Resilience and Motivation in Times of Crisis: An E-Course for Volunteers.
In the beginning, there was the pandemic...
The pandemic changed the reality for Polish NGOs. A recurring problem identified by Polish non-governmental organisations was the outflow of volunteers during lockdown and a general decrease in motivation, which persisted long after it ended. This was the genesis of the project Motivus – Resilience and Motivation in the Times of Crisis. E-learning for Volunteers Working with Children.
Then war broke out
The project’s start date was scheduled for March 1, 2022. A week earlier, on February 24, the war in Ukraine began. The project gained a new context, became unexpectedly relevant, and required the inclusion of this new circumstance in the designed course.
It was already clear then that, while during the pandemic the main problem was primarily the loosening of contacts and the outflow of volunteers, in the initial period of the war in Ukraine it was the overwork of volunteers and sacrificing themselves beyond the limits of their own mental and physical endurance. Many people became so involved in helping that they forgot about themselves and their basic needs (adequate sleep, regeneration, regular nutrition).
Finding a balance between effective help and the needs and well-being of one's own staff resources
The aforementioned balance is indeed the foundation of effective help. In the initial stage of the war, a large part of the organisations threw themselves into work at 100% or more of their capacity. Even then, voices were heard saying that the war would not end quickly and that short-term actions as part of a ‘general mobilisation’ would not be enough; long-term, well-organised, thoughtful, systemic help would be necessary.
We are all experiencing situations previously unknown, very difficult and often downright incomprehensible. Since August 2021, we have been observing a humanitarian crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border, which is still ongoing, and since February 24, 2022 – the consequences of the war in Ukraine. We are all learning to function in a new reality, and making mistakes is a natural consequence of this. We should learn from mistakes for the future.
The basic principle for any rescuer – they themselves must be in good condition and a resourceful state to be able to help others effectively.
The target recipients are volunteers working with children in difficult situations, at risk of exclusion (sick children, traumatised children, children with problems at school, etc.). Working with this group of beneficiaries is extremely demanding; the difficult stories of the beneficiaries leave their mark on the emotional condition of the volunteers, affecting their well-being and motivation. The impact can be negative as well as positive: a burnt-out volunteer is not very helpful, while a motivated one can motivate the beneficiaries.
An e-course teaching how to take care of one's own well-being
E-learning is a natural form of work in times of crisis, such as lockdown, difficult contact with the organisation, etc. It focuses primarily on the independent work of the volunteer, because in times of crisis, the organisation may not be able to devote time to them individually.
The course increases self-awareness of one’s own potential and provides tools to strengthen internal motivation and build resilience. The course is based on the PERMA-V well-being model, focusing on identifying sources of one’s own power, determining the extent to which the volunteer uses their potential, psychological resilience and its strengthening, and building motivation in times of crisis. Important aspects also include working with positive emotions, including managing them, principles of building valuable relationships in a crisis, and flexibly adapting to changes and challenges.
How to take the course?
The course in English is available free of charge to non-governmental organisations at https://motivus.eu/en/learning-resources/e-learning-course
