The EU Erasmus+ project "HAND IN HAND: Empowering teachers across Europe to deal with social, emotional and diversity related career challenges (HAND:ET)" supports teachers with a mindfulness-based training program that integrates family therapy elements and aspects from diversity awareness and anti-discrimination trainings. The program is implemented in Croatia, Austria, Portugal, Sweden and Slovenia. To evaluate the intervention, we will investigate whether socio-emotional competencies (CASEL, 2013), diversity awareness (Mosley-Howard et al., 2011), and teacher collaboration significantly increase between the pre-test and post-test period in all five countries in the training group (experimental group) compared to a control group that does not receive HAND in HAND: Empowering Teachers training. At the time of the presentation of this paper, only pre-test data will be available. These data will be used to investigate whether the measurement instruments are sufficiently reliable and whether the dimensional structure matches the expectations. In each of the five countries, 12-20 schools (total N = 1000 teachers plus principals and other school staff) were invited to participate in the intervention study. Schools were then randomly assigned to either the experimental group (6-10 schools per country) or the control group (6-10 schools per country). Existing self-report scales were compiled for pre- and post-measurement of socio-emotional competencies and diversity awareness. In addition, participants will be surveyed using focus group interviews at the end of the program. Confirmatory factor analyses will be used to corroborate the assumed dimensionality of the scales, and internal consistency will be used to determine reliability. The effects of the training on socio-emotional competencies, diversity awareness, and teacher cooperation will be examined by variance analysis as soon as data from the post-test is available. In this presentation, the results of the pre-test data are presented. These include information on the reliability of the scales and their structure. The “HAND in HAND: Empowering Teachers” program is a "policy experiment" with intensive involvement of actors from educational policy, so that in case of a positive evaluation of the training, conditions are established for an effective, preferably Europe-wide dissemination. This can make an important contribution in supporting teachers to deal constructively with the challenges of everyday school life, improving the well-being of teachers and students, and facilitating an inclusive school climate.

Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) (2013). The 2013 CASEL Guide: Effective social and emo on- al learning programmes-preschool and elementary school edition. Chicago, IL: Author. Mosley-Howard, G. S., Witte, R., & Wang, A. (2011). Development and validation of the Miami University Diversity Awareness Scale (MUDAS). Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 4(2), 65.