Ei-iE

Health and well-being hub

Mental health

Mental health significantly influences educators’ overall well-being and their ability to thrive in the classroom. When teachers and education support personnel experience stress, burnout, anxiety, or depression, it can affect how they perceive their own effectiveness, often leading to reduced confidence and motivation in their work. This emotional strain can make it harder to stay engaged, plan lessons effectively, and respond to students’ needs. At the same time, mental health challenges can interfere with classroom management, making it more difficult to maintain a positive and structured learning environment.

Showing 99 Resources Filtered by:

Topics: Mental health
Relevance Year

Workload

"Työkuormitus" explores how workload affects the well-being and performance of professionals in the education sector. It highlights that excessive or insufficient workload can harm motivation, health, and job quality. Factors contributing to strain include work demands, digitalisation, student behavior, poor planning, lack of support, and environmental issues. The guide emphasizes the employer’s responsibility to ensure safe and balanced working conditions and encourages open dialogue within the work community.

Open resource in Finnish Open resource in Swedish
Publisher
Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö (OAJ)
Country
Finland
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Workload
Available in
Finnish Swedish
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders

Webinar: The influence of school leadership and governance on teachers’ mental health and wellbeing in Africa

Webinar and conference recordings

This webinar is part of a joint series by AFTRA, IICBA, and the KIX Africa 19 Hub. It explores how leadership and governance structures within schools across Africa impact the mental health and wellbeing of teachers. Held on June 6, 2024, the session brings together experts and stakeholders to discuss challenges, share research findings, and propose strategies for creating supportive school environments that prioritize teacher wellbeing.

Open resource in English
Publisher
UNESCO IICBA
Year of publication
2024
Region
Africa
Topics
Leadership Mental health
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers School leaders
Resource type
Video

Educator wellbeing guide: A quick guide to community support strategies for school staff

Guides

The Educator Wellbeing Guide by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a practical resource focused on community support strategies designed to support the mental health and resilience of school staff, especially those working in crisis-affected settings. It emphasizes that educator wellbeing is essential not only for teaching quality but also for personal fulfillment. The guide addresses structural challenges such as workload, student behavior, and accountability, and introduces community-based support strategies alongside self-help tools. It also explores the impacts of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, offering ways to recognize and respond to these issues to foster healthier, more supportive school environments.

Download resource in English
Publisher
International Rescue Committee
Year of publication
2024
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Mental health Physical health Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Downloadable file

INEE Minimum Standards - Standard 9: Protection and Wellbeing

Guides

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.

Open resource in English
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

Suffering at work: an underestimated issue?

Policy briefs and Policies

The article discusses the significant issue of workplace suffering, highlighting that 43% of workers report experiencing some form of suffering, with 7% facing severe distress. It emphasizes the urgent need for organizations to address physical and psychosocial risks, and calls for the recognition of work-related mental illnesses as occupational diseases. The UNSA stresses the importance of better information for workers about their rights and the necessity for companies to create healthier and safer working environments.

Open resource in French
Publisher
Union nationale des syndicats autonomes - Education
Country
France
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Physical health Safety Violence and harassment
Available in
French
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

Working on greater social safety

Guides

The article discusses strategies for improving social safety in educational institutions. It highlights the importance of understanding team dynamics, seeking external help for team problems, addressing conflicts proactively, and ensuring good leadership. The article also emphasizes the need for clear rules of conduct, effective personnel policies, and a transparent complaints structure to create a safe and pleasant working environment for all staff members.

Open resource in English Open resource in Dutch
Publisher
Algemene Onderwijsbond
Country
Netherlands
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Safety Violence and harassment Working conditions
Available in
English Dutch
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Web page

Health and safety in schools and colleges

Guides

This guide on health and safety in schools and colleges provides essential information for ensuring a safe educational environment. It outlines the responsibilities of employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, including risk assessments and the implementation of safety measures. The guide covers various topics such as accident reporting, administration of medicines, asbestos management, fire safety, mental health, and work-related stress. It emphasizes the importance of a written health and safety policy and the need for collaboration with union safety representatives to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all staff and students.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Physical health Safety
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Web page

Workload, wellbeing and Covid-19

Guides

The page outlines five key principles for workforce policy and practice in schools to address the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. It emphasizes the need for schools to allow teachers and school leaders to focus on their core responsibilities, support them amidst unprecedented pressures, and prioritize their wellbeing and mental health. The page also highlights the importance of tackling excessive workload drivers, such as unnecessary administrative tasks, and ensuring that teachers' and school leaders' contractual and statutory entitlements are respected to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Open resource in English
Publisher
NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

Fresh thinking and new mental models needed to improve teacher wellbeing

Opinion/commentary

The interview with Sinead McBrearty, CEO of Education Support, a teacher welfare charity, discusses the findings of the 2024 Teacher Wellbeing Index, highlighting the rise in verbal and physical abuse from pupils, pressure from parents, and lack of support from external services as key stressors for teachers. McBrearty emphasizes the need for fresh thinking and new mental models to improve teacher wellbeing, advocating for increased funding, better support from public services, and effective workload management. The interview underscores the importance of creating a supportive work environment and offers insights into how Education Support is helping teachers navigate these challenges.

Open resource in English
Publisher
NASUWT - The Teachers' Union
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Job satisfaction Mental health Recognition Respect
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

Teacher wellbeing index - 2024

Research

This report draws on a survey of over 3,000 UK education professionals to reveal persistently high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout across the sector, with 77% of staff reporting mental health symptoms linked to their work. It highlights a worrying increase in challenging behavior from pupils (82%) and difficult interactions with parents (70%), both of which significantly impact staff wellbeing, and underscores the negative effects of inadequate support from public services on morale and work-life balance. While there are slight improvements in perceptions of workplace culture, concerns such as insomnia (46%), irritability, and concentration difficulties remain widespread.

Download resource in English
Publisher
Education Support
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2024
Region
Europe
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Leadership Mental health Peer relationships Physical health Respect Violence and harassment Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Level of education
Early childhood education Primary education Secondary education
Resource type
Downloadable file

Assessment of the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher educators and learners and psychosocial support needs in selected Sub-Saharan African countries

Research

The 2023 UNESCO IICBA study assesses the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on teachers, teacher educators, and learners across selected sub-Saharan African countries. It highlights the growing recognition of mental health and well-being in education, emphasizing the interconnectedness between education, health, and psychosocial support. The study identifies key challenges faced by educators, ranks the severity of COVID-19’s negative effects, and explores innovative strategies adopted by governments. It also provides recommendations for building resilience, improving infection control, and enhancing psychosocial support systems, aiming to inform policy and advocacy efforts across Africa.

Download resource in English
Publisher
UNESCO IICBA
Year of publication
2023
Region
Africa
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Downloadable file

Self-care assessment

Guides

The self‑care assessment tool helps individuals reflect on and measure their self‑care habits across five key areas, physical, psychological/emotional, social, spiritual, and professional. Drawing from established practices by TherapistAid.com, it prompts users to rate how well they engage in everyday self‑care activities (like getting enough sleep, expressing emotions, nurturing relationships, reflecting on values, and maintaining work–life balance) on a simple 1–3 scale. The goal is to highlight patterns and pinpoint areas needing attention, while emphasizing that there's no “right” or “wrong” way to self‑care.

Download resource in English
Publisher
American Federation of Teachers
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2023
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Mental health Social emotional skills
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Downloadable file

Walking faculty back from the cliff

Research

The article, based on findings from a global survey of over 900 public administration faculty, identifies three key lessons and reveals widespread physical and emotional exhaustion among respondents. It underscores the urgent need for higher education institutions to address faculty burnout, which has been intensified by low pay, limited opportunities for advancement, and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article stresses the importance of understanding faculty experiences and implementing solutions, such as improved financial security, supportive career pathways, and policies that foster work-life balance, to enhance faculty well-being and retention.

Open resource in English
Publisher
Inside Higher Ed
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2023
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Physical health Workload
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel Researchers Union representatives
Level of education
Higher education and research
Resource type
Web page

Put on your own oxygen mask first: Cultivating healing and wellbeing in ourselves - A five-part video series

Course or training materials

A five-part video series on teachers’ social-emotional skills, designed to help educators develop essential abilities that enhance both personal well-being and professional effectiveness. The journey begins with self-discovery, introducing techniques to cultivate self-awareness and self-management through mindfulness practices. These tools are intended to support personal healing, strengthen connection to one’s purpose, and foster greater satisfaction in teaching practice.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA)
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2023
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Social emotional skills
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Video

Early childhood educators: New data on the challenges they face raises the alarm about an education sector at risk

Opinion/commentary

This opinion article highlights the challenges faced by early childhood education (ECE) personnel, emphasizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their employment conditions. It discusses the findings of the International Barometer of the Health and Wellbeing of Education Personnel (I-BEST), which reveal issues such as poor working conditions, low salaries, lack of professional recognition, and high levels of stress and job dissatisfaction among ECE workers.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Education International (EI)
Year of publication
2023
Topics
Cross-cutting resource Mental health Physical health Violence and harassment Workload
Available in
English French Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel
Level of education
Early childhood education
Resource type
Web page