Managing emergencies and fighting educational poverty: the role of resilience skills in education professionals

Abstract

The consequences of a catastrophe are often reflected in aspects that influence and modify communities' social assets, with impact on a multitude of dimensions that affect the individual and their economic, social, cultural and educational context, increasing the risk of educational poverty developing. Educationsystemsplayacrucial role in preventing and managing such situations, policies, and the professionals who operate in these systems. This contribution describes the results of qualitative research, which began in the earliest stages of the COVID-19 emergency, and which made use of interviews with privileged witnesses, or professionals working in the educational field (school managers, educators, teachers) across northern and central Italy. We investigated the experiences, motivations, and meanings of professional activity in an emergency and the resilient strategies implemented to ensure the quality of the interventions activated.