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Celebrate Us and Stand Up Awareness Week November 14th- 18th 2022

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Stand Up Awareness Week - November 6-10th, 2023 What is Belong To's Stand Up Awareness Week?
Belong To's Stand Up Awareness Week is a time for post-primary schools, youth services, and Youthreach centres in Ireland to join us and take a stand against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. This week is an opportunity to take steps to make spaces safe and supportive for LGBTQ+ young people. We will equip you with the resources, tools, and knowledge needed to host Stand Up Awareness Week in your school, youth service, or Youthreach this November.

It is heart-breaking that one in five young LGBTQ+ people face bullying and that 73% of young LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school. Together we can create spaces where LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, equal, and valued.

Take the first step and sign up for our online training below.
"Every year we are building on the previous year, the awareness is growing and the participation among staff and students increases every time. I am proud of our school community and our celebration of Stand Up Week 2021."
Patricia O'Connor, Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght, Dublin
"Stand Up Awareness Week was a celebration of the diversity within our school and was a colourful reflection of our ethos in action."
St Joseph's Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath
"Who wouldn't want to be a teacher during Stand Up Week? A time of fun, friendship, learning and solidarity. A time when the community school can provide gets to shine and we get to show love, compassion and inclusion for every single member of our school."
Lauren Comer, Mercy College Coolock, Dublin
Stand Up Awareness Week Resources
Belong To will send schools, Youthreach centres and youth services a resource pack including a Guide to Stand Up and posters in September 2023. An accompanying Toolkit and additional resources are available to download from our website. You can view the resources for Stand Up Week 2023 here:
Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 Guide Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 - Poster 1 Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 - Poster 2 Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 - Poster 3 Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 - Poster 4 Stand Up Awareness Week 2023 - You Belong Here Poster Stand Up Awareness Week Training
Belong To are offering training sessions this September to help you prepare for Stand Up Awareness Week 2023.

We will cover the basics of hosting Stand Up Awareness Week, as well offering you the chance to meet staff from other schools and services, share your ideas and learn about new activities.

The training sessions will take place during September 2023. This is earlier than previous years and will give you more time to engage students in planning and prepare for Stand Up Awareness Week in November.

This year, you can avail of online training or in-person training - whatever is most suitable for you. All trainings have limited places, so book early to avoid disappointment. Please note that the dedicated Youthreach and Youth Work trainings are online-only. If you register for an online session we will email you a link which is valid for the workshop in September. If you register for an in-person session, we will be in touch with venue details and the location closer to the time. A €10 charge will apply to all online and in-person training sessions. This small fee is to support our work with LGBTQ+ across Ireland.

Click the button below to find details about sessions for educators, youth workers and Youthreach staff:
Post-Primary Trainings Youth Services Trainings Youthreach Trainings Principal and Board of Management Information Session
We are hosting a free online information session for Principals and Board of Management members on Monday, September 11th at 8pm. Click the button below to sign up for this session:
Board of Management Session
If you require any further support, please contact Emma Dornan (she/her) at emma@belongto.org

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Stand Up Awareness Week - November 6-10th, 2023 What is Belong To's Stand Up Awareness Week? Belong To's Stand Up Awareness Week is a time for post-primary schools, youth services, and Youthreach centres in Ireland to join us and take a stand against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

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I am delighted to bring you the latest programme of performances for teenagers on subject matters affecting their young lives. Bullying including cyber bullying and drug awareness and mental health take centre stage with three performances. On bullying, including a talk on cyber bullying its 'Mighty Bully Brady'.' Hooked' on drug awareness 'The Value of Life' on mental health. 'Slow down' on road safety. 'Message from a bottle' on drink awareness. 'A Race against time' on racism. Each performance 90 minutes approx. Please check our pages for details of each show Humourfit was established in 1990 as a theatre in schools project to present an important issue such as bullying in a dramatic light to enhance the life education skills of students. Based in County Limerick and directed by Michael O Sullivan the theatre company has travelled the length and breadth of the country performing to audiences from the 1st year's right through to 6th years in post primary schools. The company has received huge plaudits from Departmental Inspection teams, Principals, teachers and students with many memorable dramas throughout the twenty three years and the Irish Times have written an extremely positive article some years back on the 'Mighty Bully Brady'
We have also featured in articles in the Nenagh Guardian and the Donegal Democrat. The performances are carried out with the minimum amount of props on a flat space such as a hall, double classroom, gym, canteen space, no stage required. Teenagers are seated in amphitheatre style and there is no amplification or disruption to classes.

We welcome contact regarding any matter and offer references to our work as close to your location as is possible.
Contact can be made by phone at 0868667207
Please leave a message if unattended outlining a mobile number or text us an email
From overseas
via e-mail at mrosactor@hotmail.com
Actors wishing to send on cv please send via e-mail
Michael O Sullivan Artistic director

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I am delighted to bring you the latest programme of performances for teenagers on subject matters affecting their young lives. Bullying including cyber bullying and drug awareness and mental health take centre stage with three performances. On bullying, including a talk on cyber bullying its 'Mighty Bully Brady'.'

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Team Nutrition Ireland | Grainne Travers Nutrition

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Nutritional Therapist Ireland | Grainne Travers Nutrition

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I educate and develop tailored nutrition and wellbeing programmes for Irish sports Teams and corporate teams.

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Spectrum DWS Wellbeing Series Poster_November 2022.pdf

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International Coming Out Day - BeLonG To

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“Earn Your Stripes” – A workshop for Parents and Carers on International Coming Out Day Tuesday October 11th at 7-8pm (online) Earn your Stripes by Learning Theirs – Whether someone in your family has come out as LGBTQ+ or you think your child may be LGBTQ+, join our expert youth workers to learn an…

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Jigsaw Schools Hub | Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources

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Classroom resources and guidance to explore mental health and wellbeing for all school staff to work with young people.

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FUSE is an anti-bullying and online safety programme developed by the Anti-bullying Research and Resource centre in DCU with support from Facebook/Instagram.

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Today's practice is Breath Awareness.

The breath is a terrific tool we have at our disposal to create more calm in ourselves. Stress makes our breathing faster and shallower which leads to tension in our bodies and also our minds. Allowing yourself space to breathe is wonderful gift that will reward you in untold ways. Attending to the breath has an extraordinary way of slowing down the breath and soothing the autonomic nervous system. It's as though the breath says "Oh, Thank you for noticing me, Now I can relax!". Sitting with your breath and following it in and out of your body can be difficult because the mind wants you to follow it instead. By noticing when your attention has gone somewhere else, and coming back to the breath again, you are 'flexing your awareness muscle' and strengthening your ability to focus. Informally, you can avail of opportunities during the day to pause with your breath.

Notice any insights form practicing breath awareness that arise for you.

You are invited to join us for another Mental Health Ireland's Mindful Moment Guided Practice Live Stream on Facebook at 1.30 pm .

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Mental Health Ireland - Promoting Positive Mental Health, Wellbeing and Recovery

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Today's practice is Breath Awareness. The breath is a terrific tool we have at our disposal to create more calm in ourselves. Stress makes our breathing faster and shallower which leads to tension in our bodies and also our minds. Allowing yourself space to breathe is wonderful gift that will reward you in untold ways.

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Supporting the transition to secondary school | Advice for Parents | Jigsaw

Supporting the transition to secondary school

The transition to secondary school is a big milestone in a young person's life. Although exciting, it can also throw up challenges. The effects of COVID-19 have added new challenges for young people starting secondary school in September.
Young people have been in and out of school due to lockdowns since March last year. Experiences of school closures are varied, some young people have been relieved and others have really missed school.

There is a general underlying feeling of uncertainty about the future which can influence your child's move to secondary school. Fortunately, there is a lot as a parent that you can do to help support their mental health during this process.

Support your young person to feel more at ease by actively listening. Have an open conversation about their thoughts and feelings.

Talking about transitions

Change can bring up a range of feelings, sometimes all at once. Acknowledge whatever your young person is experiencing; be it excitement, fear, worry, confusion or curiosity. Let them know it's OK to feel any or all of these things.

You can support your young person to feel more at ease by actively listening. Have an open conversation about their thoughts and feelings. Recognising these different emotions involves staying neutral. Statements like "I hear you, you're scared about how you'll manage with more homework" or "I can see that you're worried about meeting new people" can be a good first step.

Face to face conversations can be challenging for some young people, so consider how, where and when to . any start the conversation Some young people may express themselves through their behaviour, so p ay ing attention to can help you both get better insight . cues of struggle

What makes a difference?

Young people's ability to respond well to this specific transition is often related to their coping skills, personal resources, and the school environment itself. Encouraging the following aspects in your young person is to help transitions: has been shown

S trategies to deal with challenges

Independence and self-belief

S kills relating to others such as listening actively, being tolerant and co-operation

A sense of contribution to school and community.

As with many areas of life, preparation makes all the difference.

How can I support my young person?

From speaking with sixth class students in workshops, we know that the small things can feel big. Questions like 'where is my locker' or 'where am I going to eat my lunch' can play on students' minds.

As with many areas of life, preparation makes all the difference. Help your young person to find out about the practicalities in advance of starting school. This might be through linking with the school directly and students who already attend, or talking to other parents in the school. Often schools or their parents' councils will have Facebook pages where links can be made.

Work through other practicalities

Talking through their new schedule, or doing the new walk with them to their school would also be good ideas. This allows you both to solve any problems in the moment and provide reassurance.

If you're aware that your young person has additional needs, let the school know . Given all the recent changes, the more notice your school gets, the better you'll be able to prepare. But before that, chat with your young person about how they feel their needs would be best met and keep them involved.

Sharing what you've noticed about their ability to adapt can help young people see strengths they may not have noticed themselves.

Remind them of their strengths

Young people have persisted with study and lessons under difficult circumstances, with the support of dedicated teachers and parents. Remind them how they were able to work through all the changes of the last year. Point out that learning from these experiences will help them adapt to new challenges that may arise.

Settling back into a routine, studying and managing a number of expectations is a lot of change. Sharing what you've noticed about their ability to adapt can help young people see strengths they may not have noticed themselves. For example, young people have come to know that learning can happen anywhere and how to stay connected.

Managing relationships with friends, peers and teachers is an area where you can support your young person.

Social connection

At Jigsaw, we've heard from a lot of young people that isolation has been emotionally draining, which has fed into Over a lengthy period of social distancing, friendships may have bec ome strained or deteriorated. M anaging relationships with friends, peers and teachers is an area where you can support your young person.

Ease into it. Help your young person to arrange socially-distance d meet ups with close friends or neighbors who might be going to the same school. This will help them practice rusty social skills as well as get familiar with their new peers , at a pace that feels comfortable for them.

Practice.Role-playing or going through conversation starters allows your young person to work through worries or concerns with someone they trust. If they're not comfortable with it, they can write it down on paper

Co-operation.R egardless of age, we get on better with others when doing something collaborative, instead of competitive. Building on your young person's strengths and interests, consider what activities or topics they could use to build a sense of team work.

Emotional literacy. Young people learn from their caregivers. Studies suggest young people have better emotional understanding when their parents listen without judgement or criticism and talk to them about emotions in an empathetic, problem-solving wa y .

Setting a new routine

One of the biggest challenges in starting secondary school is the constant change of routine. There will be a large number of teachers and classes. Remind them this can be a good thing, as they have new opportunities for supportive relationships.

Developing a regular routine at home can be a great place to start. Try a visual board or calendar that everyone can see to encourage your young person to use a journal/agenda . Once they're in school, a bit of extra support at the beginning to create a routine around school work can help to settle them.

Sleep is also so important for mental health. G etting back into a routine over the weeks before school starts can help regulate the sleep/wake cycle.

While transition and change can seem overwhelming, beginning secondary school offers opportunity for new beginnings. Helping your young person prepare for and embrace this change will have a big impact on their overall school experience.

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Supporting the transition to secondary school | Advice for Parents | Jigsaw

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Supporting the transition to secondary school | Advice for Parents | Jigsaw Supporting the transition to secondary school The transition to secondary school is a big milestone in a young person's life. Although exciting, it can also throw up challenges. The effects of COVID-19 have added new challenges for young people starting secondary school in September.

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Transition from Primary School to Secondary School

The transition from Primary school to Secondary school is one of those life events that most people can recall in some way or other. In the main, it's a fairly manageable period and one that parents often get more emotional about than their children. The purpose of this article is to outline the major issues involved so that the experience can be facilitated and undertaken with minimum stress - for the whole family!

By the time a child reaches their final years in primary school, they will be totally familiar with their school environment. They'll know their teacher very well, be comfortable with most if not all of the people in their class and will probably know most of the other faces in the school too. By sixth class, they are the most senior people in their school, they will be used to being given responsibility and they tend to be looked up to by the younger boys and girls in the school.

But within the space of two short months, September 1st sees these same students revert to being the most junior again in a brand new environment in a different location, with a different smell and atmosphere. Change can be a daunting task for any one of us but when you are 12 or 13 - with so many other 'complications' in your life - it is a change that takes quite a lot of adjusting to.

The important thing to constantly remind yourself is that children and teenagers are more resilient and adaptable than we are (or give them credit for). Remember too that within a few short weeks, their new surroundings become more familiar and they'll be running from the PE Hall to the Science Lab and on to the Art room without the slightest stumble. The first couple of weeks can be traumatic though and this section offers both parent and child a survival plan to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Constant routine becomes constant change

The biggest change when entering the secondary school system is probably the constant change in the day-to-day routine. In primary school, they had one teacher all day in the one classroom. In Secondary school however, that routine changes utterly. There is a subject change every forty minutes approximately, and with this subject change there is a change of teacher. It is not unusual for a student to encounter eight or nine different teachers during a typical school day. A tip to help your child cope with this is to advise them to write down the name of each new teacher beside the name of the subject.

Some subject changes will involve a change of classroom too and the second big change that the new 1st years have to cope with is the constant movement between classrooms throughout the day. Depending on their subject choices, students will be moving all around the school. Getting lost during the first few weeks will be inevitable for some. A good tip is to advise your child to always stay with at least one other person from the class...there is definitely safety and confidence in numbers!

All of this 'new-ness' is bound to have some effect on the student and in these early days of adjusting, parents should try to be supportive, understanding and encouraging, ensuring their child eats well and gets plenty of rest and 'down time'.

Number of Subjects

Another big adjustment is the number of specific subjects your child is covering. Depending on the school and the subject-choice structure, students in 1st year can cover anything up to 15 different subjects (some will only be by way of introduction, to help students to select the subjects they wish to take for the Junior Cert.). Many of these are new and unfamiliar. An example of a typical timetable is included here, to give you an idea of what a typical day might look like.

Sample first year timetable

C.S.P.E.: Civic, Social and Political Education
S.P.H.E.: Social, Personal and Health Education

As you can see from the diversity, it is therefore important at an early stage to help them to develop a methodical approach to learning. Discuss all the subjects at home. Getting your child to explain what they have learnt so far in a particular subject will have two beneficial effects. It will help you to better understand a subject. It also helps to get your child to summarise a subject and that exercise will help to highlight in their mind where they are at with it.

It is important to try to encourage a balance between all subjects. Everyone will have their own favourites and will excel at certain subjects. The problem is that neglecting a subject in the early stages - due to its perceived difficulty or maybe a personality clash with a teacher - may have an impact on subject choices in future years. Taking an early dislike to Science and dropping it after 1st year or the Junior Cert. might limit the career choices available come 6th year. Certain courses require at least one science subject for example so be careful in choosing to take or drop subjects. Take a look at the Career / Third Level section on page XX and be sure that you or your child (preferably both) talk to the career guidance counsellor / principal regarding subject selections.

The Schoolbag

Their timetable will take a lot of getting used to. Part of this new routine will involve the organisation of the schoolbag before each day. It's a new skill that some may struggle with and a little help in the early days will ensure they have the right books, and the right homework on the right day!

Homework

Homework time is obviously going to increase and with it comes several new adjustments to be dealt with from the Primary School homework routine. Not all subjects are covered every day and not all subjects involve homework. This may mean that your child has two hours homework on one night and maybe one hour the next night. One of the best skills you can help your child to learn is that of effective time management. Help your child to even out their homework pattern by encouraging them to develop a homework timetable.

Certain subjects get homework nightly (Maths), others on every other day, others still on a weekly basis (Irish essay). Help them to devise a method to spread out the workload over the 5 nights of the week. Don't under-estimate the importance of getting a structure and a sense of organisation at an early stage of their secondary school lives. Learning how to successfully manage their time is an invaluable life skill and will make the transition into their new environment a whole lot easier.

School Reports

A new experience that comes with secondary school is the regular reports that come home from the school. Aside from the exams reports, most schools have a regular report that must be signed by the parent. It will usually have a mark per subject and space for any comments by any of the teachers. It might include number of days absent or late and any general notes relating to your child's performance. Again, these should be monitored and taken seriously, particularly in first year.

It is important that your child sees you as an extension of the school system - if you're dismissive of feedback from the school, it allows a negative attitude to develop in your child which is not in anyone's interest. If you have an issue you would like to discuss with a teacher or the principal, it is best done without the involvement of your child in the initial instance anyway.

Extra-curricular activities:

Taking part in after-school activities is a great way of getting to know more students in the school. Whether it's in the drama circle, the computer club or on the playing field, each student should find activities which they enjoy. Taking part in such activities builds confidence, they get to mix with other students from other years and as a result, they settle into the school environment a lot quicker. Students should be encouraged, from both home and school, to try out new activities.

Even if they may have tried something before, or even if they don't know what the activity entails, students should be encouraged to try practically everything available through the school.

Support Network

As stated, most children take the transition from Primary School to Secondary school in their stride. Schools have generally recognised the potential difficulties and have a good support network in place for 1st years. Most schools operate the system of the 'year head' (a teacher who has specific responsibility for the entire year). Many schools also appoint class 'tutors', 'mentors' and 6th Year 'buddies' or 'prefects' who have the task of making the introduction to the school as pleasant and as painless as possible.

As parents, we can often feel a little helpless - our role is to be supportive, interested and encouraging. If you have any concerns about your child, the advice is to make contact with the school.

Take heart!

Finally, with all the ups and downs of the first few weeks, rest assured that by the time Sept 1st comes round again the following year, your child will enter the establishment as if they've been there forever. They will laugh at the new 1st years for getting lost, again, and will boss them around with all the authority that only a 2nd year student can assume.

Source: The Essential Parents' Guide to the Secondary School Years by Brian Gilsenan, published by Primary ABC,

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Making the Transition from Primary School to Secondary School - SchoolDays.ie

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Transition from Primary School to Secondary School The transition from Primary school to Secondary school is one of those life events that most people can recall in some way or other. In the main, it's a fairly manageable period and one that parents often get more emotional about than their children.

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Transition - Primary to Post-Primary | National Council for Special Education - CPD and In-School Support

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The transition from primary to post-primary can be a stressful event for all students and their parents, and this can be compounded when the child has special educational needs. The need for flexibility in accommodating this transition, especially when the student has a special need, is noted in the…

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Dream Big, Princess – Live Your Story (Official Lyric Video) | Disney

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We've picked our best online games exploring topics from ancient Egypt to genetics and pop music to play on mobile, tablet or desktop.

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Search our website Key in a search term below to search our website. Close Can't find what you're looking for? The game below was created using Adobe Flash a long time ago and may no longer be playable on all web browsers. We have a range of other online games for you to explore.

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A tiny music generator that creates random ambient music. Each row is a track/voice, which has some properties you can modify. The notes they play will change over time at random, and you can also change what scale the whole piece uses.

Source code: https://github.com/zenzoa/beepster

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A tiny music generator that creates random ambient music. Each row is a track/voice, which has some properties you can modify. The notes they play will change over time at random, and you can also change what scale the whole piece uses. Source code: https://github.com/zenzoa/beepster

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Music is for everyone. Play with simple experiments that let anyone, of any age, explore how music works.

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HeadsUp Clare provides the facts about the mental health services in your area, lets you hear about other young people's experiences, and helps you to connect to get the help and support you need!

Would you like to share your experiences with us?

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Find Mental Health Counselling | Heads Up Clare | Get Help

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Mental Health Counselling for depression, anxiety, suicide, bullying, addiction, stress, sexuality are issues young people deal with daily. Get Help.

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Have you experienced any of the following?

I was all of the above. Maybe not necessarily all at the same time but enough to realise that something had to change. The process was so gradual, I hadn't noticed it happening, but I did know that I didn't feel like myself anymore. With meditation and a shift in perspective, I found myself again.

These tools can guide you on your journey to reclaim yourself.

New to meditation? Worried I'll dress you in a robe and drag you off to the spaceship?? Fear not! Try this cult-free simple meditation to get you started.

Morning Meditation

What are you waiting for? Change your brain! Science shows daily meditation actually changes the shape of your brain. So it makes sense to work it into your daily routine. Here's one to set you up for the day in a positive way so you don't bite the head off a deli worker later on...

Meditation for Anxiety or a Worried Mind

We all get worried and anxious from time to time. Maybe you're suffering from what I call "a terrible dose of the shoulds", where you're fixating on stuff you feel you should have done or should be doing. Listen to this meditation to quieten the racket in your mind...

Family Meditation

Here's one the whole family can do together! Jump under a duvet, get comfy and chill out the whole gang! Perfect for couples too.

Meditation for Sleep and Relaxation

If you need to unwind, de-stress or fall asleep, this is the one for you. 20 minutes of bliss! Sure, go on, you deserve it!

Meditation to Bring Us Closer Together

There are a lot of difficult but necessary things unfolding around the globe at the moment. Sometimes it's hard to get our head around them or know what to do. How about starting with the positive action of sending loving kindness? This can sound flowery and wishy-washy, but science says this meditation can make real changes in the brain and you'll feel a whole lot better about where we're all going. Give it a try!

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Have you experienced any of the following? I was all of the above. Maybe not necessarily all at the same time but enough to realise that something had to change. The process was so gradual, I hadn't noticed it happening, but I did know that I didn't feel like myself anymore.

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The Garda Schools Programme provides information to young people on substance use, personal safety, and cyber safety, and achieves this through Gardaí visiting the classroom and engaging in discussion with the students. The Garda Schools Programme is an integrated part of the SPHE programme. A possible precursor to using this resource is to have the Gardaí deliver lesson one, and the 'Be in Ctrl talk' as part of the Garda Schools Programme.

Become a Webwise Parent with our free expert advice, how to guides, explainers and talking points.

Get extra support with our free internet safety guide for parents.

Webwise Parents offer free expert advice and information. Order our FREE Parents' Guide to Better Internet here.

Find our more about webcam blackmail, how you can talk to your child and tips for safe online communication.

Free expert advice and support. For help having those tricky conversations use our talking points.

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Webwise Be In Ctrll Garda Internet Safety Resource

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Be in Ctrl is a new Junior cycle SPHE resource created in partnership with An Garda Síochána. The educational resources addresses the topic of online sexual coercion and extortion.

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Advice for parents and carers to help support children and young people in their safe and responsible use of the internet.

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Getting started is always the hardest part - make yourself work on a task for two minutes. Chances are, this will turn into a much longer period of focused work.

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Sometimes we can be too hard on ourselves. Take the time to focus on all of the positive things about you. Think of the wonderful people, events, experiences, places and things that fill your life with joy.

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Do this exercise routine 3 times a week to increase your range of motion.

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15 Minute Beginner Stretch Flexibility Routine! (FOLLOW ALONG)

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A great way to get fit for 2021. All laid out in the steps below that you can take.

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A useful app to help you keep track of physical exercise. Seeing the progress that you are making can increase motivation and deliver results.

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Fitness training made easy with MapMyRun.com

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This cardio workout will help you to burn calories and increase your energy levels.

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Joe Wicks has lots of easy to do workouts on his YouTube channel 'PE with Joe.' Check out one of these workouts below.

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An exercise in which you use the fingers of your hand to breathe out any thoughts/feelings of anxiety you are having, and breathe in a sense of inner peace & calm.

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Click on this video to focus on your breath if you are feeling overwhelmed.

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Sometimes you might unwittingly stumble across illegal online content like child abuse imagery. Always remember: you can report it and get it removed using Hotline.ie.

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The Keys to Happier Living Toolkit is an engaging, accessible and evidence-based programme to promote the emotional wellbeing and resilience of children aged 5-11
There are two versions of the Toolkit, one for ages 5-7 and the other for ages 7-11. You can use the form below to find out more and access the online ordering system.

Both versions are based on the Action for Happiness Ten Keys to Happier Living framework and have been piloted in primary schools with appropriate age groups. Qualitative feedback was very positive and quantiative analysis showed significant improvements in wellbeing and other areas. The toolkit for ages 7-11 was also previously awarded the PSHE Association Quality Mark.

The Toolkits are available to order online and cost £80 each for unlimited access to all resources for a full academic year. They consist of a set of downloadable digital resources which can be used/printed by the school as needed:

Toolkit for Teachers: full teaching materials covering an initial assembly and 11 subsequent lessons, with ideas for ongoing reinforcement

Journal for Children: each child receives their own journal to help embed learning

Journal for Adults: to help staff embed the ideas in their own lives too

Information Leaflet: for Parents and Carers about the Keys to Happier Living

Extensive supporting resources available to download

An Information Leaflet with some general activities has also been developed for teachers to introduce younger children (ages 4-5) to the GREAT DREAM framework. This is included in the downloadable resources for the Toolkit ages 5-7.

"A fantastic toolkit which has been shown to bring considerable benefits. Teachers will especially appreciate the huge array of ideas and creative resources. This program fills a vitally important gap in our schools and I highly recommend it" ~ Sir Anthony Seldon

"I strongly believe that the earlier we teach children how to look after themselves and others, the happier and more successful they will become, and this Toolkit provides the resources to do just that. Highly recommended!" Adrian Bethune (Toolkit 5-7)

"Provides a wide variety of stimulating and creative ideas for developing skills that support happier living and wellbeing in the lives of pupils and parents/carers" ~ PSHE Association (Toolkit 7-11)

The toolkit has been developed by Peter Harper and Val Payne along with Shannon Thorne and Tamarin Butcher for KS1 and with support from Action for Happiness.
Add your details below to find out more: Feedback about the toolkit

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Keys to Happier Living Toolkit for Schools

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The Keys to Happier Living Toolkit is an engaging, accessible and evidence-based programme to promote the emotional wellbeing and resilience of children aged 5-11 There are two versions of the Toolkit, one for ages 5-7 and the other for ages 7-11. You can use the form below to find out more and access the online ordering system.

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Guide to positive sleep

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Meditation

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Mindfulness for Resilience: A Body Scan Meditation with John Gerard Murphy

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20 Minute Guided Meditation for Reducing Anxiety and Stress--Clear the Clutter to Calm Down

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There always someone to talk to

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Reach out for any reason, anytime. Childline is always here for every child and young person. Childline Ukrainian Services Childline Ukrainian Services Free Phone 1800 666666 Live Chat - it's easy! Info & Advice How I Feel Friends Home & Families Sexuality & Relationships Bullying, Abuse, Safety and Your Rights Education & Work About Me [...]

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25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children & Teens (+Tips!)

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Fun mindfulness activities for kids to teach them about mindfulness. Enjoy!

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Pieta | Preventing Suicide and Self-Harm since 2006

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Pieta provides free, therapeutic approach to people who are in suicidal distress, engage in self-harm, or bereaved by suicide, 24/7. Reach out to us today!

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Five ways to Wellbeing

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Today's practice is Breath Awareness.

The breath is a terrific tool we have at our disposal to create more calm in ourselves. Stress makes our breathing faster and shallower which leads to tension in our bodies and also our minds. Allowing yourself space to breathe is wonderful gift that will reward you in untold ways. Attending to the breath has an extraordinary way of slowing down the breath and soothing the autonomic nervous system. It's as though the breath says "Oh, Thank you for noticing me, Now I can relax!". Sitting with your breath and following it in and out of your body can be difficult because the mind wants you to follow it instead. By noticing when your attention has gone somewhere else, and coming back to the breath again, you are 'flexing your awareness muscle' and strengthening your ability to focus. Informally, you can avail of opportunities during the day to pause with your breath.

Notice any insights form practicing breath awareness that arise for you.

You are invited to join us for another Mental Health Ireland's Mindful Moment Guided Practice Live Stream on Facebook at 1.30 pm .

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Today's practice is Breath Awareness. The breath is a terrific tool we have at our disposal to create more calm in ourselves. Stress makes our breathing faster and shallower which leads to tension in our bodies and also our minds. Allowing yourself space to breathe is wonderful gift that will reward you in untold ways.

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How to cope with loss

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We are pleased to offer parents and guardians a chance to join us on zoom to learn more about Rainbows

The session aims to tell you about the Rainbows programmes, how they work and how they can support your son/daughter in advance of your son or daughter attending or perhaps they have already attended or you may be thinking about enrolling them . The session will help you make an informed decision.

Rainbows is 35 years in Ireland. We have learnt a lot from children and young people and what their concerns and worries can be. The focus of every session is on children/young people and is not on adult issues. It explores how children of different ages and stages of development can be affected by what has happened, highlighting what is normal and how attending the programme can help.

It is an informal welcoming space to listen - no pressure to speak - questions can be asked at any time.

Many parents and guardians have attended to date and have indicated how helpful it has been.

Feedback from these sessions in 2021-2022 was really positive - we hope to build on our support for parents going forward.

It's great for children to see that they are not alone & there are lots of other children in the same position.

Thank you so much, incredibly valuable and supportive

Absolutely amazing session. Empathy, professionalism from start to finish.

I felt very alone and so drowning in it all. I'm feeling better and know I am not alone. Thank you for everything.

Finding out that my kids behaviour is quite normal

Being able to share and chat with parents going through the separation was v helpful also

Ideas of what to do when kids are emotional or struggling was good to learn

We very much look forward to welcoming you on zoom.

Please boil the kettle, bring your cuppa and log in to meet Anne from Rainbows who will deliver the sessions
Dates for "Introduction for Parents/Guardians to the Rainbows Ireland Separation Programmes" Dates for "Introduction for Parents/Guardians to the Rainbows Ireland Bereavement Programme"

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Rainbows Ireland - Supporting Children with Bereavement and Parental Separation

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We are pleased to offer parents and guardians a chance to join us on zoom to learn more about Rainbows The session aims to tell you about the Rainbows programmes, how they work and how they can support your son/daughter in advance of your son or daughter attending or perhaps they have already attended or you may be thinking about enrolling them .

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Happify: Science-Based Activities and Games

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Build skills for lasting happiness: Happify turns the latest innovations in positive psychology, CBT, and mindfulness into activities and games that help you lead a more fulfilling life.

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Guide to a Good Night's Sleep A healthy sleep routine can be a big difference to how we feel and has great benefits to our physical and mental health. Whether you've had sleeping problems before Covid-19, or if they've only come on recently, there are clear action steps that you can take to improve your sleep and boost your health and your mood.

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Listening & making notes

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Study Skills – Listening and making notes

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How to make stress your friend

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Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

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Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case.

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Excellent meditation

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Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety.

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SpunOut.ie is Ireland's youth information website created by young people, for young people.

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Press play on podcasts: Whether you're new to podcasts or looking for something fresh to add to your queue, our (screen-free!) picks keep kids of all ages listening and learning.

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Keep revising it will pay off

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App with excellent meditation exercises

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The ISPCC operates Teenline, a national active listening service for children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland.

Teenline can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by calling 1800 833 634.

The service is free to contact and is confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental.

Teenline was founded in 2005 by Maureen Bolger, following the death of her son Darren (aged 16) by suicide.

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The ISPCC operates Teenline, a national active listening service for children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland. Teenline can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by calling 1800 833 634. The service is free to contact and is confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental.

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Zeminar Presents Harry Barry | Banish Panic Attacks for Life

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HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline
This confidential service has both a freephone Helpline (1800 459 459) and an email support service ( helpline@hse.ie).

The HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline provides support, information, guidance and referral to anyone with a question or concern related to drug and alcohol use and/or HIV and sexual health. The service is non-judgemental and offers space to talk about your situation, to explore some options and to consider your needs. During calls/ emails, staff refer to a database of over 400 services nationwide.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am and 5.30pm.

If you have any questions about our service, feel free to get in touch.

The Helpline is a member of the European Foundation of Drug Helplines (FESAT) and Telephone Helplines Association (UK).

For more information visit www.hse.ie/go/drugshivhelpline or www.facebook.com/drugsalcoholandhivhelpline

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HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline This confidential service has both a freephone Helpline (1800 459 459) and an email support service ( helpline@hse.ie). The HSE Drugs & Alcohol Helpline provides support, information, guidance and referral to anyone with a question or concern related to drug and alcohol use and/or HIV and sexual health.

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Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

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Listen to Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee on Spotify. "Health has become overcomplicated. I aim to simplify it" In this podcast, we hear stories from leading health experts and exciting personalities who offer easy health life-hacks, expert advice and debunk common health myths giving you the tools to revolutionise how you eat, sleep, move and relax.