic area there are life hacks, tips and tricks, specific knowledge and proper guidance that can improve the quality of life of a trainer and therefore ultimately improve the quality of their work. This project is seen as being complementary to the European Training Strategy and seeks to have an impact on all trainers working at the European level.<< Implementation >>START: May1st of 2022, duration: 28 monthsQ2 of 2022: KICK OFF!start May 1st 2022kick-off meeting of partners June (Serbia)Q3&Q4 2022: RESEARCH & MAPPINGresearch, empathy, mapping, state of play (also use BfT and TF), incl surveys, desk research and focus groups Q1&Q2 2023: IDEATIONideation meeting of partners (Germany) ideation for outputsTraining-seminar ""Trainers life hacks lab"" (Serbia)webinars with experts (use also to build up community and focus groups) Q3 & Q4 of 2023: PROTOTYPING AND TESTINGprototyping of outputstesting prototypes, use focus groups (also use BfT and TF)meeting of partners to bridge from testing to production (Austria)Q1 of 2024: PRODUCTIONproduction of final outputsQ2 of 2024: DISSEMINATIONmultiplier events in the 4 countrieswebinars for promotiongeneral dissemination, including wellbeing challengeevaluation meeting of partners (Portugal)preparation of final reportEND: September 1st of 2024FINAL REPORT submitted before Otober 31st of 202<< Results >>The outputs are designed to provide support either as a self-help approach or peer to peer support.OUTPUTS: Research on the challenges and needs of trainers in the youth field, concerning the topics of the project:-Physical health and wellbeing;-Mental and emotional health and wellbeing;-Nutrition (especially while traveling and on events);-Travel;-The legal aspect of trainers’ work (contracts, taxes, etc.);-Ownership and authorship of trainers’ work;-Self-management.The research will be done through surveys with targeted questions about each of the topics (expanding the mapping done in the project design phase), as well as focus groups and interviews.Tips, Tricks and Trainer HacksCollected experiences, tips/hacks and inspiring stories from trainers’ covering all the above topics. Methodology used will include focus groups, interviews and desk research for collecting examples of good practice. Both research and experiences collected will be published in digital form on Guid website and disseminated to organisations, institutions, networks working with trainers or having pools of trainers. In addition, stories and inspiring examples can be recorded and published on social media and website in video/audio form.Survival Manual Mini-manuals on different topics and sub-topics (e.g. tips for traveling long-distance, or infographic with nutritional tips and information, etc.). Each mini-manual should be published in printable pdf form on Guild website, so trainers can choose the ones they need. Their design should allow users to bind together different small manuals of their choosing into a personal survival guide. In parallel the same information will be produced as a series of videos and podcasts. These will also be published through the Guild website, added to the YouTrain YouTube site, and added to existing podcast and video channels that exist among the partners and other participating organisations. During the project the team will explore different digital tools that can be used for tracking lifestyle changes, introducing and following healthy habits, etc. The suggested tools would find their place on the Guild website with short reviews.System of SupportWebinars with experts in the fields covered by the project. Specific topics will be defined during ideation phase and chosen according to research results. Webinars will be open for anybody from the field, interested in the topic. They will be recorded and published as videos or podcasts on Guild website. Ongoing peer support. The Guild already operates an informal approach to this called “Trios” - Guild members form a trio and meet regularly online to share and support one another. This concept will be further developed and expanded. MOOCMOOC will be designed in a way that each Module will be possible to use as a separate learning material. MOOC will cover all the aspects of the wellbeing of the trainer, each Module will be dedicated to one, plus intro and evaluation Modules (in total 9). Mooc will be a space to test all our materials, get feedback and create an audience of people who potentially could spread materials among their trainer colleagues.In addition to the listed topics connected with needs of trainers, the topic of sustainability will be cross-cutting and will be included in short manuals, webinars and videos (e.g. when talking about travel, nutrition, lifestyle, etc)"