The kick-off meeting of “The Resilient Responders” project, led by Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University (KSÜ) and TREND Education NGO (TENGO), and supported under the Erasmus+ KA2_220 Cooperation Partnerships in Adult Education activity, was successfully held on July 30-31, 2024.

Representing Türkiye in this important project, TREND Education NGO (TENGO) plays critical roles in protecting the mental health of disaster response teams, developing special training programs, and creating digital platforms. In addition to TENGO, representatives from ASOCIACIÓN AHORA ONG from Spain, ANIMAM VIVENTEM from Portugal, EUROPEAN GRANTS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY SRL from Italy, and INSTITUTE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT from Greece attended the meeting.

In his opening speech, KSÜ Project Coordinator and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Orhan Doğan emphasized that the project has the potential to create widespread awareness in the field of disaster response, strengthen strategic partnerships, and set innovative educational goals. TENGO Project Coordinator Dr. Elçin Kamalak also highlighted the significant importance of TENGO’s contributions to developing and implementing disaster response strategies.

The “Resilient Responders” project is a multidisciplinary training and capacity-building initiative designed to make the first responders in communities more resilient to unforeseen challenges during disasters. The project is of great importance for protecting and strengthening the mental health of disaster response teams, enhancing their ability to cope with post-traumatic stress, and thus contributing to more effective and efficient disaster management processes.

On the first day of the meeting, networking sessions were held among participants. The goals and expected outcomes of the project were discussed in detail, and the roles and responsibilities of each project partner were defined. By the end of the first day, cooperation and communication strategies were established among the project partners.

On the second day, all work packages and sub-tasks were thoroughly analyzed. Presentations were made on protecting the mental health of disaster response teams, increasing their ability to cope with post-traumatic stress, and developing psychological resilience training programs. Participants shared effective intervention techniques and best practices during disasters, facilitating knowledge exchange. Detailed information was also provided about the evaluation and reporting processes to be followed throughout the project.

After the meeting, participants were awarded certificates by KSÜ Project Coordinator and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Orhan Doğan. The meeting was successfully completed, marking significant steps towards the project’s goals and fostering a strong collaborative environment among stakeholders.

The project will provide training and resources to target groups such as disaster management personnel, trainers, disaster response organizations, and policymakers. Special psychological resilience training programs and modules will be developed for disaster response personnel. Additionally, customized psychological resilience training programs will be offered to personnel involved in disaster management and response. The project also aims to create a digital platform to facilitate online access to training materials, resources, and knowledge-sharing events.

Supported under the Erasmus+ KA2_220 Cooperation Partnerships in Adult Education activity, “The Resilient Responders” project is expected to make significant contributions to strengthening the mental health and coping skills of disaster response teams, leading to innovative approaches in this field.