ESD to 2030 – Funding Calls for Organisations
The Department of Education’s ESD to 2030 Funding Call for Organisations has now closed and the Department has delivered €253,910 in funding to 12 organisations for ESD projects on foot of a call issued in the May ESD Newsletter. Details on the grantees and projects can be found at ESD to 2030 – Funding Call for Organisations
Funding of between €1,000 and €25,000 have been paid to organisations who successfully proposed their 2024/2025 sustainability projects under the 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD to 2030).
Successful projects include resources and supports for the development of school gardens, Wellness Projects, Climate Nature Summits, Community and School collaboration projects, sustainable fashion training and a Rubbish Film Festival. Many of the projects involve workshops for students and focus on continuing professional development in ESD for teachers.
The ESD to 2030 plan aims to ensure all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. ESD to 2030 has five priority areas: Aligning Policy, Transforming Learning Environments, Building Capacity of Educators, Empowering and Mobilising Youth and Accelerating Local Level Action.
Funding Call for Schools – September 2024
A funding call for schools will be announced in the September 2024 issue of the Department of Education’s Education for Sustainable Development Newsletter.
The newsletter is published along with past issues here and you can subscribe to receive it directly into your inbox every quarter!
Details will also be publishe on the the Funding Call section of the ESD to 2030 webpage.
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600+ Teachers undertake training to address incidents of cyberbullying
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has welcomed the news that over 600 teachers have undertaken training to address incidents of cyberbullying.
The online training to address cyberbullying is being provided by Oide, the Department of Education’s professional development service for school leaders and teachers.
The online courses were developed with Webwise in September 2022 to provide teachers with a clear understanding of what cyberbullying is and how to deal with it. Teachers are updated with the most recent research on cyberbullying in Ireland on the courses. They also advise teachers about how to address a cyberbullying incident and communicate with those involved, as well as how to identify opportunities to teach about cyberbullying through the curriculum.
So far, 210 teachers at primary level and 438 at post-primary level have undertaken the courses.
For more derails, click here.
Publication of Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Schools
On 19 June, Minister Foley also announces publication of the Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Schools
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD today launched the ‘Bí Cineálta procedures to prevent and address bullying behaviour for primary, post-primary and special schools'.
These ‘Bí Cineálta’ (‘Be Kind’) procedures were developed in collaboration with the education partners and are heavily informed by the views of children and young people, parents, school staff, board of management members and the wider education community.
The ‘Bí Cineálta’ procedures are centred on a child rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour. The procedures have been updated to take account of gender identity bullying, cyberbullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. They support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours.
The new procedures result from a review of the 2013 ‘Anti-bullying procedures for primary and post-primary schools’. This is a flagship item in the ‘Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying.’
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Summer Pilot
Minister Foley has urged third level institutions to sign-up to the summer programme in the wake of successful pilot project.
Munster Technological University (MTU) Kerry campus opened up its facilities in its Tralee campus for the summer programme to special schools in the region.
The Nano Nagle Special School in Listowel took up the opportunity to run its summer programme for two weeks on the MTU campus. In its turn, MTU was able to offer a host of amenities, including access to a hydrotherapy pool which is equipped with a ceiling and pool hoist, making the pool accessible to all.
The pilot project is just one of more than 1,700 individual summer programme schemes running this summer, across primary, post-primary and special schools, for children with special educational needs or educational disadvantage. The programmes are free-of-charge for families and are funded by a €40 million budget allocation.
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD said that MTU was the first third level institution to host the summer programme.
To read more, click here.
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€81 million in EU funding for school building retrofit
On 28 June, Minster for Education Norma Foley TD today announced that 40 schools across five counties have been shortlisted for an energy retrofit programme as part of an €81 million EU funding package.
This is part of a package of funding totalling €240 million which Ireland has secured under the REPowerEU Programme. REPowerEU is the EU’s plan to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, boost the independence and security of the Union’s energy supply and accelerate the green transition.
A pool of 40 schools across five counties (Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wicklow and Wexford) have been included in the initial assessment phase. Schools ultimately selected for inclusion in the programme will be given a deep retrofit to achieve a Building Energy Rating (BER) of at least B by installing heatpumps, LED lighting and mechanical heat recovery ventilation. The fabric and airtightness of the schools will also be upgraded and electric car chargers will be installed.