Upcoming Events

Join the PeerPower Pilot Training

Exploring peer-based support for researchers

Are you an Early Career Researcher (ECR) interested in strengthening peer support and well-being in academia?

We invite motivated individuals to participate in our PeerPower Pilot Training, where you will test our training materials and digital tools before they are shared with the wider research community.

You will gain early access to training in Psychological First Aid in Academia and contribute to shaping a new peer-support initiative for researchers across Europe.

 

About the training:

This pilot course introduces Psychological First Aid (PFA) as a structured framework for peer support in academic environments. PFA is not a clinical intervention, but a humane, practical, and evidence-informed approach designed to help people respond appropriately to peers experiencing psychological distress. Within PeerPower, ambassadors are trained as informed first responders who can promote safety, connection, and help-seeking among peers in their communities, and not as therapists or problem-solves.

No previous experience in mental health or mentoring is required.

 

Course goals:

The training aims to:

  1. Equip PeerPower Ambassadors with a clear understanding of Psychological First Aid principles and their application in academic peer-support contexts.
  2. Enable ambassadors to identify early indicators of stress, burnout, and social isolation among peers.
  3. Develop practical competencies in applying the Look - Listen- Link framework, within role boundaries.
  4. Strengthen ambassadors’ ability to activate appropriate referral pathways within academic institutions.
  5. Promote ethical awareness, self-care, and sustainability in peer-support roles.
  6. Foster reflective practice and critical awareness of limitations, responsibilities, and contextual factors.

 

Participants are expected to:

  • Complete the training modules hosted on the eDoer platform.
  • Provide feedback on the content and platform usability

 

Training access and duration:

  • You can access the training modules from the 8th until the 20th of April (10 days)
  • The training takes approximately 3 hours to complete.

 

You will be invited to a short online focus group to provide feedback. We will organise 2 sessions from which you can select the one that fits you best.

  • 22 April, 12:00-13:00 CET
  • 28 April, 10:30-11:30 CET

 

Who Can Join?

This call is open to Early Career Researchers (ECRs), specifically:

  • PhD Candidates
  • Post-doctoral Researchers.

We welcome participants from diverse disciplines and institutional backgrounds.

 

By participating you can be among the first potential to become a PeerPower Ambassadors, gain specialized training in mentoring, mental health advocacy, and inclusive leadership and lead a peer-based community. Help us build a more resilient and connected research culture!

 

How to Join

To register please use this form

Join PeerPower Hackathon Co-Creating Sustainable Researcher Communities

Exploring peer-based support for researchers

We are pleased to announce the first PeerPower Hackathon, a collaborative virtual event taking place from 3–5 June 2026. This initiative invites researchers and university professionals to work together toward building a healthier, more connected, and more resilient academic culture.

 

What to Expect

The PeerPower Hackathon is designed as a hands-on co-creation space. It will bring together:

  • Researchers/PeerPower Ambassadors who will lead peer-support communities
  • University staff who will support their development and long-term sustainability
  • Project consortium members who will facilitate mentorship and collaboration

The primary goal of the hackathon is to address the following core question:

  • What methods and frameworks can be used to effectively develop local peer communities in academia and sustain their long-term growth?

Participants will engage in:

  • Framework co-creation:

Development of tailored frameworks for researchers (focused on community facilitation and leadership) and institutions (focused on community building policies and integration)

  • Collaborative environment:

Joint work with peers and institutional stakeholders to ensure long-term viability of peer-support communities. Participants will work in small, interdisciplinary groups to co-create practical frameworks that will feed into the final Peer Community Handbook (contributions to the Handbook can be recognized). 

  • Resource development:

Testing and creating content using the eDoer platform

Researchers can expect:

  • The opportunity to co-create a structured framework for building and leading peer-support communities, informed by input and feedback from fellow participants and stakeholders, and tailored to their own context and experience

University staff can expect:

  • Practical tools to embed and sustain peer-led initiatives within formal institutional systems
  • Insights on replicating the hackathon format locally to support researcher development

 

Hackathon Agenda

The event begins with a preparatory session:

  • 18 May 2026 (14:00–15:00 CET)
     Introduction to the event structure and detailed agenda, objectives, expected outcomes, the focus of each working group, and the eDoer platform.
     (This session will be recorded.)

The main hackathon includes:

  • 3–4 June 2026 (10:00–17:00 CET)
    Two full days of co-creation work in groups, combined with plenary sessions for presentations and feedback. During the co-creation work, project partners will be available to support participants, providing guidance and addressing questions as they arise.
  • 5 June 2026 (10:00–12:00 CET)
    Final recap and reflection on the previous days, followed by an overview of next steps, including opportunities for continued involvement and for developing and implementing peer-support communities

Who Can Join?

  • Early Career Researchers (ECRs), PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers interested in building peer communities
  • University support staff, including doctoral school coordinators, career advisors, research support officers, and professionals in Research Management and Administration (RMA), seeking to institutionalize these models

Event Details

  • Preparatory session: 18 May 2026, 14:00–15:00 CET
  • Hackathon days:
    • 3 June 2026, 10:00–17:00 CET
    • 4 June 2026, 10:00–17:00 CET
    • 5 June 2026, 10:00–12:00 CET
  • Venue: Fully virtual.
  • How to Register: Participation is free. Please register HERE
  • For questions: Please contact us at peerpower.hackathongmailcom 

Previous Events

Multiplier Event

Exploring peer-based support for researchers

PeerPower is a European initiative exploring how peer-based approaches can strengthen researcher support, learning, and well-being across different institutional contexts.

Our first multiplier event took place online on February 5th 2026.

 

During the event, we combined short presentations with interactive discussions to:

  • exchange perspectives on institutional challenges in supporting researchers,
  • explore the proposed Peer Ambassador approach,
  • gather feedback on peer-based models and training ideas,
  • and identify institutions and individuals interested in early pilot activities.

 

Find the presentation slides on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/18507297