The project supported teacher unions to become more pro-active in their regional and local social dialogue structures when dealing with and setting up strategies on Health & Safety in schools. Secondly, to prepare the debate on this topic in the National Social Dialogue Commission and feed the results into the sectoral debate with the aim to find an agreement at national level.
The project aimed to reduce work-related stress (WRS) among teachers through training and social dialogue at local, regional, and national levels. This was important as teachers are among the professions reporting the highest levels of work-related stress due to long working hours, difficult working conditions, pressure, deadlines, and job insecurity, which can be exacerbated during economic and social crises.
The project addressed these issues by building the capacity of social partners and including psycho-social hazards in collective agreements within the education sector. It aligned with European-level priorities and recommendations from the European social partners and the European Agency on Health and Safety. The project buildt on the experience gained from previous projects financed by Norway Grants, with the support of the Norwegian partner, Skolenes Landsforbund (SL).
Key activities of the project included training school staff and social partners on the prevention of WRS, implementing a training curriculum at the national level, and running a pilot program to manage stress in schools. The training curriculum was implemented using a network of training centres, raising awareness, increasing knowledge, and facilitating the exchange of experiences and good practices on teachers' safety and health issues.