Take Care: Workshop on 'Preventing burnout' | FEDEC | 17 April 2025, ENC Châtellerault (FRA)

The first activity of Take Care — first-ever EU project focused on mental health in circus arts — took place under the big top of Ecole Nationale de cirque de Châtellerault during the FEDEC Spring Talks 2025!

📅 Thursday, April 17 2025
📍 ENC Châtellerault (FRA), during the FEDEC Spring Talks
🗣️ Led by Heather O'Donnell (Psychologist & Artistic-Systemic Therapist, founder of The Green Room) & Sophie Dowden (Freelance Consultant in DEI&A and mental health)
👥 With FEDEC members (directors, teachers, riggers, administrative / pedagogical teams...) and professionals of the circus sector (artists, programmers, stage directors, etc.).
🇪🇺 Take Care is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission.

How can we build a supportive work culture based on trust and open dialogue? How can leaders lead by example, and peers lift each other up to create healthier environments?

34 participants (FEDEC members & circus professionals) attended this rich day of plenary and group sessions.

Big thanks to our amazing speakers Heather O'Donnell and Sophie Dowden 🙏

Objectives

To understand how burnout manifests and recognise early warning signs.
To be able to identify the impact of burnout on creativity, performance, and organisational health.
To be able to identify the causes of burnout and what we do and do not have power to act on.
To learn strategies and practices to proactively reduce burnout / support positive mental healthin a work environment.
To create personalised action plans for addressing burnout in teams and promoting positivemental health.