Teaching Paper: Burnout and Wellbeing in NGOs – A Comprehensive Glossary of Terms
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-tp-04
This material forms part of the NEYA Global knowledge architecture. Institutional, organizational, professional, training, consulting, curriculum, program design, or implementation use requires an active license from NEYA Global
Explore Architecture →
Module Overview →
Request Institutional Access →
About the Article
The language of burnout and wellbeing in the NGO sector is often inconsistent, leading to fragmented practice and limited cross-organizational learning. This Teaching Paper presents a comprehensive glossary of essential terms used in nonprofit occupational health, resilience, and management. Each entry is defined in academic terms and accompanied by a practical note that translates the concept into actionable insights for NGO leaders, staff, and volunteers. Covering more than forty terms, including psychological constructs (e.g., emotional exhaustion, secondary traumatic stress), organizational mechanisms (e.g., recognition systems, accountability), and structural contexts (e.g., civic space, decent work), this glossary provides a shared vocabulary for scholars and practitioners alike. By clarifying terminology, NGOs can strengthen training, monitoring, and donor reporting, while academics can advance comparative research across diverse contexts.
Key Topics
- Burnout and wellbeing terminology
- Resilience and occupational health
- NGO management and staff care
- Trauma-informed organizational culture
- Accountability and recognition systems
- Cross-cultural learning and evaluation
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Teaching Paper: Burnout and Wellbeing in NGOs – A Comprehensive Glossary of Terms. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-tp-04
References
Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
Cornforth, C., & Brown, W. A. (2014). Nonprofit governance: Innovative perspectives and approaches. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203767115
Drucker, P. F. (1990). Managing the nonprofit organization: Principles and practices. HarperCollins.
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Conceptualizing burnout in the non-profit sector. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-02
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Measuring burnout and well-being in the non-profit sector. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-07
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Causes of burnout in the non-profit sector: Micro, meso, and macro perspectives. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-03
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Burnout prevention in the non-profit sector: Toward a multi-level framework of sustainability. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-prvbrnstrgvlstf-09
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Preventing Burnout: Strategies for Volunteers and Staff. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/burnout-prevention-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Global Volunteering with Digital Tools. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/global-volunteering-digital-tools-2025
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (1997). The truth about burnout: How organizations cause personal stress and what to do about it. Jossey-Bass.
Patton, M. Q. (2008). Utilization-focused evaluation. SAGE.
