Ei-iE

Safety

Safety is a foundational component of well-being, particularly in contexts affected by crisis, conflict, or instability. Physical and psychological security is a basic human need, and its absence can severely compromise the mental and emotional health of teachers and education support personnel. This is particularly acute in regions where schools are targets of violence and wars or political unrest, where the threat to personal safety is compounded by a lack of professional development, formal certification, and adequate compensation. The psychological toll of working in emergency or conflict-affected environments highlights the urgent need for protective measures and institutional support. A secure and safe environment is also essential, as feeling protected from physical harm contributes significantly to a sense of well-being and allows both staff and students to concentrate on their roles without fear or distraction.

The research article investigates the alarming rise in violence and aggression against educators in the United States, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on two large-scale surveys conducted before and after pandemic restrictions, the study reveals that incidents of verbal harassment, threats, cyberbullying, and physical violence have surged, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This increase has led to a significant rise in educators expressing intentions to resign or transfer.

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Publisher: American Psychologist
Country: United States of America
Year of publication: 2024

Region: North America and the Caribbean
Topics: Pandemics and epidemics Safety Violence and harassment Working conditions
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type: Downloadable file

The INEE Minimum Standards offer a compilation of guidances that emphasize the importance of creating safe, secure, and nurturing learning environments that support the psychosocial and physical wellbeing of learners, teachers, and education support personnel. It outlines key actions such as promoting positive classroom management, preventing school-related gender-based violence, ensuring safe school infrastructure, and training staff on protection mechanisms and referrals. The standard also highlights the role of community participation and risk reduction strategies in safeguarding education spaces, especially in insecure or crisis-affected areas.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Cross-cutting resource Mental health Safety Violence and harassment Women’s psychological and physical health
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type: Online ressource

The report explores the global prevalence of workplace violence and harassment, affecting over one in five workers. It emphasizes the urgent need for integrated strategies, such as the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention (No. 190), national legal frameworks, and occupational safety and health protocols, to effectively combat these issues. The report also examines how evolving work conditions, including digitalization and blurred work-life boundaries, intensify these challenges, and highlights the role of collective bargaining and policy innovation in fostering safer, more respectful workplaces

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Publisher: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Physical health Safety Violence and harassment
Available in: English French
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

The video presents the main insights from the ILO report "Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate", highlighting how climate change, driven largely by human activities like fossil fuel use, is increasingly affecting workers' health and safety. The video emphasizes the urgent need for policies and practices that protect workers from climate-related risks such as extreme heat, air pollution, and natural disasters.

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Publisher: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Climate change Physical health Safety
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Video

Climate change is already having serious impacts on the safety and health of workers in all regions of the world. Workers are among those most exposed to climate change hazards yet frequently have no choice but to continue working, even if conditions are dangerous. Global occupational safety and health protections have struggled to keep up with the evolving risks from climate change, resulting in worker mortality and morbidity. This report presents critical evidence related to the impacts of climate change on OSH, to bring attention to the global health threat workers are currently facing

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Publisher: International Labour Organization (ILO)
Year of publication: 2024

Topics: Climate change Physical health Safety
Available in: English French
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

The report " Työhyvinvointi ohjelma" of the Finnish union OAJ outlines a strategy to improve the working conditions and overall well-being of professionals in the education sector. It emphasizes the importance of respectful treatment, sustainable work environments, and mental health support. The programme proposes legislative reforms, enhanced occupational safety, and better leadership practices to reduce work-related stress and prevent disability. It also promotes collaboration between employees, employers, and policymakers to ensure that educational professionals can thrive in their roles.

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Publisher: Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö
Country: Finland
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Europe
Topics: Peer relationships Safety Working conditions
Available in: Finnish
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

The page provides practical steps for addressing poor ventilation in the workplace, emphasizing its importance for health and productivity. It suggests measuring CO2 levels, reporting issues to management, and involving works councils to ensure proper ventilation standards are met. The page also advises on escalating unresolved issues to the Labor Inspectorate and highlights the right to stop work if conditions are unsafe. Additionally, it offers resources and guidelines for improving air quality in educational settings.

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Publisher: Algemene Onderwijsbond
Country: Netherlands
Year of publication: 2023

Region: Europe
Topics: Physical health Safety Working conditions
Available in: English Dutch
Categories of staff: Teachers
Resource type: Web page

The guidance note provides strategies to support teachers' mental health and overall wellbeing in crisis contexts. It emphasizes the importance of promoting access to mental health and psychosocial support, creating enabling work environments, and enhancing teacher voice, agency, and leadership. The guidance is aligned with the INEE Minimum Standards and offers practical recommendations, tools, and examples to help educators, policymakers, and humanitarian actors improve the resilience and effectiveness of education systems in emergencies.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Country: Colombia Kenya Myanmar Palestine
Year of publication: 2022

Topics: Leadership Mental health Safety Working conditions
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic Ukrainian
Categories of staff: Teachers
Resource type: Downloadable file

The member support guide provides information about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US, which offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors via call, text, or chat for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance use issues, mental health crises, or emotional distress. The guide explains how to determine whether a situation warrants contacting 988, what to expect during the call, and how to support someone in crisis while waiting for help. It also offers advice on post-crisis care and emphasizes the importance of seeking support for oneself after assisting someone through a crisis. It is important to note that this resource is context-specific and is intended as an example to inspire the development of similar tools in other contexts.

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Publisher: American Federation of Teachers
Country: United States of America
Year of publication: 2022

Region: North America and the Caribbean
Topics: Mental health Physical health Safety
Available in: English
Categories of staff: Teachers Education support personnel Union representatives
Resource type: Downloadable file

This article is part of a compilation of case studies that detail promising practices in teacher well‑being, teacher management, and school leadership.. This section discusses the challenges faced by refugee teachers in Lebanon as they balance professional expectations with their personal experiences. It highlights the dual role of these teachers who, while educating refugee students, also navigate their own difficult circumstances, including economic hardships, emotional stress, and uncertainty about the future. The study emphasizes the need for support systems that address both their professional and personal needs, suggesting that effective training, psychological support, and fair compensation are crucial for their well-being and effectiveness in their roles.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Harvard University
Country: Lebanon Syria
Year of publication: 2022

Region: Arab Countries
Topics: Cross-cutting resource Peer relationships Resources and conditions Safety Workload
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers
Specific communities: Migrants and refugees
Resource type: Downloadable file

This article is part of a compilation of case studies that detail promising practices in teacher well‑being, teacher management, and school leadership. The article describes an intervention aimed at supporting teachers' well-being and professional development through a holistic coaching model. The program, implemented in Colombia and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, focuses on three main areas: building teachers' social-emotional competencies, improving their well-being using mindfulness and acceptance techniques, and enhancing classroom management skills. The intervention includes continuous quality improvement-based coaching, where teachers receive individualized support and feedback

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) War Child Holland
Country: Colombia Palestine
Year of publication: 2022

Region: Latin America Arab Countries
Topics: Cross-cutting resource Peer relationships Resources and conditions Safety Workload
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers
Specific communities: Migrants and refugees
Resource type: Downloadable file

This article is part of a compilation of case studies that detail promising practices in teacher well‑being, teacher management, and school leadership. This text explores the well-being of teachers in Uganda and South Sudan amidst displacement and fragility. It highlights the challenges faced by teachers, including the impact of displacement on their professional and personal lives. The study emphasizes the importance of teacher well-being for effective teaching and learning, noting that teachers often struggle with stress, lack of resources, and the need for professional development.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Teachers College Columbia University
Country: Uganda South Sudan
Year of publication: 2022

Region: Africa
Topics: Cross-cutting resource Peer relationships Resources and conditions Safety Self-efficacy Workload
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers
Specific communities: Migrants and refugees
Resource type: Downloadable file

This article is part of a compilation of case studies that detail promising practices in teacher well‑being, teacher management, and school leadership. The "Social Emotional Development for Teachers" program in El Salvador aims to enhance teacher well-being by addressing the significant social and emotional challenges they face, such as stress from gang violence and community insecurity. The program provides over 3,000 teachers with training in social-emotional learning strategies and mindfulness practices to help them manage their emotions and reduce stress. This initiative is designed to improve teachers' relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, ultimately enhancing their effectiveness in the classroom and contributing to a more positive educational environment.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) FHI360
Country: El Salvador
Year of publication: 2022

Region: Latin America
Topics: Mental health Physical health Resources and conditions Safety Social emotional skills
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers
Specific communities: Ethnic minorities
Resource type: Downloadable file

This article is part of a compilation of case studies that detail promising practices in teacher well‑being, teacher management, and school leadership. The initiative focuses on enhancing teachers' abilities to create trauma-informed classrooms and build psychological resilience using cognitive behavioral approaches. The program aims to equip teachers with coping skills and resilience-building techniques for their own mental well-being. By understanding their own mental health needs and learning evidence-based psychological strategies, teachers can better manage their emotions and stress.

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Publisher: Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Education Development Center
Country: Philippines
Year of publication: 2022

Region: Asia Pacific
Topics: Cross-cutting resource Mental health Physical health Resources and conditions Safety
Available in: English French Spanish, Castilian Portuguese Arabic
Categories of staff: Teachers
Specific communities: Ethnic minorities
Resource type: Downloadable file

The Health and safety handbook on health, safety, and welfare issues provides comprehensive guidance for health and safety representatives in schools. It covers a wide range of topics, including accident reporting, asbestos management, bullying, class sizes, and stress management. The handbook emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for staff and students, detailing procedures for handling various health and safety concerns, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. It aims to equip representatives with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively manage health and safety issues in educational settings. This handbook was specifically elaborated for the context of the UK but includes useful information that other member organizations can use as a reference for developing their own materials.

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Publisher: NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Country: United Kingdom
Year of publication: 2021

Region: Europe
Topics: Cross-cutting resource Mental health Physical health Safety Working conditions
Available in: English
Categories of staff: School leaders
Resource type: Web page

Ei-iE

Safety

Showing 42 Resources Filtered by:

Violence and aggression against educators and school personnel, retention, stress, and training needs: National survey results

INEE Minimum Standards - Standard 9: Protection and Wellbeing

Preventing and addressing violence and harassment in the world of work through occupational safety and health measures

Key findings on climate change and occupational safety and health

Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate

Occupational well-being programme

Poor ventilation in your workplace? You can do this

Guidance note on teacher wellbeing in emergency settings

Suicide and crisis lifeline 988: member support guide

Refugee teachers in Lebanon: The challenges of managing professional expectations with personal experiences

Coaching-observing-reflecting-engaging (CORE) for teachers: A well-being and support intervention for teachers

In their words: Teacher well-being amidst displacement and fragility in Uganda and South Sudan

“Social emotional development for teachers”: An innovative program to improve teacher well-being in El Salvador

Developing teachers’ abilities to create trauma-informed classrooms and teach psychological resilience-building using cognitive behavioral approaches in Mindanao, Philippines.

Health and safety handbook: Health, safety and welfare Issues