Working Women's Struggle with Stress - Creating Lasting Impact: Reflection, Empowerment, and Shared Learning

The Erasmus+ Mobility of Youth Workers project “Working Women's Struggle with Stress” (Project No. 2023-2-TR01-KA153-YOU-000167767) was held in Eskişehir, Türkiye, from 15–21 October 2024. Coordinated by Çalışan Kadınlar Topluluğu, the project brought together Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Türkiye contributed to an international learning experience focused on reducing workplace stress, strengthening emotional resilience, promoting gender equality, and equipping youth workers with practical methods to support working women through non-formal education.

Participants deepened their emotional awareness through mindfulness and reflection exercises designed to improve inner calm and concentration. Guided relaxation sessions encouraged them to focus on positive emotions using meditation and breathing techniques, allowing participants to experience greater mental clarity and emotional balance. Their personal development was further assessed through the internationally recognised Expression of Emotions Scale, enabling them to compare their progress throughout the mobility and better understand how their ability to express emotions had evolved. This reflective process provided valuable insights into the project's impact while strengthening self-awareness and critical thinking.

The mobility also extended its impact beyond the participant group through dissemination activities and community engagement. Participants designed promotional materials and organised a Yoga Rehabilitation Workshop for Working Women, where local stakeholders explored the causes, stages, and consequences of workplace mobbing as well as practical approaches to prevention and rehabilitation. Discussions highlighted how yoga, meditation, and emotional awareness can improve workplace well-being and support women facing psychological pressure. These activities enhanced participants' presentation, facilitation, leadership, and public communication skills while raising awareness within the local community.

Interactive learning continued through teamwork challenges, stakeholder visits, and intercultural exchange. The "King's Key" activity strengthened communication, cooperation, strategic thinking, and collaborative problem-solving in an engaging way, while visits to local stakeholders enabled participants to gain first-hand knowledge from professionals working to improve women's well-being. The programme also celebrated the cultures of Latvia and Türkiye, introducing traditional clothing, music, folk poetry, cuisine, and customs. These cultural exchanges promoted mutual respect, intercultural dialogue, and appreciation of Europe's diversity while reinforcing the core Erasmus+ values of inclusion, solidarity, and cooperation.

The mobility concluded with an innovative evaluation process that encouraged participants to reflect on both the challenges and achievements they experienced throughout the project. Through the creative "stress budget" activity, participants assessed how different learning experiences influenced their personal and professional development while reflecting on the competencies they had gained through Youthpass. By combining emotional reflection, community outreach, intercultural learning, and collaborative evaluation, Shaft Women's Right Association strengthened its capacity to promote mental well-being, empower women, and transfer innovative non-formal education practices that contribute to healthier, more inclusive workplaces and stronger communities across Europe.