BellTime Magazine Spring/Summer 2017 7 | Page 8

BellTIME
BellTIME

DELIVERING WELL-BEING PROGRAMMES TO SENIOR CYCLE STUDENTS

This 2 day train-the-trainer programme is designed to equip teachers to deliver a 50 hour well-being Programme to senior cycle students .
Context for Programme :
“ Young people learn more effectively if they are happy and feel supported in school . Building resilience and emotional wellbeing is crucial to their school progress and their success in life .” ( Department of Education and Skills , 2013 ).
Young people are living in a world filled with more choice and opportunity than any previous generation . However , this choice and opportunity brings challenges and from time to time unfulfilled expectations for students , which all impacts upon their sense of well-being .
Some recent reports on well-being and young people have identified that :
• “ Between 2009 and 2011 , Ireland had the highest rate of female youth suicide and the second highest rate of male youth suicide in the European Union .” ( Children ’ s Rights Alliance , UN report 2015 ).
• “ Mental health is a growing health , social and economic issue and it is expected that depressive mental illnesses will be the leading cause of chronic disease in high-income countries by 2030 .” ( HSE , 2014 ).
• “ One in every four people will experience mental health problems during his / her lifetime .” ( HSE , 2014 ).
Content of Programme :
The content of the programme is designed around the
five core areas of relationship which affect well-being :
• Life
• Emotions
• Mindset , meaning and purpose
• Past , present and future
• Personality , talent and performance .
In addition teachers are introduced to :
• Methodologies for exploring well-being with students .
• The context for delivering a well-being programme in school exploring some of the stress factors in students ’ lives .
Outcomes :
Following the 2-day train-the-trainer well-being programme , teachers :
• Are equipped and feel confident to deliver a well-being programme to senior cycle students .
• Know how to increase students ’ self-management , problem-solving , communication , self-esteem and resilience skills .
• Are capable of engaging students in mindfulness practice and activities .
Additional student workbook , Ways to Well-being is available for all students taking the programme .
This programme was developed by John Doran , who has worked as a teacher and now guidance counsellor in the Patrician Secondary School , Newbridge for over 20 years and builds upon his own experience of delivering well-being courses to students .
As part of the training programme teachers are provided with a resource pack which guides them through the effective delivery of the Ways to Well-Being Programme .
Dates and Venues 2017 : Galway , March 24th and 25th Dublin , April 18th and 19th Cork , April 20th and 21st
8 johndoran @ thesupergeneration . com