Reigniting Purpose Across Europe: Insights and Impact from our WP2 Pilot Workshops
Over the past few months, the REIGNITE Your Purpose project has successfully rolled out its Pilot Programme (Work Package 2) across five European countries: Poland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Spain, and France.
Designed to combat isolation among seniors, this series of three interconnected workshops introduced participants to the principles of positive psychology, mindfulness, and community engagement.
The pilot followed a structured journey to help seniors transition from work-based identities to new, fulfilling pathways:
- The PERMA Model & Purpose: Participants explored their personal strengths using tools adapted to their local cultures—from the “Detective of Virtues” game in Bulgaria to theatrical practices in Spain and storytelling in France.
- Mindfulness & Reconnection: Seniors learned practical stress management techniques, including Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) and grounding exercises like the “5-4-3-2-1” technique, helping them gain emotional regulation skills.
- Building Networks: The final sessions focused on social participation, using tools like “Social Network Mapping” to turn individual strengths into community volunteering and collective action.
The results of the comparative report are inspiring. Participants reported feeling “less invisible” and described the sessions as “moving, joyful, and therapeutic”.
Data collected before and after the workshops shows a clear spike in self-efficacy. Across the consortium, participants showed an average progress rate of 61.2% in skills related to mindfulness, self-awareness, and community initiative.
What’s Next? These pilots have laid a strong foundation for the future of the REIGNITE curriculum. The feedback collected is being used to fine-tune our resources for adult educators across Europe.