‘Student Emotional Wellbeing Workshops & Other School Services’
Helplink has developed a series of school based workshops that have been provided by Helplink’s experienced, Garda vetted, insured and qualified Counsellors/Therapists/Facilitators since 2017.
Helplink has provided these workshops to over 1200 students across Galway City and County and Dublin so far!
For the 2019/20 academic year we will be providing our workshops in Galway, Mayo, Kerry and Dublin.
These workshops are generally funded via:
- School contributions
- Parental contributions
- PTA contributions
- DEIS school funding
- Fundraisers (no uniform days, etc.)
- Local and national funding sources
- Student/College/SU Payments (3rd level)
For more info and/or to book a workshop for your school/college please email us at helplinksupport@helplink.ie or call (091) 759887.
Some of our workshops in the 2018/19 academic year for DEIS schools were kindly provided for free or at subsidised rates through our funding support partners: Electric Ireland’s Energy for Generations Fund and Bons Secours Galway’s Community Fund:
Workshop Outlines
Mind How You Go
We have two workshops under the title ‘Mind How You Go’ – one for primary school students and one for post-primary/third level students
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Primary Schools Workshop:
The ‘Mind How You Go’ workshops for primary schools are one-hour workshops aimed at pupils from 3rd class to 6th class (we can provide up to 4 one-hour workshops in one day, in order to support a full year of students).
Focus: this workshop is focused on mindfulness and positive mental health, where students will gain an insight into their thoughts and feelings and develop the knowledge/vocabulary needed to express their feelings in a constructive manner. Furthermore, they will learn multiple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, build resilience and much more.
Each participant will get a booklet to take home that includes some tips for parents/caregivers on how to support their child in times of emotional unease/distress.
The workshop includes:
- Welcome and introduction (what is mindfulness and mental health)
- Warm up activity
- Learning about our brain and who lives where (house model)
- Feelings and our body
- Logical thinking/coping strategies (resetting your system e.g. movement, body scan, breathing)
- Mediation & Ending
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Post-Primary/Third Level Workshop:
The ‘Mind How You Go’ workshops for post-primary and third level students are two-hour workshops (we provide up to 3 two-hour workshops in one day) that are aimed at 4th & 5th year post-primary students and also for third level students.
Focus: these workshops are also focused on mindfulness and positive mental health, where students will gain an insight into their thoughts and feelings and develop the knowledge/vocabulary needed to express their feelings in a constructive manner. Furthermore, they will learn multiple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety, build resilience and much more.
The workshop includes:
- Discussion on the concepts of Stress and Anxiety and how they can impact us
- Introduction to Mindfulness and exercises to demonstrate how it can help us deal with our Stress and Anxiety
- Exploration of personal values
- Introduction to a new mental model in order to create awareness and flexibility in using all our mental skills
- Self-Care: Discussing the importance of minding ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally including creating an individual care plan for ourselves
Evaluations: Click here to see a brief analysis illustrating the responses of students that have taken part in some of our early post-primary Mind How You Go workshops in Galway!
The Voyage
‘The Voyage’ is a 6th Class Workshop, focusing on the transition from primary to post-primary (secondary); all our workshops for primary and post-primary levels are evidence based. The workshops utilise a combination of Art Therapy and Play Therapy therapeutic approaches; utilising directive methodologies. ‘The Voyage’ will provide an opportunity for each student to creatively explore their own individual feelings relating to the transition from primary to secondary (post-primary) school.
Workshop Content Creative Process:
- Welcome and Introduction
- Large creative group piece – symbolically representing their voyage
- Individual creative work
- Discussion
- Further development of group piece
- Discussion and Creative closure
Method: Large group interactive piece, Individual creation, individual and group reflection.
Learning Outcomes:
Reflection on journey so far in primary school, exploring sense of self, acknowledging the process of change, promotion of creative expression, empowerment, strengthening peer relationships and understanding group dynamics, resilience and confidence building, self – reflection, enhancing self-esteem, coping with stress and anxiety and dealing with change and new beginnings.
Other School/Student Services
- Besides the workshops outlined above Helplink has provided and continues to provide qualified Counsellors/Therapists to schools that utilise mentoring programmes under the School Completion Programme and/or direct counselling services for the students in general.
- We also provide our Mindfulness@Work, Stress & Anxiety and Safe Communication workshops that we provide to businesses and community organisations for teachers as well click here for more on these workshops.
For more information on these services please email helplinksupport@helplink.ie or call us on (091) 759887
