Ei-iE

Health and well-being hub Education International’s resource center

Caring for educators, caring for our communities

Welcome to the Education International hub dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of teachers and education support personnel (ESP) around the world. Developed in partnership with MGEN, this hub reflects our collective commitment to place education workers’ health and well-being at the centre of the global education agenda, as outlined in our 10th World Congress resolution “ Teacher and ESP well-being and mental health: vital for quality education”.

Whether you are looking for good practices, strategies, or inspiration, this hub is designed to empower unions and education communities to foster healthier, more supportive environments for teachers and education support personnel worldwide.

Share your knowledge

This hub is intended as a tool for sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources. EI member organisations are invited to contribute by sharing the resources they have developed on the health and well-being of education personnel.

You can submit your resources by filling in the form accessible through the link below:

Submit your resource

Featured topics

  1. Mental health
  2. Pandemics and epidemics
  3. Physical health
  4. Safety
  5. Violence and harassment
  6. Women’s psychological and physical health
  7. Working conditions
  8. Workload

Showing All 199 Resources

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Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of ourselves and others

Guides

The page provides a number of resources for promoting mental and physical health, especially during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers materials for understanding and discussing mental health, including links to organizations like Anxiety UK, the BBC, and the NHS for additional support. The page emphasizes the importance of self-care, supporting those around us, and addressing issues such as isolation, substance misuse, and domestic abuse.

Open resource in English
Publisher
Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2020
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Physical health
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders
Resource type
Web page

Six strategies to take care of a teacher

Guides

The article discusses six small strategies for teachers to take care of themselves. It emphasizes the importance of adjusting daily routines to maintain physical and mental health, creating a personal space for relaxation, prioritizing self-care, learning new skills, engaging in small activities to feel better, and taking care of one's body as a crucial tool for teaching.

Open resource in Spanish
Publisher
Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE)
Country
Mexico
Year of publication
2020
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Physical health
Available in
Spanish, Castilian
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Web page

ESP webinar: Wellness skills for self-care and health for educational support professionals

Course or training materials

This NEA's training session offers simple healing skills for self-care and for promoting health and well-being for educational support personnel. It includes opportunities to practice and apply various healing methods. These methods can be used by all educators, families, and others in the community.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA)
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2020
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Physical health Social emotional skills
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Education support personnel
Resource type
Video

ESP webinar: Harnessing social and emotional learning strategies to support the wellbeing of education support personnel during the COVID-19 crisis

Course or training materials

In this NEA's training session, Dr. Chris Cipriano offers social and emotional learning strategies to support education support personnel within the school ecosystem to navigate the challenging emotions experienced during the pandemic.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA)
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2020
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Social emotional skills
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Education support personnel
Resource type
Video

Let’s unionize to strengthen our organizations during the crisis

Guides

This guide addresses the impact of COVID-19 on schools and the importance of unionization during crises. It consists of two parts: one focusing on COVID-19-related concepts and the other on trade unionism in the context of the pandemic. The guide aims to provide essential information that authorities have overlooked and to emphasize the critical role of unions in advocating for teachers' rights.

Download resource in French
Publisher
Syndicat des Enseignants du Congo (SYECO) Fédération nationale des enseignants du Congo (FENECO-UNTC) Centrale de l’Education Nationale et de la Recherche Scientifique (CSC-Enseignement)
Country
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Year of publication
2020
Region
Africa
Topics
Pandemics and epidemics Physical health
Available in
French
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel
Resource type
Downloadable file

Educational communities mobilize for universal health coverage

Webinar and conference recordings

The Education and Solidarity Network organized this webinar to discuss Universal Health Coverage and the role of educational communities in this mobilization for #HealthForAll. The event highlighted the challenges of Universal Health Coverage, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the interdependence between health and education. Key speakers, including representatives from mutual benefit societies and educational unions, shared insights on obstacles to implementation, advocacy actions, and the importance of maintaining safe and dignified working conditions for educators.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Education and Solidarity Network (ESN)
Country
Canada Colombia Democratic Republic of the Congo
Year of publication
2020
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Physical health
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel
Resource type
Video

Canadian teachers responding to coronavirus (COVID-19) – Pandemic research study mental health report

Research

The CTF/FCE Pandemic Study Phase One Survey was conducted between June 1-18 in 2020, and had over 15,000 teachers participating. From the responses to this Survey, CTF/FCE reported on the mental health of students and teachers, and documented concerning mental health trends, as educators navigated emergency remote teaching in 2020.

Download resource in English
Publisher
Canadian Teachers' Federation/Fédération canadienne des enseignantes et des enseignants (CTF/FCE)
Country
Canada
Year of publication
2020
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Pandemics and epidemics Physical health
Available in
English
Resource type
Downloadable file

Teachers' health today and tomorrow

Webinar and conference recordings

The webnar discusses the health of teachers in France. It focuses on the challenges they faced in 2020 due to the health crisis and other stressors. It reviews scientific data on teachers' health and offers several support mechanisms.

Open resource in French
Publisher
UNESCO
Country
France
Year of publication
2020
Region
Europe
Topics
Pandemics and epidemics Physical health
Available in
French
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Video

Teacher wellbeing index - 2020

Research

The Teacher Wellbeing Index 2020 reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the mental health of UK education staff, leading to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. The report highlights the challenges of transitioning to online teaching, managing pupil behavior, and dealing with personal safety concerns. Despite some improvements in workplace culture and organizational support, the overall wellbeing of education staff remains a critical issue, requiring urgent action to enhance working conditions and support systems to address these pandemic-related challenges effectively.

Download resource in English
Publisher
Education Support
Country
United Kingdom
Year of publication
2020
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

Addressing the epidemic of trauma in schools

Research

The reportoutlines a nationwide effort to confront the growing impact of trauma on students and educators. Sparked by a leadership meeting in 2019, the report captures insights from a convening of 39 state affiliates, aiming to understand current approaches, build a shared framework, and recommend actionable steps. It emphasizes the complexity of trauma’s root causes and highlights strategies such as educator training, legislative advocacy, and community partnerships.

Download resource in English
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA) National Council of State Education Associations
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2019
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Mental health Safety Violence and harassment
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Specific communities
Ethnic minorities
Resource type
Downloadable file

How restorative practices work for students and educators

Opinion/commentary

The article explores how schools like Dora Moore in Denver are transforming discipline through community-building strategies such as peace circles, daily check-ins, and conflict-resolution walks. These restorative practices foster stronger relationships between students and educators, replacing punitive approaches with kindness and understanding. Supported by a major NEA grant, Dora Moore has become a model for other schools nationwide, demonstrating how restorative methods can reduce racial disparities in discipline and create more inclusive, supportive learning environments.

Open resource in English
Publisher
National Education Association (NEA)
Country
United States of America
Year of publication
2019
Region
North America and the Caribbean
Topics
Social emotional skills
Available in
English
Categories of staff
Teachers Education support personnel School leaders Union representatives
Resource type
Web page

Indoor climat in elementary school: An overview of typical challenges and suggestions for action

Guides

Indeklima i folkeskolen – et overblik over typiske udfordringer og bud på handlemuligheder is a guidance pamphlet published by the Danish Union of Teachers (DLF), offering a comprehensive overview of the most common indoor climate issues in Danish public schools. It addresses challenges such as poor air quality, emissions from building materials, mold, insufficient cleaning, temperature regulation, noise, lighting conditions, and radiation exposure. The document provides practical suggestions for how workplace environment groups and school leadership can tackle and prevent these problems, including through workplace assessments (APV), collaboration with parents and students, and involvement of relevant authorities.

Download resource in Danish
Publisher
Danish Union of Teachers (DLF)
Country
Denmark
Year of publication
2019
Region
Europe
Topics
Physical health Working conditions
Available in
Danish
Categories of staff
Teachers
Level of education
Primary education
Resource type
Downloadable file

Strategies to end school-related gender-based violence: The experience of education unions in Africa

Guides

The document focuses on the pervasive issue of gender-based violence in and around educational settings, particularly in Africa. It draws on the experience of nine EI member organisations in seven African countries committed to combatting SRGBV in their contexts. The first section focuses on actions these unions have taken internally to adapt decision making structures, update policies and deploy resources to empower their members to act. The second section looks at how education unions have reached out to other stakeholders (legislators, ministries, civil society organisations, traditional leaders, parents, media and learners) to pursue coordinated strategies for change.

Open resource in English Open resource in Spanish Open resource in French
Publisher
Gender at Work Education International (EI) United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI)
Year of publication
2019
Region
Africa
Topics
Safety Violence and harassment Women’s psychological and physical health
Available in
English French Spanish, Castilian
Resource type
Downloadable file

Daylight Requirements and Views in the Workplace: Effects on Health and Behavior

Research

"Dagsljuskrav och utblick på arbetsplatsen": The research report explores the impact of daylight requirements and views in the workplace on health and behavior. It highlights the importance of natural light for maintaining circadian rhythms, improving sleep, reducing daytime sleepiness, and enhancing mood. The report discusses various methods for measuring daylight exposure and recommends prioritizing natural light over artificial alternatives.

Download resource in Swedish
Publisher
Arbetsmiljöverket Stressforskningsinstitutet Stockholms universitet
Country
Sweden
Year of publication
2019
Region
Europe
Topics
Mental health Physical health Working conditions
Available in
Swedish
Categories of staff
Teachers
Resource type
Downloadable file