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Hope Mapping Activity
A practical, evidence-based template that helps users build hope and pursue meaningful goals by mapping their WhyPower (purpose), WayPower (pathways), WillPower (motivation) and WePower (support).
Author/ source: PESA
Last updated: 01/07/2024
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Optimism, Hope and Goals
“A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind.” - C. R. Snyder Author: PESA with contributions from Dr Rachel Colla
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Education for human flourishing: A conceptual framework
In the future, education systems should nurture a broader range of capabilities, help restore meaning to young people's lives and equip them with the skills and ambition to remake our societies, economies and organisations. To flourish over a lifetime, people will need to be adaptive problem solvers, ethically competent and able to understand, appreciate and act in the world. In the age of AI, education must strengthen human agency, human meaning and human security. Since 2020, the OECD has developing far-reaching ideas on the future purposes of education, based on policy dialogues with seven high performing PISA systems. The Human Capital model, which has shaped what students learn for many decades, prepares young people for yesterday's jobs, through cognitive examinations. Education for Human Flourishing will equip young people for lives of purpose and fulfilment. The framework is helping shape the international conversation about the future of education. It is a vital ingredient in the development of PISA and a contribution to national policymaking, for countries wishing to reorient education purposes, policies and practices. It will be of interest to ministers, officials, students, teachers, school leaders, researchers and education innovators.
Worksheet
Hope Mapping Activity
A practical, evidence-based template that helps users build hope and pursue meaningful goals by mapping their WhyPower (purpose), WayPower (pathways), WillPower (motivation) and WePower (support). Author/ source: PESA
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Optimism, Hope and Goals
“A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind.” - C. R. Snyder Author: PESA with contributions from Dr Rachel Colla
Article
Key Concept
Education for human flourishing: A conceptual framework
In the future, education systems should nurture a broader range of capabilities, help restore meaning to young people's lives and equip them with the skills and ambition to remake our societies, economies and organisations. To flourish over a lifetime, people will need to be adaptive problem solvers, ethically competent and able to understand, appreciate and act in the world. In the age of AI, education must strengthen human agency, human meaning and human security. Since 2020, the OECD has developing far-reaching ideas on the future purposes of education, based on policy dialogues with seven high performing PISA systems. The Human Capital model, which has shaped what students learn for many decades, prepares young people for yesterday's jobs, through cognitive examinations. Education for Human Flourishing will equip young people for lives of purpose and fulfilment. The framework is helping shape the international conversation about the future of education. It is a vital ingredient in the development of PISA and a contribution to national policymaking, for countries wishing to reorient education purposes, policies and practices. It will be of interest to ministers, officials, students, teachers, school leaders, researchers and education innovators.
Report
Hope Mapping Activity
A practical, evidence-based template that helps users build hope and pursue meaningful goals by mapping their WhyPower (purpose), WayPower (pathways), WillPower (motivation) and WePower (support). Author/ source: PESA
Worksheet
Teachers as HEROes: Building Psychological Capital with Hope, Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism
Presented by Sue Langley, CEO and Academic Director of the Langley Group. Psychological capital is essential for both teachers and students because it provides a foundation for growth, resilience and success in academic and professional endeavours. The robust research in the academic field of Psychological Capital forms the basis for this unique and impactful session. When certain key elements combine in an individual, they have significant impacts on wellbeing, mental health and resilience, and on the ability to handle change and life. This is Positive Psychological Capital - characteristics of high self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience.
Webinar/Video
Online PD 2024
Editorial: VIA Character Strengths: Theory, Research and Practice
This article provides an overview of the role of character strengths within positive psychology, highlighting their importance in promoting wellbeing, personal growth, and optimal functioning. It explains how the VIA framework identifies 24 universal character strengths, grouped under broader virtues, as key building blocks of human flourishing. The paper synthesises research demonstrating that understanding and applying character strengths is linked to a wide range of positive outcomes, including improved wellbeing, performance, and resilience. It also explores how strengths-based approaches are being applied across multiple domains such as education, workplaces, health, and clinical practice. Importantly, the article highlights the growing evidence base for strengths interventions, particularly in schools, where they can support student development, engagement, and wellbeing. It also points to emerging research and practical applications, encouraging stronger collaboration between researchers and practitioners to further embed strengths-based approaches in real-world settings. Author/Source: Hadassah Littman-Ovadia, Philippe Dubreuil, Maria Christina Meyers , Pavel Freidlin
Research
In Development
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This discussion by the PESA ACT Chapter occurs during the COVID-19 pandemic, discusses the importance of a benefit mindset and the how we can take an appreciative approach to the impact of COVID to education and wellbeing through changing someone's world. Author/Source: PESA ACT Chapter, Ash Buchanan, Dan Haesler
Webinar/Video
In Development
Striving for wellbeing: The different roles of hedonia and eudaimonia in goal pursuit and goal achievement
The study distinguishes between hedonic wellbeing (HWB), associated with pleasure and happiness, and eudaimonic wellbeing (EWB), linked to meaning and personal growth, to examine their roles in goal pursuit. The results showed that EWB—but not HWB—predicted greater goal effort and indirectly led to goal achievement, with effort fully mediating this relationship. In contrast, goal effort and achievement increased HWB after the intervention, but did not affect EWB. The findings suggest that EWB drives and sustains goal pursuit, particularly when effort is required, whereas HWB is more strongly linked to the enjoyment of goal outcomes rather than the pursuit process itself. Author/Source: Kjærsti Thorsteinsen, Joar Vittersø
Research
In Development
Dr. Seligmans Definition of Optimism
Dr. Martin Seligman explains optimism as a mindset shaped by how we explain events in our lives. Optimists view setbacks as temporary and specific rather than permanent and pervasive, which helps them stay resilient and motivated. This explanatory style can be learned and strengthened to support wellbeing and adaptive coping. Author/Source: Happierdotcom with Martin Seligman
Webinar/Video
In Development
Know Thyself and Become What You Are: A Eudaimonic Approach to Psychological Well-Being
This paper clarifies the concept of eudaimonic well‑being by integrating ideas from Aristotle, philosophy, and multiple psychological traditions. It explains the development of Ryff’s multidimensional model of psychological well‑being, supported by empirical evidence, and shows how meaning, personal growth, and relationships contribute to positive functioning. The paper also highlights socioeconomic inequalities in access to well‑being and emerging links between eudaimonic well‑being and physical health, outlining key challenges for future research. Author/Source: Carol D. Ryff & Burton H. Singer
Research
In Development