Recap | “Put your wellbeing first – for yourself and for your students”
| June 17, 2025 | National Student Wellbeing Network
“If we don’t take good care of ourselves, how can we effectively care for students?”
On June 17, 2025, education professionals and experts from college, university and higher education came together online for the meeting of the National Network on Student Wellbeing. This session focused on a topic that is often overlooked: the well-being of the professionals who work on student well-being every day. While in recent years much attention has focused on the well-being of students, it was now time to also consider the well-being of the professionals who supervise them.
The program offered a variety of offerings, with an inspiring keynote and workshops focused on strengthening education professionals’ own well-being. After all, if we don’t take good care of ourselves, how can we effectively care for students?
Click here for the keynote: Professional vitality – The dual impact of wellbeing in education
Click here for the keynote: Professional vitality – The dual impact of well-being in education
Nanda van der Els, founder of Growth Station and an expert in positive psychology, opened her keynote with the essence of professional well-being: the inextricable link between the well-being of education professionals and that of their students. She began by stating that a healthy educational environment does not start with the student, but with the people who guide them.
Nanda explained that the well-being of educational professionals is a multidimensional concept, with dimensions such as emotional, social, physical, professional, organizational and existential/spiritual well-being. It is not just about “feeling good,” but about health, motivation, competence and support in the work context. By asking yourself questions such as “Do I feel healthy and motivated?”, “Do I have enough support?”, “How is the atmosphere at school?” you can better understand your own well-being.
Using positive psychology and models such as the PERMA model, Nanda explained that well-being is a balance between different components. She emphasized that the well-being of education professionals directly affects the well-being of students. Research shows that teachers’ emotional health, their resilience and the contact they have with students all show correlations with student well-being.
Nanda closed with the powerful message that if we want to work on student well-being, we ourselves must lead by example and make well-being a priority in our own lives. Only then can we sustainably contribute to the well-being of the students we mentor.
Workshops
Participants had a choice of several workshops in two rounds that gave them tools to actively work on their own well-being.
Click on the title of the workshops for more information:
Start your own professional learning community (PLG)
Miriam Zwaan, Sr. Study Career Coach at the Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen (HAN), discussed the benefits of establishing a professional learning community. Creating a safe learning environment for colleagues, combined with enhancing well-being, was presented as an effective way to grow both professionally and personally.
Geef je lichaam wat liefde en neem een fitbreak
Rebeka Trča, physiotherapist at TU Eindhoven, offered practical tools for improving physical well-being. The workshop covered the importance of regular exercise, especially for office workers, and participants learned simple exercises they could incorporate into their daily routine without much time investment.
Micro-Energy: Macro-Effect
Serge Feldmann, Sr. Student Welfare Policy Advisor at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, discussed the art of finding peace in brief moments of relaxation. How can you calm and restore yourself in a hectic workday? Serge shared insights on how small moments of rest can have big effects on our well-being.
From stress to work happiness: VISTA college has gold in its hands
Frank Schoonbrood, project leader of VISTA vital at VISTA college, discussed the experiences of VISTA college, which is working to strengthen vitality and sustainability for both students and staff. The workshop gave a glimpse into VISTA college’s approach to strategic direction, aimed at creating a safe and motivating learning environment for all.
Introducing the Healthy Pitstop – customized wellness
Daan Brinkmann, sports coordinator at Nova College CIOS, presented the innovative concept of the “Healthy Pitstop. This mobile wellbeing mediator offers students and employees the opportunity to learn about wellbeing and health. The Healthy Pitstop is a flexible, easily accessible concept that is widely used within Nova College and can also be adopted by other institutions.
Closure: strong together for the good of ourselves and our students
The meeting concluded with a reflection moment where participants shared their new insights and ideas. The workshops, combined with the keynote, gave us much food for thought and practical tools to stay in balance ourselves so that we can care for our students with the same energy and care.
This meeting was a great reminder that self-care and professional well-being are inextricably linked. Only when we as educational professionals are in balance can we support our students in a sustainable and positive way. It was an inspiring morning in which we reflected together on the importance of our own well-being, and gathered tools to better support both ourselves and our students in the complex field of education and well-being.
Continuing to work together on student welfare
Want to further engage in the conversation about student welfare and the welfare of education professionals? Then join the National Network Student Welfare. This will keep you informed of the latest insights and best practices as well as exchange knowledge and experiences with colleagues in education. We look forward to sharing more insights and working together to improve student welfare in the Netherlands.
