Leading with Compassion: Cultivating Care in Challenging Times

A Bootcamp for Leaders in Social Work. 48 hours with people who actually get it.

We invite you to apply to Leading with Compassion – Cultivating Care in Challenging Times, a residential bootcamp designed for leaders from social and socio-medical organisations across the region. The program offers a dedicated space to reflect, reconnect with purpose, and strengthen compassionate leadership practices in contexts of high vulnerability.
Organised by CONCORDIA Academia as part of the regional NGO Academy 2025-2026 programme, the bootcamp brings together 20 leaders from 10 organisations (in pairs from each organisation) across multiple countries for an intensive experiential learning experience.

Overview

Bootcamp title: Leading with Compassion: Cultivating Care in Challenging Times
Dates: 1-3 July 2026 (residential, arrival at noon on 1st of July, departure after lunch on 3rd of July)
Location: Roua Garden, Buftea, Romania
Working language: English (minimum B2)
Online follow-up session 3 months later: Reflection on what worked and what needs adjustment in the months following the event.

This intensive residential bootcamp explores what it means to lead with compassion in demanding social and socio-medical environments. It focuses on both organisational and personal dimensions of leadership, including:
• Compassionate leadership and its relevance in today’s sector
• Organisational self-care as a leadership practice, not a luxury
• Structural tensions, risks, and biases that make compassionate leadership difficult in practice
• Team leadership, coordination, and governance in organisations working with vulnerable groups
• Strategy and innovation for sustainable, care-centred organisations

The learning process is experiential and non-formal, combining case studies, facilitated reflection, peer learning, applied exercises, and guest conversations. Participants will leave with practical tools and a clearer leadership perspective they can apply directly in their organisations.

Benefits for participants:

• Practical knowledge and tools to apply compassionate leadership in your own organisation
• A space for honest reflection on your own leadership practice, in a safe and non-judgemental environment, outside the city, for genuine disconnection during the event
• Exchange and learning with leaders from multiple countries who understand your reality
• Professional connections and potential partners for future initiatives in the sector.

Who can apply

Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Applications must be submitted by two persons from the same organisation, ideally in complementary or equivalent leadership roles (e.g. team leader + coordinator, manager + senior practitioner, etc.)
• Team leaders or organisational leaders in the social or socio-medical sector
• Direct or indirect work with high-vulnerability groups, including (but not limited to): children and youth at risk, elderly care, palliative care, socio-medical services, human rights work, domestic violence, anti-trafficking, refugee support
• Minimum B2 level of English (all sessions are delivered in English)
• Both participants must be nominated and supported by their organisation
• Commitment to applying the learning at organisational level after the bootcamp is required
• Applications are open to leaders from the following countries: Romania, Austria, Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Albania, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Italy and others.

Selection criteria

Applications will be assessed based on:
• Relevance of both participants’ roles to the topic
• Motivation and clarity of learning objectives
• Potential for applying and multiplying the learning within the organisation
• Diversity of the group (country, organisational profile, experience)

Costs and coverage

Covered by CONCORDIA Academia:
• Full participation in the 3-day residential bootcamp
• Accommodation and full board at Roua Garden, Buftea, Romania
• Training materials, facilitation, and programme activities
• Bucharest Airport ↔ venue transfers
Not covered:
• International or domestic transport to and from Romania
• Personal expenses

How to apply

Complete the application form: https://forms.gle/5dsGw3WAEG8VyXCfA
In your motivation, please include:
1. Why are you applying to this programme at this point in your work and leadership journey
2. Why this topic matters now for your organisation and what challenges would you like to bring into the room with us
3. How you intend to apply and multiply the learning within your organisation after the bootcamp

Timeline

• Application deadline: 31 May 2026, 23:59 EEST
• Selection results: 5 June 2026
• Bootcamp: 1-3 July 2026
• Online follow-up session: September/October 2026

Contact

Cătălina Țugulschi – Project Manager, CONCORDIA Academia catalina.tugulschi@concordia-academia.ro

About the programme

Leading with Compassion: Cultivating Care in Challenging Times is a Community-Led Event (CLE) organised within the regional NGO Academy 2025-2026 programme.