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Sophie O’Brien, Danica Kelleher and Sarah Fitzgerald taking part in a Mindfulness class at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí on Thursday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean
GAELCHOLÁISTE Chiarraí are celebrating their annual Positive Mental Health Week at the moment and a number of events and activities are taking place at the school.
The week is part of an overall health promotion initiative in the school following on from the Mental Health Amber flag that the school was awarded last year.
All the activities are organised to focus on the factors necessary for good mental health, increasing student’s resilience and ability to cope with life’s stresses by identifying positive ways of coping.
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Harriet McGuigan, who runs Mindful Teens programmes in schools, giving a class in Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí on Thursday morning. Photo by Dermot Crean
The week began with workshops with Seámus Whitty from Kerry Life Skills for 1st years who focused in on resilience, respect and friendships. Sarah Jane Grunfeld from Nutshell training and education gave a workshop to Leaving Cert students which looked at skills to help motivate them to a successful, happy and fulfilled life.
Second years had a visit from Jigsaw Kerry a community based support for young people’s mental health needs to talk about the resources they have available in the Tralee. Eoin Burns and Shoutout (LGBT support group) provided workshops to the 5th years, while the Leaving Certs took time out of their studies to take part in Yoga classes. Third year student’s focused on mindfulness.
A hot chocolate and Fruit bowl fundraiser was run by 3rd year students for the Mental Health Organisation Jigsaw in Tralee to recognise the work they do with young people in the community. The week will end with music and dance with Zumba classes.
