FOSTERING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS & COMMUNITY IN CHALLENGING TIMES VIRTUAL • INTERACTIVE • LIVE • ON DEMAND
CONNACHT ULSTER LEINSTER MUNSTER IRELAND FINLAND BRITAIN AMERICA
IGC NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021 17th April 2021 • www.igc.ie
Main Sponsor TU Dublin
Table of CONTENTS
Welcome & Thank you from the IGC President 3
Conference Programme 9
Workshop Sessions 11
IGC Conference Speakers 13
President’s Address & Reports 21
Infinite Possibilities at TU Dublin 46
A Guide to Accessing the IGC Virtual Conference 54
Exciting Times at IT Sligo 60
Sponsor Acknowledgment 65
List of Sponsors and Exhibitors 67
ATTENDING VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 1 Complete Pre Conference Log-in Check by Monday 12th April
2 Browse Conference Platform & Book Exhibitor Chats from 8am Monday 12th April
3 Attend Conference from 8am Saturday 17th April or on demand to Sunday 16th May.
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Dear Conference Delegate,
A warm welcome to you all to the 2021 IGC annual conference. Our first ever virtual conference! The National Executive and I are very excited about this unique conference, as it will offer you a blend of Virtual, Interactive, Live and On-Demand cutting edge guidance counselling content.
Once again I wish to acknowledge our main sponsors TU Dublin, our supporting sponsors IT Sligo and our minor sponsors, Careers Portal, LYIT and Maynooth University. Their collegiality and generosity are much appreciated in the challenging times and uncharted water we are currently navigating.
The theme for Conference 2021 is Fostering Meaningful Connections & Community in Challenging Times. With a pandemic still raging across the globe for a full calendar year now, never was a conference theme more apt or more needed. As you know, this year in particular, I am encouraging you to practice self-care. We are all mindful that in the virtual world of work that we are currently navigating, that care must extend to include caring for our community of colleagues both within and outside of the IGC. Like a gorgeous tapestry made up of many different colours, textures, patterns and strength of threads, working together with stakeholders and education partners we are more colourful, more resilient and more relevant. Without a sense of community we would wear out, unravel and eventually cease to be.
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Welcome & Thank you
“We are all a thread in the talent tapestry. A snapshot in the cosmic, collective collage.” Michelle Jennae
Since March 2020, we have been tested in challenging times beyond anything most of us have experienced in our working lives. We have learnt new skills, upped our game with regard to IT, adapted continuously to new challenges and threats. Over 12 months later we have reinvented ourselves to continue to deliver a first class guidance service to the learners across the lifespan in our care. Take a bow. You are an impressive bunch, guidance counsellors of Ireland!
At the conference launch I cautioned you to please fasten your seatbelts for a high tech, interactive, international event that will set you up for the rest of the academic year. Please have your oatmeal on the morning of the conference so that you can keep up with the pace!
This year, in the context that we are hosting an online conference and we can benefit from our swish hi-tech online platform, we have taken the opportunity to invite not one, but two, international keynote speakers to address delegates at our annual conference. This is a rare treat and one of those situations when COVID-19 does you a favour. Both of these speakers are luminaries in our field.
Dr. Raimo Vuorinen works as Project manager at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research.
• His research interest is on evidence based lifelong guidance policy development and the use of ICT in guidance.
• He has also held the position of Co-ordinator of the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network.
Dr. Spencer Niles serves as professor of counsellor education for William & Mary College.
In addition, Dr Niles is:
• Current president of the National Career Development Association.
• Has co-authored over 120 publications
• Both of our speakers serve on the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy Executive Board.
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La Pièce de resistance - the 16 workshops on offer on the day will be available to you to view and experience from the comfort of your own home for 30 days post conference. This high quality CPD will sustain you through the twilight of COVID-19.
We know a virtual conference is not the same as a physical conference where you can meet all of your 3 dimensional colleagues! So we have subvented the cost of the conference to support your ability to attend and participate, members will pay €30, retired and student members will pay €20. And if that is not enough, attending your annual conference is also worth 4.5 CPD hours.
Your National Executive and I very much look forward to welcoming you all to the 2021 IGC conference and will catch up with you in our virtual meeting rooms. We hope you thoroughly enjoy and benefit from this once a year CPD and community experience.
Beatrice Dooley,
President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.
7 MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY PUTS YOU FIRST
Maynooth University Virtual Open Day Saturday 24th April
Visit mu.ie/opendays Conference PROGRAMME
From Monday 12th April
From Pre conference browsing Get to Know Your Virtual Surroundings 8.00am experience and Book Chats with Exhibitors.
Saturday 17th April
8.00am Meet other delegates and Head over to the Main Conference Chatroom 9.00am Visit Exhibitor Booths to meet other delegates, book chats with exhibitors and view resources.
9.00am - Welcome Addresses & A Ms Beatrice Dooley, President, Institute 9.10am Guide to Conference of Guidance Counsellors Dr Mary Meaney, Registrar and Deputy President, TU Dublin Mr Justin McGree, Vice President, Institute of Guidance Counsellors
9.10am – Workshop Sessions 1 See page 11 for full list of Workshops 9.55am (8 workshops) presented at this time.
9.55am – Networking & Coffee Break Grab a coffee join the chat, and visit the 10:35am exhibitors in the exhibition hall.
10:35am – Keynote Presentations 1 Ms Norma Foley, TD, Minister for Education 11:45am Ms Beatrice Dooley, President, Institute of Guidance Counsellors Professor David Fitzpatrick, President, TU Dublin Dr Raimo Vuorinen, Project Manager at the Finish Institute for Educational Research, at the University of Jvyäskylä
11:45am – Workshop Sessions 2 See page 11 for full list of Workshops 12:30pm (8 workshops) presented at this time.
12.30pm – Networking & Lunch Break Grab your lunch, join the chat, and visit 1:10pm the exhibitors in the exhibition hall.
1.10pm – Keynote Presentations 2 Ms Beatrice Dooley, President, Institute of 1:50pm Guidance Counsellors Mr Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Dr Brendan McCormack, President, IT Sligo Professor Spencer Niles, Counsellor Education Programme, University of William and Mary
1.50pm – Closing Address Ms Beatrice Dooley, President, 2.00pm Institute of Guidance Counsellors
9 #Study At UL ul.ie Workshop SESSIONS WORKSHOP SESSION 1
A The Impact of Injustice: Supporting Students Dr Damien Sweeney Experiencing Race-Based Stress and Trauma
B A workshop presented by the Logistics and Supply Lorcan Sheehan, Chain Skills Group established following the EGFSN Dr Alan Power and publication “Addressing the Skills Needs Arising from Dr Jane M O’Keeffe the Potential Trade Implications of Brexit”
C Responding to Critical Incidents During COVID-19 David Carroll and Deirdre Folan
D 12 Step Addition Recovery for Adolescents: Aiseiri Aislinn Dr Sophia Keane
E Languages: a Powerful Asset! Sandrine Pac-Kenny
F Digitalised Guidance Inspectorate Team and NCGE team
G Resources for Newly Qualified Guidance Counsellors Brian Wall & a Refresher Course on Resources for Experienced Guidance Counsellors
H Using Design Thinking To Explore Career Motivations Dave Kilmartin and Make Informed Decisions
WORKSHOP SESSION 2
I Integrating Career Sector and Labour Market Eimear Sinnott and Information within Guidance Counselling Practice Bernadette Walsh
J Supporting our Transgender Students Workshop Sinéad Murray
K Integrated Guidance in the Pandemic and Beyond Tristram Hooley
L Cultivating Self-Care & Resilience in Challenging Niamh Digan Times Through Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Compassionate Practice
M Grieving Students: Finding Ways to Offer Support Dr Aoife Lynam
N The Construction Industry – a World of Opportunity Dermot Carey
O Future FET: Transforming Learning and the FET College Nessa White of the Future
P Design Your Life: the evolving world of design careers'. Rosemary Steen, Design and Crafts Council Ireland and Institute of CEO DCCI and Designers Ireland. Charlotte Barker, CEO IDI
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Beatrice Dooley is the President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) and has served as IGC President for the past three years. With the IGC, she has previously served as Vice President, Chair of the Labour Market Subcommittee, and National Executive representative for South Dublin branch. Before that she taught English and French before working as a full time guidance counsellor. During a career break, whilst working as a lecturer in Griffith College, she designed and delivered a module in Career Guidance. This experience was the catalyst for her evolution into guidance counselling.
Beatrice She was awarded 1st class Honours with Distinction for a MSc in Career Dooley Guidance from Ulster University. She is also a graduate of MU (BA & Higher Diploma in Education), UL (Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling), President of the NCI (Post Graduate Diploma in HRM with Business). Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) She represented the IGC on the recent Steering Committee for the Review of Career Guidance (Ministerial appointment), and currently represents the Institute on a number of Steering Committees and Boards including: Senior Cycle Board NCCA, Junior Cycle Board NCCA, Access Steering Group for HEIs, QQI PRSB, EGFSN DCCI, CIF and DoE Careers in Computer Science Advisory Groups.
Within the IGC she sits on the following IGC subcommittees: Finance, Constitution, CPD, Labour Market, PR subcommittees in addition to the Professional Practice Working Group. She has been published in a wide variety of national, regional and educational publications in addition to promoting the goals of the IGC whilst speaking at regular stakeholder events and in numerous TV and radio interviews. Beatrice is committed to improving accessibility and standards of CPD and developed the IGC National Strategic Baseline CPD plan (Phase 1 and Phase 2) that has been rolled out over the past three years. Last summer she led the successful campaign with NPCpp, USSI and UNICEF to deliver the final 100 posts to guidance counselling.
Dr Mary Meaney is Registrar and Deputy President of Technological University Dublin. As inaugural President of Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Dr Meaney developed the reputation of ITB as an accessible and regionally responsive institution, working with education, industry and civic partners.
Seconded to the role of Programme Leader for the Technological University for Dublin project, Dr Meaney coordinated the preparation of the submission by the former DIT, ITB and ITT to become Ireland’s first Technological University.
Dr Mary Following the establishment of TU Dublin. Dr Meaney was appointed to the role Meaney of Registrar and Deputy President and is working to develop the University’s unique education model. Registrar and Deputy President of Technological University Dublin
13 www.nuigalway.ie/cao/ NUI GALWAY OPEN DAY 8th May2021 Guidance Counsellor Newsletter www.nuigalway.ie/guidance- counsellors/newsletter.html Register for our Monthly Register forourMonthly Conference Speakers
Justin McGree is a full-time guidance counsellor, teacher and AP1 holder in Patrician Presentation Secondary School, Fethard - a small DEIS school in Co. Tipperary. He has been teaching for over 20 years and practicing as a guidance counsellor for the majority of these years.
On behalf of the Tipperary branch, he has served on the National Executive of IGC since Feb 2015. Elected Vice President of IGC in Nov. 2017, he currently chairs IGC National Executive meetings, sits on the Finance Subcommittee and has previously held NE roles including Standing Orders Committee Chair and Justin Constitution Subcommittee Convenor. McGree Currently, Justin manages the IGC website, deals with (referred) member queries, Vice President, arranges for updates to the member database system, devises member surveys, Institute of Guidance makes necessary arrangements for AGMs (including the AGM handbook) and Counsellors liaises annually with the Conference Organiser in conference organisation/planning. He also deputises for the IGC President for meetings, committee work, press interviews etc., where required. He is company secretary for IGC (as a limited company) and acts as liaison to the auditor, Companies Registration Office and Charities Regulator. Justin was also appointed in 2018 by the Minister as the IGC nominee on the Management of Guidance Committee, which reports to the Department of Education.
Norma Foley is the Minister for Education. She was appointed to this role in June 2020.
Norma was elected to represent the Kerry constituency in the 2020 general election.
She was previously a member of Kerry County Council for the Tralee area, serving from 1994 until her election to the Dáil in 2020. She also served as a member of Tralee Urban District Council until its abolition in 2014.
Norma Foley, TD
Minister for Eduction
Professor David FitzPatrick is the inaugural President of Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). Professor FitzPatrick joined TU Dublin on its foundation day, 01 January 2019.
Having studied for his Doctorate in Biomechanics from University of Oxford he worked in industry for some years before taking up an academic appointment at UCD, ultimately becoming Principal of the College of Engineering & Architecture and Dean of Engineering.
Professor As President of the first Technological University in Ireland, he is committed David to creating opportunities for access to higher education at all levels. Drawing FitzPatrick on the strengths of its founding institutions, he has established the new university’s strategic direction to 2030 under three pillars of People, Planet President, and Partnership. Technological University Dublin
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Dr Raimo Vuorinen works as Project manager at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER) at the University of Jyväskylä. His research interest is on evidence based lifelong guidance policy development and the use of ICT in guidance.
In 2007-15 he was the Co-ordinator of the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network, ELGPN. He is the Chair of Board of the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policies, ICCDPP and a member of the ETF Editorial Dr Raimo Board. Dr Vuorinen is also an Affiliate Professor with the Faculty of Education Vuorinen and the Centre for Labour Studies at the University of Malta and an Overseas Finnish Institute fellow of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, NICEC for Educational (UK). Research
Simon Harris is the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
He previously served as Minister for Health from May 2016 to June 2020, and as Minister of State at the Departments of Finance PER and Taoiseach with Special Responsibility for the OPW, Public Procurement, and International Banking (incl IFSC) from 2014 to 2016.
Simon was first elected as a TD in 2011 and served as a member of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee. Simon Harris Minister for Further Simon’s involvement in politics began after he established an Autism support and and Higher Education, lobby group in County Wicklow to seek to give a voice to people living with Autism Research, Innovation and their families and to articulate their concerns and needs. and Science Simon is married and a father of one.
Dr Brendan McCormack is the President of the Institute of Technology, Sligo since September 2016. IT Sligo is a higher education institution located in the north-west of Ireland, with in excess of 8,000 students and is a national leader in the delivery of online/blended learning programmes for employee education. Brendan is a graduate of University College Dublin (Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1980 and a PhD in 1997) and of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), USA (Masters of Science in Engineering). He has published academic papers in the area of medical device design.
Brendan has been variously Head of Academic Affairs, Head of School of Dr Brendan Engineering and Head of Department of Mechanical and Electronic McCormack Engineering at IT Sligo, and has been a lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering at UCD. He has also conducted research at the University of Leeds and the President of the Institute of University of Minnesota, USA. He co-founded and led the UCD-TCD Technology, Sligo Bioengineering Research Centre and was deeply involved in building up research in this field in Ireland. Brendan has supervised many masters and doctoral theses, has 6 patents, and over 200 articles in the areas of biomechanics and has developed national strategic plans for the Irish medical devices sector. Prior to taking up the post of IT Sligo President, Brendan was Project Manager for the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which is the coming together of GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT to become a technological university. Brendan hopes to see this ambition realised in 2021. He hill walks, sails, and minds the bees when he is not working.
17
Conference Speakers
Prof Spencer Niles serves as Professor in the Counselor Education Program at the university of William & Mary. Previously, he served as Dean of the School of Education at William & Mary. He was also a Distinguished Professor and Department Head for Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education at the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining the faculty at Penn State, he served as Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Virginia. Spencer Niles is a Past-President of Chi Sigma Iota International and was twice the President of the National Career Development Association (NCDA). Prof Spencer G. Niles He is the recipient of the NCDA Eminent Career Award. Niles is a Fellow of the National Career Development Association and the American Counseling Professor, University Association. He has received numerous awards from the American of William & Mary Counseling Association (ACA) including the Thomas Hohenshil Research Award, the Thomas Sweeney Visionary Leadership and Advocacy Award, the President’s Award, the David Brooks Distinguished Mentor Award, the ACA Extended Research Award, and the Visionary Leader and Advocate Award. He received the Noted Scholar Award from the University of British Columbia. Niles is a Fellow of ACA and NCDA. He served as two-term Editor for The Career Development Quarterly, Editor for the Journal of Counseling & Development, and continues to serve on numerous journal editorial boards. He has authored or co-authored approximately 140 publications and delivered over 150 presentations at national and international conferences. His book Career Development Interventions (6th edition) is the best-selling career text in the world. His forthcoming co-authored books are titled Career Flow and Development: Hope-Action Theory and Career Recovery: Creating Careers with Hope in Difficult Times.
19
President’s REPORT
Dear Delegate,
As we brace ourselves for our second alone. Help, support, a sounding board and calendar year navigating the challenges advice is only a zoom/phone call or an email presented by COVID-19, you continue to away. I would like to take this opportunity to deliver a first class guidance counselling once again encourage you all to sign up for service nationwide to learners across the one of the CPD options available on the IGC lifespan. I am very proud to be the elected website. Regular CPD, regular attendance at President of such a resilient and dedicated counselling supervision and connecting with membership. Your continued professionalism supportive colleagues at branch meetings and commitment to those in your care is will sustain us though what lies ahead. High commendable. quality CPD provision and a first class conference will be essential for the welfare of Since our last conference in NUIG, it has been our members during this pandemic and in its an exceptionally busy 12 months with a regular wake. What follows is my report from April diary of meetings and a steady stream of 2020 to the February 2021, (time of printing). queries from our own members, educational partners, stakeholders, media and the public. What has become evident is that living with REPRESENTATIONS AT FORA COVID-19 our workload is increasing AND MEETINGS incrementally and many things that we had Meeting with IGC Branch Treasurers nailed in practice are out the window as we and Chairpersons have to find new ways to operate, communicate and function. COVID-19 has The Vice President and I hosted a meeting incurred additional time intensive layers of with IGC Branch Treasurers and Chairpersons communications and administrative work. in December 2020. We had a very positive meeting with representation from most of our It has been a very challenging year for us all; 16 branches. We will organise a similar event we have needed to prioritise goals and for branch secretaries. We took the objectives for the year wisely. This is a virus opportunity to clarify: that is claiming lives with as yet unknown long-term implications. Collegiality, cooperation • Implications of SORP, consolidation of and self-care will be our mantra this year as our accounts, Charitable Status for we preserve energy and resources for big the branches ticket items. • The rationale behind the National We need to, now more than ever, support Strategic CPD plan each other, work collaboratively with our • Strategic Plans needed for branch CPD IGC/work colleagues, our educational going forward partners and stakeholders. We work in isolation from each other geographically but • Good governance at branch level is important to remember that we are not
21 IGC National Conference 2021
Many thanks to our branch officers for joining managerial bodies to relay the need to this meeting after a busy day at work. We allocate the 120 posts to the guidance appreciate their continued commitment and counsellors in their schools. We are deeply contribution to the overall workload of appreciative of the continued support and running the organisation. commitment from ISSU, NPCPP and UNICEF to our cause and recognise that we are a Collaboration with ISSU, NPCPP, ETB NPA, significantly more influential force with these UNICEF and IGC and the campaign for full strong stakeholders by our side. restoration of guidance allocations last summer. I flagged to you last term that I re-activated this powerful collaboration which was so I spent last summer lobbying vigorously & impactful last summer. Both ISSU and NPCPP continuously with stakeholders, using the spoke in support of the IGC before the media to maximum effect with the goal of Oireachtas in the last week of November. In securing our guidance counselling December I worked with these organisations allocations. I was approached by UNICEF to collaborate on communications outlining early in the summer and asked to spearhead our concerns to Minister Foley. In their letters, a campaign with this aim. I approached ISSU ISSU, ETB NPA, UNICEF and NPCPP supported and NPCPP and secured their support. We IGC in flagging the need for greater clarity in had several meetings on line together and the recent circular that pertains to the 120 collaborated on a media campaign to this posts restored for guidance counsellors. end. Two Press Releases, a survey between ISSU & NPCpp, a flurry of radio interviews and social media engagements were instrumental to this campaign. The ISSU were influential in securing an invitation for me to a meeting with DES and NEPS personnel back in August.
When the wonderful announcement was made that 120 posts be returned, I continued to lobby the DES, Minister Foley and the Taoiseach to furnish all principals with an urgent amendment to recent circulars. The circular needed to state that the managerial ISSU have indicated they would like to bodies would commit to deploy the 120 posts collaborate with IGC on a new campaign to to guidance counsellors for the delivery of ensure the provision of guidance counselling guidance counselling. Concurrently, I worked to students now that learning has moved on- closely with the ISSU, NPCPP, ETBNPA and line again. I recently met with their Welfare UNICEF who continue to support the IGC in Officers to discuss this, ISSU have 22 Welfare our collaboration to ensure that our Officers who span TY to 6th year and are a allocations are restored. I contacted all seriously impressive group of young people.
22
President’s Address & Reports
Highlights from meetings with exploration of subconscious processes Policy Makers and the resolution of deep-seated conflicts is not generally appropriate for Meeting with Minister Foley this age group or context.” (DES 20131). • Solution - Young people want to be Minister Foley invited the IGC to a meeting to listened to, to be understood, to get things discuss the collaboration with UNICEF, ISSU off their chest. When given the resources and NPCpp last term. Niamh Norris and I met to do so, this is exactly what guidance with Minister Foley & her Policy Advisor, our counsellors do. Resource us appropriately. Guidance Counselling Inspector Esther Doyle The one to one aspect of the role needs to and Evelyn O’Connor from CAP (DoE). The be safeguarded for both Junior Cycle and meeting lasted for over one hour. I presented Senior Cycle students in order to offer the policy stance on a range of challenges appropriate support to students. and solutions (see below) and Niamh reinforced these with practical examples. • Challenge – Insufficient resources/ This approach worked very well. I allocations for guidance counselling in our commenced by outlining our role, working schools. Timetabling us to teach classes context, holistic approach etc… in other subjects takes time from one to one guidance counselling. Next I flagged the Collaboration with UNICEF, • Solution – Pre COVID-19 we needed as an ISSU and NPCpp as Minister Foley had absolute minimum a return to pre 2012 expressed interest in this in her invitation to allocations (as per circular PPT 12/05 meet and then presented a series of which recommends 24 hrs weekly per Challenges & solutions as follows: 500-599 students) for guidance counselling. We now need an urgent • Challenge – the DES need to ensure the restoration of the ex-quota allocation and allocation of 120 posts to guidance a guidance enhancement. We require 1- counsellors and not merely to guidance 250 GC to student’s ratio like the Finnish urgently for this academic year. Clarity is model which is funded separately from needed on how many posts have teacher funding. With accountability/ returned to guidance counselling. transparency at core. It is a model of • Solution – amend the most recent excellence we could emulate if circular to specify the 120 posts be empowered to do so with accountability/ allocated by school principals to the transparency at core. qualified guidance counsellor in the school. • Challenge - Shortages of guidance counsellors. IGC research (2018; 2019; 20) • Challenge –The problem with IACP and also shows that in some schools (currently external providers. Most young people do 22.4%), some aspects of guidance not need psychotherapy, and there needs counselling are delivered by non-qualified to be a clear process for identifying those personnel. who do. “Psychotherapy involving the
1: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/Further-Education-and- Training/Guidance-Counselling-and-Psychological-Services-fund.pdf 23 AAF F
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Learn mmore about our 70+ undergraduate coursess,,p plus our 9 bold new offeringse g President’s Address & Reports
• Solution Baseline CPD designed in response to a • Provide an allowance for the national survey of our members where Guidance Counselling Postgraduate they requested RT, CBT. Release for Qualification (QQI level 9) to encourage attending CPD/supervision, which vital to new applicants to the training course ensure best practice and avoidance of and retain current members. litigation. IGC Survey that week showed: • Create a fast track Practise M.Ed. that • 7.5% of guidance counsellors are recognises prior learning and practical timetabled and will not be released work as part of the course work to for CPD. facilitate qualified guidance • 4.3% of guidance counsellors are counsellors attaining a teaching timetabled and will not be released qualification. for counselling supervision. • Release teachers for postgraduate • 51.3% of guidance counsellors professional training in guidance say nature of work has increased counselling and the required since COVID. professional practicum placement. • Challenge - Meaningful progress report • Challenge - the Guidance Enhancement from Guidance Review Implementation Scheme was removed with the stroke of a Task Force. pen in 2012. 150 schools benefitted from it. • Solution - Inter departmental Some of these schools are not DEIS collaboration on guidance counselling at schools and have been left without policy level – to include Departments of adequate allocations since 2012 with no Education, Children & Youth Affairs, Health, solution in sight. Justice & Equality, Employment Affairs and • Solution – enhanced guidance allocation Social Protection, Business, Enterprise and should be allocated to guidance Innovation, Dept of Ed, Dept of Further and counsellors to facilitate our response to: Higher Education/ Research/ Innovation • Covid-19 and fully addressing the and Science. needs of students with SEN and/or • We urgently seek a role to ensure our socio-economic disadvantage. nation promptly develops policy that is • Supporting the increased number of bottom up and therefore informed by anxious students presenting at front-line practitioners. We are calling our doors. for policy that is bottom up as well • The promotion of apprenticeships, as top down. traineeships. • A guaranteed voice for guidance counsellors working with learners • Challenge – DES directive to principals not across the lifespan on all boards and to release teachers for CPD this year. committees with mental health and • Solution – Minister /DES support for IGC labour market interests relevant to CPD plans and counselling supervision (I our work. mean practical support). Both currently • Plans to be inclusive of the IGC as the delivered online. National Strategic professional body for guidance
25 IGC National Conference 2021
Meeting with DoE to discuss wording of counsellors in stakeholder meetings going Circular for Allocations forward, we were not included in those meetings this summer until ISSU Also following on from our meeting with intervened yet we are the problem Minister Foley, the Vice President and I solvers on the ground. attended a meeting with DoE officials, a guidance counselling inspector and NCGE to Action arising from this meeting – Minister discuss the wording for a circular for Foley asked me to furnish her with evidence. allocations. The main issues we requested be I sent on recent IGC survey results and included in addition to points outlined above individual concerns from members re are: allocations, release for counselling • The total guidance allocation to the supervision and CPD. school needs to be allocated to the qualified guidance counsellor to facilitate time for individual students and time for the co-ordination and review of the Whole School Guidance Plan.
• Schools should release guidance counsellors to attend CPD and professional counselling supervision. We quoted the Framework for Considering Provision of Guidance in Post Primary Schools – September 2012 that states: “School management should facilitate where possible a Guidance Counsellor who wishes to attend professional supervision or continuous professional development organised through the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC). DES communication to school management to facilitate and support This is not an exhaustive description of points guidance counsellor’s attendance at discussed, this was a positive meeting. We counselling supervision and CPD look forward to a progress report from the DoE on this matter. Arising from this meeting with Minister Foley we received a communication from the DoE Review update that school management would facilitate and support guidance counsellor’s I have been informed by the DoE that the attendance at counselling supervision and Implementation Task Force are still working. CPD. This group will bring recommendations to management in the DoE shortly. They
26 ATHENT NA TRAC
The Athena Tracker iss an acaddemic tr acking too olol, which w highlights whe enn a student falls below their potential and may require addditioonal support. This ennsures no student gets missed in a busy school systemm.
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Subject choice - Subject ranking for each Studentt motivationon - Showing students that they individual student based on aptitude teests. are not meeting ththeir potential provvides motivation.
Choice of llevel - Predictions provideded can help Targeta ssettiting - Targetsa can be set foor each student a student cchoosing between Levels.s. for each subject.su
CAOPointts Tracking - Easyy tto quicklyy review Reaeal daata - All baseline data is calcuulated using real what CAO points a studentnt is on track to get. studentst ts and real exam results.
Student reecognitionn - Recognise when students Real timme alerts - Alerts for students falling below are workinng hard anand improving. their own potential in real time.
TheA thenena Traackeer has been reallye heelpfulul for us as guidance counsellors advising our 1st and Traansition Yeare “studentstudents in relatione to choosing their subsubjects for Junior and Senior Cyccle. We used Athena Tracackeer to generatea individualdiv preferred subject rankings fofor each student based on the students incoming CAT4T sccores combinedd with their academic performance inn scschool to date. This encouraages all students to include probobable successss as one of their considerations as partrt of theirt decision processo .
˜ Paul Coourtney Careers aand Guidance Coununsellor / Prresentation College Athenry
We are cuurrently runningunning remote woorkshopspg to get schools set upup in our academic trackinacking tool, the Athenna Tracker, see our website wwww.athena.ie for further details. President’s Address & Reports
confirmed that all views are being taken on • Guidance staff, have an overview of board and that they recognise the holistic the needs of learners and the gaps in model of guidance counselling. programmes and services. Their insights and information can inform the Meeting with Minister Harris development of the FET policy and strategy going forward within ETBs and This meeting was also attended by HEA, the wider community. SOLAS, NCGE, Skillsnet and ETBI representatives. I highlighted the value of • Our motivation to support Irelands guidance counselling, our role and the National Skills Strategy 2025 (DES) with breadth of our service delivering guidance particular reference to the promotion of counselling to learners across the lifespan. new apprenticeships, traineeships, and ETBI, SOLAS and HEA flagged the importance other upskilling opportunities while of our role and praised our LMI (Labour ensuring that our model, ethos and values Market Initiative) CPD that was rolled out to of guidance are not compromised within 16 branches nationwide last year. that process.
I furnished Minister Harris with a number of recent IGC submissions including AGA SOLAS meetings submissions. I explained that the AGA is a professional, impartial, national educational SOLAS approached me about plans to build guidance and information service, located on the LMI CPD roll out last year. This work is within the 16 ETBs. Funded through SOLAS, the at embryo stage, we discussed the type of AGA supports in excess of 50,000 service information guidance counsellors, parents beneficiaries on an annual basis. and students need and how to present it. I flagged the need for their input on I further flagged the need for the following: communicating information about the future of work and routes into areas of forecasted • A Cross Ministerial/ Departmental labour market shortages that will be Framework Guidance Strategy. impacted on by AI/automation/robotics/Big Data and the need for a database of local • The need for an enhanced guidance speakers branch officers can contact to plan allocation. careers events and work experience.
• The current shortage of guidance In December I met with personnel from counsellors and the need for more SOLAS again in preparation for the meeting allocations across the board whilst with Minister Harris. giving graphic examples of challenges on the ground.
• An increase in the national budget for the Adult Guidance Services.
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Senior Cycle Board NCCA / Junior Cycle Colleagues in this situation have spent a lot Board NCCA/ Access Steering Group for HEIs of money qualifying as guidance counsellors, just like us. Just like us they have families to I continue to represent the IGC on these feed and bills to pay. We are not a union; we boards and attend regular meetings. do not have negotiating rights, but we can support colleagues. DCCI & CIF working groups Presentation to the Department I was invited to join a working group on of Transport careers in design DCCI (Design & Crafts I met with representatives from the Council Ireland) and also another working Department of Transport and made a group with CIF by EGFSN (Expert Group on presentation about the IGC to assist them in Future Skills Needs). We are exploring their preparations in advance of delivering methods they can employ to promote their workshop at conference. This workshop careers in design and construction related was recommended by the EGFSN (Expert work to school students. DCCI will present a Group on Future Skills Needs). workshop at our conference this year. Presentation at Mental Health Forum Shortage of Guidance Counsellors and IGC members without teaching qualifications I was invited to speak at the Mental Health working in schools and with teaching Forum, Next steps for improving mental qualifications but who have undergraduate health in Ireland - Sharing the Vision Strategy degrees in subjects not featuring on the in January 2021. I highlighted that: curriculum in second level schools. • Guidance counsellors wish to support I am receiving regular correspondence from students with special educational needs, very distressed colleagues in this plight, 42 to socio-economic disadvantage and date. We have a cohort of IGC members who anxiety – this requires appropriate access. are struggling to secure continuous work because they do not have a teaching • Current referral system needs a structure qualification or they do but their that is incremental with someone to join undergraduate degree is in subjects not the dots. found on a school curriculum. • We need a network of trained personnel in Now that the final 120 posts have been school to support us in the aftermath of restored, I am motivated to support our suicides to ensure students receive members securing these jobs. It is in the best support when it matters. Could a panel of interests of the Institute that these jobs are part time guidance counsellors be filled by professional, qualified guidance resourced to offer this support? counsellors. You are aware that external service providers are actively moving in to that space for a number of years now.
29 IGC National Conference 2021
Launches have been proactive in updating forms required to maintain this essential service. CIF, DCU, NCSE The IGC subcommittee expressed some concerns about internet access in different Recent Seminars attended parts of the country and how this is impacting on the quality of the counselling QQI, CAO, Higher Options, Tánaiste and CPA, supervision experience. We are looking into EUNICAS. this currently.
NCGE Managerial Board
The Vice President continues to represent us on the NCGE Managerial Board and attend regular meetings.
CAO/ AOA meeting
During this meeting in late January, I communicated our concerns and the concerns of ISSU with reference to the deadlines for CAO/HEAR/DARE. I requested a 4 week extension for all 3 and unpacked the Steering Committee for Counselling challenges we are all dealing with as schools Supervision are closed flagging how this slows down the pace of completing these applications for I continue to represent the IGC on this our members and for students. steering committee and attend regular meetings. Noel Farrell has moved on from his The response from CAO was that they position of Chair and Aoife Costello is the had 70,000 applications in already; new Chair of the Steering Committee. We their applications were up on this time last thank Noel for his work and contribution and year. They did not see the need for this wish Aoife every happiness and success in extension. CAO and IUA stated DARE/ HEAR her new role. will not be completed if they move deadlines. They said they are listening to us and will take our views on board, IUA want to see how IGC Counselling Supervision Subcommittee it works out, both CAO and IUA committed & Counselling Supervisors Annual to monitor the situation and take an Workshop extension into account if problems arise. They will look at numbers of applicants for The IGC Counselling Supervision DARE & HEAR coming in. They are looking for Subcommittee have completed their work on trends and will react to trends. the IGC Ethics Guidelines for supervisors and
30 President’s Address & Reports
I then suggested that they would consider delivery of guidance counselling and not simplifying the DARE/HEAR application in the merely to be allocated for guidance. Minister context that some aspects are more difficult Foley assured me that the intention of than others in the absence of physical allocating the 120 posts was that they would contact with students. go to the guidance counsellors.
I invited you to share other ideas on how the Helpline DARE/HEAR form could be simplified to aid students completing these at home, I passed In the context of COVID-19, last summer the on the responses I received. DoE were concerned the IGC would not have At the request of ISSU, I also asked CAO to the personnel to field all of the calls they provide shorter videos focussing on one expected, given the confusion around aspect at a time of CAO/ DARE/HEAR Calculated Grades etc…They invited NPC, ISSU, applications. Huge credit to CAO who NEPS, NCGE to also work on the Helplines. produced the videos within the week. Honor McAndrew and I worked steadfastly at these meetings to communicate to these Helpline Photoshoot stakeholders that only guidance counsellors should work on the Helpline and why that was In August 2020 I attended a scaled back, necessary. This whole process went from early invitation only, photoshoot for the Helpline June with weekly meetings and daily that was attended by the Presidents of the communications to me from Honor, DoE, NPCPP, ISSU, IGC, Minister Foley and a NPCpp staff and officers. representative from the Irish Independent. At the photoshoot, I met Minister Foley, I flagged IGC guidance counsellors were disinclined to to the Minister the need for the 120 posts to work in the Media Centre in Croke Park as be allocated to guidance counsellors for the they had Health & Safety concerns in the
31
President’s Address & Reports
context of COVID-19. At this point I suggested Higher Options we use laptops and do online calls in a bigger space in Croke Park as the DoE were The Vice President and I had two meetings keen to have a presence in there. We this summer with the Irish Times. They reached a compromise when Caroline Duffy decided to proceed with a virtual version of (Dublin West) sourced the Call Centre the HO for the usual fee. We advised them in service with the Engineer willing to be on call both meetings, that they are competing with for the duration of the Helpline. He delivered HEIs who are offering virtual tours for free, soft phones and laptops to the homes of students cannot be depended on to register each guidance counsellor in question and themselves and that they need something conduct a test run with each individual GC more to attract the same numbers as other prior to the Helpline going live. For these years. practical reasons we needed guidance counsellors willing to work on the Helpline NCGE Forum who live within an hour drive max of the Engineer which would allow him to travel to NCGE Forums are currently online and them in real time to remedy any issues with hopefully you are in a position to access the equipment. them.
NCGE meeting Guidance counsellors on the Helpline had over 500 calls on A working group met with NCGE several times this summer to discuss their proposal Day 1, twice what they would to work together collaboratively with the IGC. get on a typical year. Credit to It was recommended that NCGE collaborate with IGC on CPD options for our members on: this team who worked incredibly hard responding to 1. Working on line for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic calls as they come in. 2. Study options overseas in the UK, The DoE were extremely engaged in this Europe and US. process all summer and were very supportive to our members supplying PSI updates: NCGE wish all IGC members to regular updates of FAQ. I would like to in sign up to the PSI register. We are concerned particular acknowledge the leadership role that not all of our members work in 2nd level of Evelyn O’ Connor and Eamonn Moran (CAP schools, our members are under the DoE) and our own Inspector Esther Doyle jurisdiction of 4 separate and distinct throughout this long process where they Ministries’, therefore it is not appropriate for worked evenings and weekends to furnish the IGC to issue a directive to our members me with necessary updates in real time. to sign up to PSI exclusively. Furthermore some of our members working in 2nd level
33 IGC National Conference 2021
are already signed up to BPS; lastly the SEN highest numbers registered for Conference space has changed dramatically since 2014 or in recent years after DCU 2018 and UL 2016. 2016 so the previous agreement signed by IGC We had 202 delegates registered for Friday’s may no longer be tenable for our members. event second highest ever at a Friday night We propose to survey the membership to seek event, surpassed only by UL in 2016. The your views on this matter. conference took place in the very early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and there were a DSGC & NCGE number of cancellations (14) and no-shows (48). NUIG were very positive and described NCGE hosted a meeting with one the conference in terms of having a “positive representative each from AGA, AHECS, NCGE, vibe and lovely energy”. We have uploaded DCU, UL, MU and IGC as we requested. This all workshop presentations received to the first meeting was an introduction. At this new IGC website. meeting an agreement was made to work collaboratively to secure more work AGM experience / relationship building between students on training courses and practicing Once again this year, we had a very positive guidance counsellors. This group will meet and productive AGM. Many thanks to all again this May and then we will have agreed involved in the planning of this event. Thanks 2 meetings annually going forward. in particular to the members of the Standing Orders Committee and Ronny Swain who chaired the motions section of the AGM. EVENTS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS Thanks also to Vice President Justin McGree for organising the logistics of the AGM. We Conference 2020 are working to addressing your motions. We look forward to welcoming you all to our first We were extremely fortunate to be given online AGM in May. authorisation to proceed from the HSE and the Minister for Education’s advisor with what Conference Launch was an outstandingly successful conference in NUIG last March. Our feedback from The theme, for Conference 2021 is Fostering delegates, sponsors, workshop presenters Meaningful Connections & Community in and keynote speakers is that the 2020 IGC Challenging Times. With a pandemic still Conference was a resounding success. A raging across the globe for a full calendar sincere thank you to the Galway/Mayo year now, never was a conference theme branch Conference Organising Committee more apt or more needed. for their attention to detail and super teamwork in rolling out this highly attended The Vice President has put a huge amount of Conference. work into negotiating with TU and liaising with our Conference Organiser to work on options 432 delegates had booked to attend the for what type of conference we can have this conference on Saturday which was the third year. The Official Conference Launch was
34 President’s Address & Reports
made available on the IGC website in early development and the use of ICT in guidance. January. Dr. Spencer Niles serves as professor of counsellor education for William & Mary Conference 2021 College. In addition, Dr Niles is Current president of the National Career We would like to express our thanks to all of Development Association. Both of our our sponsors who helped make the 2021 IGC speakers serve on the International Centre conference a reality: in particular TU Dublin, for Career Development and Public Policy our conference host and main sponsor, Executive Board and we are very excited to supporting sponsor IT Sligo and minor welcome them to our 2021 first ever Online sponsors Careers Portal, LYIT and Maynooth Conference. University.
The Conference Working group met several times to progress work on our:
• Workshops for Conference • Keynote speakers
We sourced 16 workshops and 2 keynote speakers. March Guideline included an easy to use infographic to show how to access the conference on the day, this is reproduced here in the conference brochure. I invited Minister Foley and Harris to address our delegates at conference. Conference planning with the Vice President, Conference Strategic Planning for the Institute Organiser and Head Office staff is absorbing a considerable amount of time and energy Restricted access to Head Office has for us all. A virtual conference is a huge necessitated we be realistic about what we learning curve with lots of extra tasks, can achieve with no physical meetings challenges and hidden costs. possible and having to run Head Office remotely as per NPHET recommendations. On Keynote speakers for IGC conference a positive note, Covid-19 has been an equaliser as regular on-line National Executive I have met with both of our international meetings have removed geographical keynote speakers Dr. Raimo Vuorinen and Dr obstacles to all branches participating and Spencer Niles to plan their speech content. being represented on the NE. Dr. Raimo Vuorinen works as Project manager at the Finnish Institute for In October 2019, I engaged the services of Educational Research. His research interest is Governance Ireland to demystify the work on on evidence based lifelong guidance policy how to meet the requirements of Company
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Law Charities Regulation and Governance our branch treasurers and officers for Code (2019). In addition to this they meeting the deadline for branch returns on facilitated a process where the National CPD spending. Thanks also to the IGC Executive collectively worked on our vision, Bookkeeper, Financial Administrator, and our mission, and values, then prioritised our Auditor for their attendance at meetings and strategic goals for the year ahead. With the careful work on our accounts. We would like pandemic we have had to re-evaluate those to take this opportunity to express our goals. High quality CPD provision and a first appreciation to the TES for their continued class conference are essential for the welfare support of our CPD through this annual of our members during this pandemic and in funding and also for their support of our its wake. Another priority this year will be counselling supervision. working to secure legal recognition for the title guidance counsellor.
Governance Ireland re-engaged with the NE last term to work on good governance as a board and to ratify a Code of Conduct. I completed draft 1 of our 50 page Governance Code last summer, this first draft has been ratified by the NE and the code is now a living document and a work in progress. Pre-Budget Submission
National Executive engagement with NE By the time you read this report, work will be agreed Strategic Goals and AGM motions complete researching and prioritising topics to include in the Pre-Budget submission. In June, the Vice President and I scheduled Each year, weeks are devoted to intensively individual online meetings with all members researching and writing the Pre-budget of the NE to discuss both their individual and Submission on behalf of the IGC and in branches goals. From this input, we devised consultation with subcommittee Chairs. a strategy to achieve NE engagement with Hopefully you have all communicated your our agreed goals and AGM motions by main concerns to your branch identifying areas to individual members representative. The PBS is a valuable means where they expressed interest and then of communicating our key issues to delegating relevant tasks to them with stakeholders and policy makers and to specified timeframes for completion. We setting our agenda for meetings with them. plan to make this an annual event. Strategic CPD update and Organisation’s CPD CPD funding from DoE / TES Workplan for Academic Year 2020 - 2021
I have completed the Organisational Plan The National Executive and I are encouraging and application for this funding. Thanks to you all to sign up for one of the Strategic CPD
37 IGC National Conference 2021
options (see below) as part of your IICP certified 1 day CBT course. This course is commitment to your professional booking fast for the coming months and in development and self-care to bolster you very high demand. against the perils posed by the pandemic. Our ideal is to improve the standard of our CareersPortal “Digitalisation in Guidance CPD nationwide across all 16 branches. Counselling Practice" CPD. This CPD is also You are, as always, encouraged to avail of filling up fast. additional CPD, these are recommendations. All other CPD undertaken needs to be funded Interim Protocols and the Information and by the individual member or from branch Communication Technology (ICT) Guidelines funds where available. Before Easter break 2020, we were issued with National Baseline CPD Progress Report Guidelines from the DES/ NCGE. This was a useful foundation document for practice CBM CPD: This innovative and timely CPD during Covid-19 which we very much event was fully booked for September, appreciated. However, we were still in receipt October and November, December, January of many questions from you and we wanted and February. To cater for all branches to support you and to empower you to nationwide, we offered dates on Tuesdays, continue to offer solutions and deliver a world Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. class guidance counselling service to those in your care. I would like to take this opportunity CBT: Several groups have already completed to express heartfelt thanks to the IGC Policy this CPD option and are full of praise for the Subcommittee and other IGC colleagues with facilitator. Interested members or branches AGA and online expertise who worked together should contact Gerry Cunningham directly at over the Easter holidays to produce these very [email protected] useful documents.
Reality Therapy: Also proving very popular CPD Subcommittee and in high demand, The Glasser Institute report that the Reality Therapy CPD you We have a new CPD subcommittee who requested in our survey last year has been have started work on completing the system either completed, is under way or in planning whereby members can accrue credits of in the following branches: Dublin West, CPD completed. This is building on the Kildare, Midlands, Dublin North, South East, original document written by Pauline North East, South Dublin/ Wicklow. Other Cudmore and Rosaleen Lynch pre COVID. branches who indicated interest before March: Cork, Carlow/Kilkenny, PR/ Media presence Tipperary, Galway/Mayo. Members interested in availing of this CPD need to The week after our conference last March, book directly with the Glasser Institute, for COVID-19 broke. Friday of that week, I was details see the CPD section on the IGC invited onto The Late Late Show to contribute website. on a panel of speakers representing areas
38 President’s Address & Reports
varying from Health to Finance. Following this events and to provide a point of contact in I did interviews with Q102/FM104, and wrote each branch for new/returning members. articles offering student support that were There will also be a sharedspace where published on the NPCpp website and in The members can share resources, lists of local Irish Times. Subsequently I had articles in Irish supports etc. We expect to launch this at Times, Irish Examiner, and did further radio conference. Thanks to our Vice President for interviews with KFM. driving this project.
Throughout the summer the IGC received a Office Staff update and Staff Training lot of media attention, I had appearances on the RTE news x 2, Virgin Media News x 2, Following government guidelines we are still regular interviews throughout the summer working remotely. Managing the office and with Q102, LMFM, KFM, Shannonside, and The staff remotely is proving to be more time Breakfast Show Newstalk. There was further intensive. Our head office staff have adjusted Irish Independent coverage and regional extremely well to working from home and are papers who picked up these stories as well showing a lot of initiative and dedication to as extensive social media coverage. We had their work. Both staff members have worked further extensive coverage on social media, hard to move much of the administrative also Press Releases on the Helpline again to work online and this is facilitating our working all media contacts, RTE news Thursday remotely. The Office Administrator, Edel October 1st, LMFM Monday October 5th. Williams, continues to deal with queries in the first instance and divert finance related In February I did interviews with Newstalk, queries and work to the Financial Midwest radio. I continue to exploit every media Administrator, Una O’Maonaigh. At our opportunity that presents itself to promote the weekly online meetings we set and review IGC, the Helpline, guidance counsellors working work targets. We have worked with our in schools to support 7 year groups and to bookkeeper to update our bookkeeping and appeal to stakeholders to deliver the necessary we have moved from the outdated TAS allocations to our members. system we used to Quickbooks. The staff have undergone training on this and also Thanks to our PRO Roisin O’Donohue and new training on how to upload material to the member to the PR subcommittee, Julie website, how to use the membership O’Connor for their PR work helping us to database, how to handle queries and how to promote the conference this year. Julie is work most effectively in an online also leading a working group who are environment. It has been an extremely busy planning online meetings to support new year fielding member’s queries and queries members to the IGC. from the general public.
Plans for the IGC website A word of gratitude
Work is ongoing on the development of 16 A sincere thank you to our outgoing National editable branch pages to highlight CPD Executive members for their contribution. We
39
President’s Address & Reports
Fully half (50%) reported that demand for their services has increased...coupled with a 64% reduction in volunteers, reduced staff availability (40% have cut staff hours), 65% of charities now say their ability to deliver services has been compromised.
With that in mind, I would like to thank our branch officers in all 16 branches and all of our subcommittee members for your lost a few NE members this academic year. voluntary work. Without your contributions, An NE rep can serve 1, 2 or 3 terms of 2 years the IGC organisation could not function. each if elected by their branch. Some of our reps are leaving for workload or COVID-19 I would like to acknowledge our staff at head related reasons, others had completed the office for their work and valued contribution maximum 6 years. It is sobering to hear the to the IGC; our Conference Organiser Carmel impact that COVID-19 has had on some of Dooley and her colleague Rachel Bourgault our colleague’s lives already, we have for their attention to detail organising our members who have contracted COVID-19, conferences and for sourcing the advertising are caregivers to loved ones fighting for their for Guideline. Also a huge thanks to Siobhan lives and sadly some colleagues have Brennan our Bookkeeper, who always goes already experienced COVID-19 related the extra mile for the IGC, Gerry Poynton our bereavements. May their loved ones RIP. IT support who cannot do enough to help us, and to our loyal legacy IGC members: Brian The Vice President and I are delighted to Howard (our Webmaster) and Fred Tuite welcome so many new NE members (editor of Guidelines) and Honor Mc Andrew including representation from branches that for her sterling work organising the IGC have not had an NE rep for some time like Helpline. Thanks to you our members for your Kildare, Midwest and Tipperary branches. We support and acknowledgement of our fully appreciate the significance of their continued representations and endeavours collective contribution and the need for a full on your behalf. Last, but not least, to our quorum at NE meetings for IGC business to dedicated, steadfast and talented Vice continue as usual. We very much look President, Justin McGree, it is a pleasure to forward to re-energising the NE with their work with you. I wish you all a fruitful and individual and unique contributions. We have enjoyable Conference 2021. reprioritised our IGC strategic goals for 2020 – 2021 in the context of the pandemic, to Yours in guidance counselling, focus on necessary work with the best interests of our members at the fore front of Beatrice Dooley, this process. President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. A recent survey rolled out by The Wheel revealed that of their members:
41
Committee REPORTS
PR Subcommittee 2021
PR Subcommittee Members: • To support and actively engage in the Roisin O'Donohoe, South Dublin/Wicklow work of updating and developing the IGC Branch website and branding. Julie O’Connor, Mid-West Branch • To develop and maintain our online social Beatrice Dooley, South Dublin/Wicklow media presence. (Twitter and Website) Branch and President • To engage a solid working relationship with the various committees in the IGC to Terms of Reference support the ongoing work in promoting • To ensure that the work of the guidance and reinforcing the professional role of our counsellor across the lifespan is promoted members at all levels. and represented across all platforms • To build a network of links at a local level • To work with our branch representatives to where the work of GCs can be seen. i.e. support PR at a local and national level to representation in local press and media; advocate for the professional voice of the forge strong connections with GC across the lifespan across personal, employers/educational social and vocational – holistic Guidance providers/representative bodies Counselling. • To build awareness for all members of the opportunities that exist through PR Subcommittee goals: involvement with their local IGC branches • To continue to promote collegiality and • To link with stakeholders across a variety the strong participation of all members in of media to promote and develop the the activities of the Institute, particularly professional status of GCs across our annual conference and CPD at the lifespan. branch level.
Qualifications and Membership
Subcommittee training programmes, to ensure that This subcommittee will give advice to Guidance Counsellors are formed in a member applicants on Guidance and holistic way to meet the needs of learners Counselling qualifications and Membership and clients. issues. We will work within the framework of the IGC Constitution and according to its Committee Members: criteria. We will review and validate Guidance Liam O’Brien.
43
Developing & Supporting Quality GUIDANCE Provision The National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) is the agency of the Department of Education, with responsibility to support and develop Guidance practice in all areas of education and to inform the policy of the Department in the fi eld of Guidance. Develops Guidance materials Provides advice on good practice Supports innovation and pilot projects Disseminates information to Guidance Counsellors Develops and organises Continuing Professional Development Carries out a range of surveys and related research on Guidance practice and needs Hosts the National Forum on Guidance Informs the Department of Education on policy development for Guidance in the education sector NCGE also host EuroGuidance Ireland, part of a network of centres Acmhainní LNTO linking together the Careers NCGE Guidance systems in Europe. Resources
NCGE provides and continually develops resources to inform and support Guidance provision. NCGE are available to Resources include: policy and practice guidelines, resources for support you. Guidance delivery, resources for digitalised Guidance, templates Contact us at to use in Whole School Guidance planning, resources to use with [email protected] students / clients, ongoing CPD, Guidance webinars and more. In support of YOUR Guidance delivery we invite you to access our evolving online suite of Guidance resources at www.ncge.ie/resources
[email protected] @ncgeGuidance www.ncge.ie/subscribe www.ncge.ie Committee Reports
Professional Practice Working Group Members: The second focus is to research / progress Liam Harkin (Donegal Branch), Liam O’Brien the setting up of an Irish Journal of Guidance (Tipperary Branch), Roisin O’Donohoe (South and Counselling (working title) as an Dublin / Wicklow Branch), Beatrice Dooley academic journal and repository for (President). research pertaining to all aspects of guidance and counselling in Ireland. This Terms of Reference would highlight the professional nature of our The Working Group has agreed to focus on work across the different sectors and would two policy areas between now and March be the “go to” destination for anyone 2022. researching guidance in Ireland.
The first focus of the group to research / The first meeting, which was held online via progress the term “guidance counsellor” as Zoom on 11th February was essentially an a recognised legal entity in Ireland and as initial scoping exercise. the official job title for our professional role.
45 46 CONGRATATULAATTIONS FROMM TU DUBLIN
As President of TU Dublin, I would like to congratulate the Instituute of Guidance Counsellors for ensuring that this important annual Conference can take place, even though we can’t gather together in the usual wayay.y.I particularly regret that this year as my colleagues and I were very much looking forward to welcoming you to our Grangegorman campus and to show you the transformation that has taken place since some of you visited us just over a year ago. However,r, that is a pleasure postpponed, not cancelled!
Like you, in your Schools and in IGCC, TU Dublin has responded to the challenges that havave afflicted the country and the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a sobering year,r, with families across the country havaving to cope with financial difficulties, illness and indeed bereavavement. YYoou will havave seen all of this in your School communities, just as we have with our large and diverse student body.y.
I believe that, collectively,y, the whole education system has responded valiantly.y. I congratulate you all for how you are supporting your students whho are dealing withlh lots of uncertaainty and change in how they are learning, how they will be assessed, and what that will mean for their further education paths.
In TU Duublin we also havave redesigned just about everything we do, from innovation in virtual classes, to online clubs and societies; from making the Student Health Centre and other suupport services accessible thhroughout, to conferring over 6000 successful graduates at virtual ceremonies for our classs of 2020. We have also created our dynamic online prospo ectus atwwwt wwww.tudublin.ie/C/CAO.
WeWe are perhaps better prepared than ever to welcome your stuudents to TU Dublin in September 2021 and we warmly invite you to contact us with any queries about our programmes and other activities. As you know, our School Liaison team isaavvailable to visit you and your classes virtually for now. As soon as it is possible to do so, I would like to extend a heartffelt invitation to you all to visit us at our Blanchardstown and TaTallaght campuses and in particular to visit our wonderful new campus in Grangeegorman.
Please read on for some news from TU Dublin, and please havave a successful and energising conference.
Professor Davavid FitzPatrick 47 President, TU Dublin The first digital only Meet our School prospectus in Ireland Liaison Team
Perhaps a hugely positive technological change accelerated by COVID-19 was the introduction of the TU Dublin CAO Hub at tudublin.ie/cao - a digital-only prospectus filled with engaging content for prospective students. Adrian Payne, Marketing & Communications Manager at TU Dublin, says, “The TU Dublin CAO Hub is a one-stop-shop for anyone considering undergraduate study at TU Dublin with information about all of our campuses, disciplines and campus life. While we did miss the festival atmosphere of a big crowd of students at our campus Open Days, the online events offer other benefits. For example, they allow lots of people to participate who may not have been able to come in person; visitors can ask their questions and also see answers to other people’s questions that interest them, and we recorded live events so that others can watch Adrian Payne them later. New content is added to the CAO Hub regularly, [email protected] including Spotlight On - tudublin.ie/cao/spotlight-on, a video series with current students and graduates of various discipline where they discuss their experiences at TU Dublin
offering invaluable advice to students considering their
CAO choices.” The TU Dublin CAO Hub“ “ is a one-stop-shop
TU Dublin is hopeful that normal on-campus teaching activity will have resumed fully by September 2021 but a Fiona Canning blended learning approach may be one of the lessons learnt fi[email protected] from this academic year. TU Dublin has the structures to manage online teaching, and welcoming new students to our community is a priority ensuring that every student gets to enjoy the full college experience. The Leaving Certificate class of 2021 is accustomed to learning online, but adjusting to third-level can be difficult even in ordinary circumstances. Our advice to your students is to fully research their choices and take advantage of the resources available at tudublin.ie/cao. If they have any questions please tell them to ask us online or to contact our Admissions team via email tudublin.ie/study/admissions-office.
If you or your students have questions, our door is always open via our website - tudublin.ie/cao, our social media Lynda Young channels or by contacting our School Liaison Team - [email protected] tudublin.ie/cao/about-us/school-liaison-team. Creating the full
Katherine Walsh student experience [email protected] remotely
Starting University can be daunting at first, but as we all know it was particularly difficult for the class of 2020. In preparation for this unusual academic year, TU Dublin developed a virtual welcome pack for new and returning students, including all the information that would help them to enjoy their University experience while keeping safe on- campus. Getting started academically is very important, but student health and well-being is essential. The virtual orientation was designed to highlight the wide range of supports available to help students to adjust and to ensure that they would know who to ask for help even if they were away from campus. Laura Corry [email protected] So, how has the year been so far? Student Support Teams have reported that it’s been a busy one! Both new and returning students have had a difficult year, with cases of heightened anxiety and mental health issues. Additional government funding was made available to augment student counselling and well-being across the sector, and as the largest University in the country, TU Dublin received over €500k. As a result, students who were struggling for any reason could avail of the free counselling service, while Student Health Centres have been available to any student with a health issue.
Outside of college work, Clubs and Societies can be the glue that brings students together and can be their creative Gareth O Neill outlet away from the books. Colleagues across the University [email protected] worked tirelessly with student volunteers to put together a line-up of online activities from quizzes, sporting challenges, comedy workshops, fitness sessions, dramatic and musical performances and online volunteering opportunities.
Or contact us at [email protected] Agile teaching practices supporting online learning
For the whole education system, from primary to university, 2020 has been a year of upheaval, At TU Dublin it precipitated a significant shift in how we use technology positively to engage with our students. When our campuses closed in March 2020, the University quickly moved teaching and assessment activity online as well as all of the support services usually available on-campus. When the new academic year began in late September most lectures had to be held virtually, but we managed to bring back some on-campus practical work in studios, workshops, kitchens and laboratories. Unfortunately that wasn’t possible at the beginning of Semester Two, due to heightened restrictions, but TU Dublin is ready to recommence practical classes when public health restrictions are eased with procedures in Financial Supports place designed to keep everyone safe. TU Dublin Student Support Fund According to Dr Jen Harvey of the Learning Teaching The TU Dublin community has risen to the Technology Centre at TU Dublin, many students unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19 responded well to online learning. The University and the many generous ways in which colleagues developed resources and hosted seminars to assist have supported our students, particularly those who students in completing assessments and examinations are most vulnerable. The President launched a new on the University’s Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). Student Support Fund last summer and staff, graduates “Over the summer, we reviewed the shift to online and other donors raised over €30,000. Administered teaching to see what worked and what we needed to by the TU Dublin Foundation, the fund has assisted change for the following academic year. We created students at all levels and from all backgrounds in a a baseline set of good practice recommendations to range of supports from assistance with purchasing design and manage modules on our VLEs. In addition, devices to providing emergency financial assistance. we surveyed students to determine their key concerns, and we used our experience and feedback from Laptop Loans students to develop an online experience that utilised the best pedagogical practice.” In the summer of 2020, TU Dublin received funding
from the Government and the HEA to make laptops
available on a long-term loan basis to students in we used our experience and feedback “ particular need. Talking about the initiative, Sinéad from“ students to develop an online experience Dunne, Student Services and Supports Officer said, that utilised the best pedagogical practice “Since the Laptop Loan Scheme came into operation, TU Dublin has offered 1,129 laptops Of course there are downsides to what has been to students, and the programme will be open for enforced online learning. Students especially miss the the 2021/2022 academic year too. So, if you know a everyday interactions they usually enjoy with their peers student coming to college next year who may need and lecturers, so every effort is made to keep students assistance with equipment for third-level, please make engaged and to reinforce the sense of a community of them aware of the scheme.” learners. Dr Harvey says, “This could be anything from using online icebreaker activities, or providing an online Projects to Support Students with Disabilities social space for students to talk about their work away TU Dublin aims to make access to university widely from lecturers. Many lectures are recorded so students available. In particular the University wants to eliminate can return to them later if, for example, broadband is barriers for any student with a disability, including imperfect, or they would like to take more time to reflect sensory and physical disabilities, specific learning on the content.” difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, mental health conditions and significant ongoing illness. TU Dublin While unwelcome, the experience has given both has received funding from the Fund for Students with students and lecturers a different perspective on how Disabilities for a number of new projects, including an to communicate ideas and how to focus. Resilience has initiative for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. been the watchword. Being Global – European University of Technology
As a new University, a key ambition is to connect TU Dublin students and staff with their counterparts worldwide. Last year, we announced an exciting new partnership - the European University of Technology (EUt+) in which TU Dublin has joined forces with seven other European universities:
• Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria • Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus • University of Technology of Troyes, France 10,000 students move • Hochschule Darmstadt, University of Applied Sciences, Germany to Grangegorman • Riga Technical University, Latvia campus • Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania • Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Spain TU Dublin students are migrating from Kevin Street, Rathmines and Cathal Brugha Street to occupy amazing European Universities aim to promote European values new facilities on the Grangegorman campus. The East and identity and to revolutionise the scope and quality Quad, which includes a 400-seat concert hall, an 80- of universities for the future. To achieve this major seat Black Box Theatre, an 80-seat Recital Hall, a dance step forward, the European Commission is testing studio and extensive exhibition spaces, will be the new different cooperation models, and EUt+ is one of the home for students of Music, Drama, Creative Arts, Media, alliances selected to examine their potential to effect Law, Social Sciences and Languages, and a new cultural transformation of higher education. hub for the city. Meanwhile, the 36,000m2 Central Quad will have state-of-the-art facilities for students of What does this mean for your students? Sciences, Health, Engineering, Culinary Arts, Tourism and A significant benefit for students will be enhancing the Hospitality Management, with its high spec laboratories, Erasmus+ mobility programme providing students with kitchens and training restaurant. Alongside the new more opportunities to study in our EUt+ institutions. construction, a number of 19th century buildings on the A new pedagogical framework will also be developed campus have been magnificently refurbished and will to prepare students for careers in a technologically- provide a range of other facilities on campus including enabled global workforce through module where a one-stop shop for all student services, a Wellness students from across EUt+ will work together on projects Centre, dining areas, Student Union offices, and space and assignments. EUt+ will adopt a challenge-based for Clubs and Societies. The campus library is now approach where students, academics and external located in Park House, beside the North Circular Road partners can cooperate in interdisciplinary teams to entrance. It includes three spacious floors dedicated to tackle the biggest issues facing Europe today to fully the print collection; study spaces, the Academic Writing integrate a new teaching model. and Maths Learning Centres.centre. CHECKLIST for Joining the IGC Virtual National Conference
1 NAVIGATE TO www.igcconference.ie and click login (this will be the pink button at the top right hand corner)
Ensure you have your login username. (preferred e-mail address on your IGC member account)
2 Ensure you have your password Please note this is NOT the password you use to access your member account. This is a new password sent to your e-mail on the week of March 22nd, 2021. *Please check your spam folder if you have not received it yet.
3 Pre-Conference Log-in Please log-in to the conference website www.igcconference.ie by 12th April 2021 to ensure you have the correct username and password.
When you log-in before 12th April you will see the 4 following confirmation message pop-up on your screen You have successfully logged-in to the IGC Virtual National Conference platform. Please check back here from 8am on 12th April to book your 1-2-1 exhibitor chats and begin your pre-conference browsing experience.
Pre-Conference Browsing Experience from 8am 5 12th April From 8am on 12th April, you will be able to browse the conference platform and book your 1-2-1 chats with exhibitors. Please note while you will be able to book chats, exhibitor booths will not be staffed nor fully operational in terms of resources until 8am Saturday 17th April. We strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with the conference platform to enhance your experience of the conference on Saturday 17th April.
52 DEVICE TECH we recommend using a desktop or laptop when SUPPORT: accessing the conference. PRE-CONFERENCE For login/username/password queries BROWSER up to Friday 16th April please email we recommend using [email protected] Chrome, Safari or Firefox browsers. DAY OF CONFERENCE For login/username/password queries HEADSET & MIC or difficulties in accessing the for optimum performance platform on the day of conference ensure you have a working please call microphone and speakers 087 340 9727 or headphones either built 083 018 5888 in or ones you can connect 083 018 5972 to your device. Otherwise, WHILE LOGGED IN TO you will not be able to hear CONFERENCE PLATFORM the presenters or engage in any audio or video chats For queries while logged in to the with exhibitors. conference platform on the day of conference, please navigate to the info desk and click either delegate queries for non-technical queries or tech support for technical issues
53 IGC NATIONAL FOSTERING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS & COMMUNITY CONFERENCE 2021 IN CHALLENGING TIMES VIRTUAL • INTERACTIVE • LIVE • ON DEMAND A Step by Step Guide
April 17th • 9am – 2pm www.igc.ie
To login to the virtual platform, you need to click on ‘Login’ button, enter your email and click on ‘Login’ button.
GETTING MAIN PAGE STARTED Type in the URL: www.igcconference.ie LOG-IN You will then be prompted to enter This guide will help you make the the password provided to you via most of your participation at the in the address bar of your IGC NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021. browser to visit the online event. e-mail on the week of March 22nd, and then click the "Login" button. Follow our step by step guide to Recommend browsers: easily navigate the virtual platform Chrome, Safari or Firefox * Please note: The email address that you will use to login as a delegate. for best performance. with be the email you have selected on your IGC member account as "preferred"
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE IGC VIRTUAL LOBBY NAVIGATING YOUR WAY AROUND THE IGC VIRTUAL CONFERENCE NAVIGATION BAR: on theboothdirectlyfrom thehall. to visit. or leftinordertofindthe boothyouwish in theExhibitionHall.Youcanscrollright All exhibitorbooths(stands)canbeseen Hall: Exhibition THE IGC NAVIGATING 1 To gotoyourdesiredbooth, click BAR Navigation VIRTUAL CONFERENCE YOUR WAYAROUND Below isasneakpreviewofwhattheplatformwilllooklike. platform. any ofthetabs&itwillleadthemtothatspecificarea enabled fortheconference.Exhibitors&Delegatescanclickon The navigationbarcontainsthelistofallfunctionalities booth in the ExhibitorIndex. clicking on thenameof go toyourdesired boothby Exhibition Hall,you canalso the “ExhibitorsIndex” inthe booths isalsoavailablein Alternatively, thelistofall Clicking on a booth name will take you inside that BOOTH company’s VIEW booth.
1. Description: A brief profile of 4. Chat: Clicking on the chat 6. Booth Imagery: Some booths the company/firm. button will take you to a new will have links within their window “Live Chat room”. booth imagery, by clicking
BOOTH VIEW: 2. Displays a list of Documents these it will take you to a 3rd available which can be 5. Book a Chat: Clicking Book a party website/link (e.g. viewed by clicking on the Chat allows you to book a 15 College website, view button. minute chat time with one of the Organisation Website). 3. Videos: Displays a list of available booth reps. This can be Videos available which can done through text, audio or be viewed by clicking on the video. These chats can be view button. pre-booked from April 14th, 2021. EXHIBITION 2 3
VIDEO VAULT RESOURCES
Like the video vault, the resources tab accumulates
YOUR WAY AROUND all the documents/presentations uploaded by different exhibitors participating in the event in one place. Use the resources vault to filter out documents from exhibitors that interest you. VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The video vault is an area which accumulates all the videos uploaded by different exhibitors participating in the event in one place. Use the video vault to filter out videos from exhibitors that interest you. NAVIGATING THE IGC 4
SWAG BAG Swag Bag is the virtual link to your resource bag.
To add documents in your swag bag, go to Resources tab, click on “+swagbag” option visible infront of each listed document & it will be added into your swag bag – from SWAG where you can email yourselves the selected documents. BAG
5
AUDITORIUM
The Auditorium area is where you can view all the sessions. Click on the main screen to list the sessions available to attend. They There will be 2 tabs: “Plenary”, and will be listed similar to the below: “Workshops”. Under Plenary you will find the various Keynote speaking sessions, YOUR WAY AROUND and under “Workshops” is where you will find each workshop listing.
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE Each session has a countdown timer next to it; you will be able to join the sessions once the countdown timers next to each are up. For the sessions that have ended, you can watch them later as well; they can be found towards the end of the list, make sure to refresh the page for the most up-to-date list. THE IGC NAVIGATING DESK: 6 INFORMATION INFO DESK
DELEGATE QUERIES The Infodesk is 3 chatrooms Delegate Text Chat Queries, Exhibitor Queries or Technical 1-2-1- Video/Audio Call Support where all your queries on the platform will be answered during the event EXHIBITOR QUERIES from 8am -3pm Saturday 17th April Text Chat A dedicated technical rep will be available to 1-2-1- Video/Audio Call Support answer any questions regarding the virtual environment. Just click on the banner which says “Tech Support” & it will lead you to the TECHNICAL SUPPORT Tech support chat room. For other non-tech Text Chat related queries, please click on the banner which says Delegate Queries. 1-2-1- Video/Audio Call Support 7
Click the ‘networking’ tab to enter the Live Chat room, this YOUR WAY AROUND will open a new tab in your Internet Browser.
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE Exhibitors and Delegates can have Group as well as Private 1-1 chats. Group Chats refers to chats, which are not private, where delegates or exhibitors CONFERENCE attending the conference can access. On the left hand side you will see a list of all exhibitor TEXT CHAT chatrooms, and the "Main Conference Chat", click on NAVIGATING THE IGC any of these to join the conversation. When you have (GROUP CHAT) joined, the centre space is where you can see the group conversation. To initiate a private chat with either a delegate or exhibitor you must first open the chat tab by clicking on "Networking" or, from the exhibition hall, by clicking on the chat function on CHAT INSTRUCTIONS: a booth.
PRIVATE All exhibitors will have their own Chat Room, in addition there is also the Main Conference Chat Room, where delegates can converse. TEXT CHAT Once you are in a chat room, you will see the list of "online users" on the right hand side, (1-2-1) within that particular chat room. Only those users who have the chat open and have joined a particular chat room will appear as online. Hover over the name of an online user and click "Chat Now" to have a private chat. Your centre space will now be the private chat conversation.
To initiate Audio or video call with fellow delegates, click on the small video icon at the top of the private chat.
There you will see the option to start Video call.
Once you initiate a Video call, a new tab will open on your browser. Your browser may request permission to use your camera and YOUR WAY AROUND your mic. Once you have enable these your Meet/Call via video call will commence. If you wish to have Audio/Video an audio only call, you can turn your camera
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE off by clicking on cam at the bottom of the screen. Please remember to close this tab on your browser when your call is over.
IGC NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021 NAVIGATING THE IGC 17th April 2021 • www.igc.ie
Main Sponsor TU Dublin WELCOME TO IT SLIGO
It is an exciting time here at IT Sligo as we move towards becoming a Technological University. This is mirrored in our course offering. We have a range of innovative and unique options across our new and established programmes.
SCIENCE • Home to one of the largest Science schools in Ireland, our Science building was NEW transformed in 2014. State of the art facilities, industry spec equipment and individual lab spaces allow our students to learn by doing. Health and Medical Information Science is a completely • We have close links with industry giants such as Abbotts and AbbVie. online programme which These Biopharma companies, amongst others, take a particular interest equips students with a broad in our Science students. understanding of healthcare management, delivery, Our Health Science and Nutrition programmes are not only professionally • audit and governance. accredited by various international bodies, they also allow progression to further study in areas like Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics. Go to itsligo.ie/sg530 • We offer work placement across many of our programmes. 87% of our graduates said this gave them a distinct advantage in gaining full time employment. • We have an excellent reputation of producing highly skilled graduates, meaning students in all our Science programmes are in high demand.
ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION • Our new suite of Level 8 Engineering Programmes all share a common first year. NEW Students then choose from Civil, Mechanical, or innovative areas such as Self Driving Technologies or Robotics and Automation. Our work-based degree in Mechatronic Systems • Accredited programmes in engineering, construction, and quantity surveying, Engineering, sees students open up a world of opportunities to our graduates. spend three days per week in the workplace and two days • An emphasis on practical skills, access to the latest technologies, industry- studying online. based projects, and work placement, ensures our engineering and construction graduates have the skills employers want. Go to itsligo.ie/sg335 COMPUTING • We have developed our programmes in partnership with industry experts. NEW • All students enjoy the benefits of a common first year. Computing, Games Electronics and Self Driving Development, Software Development or Networks and Cloud Infrastructure are Technologies combines the the specialist options available from year two. electronics we use every day, with this innovative and exciting • Work placement and industry-based projects are key components of these area. In fact, Ireland is one of the programmes. Over 70% of our students gain employment directly from their world’s major hotbeds for these work placement. technologies. • These are hands on programmes with lots of time spent in computer labs, Go to itsligo.ie/sg350 as students develop their skills using industry standard technology.
YEATS ACADEMY OF ARTS, DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE • The newly formed Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture is home to NEW our creative students and a brand new €17 million building. Now offered completely online • This centre of excellence incorporates state of the art facilities and individual and full time on campus, our studio spaces. Writing and Literature degree exposes students to all forms • Students from creative design, fine art, interior architecture, writing and of writing, so they leave with an literature, performing arts and our RIAI accredited Architecture programme, extensive portfolio and clear will have the full benefit of this collaborative environment. literary voice. • An emphasis on studio time and developing creativity, has seen our students Go to itsligo.ie/sg254 win multiple National and International awards in recent years.
BUSINESS • We now offer a fully online Higher Certificate in Business through the CAO. NEW This joins our full time on campus Business programmes where students can specialise in HRM, Marketing or Finance in year four. Business and ICT meets the industry demand for this skillset, • Degrees combining Business with areas such as Marketing, Sport, Tourism and allows graduates to pursue a PME Languages, allow students to study their passion from the very beginning. and comes with optional Google Analytics and Microsoft awards. • Our Accounting degree comes with maximum exemptions from accountancy bodies. No third level provider can offer more. Go to itsligo.ie/sg145 • The Faculty won the best business and third level collaboration award at the Education Awards in 2018.
SOCIAL SCIENCES • Our Level 8 Social Care Practice programme was the first in Ireland to secure NEW CORU approval. Law and Business is an innovative • This department is home to some of our three-year Arts degrees – degree developed in line with English & Psychology, Sociology & Politics and Law & Business. industry. The programme opens up a wide range of career and • Work placement is a key component of both Early Childhood Care and Education further study opportunities. and Social Care Practice. Students work in various professional environments, which helps them decide on their career path. Go to itsligo.ie/sg255 • Several postgraduate options allow students to continue their studies at IT Sligo. These include an MA in Social Work and an MA in Leadership and Advocacy in Early Years. SPACEE | SURVEYORS | STUDENTS
HOOW CAN YOU GEET YOUR SCHOOOL INNVOLVED WITH TTHE 5*S PROGRRAMME?
All schools with students in Junior CycleorTransition Year arewelcome togo getg involveded. The learninng outcomes of the 5*S programme areclosely linkked to the Junior Cycleccurriculum across geoggraphy, science and CSPPE.
If you areateacher (or if you knowateacher) interested in teaching about thee SustainableDevelopment Goals and linking in with practitioners who will usee satellite, spatial and GIS datatoexplain conceepts in your curriculum, SCSSI Education Team [email protected] would loveto hear from you. Discovering Space The 5*S programme offers second level junior cycle and transition year students and schools an opportunity learn about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and engage in activities that can SPACEE | SURVEYORS | STUDENTS help to fulfil them.
Opportunity in adversity “GeoMentors” who will provide a 1-hour demo to classes in Junior Cert Geography or Science or to Transition Year The current restrictions present a challenge for all of us. The Students. landscape for how we engage with friends, family, colleagues and students has changed utterly. Education, Who are GeoMentors and what will they do? training and schools’ programmes are traditionally delivered face to face and there are significant challenges GeoMentors are typically researchers, surveyors and related in transferring these interactions to an online medium, professionals who use spatial and/or GIS data either in their particularly when it comes to the more human level of day-to-day work or in their studies. Some of our networking and engaging with other people. However, with GeoMentors are students in full-time or part-time adversity comes opportunity and as a robust profession, geomatics, GIS, geography or related undergraduate or Chartered Surveyors continue to operate even in the most postgraduate programmes. Others are professionals who difficult circumstances. At the Society of Chartered work in surveying, agriculture, forestry, and marine. They all Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), we feel that it is vital that we as a have expertise in the sector and are eager to help profession maintain contact and engagement with students encourage the next generation to consider careers in in schools to help ensure that we harness the potential of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). the next generation of surveyors. GeoMentors are trained to impart to students how satellite, spatial and GIS data can be harnessed to inform a range of How we engage with schools reflects on our profession and activities within our daily lives, ranging across agriculture, influences some of the choices that students will make marine, forestry, urban and rural planning, and monitoring about their careers. Both surveyors and the SCSI have shown of service provision, to name just a few. From there, during the current crisis that we are dynamic, resilient and GeoMentors are equipped to explain how data can be used agile professionals who embrace change. With the change to develop more sustainable practices. in how we work as professionals, we are also living in a time of seismic social change. Students are increasingly School visits interested in how change will impact on their futures and particularly in matters relating to climate change and GeoMentors are paired up with a school via sustainability. The 5*S schools project helps teachers to videoconferencing to provide insights remotely. They will teach about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and give a one-hour (approx.) online demo to classes in Junior engage in activities that help to fulfil them while aligning Cert geography or science or transition year using with existing learning outcomes. StoryMaps.
What is the 5*S programme? What schools can get involved?
The SCSI, in partnership with Maynooth University, TU Dublin, The 5*S programme is aimed at Junior Cycle and Transition Esri Ireland and Ordnance Survey Ireland, has developed a Year students. All schools with students in Junior Cycle or school’s programme to showcase spatial and Geographic Transition Year are welcome to get involved. The learning Information Systems (GIS) data to students. The programme outcomes of the 5*S programme are closely linked to the has been developed following an SFI Discover award funded Junior Cycle curriculum across geography, science and CSPE. by Science Foundation Ireland and ESERO Ireland. 5*S builds on two existing national school-based programmes. A How can I get my school involved? collaboration between Esri Ireland’s award-winning ArcGIS for Schools programme and the SCSI Day in the Life If you are a teacher (or if you know a teacher) interested in recruitment programme offers the opportunity to combine teaching about the Sustainable Development Goals and a national network of volunteers with an existing linking in with practitioners who will use satellite, spatial and data/training infrastructure in Irish schools. GIS data to explain concepts in your curriculum, we would love to hear from you. The programme began development prior to Covid-19 and was originally envisaged to be delivered face to face. Whether you are interested in bringing the 5*S programme However, thanks to the dedication of the project team, the to your school or becoming a GeoMentor, please contact the programme has successfully pivoted and is now delivered SCSI Education team involved and follow our progress on our fully online. This is great news for schools that are interested SCSI 5*S website: in getting involved, as the programme can be delivered www.scsi.ie/students/studying/space-surveyors-students/ online to schools across Ireland. Email: [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] The programme is delivered by trained volunteer Twitter: @5S_Discover
63 Accounting Technician Apprenticeship
a progressive and future-proof career path for your students
College tuition is fully funded by SOLAS Apprentices earn a salary of at least €19,890 p.a. The two-year programme leads to a Level 6 QQI Advanced Certifi cate in Accounting School leavers, and learners of all ages, gain a practical route to a career in accountancy Apprentices work four days a week with their employer and study one day a week with their local college
Now accepting applications for September 2021
01 649 8126 | accountingtechniciansireland.ie [email protected]
132563_APPRENTICESHIP_AD_UPDATE.indd 1 25/02/2021 10:34 Thank You to our SPONSORS
MAIN SPONSOR
SUPPORTING SPONSOR
MINOR SPONSORS
65
List of Sponsors & EXHIBITORS
Sponsors 2021
TU Dublin Lynda Young [email protected] Institute of Technology Sligo Glenda Conway [email protected] Careers Portal Eimear Sinnott [email protected] Letterkenny Institute of Technology Fiona Kelly [email protected] Maynooth University Margaret Madden [email protected]
Exhibitors 2021 Accounting Technicians Ireland Karen McQuillan kmcquillan@accounting techniciansireland.ie AHEAD Lorraine Gallagher [email protected] Athena Analytics Emily Brick [email protected] BIMM Helen Shyne [email protected] Bodywhys – The Eating Disorders Terri Coffey [email protected] Association of Ireland College of Agriculture Food and Deirdre Cooper [email protected] Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Carlow College, St. Patrick’s Orla Kerwin/Anne Marie Peters [email protected] Dublin Business School Jean Ryan [email protected] Dublin City University (DCU) Colette O'Beirne [email protected] Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) Diarmuid Cahill [email protected] Equuip Patrick Ryan [email protected] ETC Consult Mary Burke [email protected] Fastrack into Information Technology (FIT) Clare Stewart [email protected] Galway-Mayo Institute of Lorraine Cunningham [email protected] Technology (GMIT) Griffith College Hannah Moran Jackson [email protected] Galway Technical Institute Alison Ward [email protected] Irish College of Humanities Danny O’Brien [email protected] and Applied Sciences ICD Business School Vincent Barry [email protected] Irish Defence Forces Captain Lisa McMahon [email protected] My Future Choice Lisa Hunt [email protected] NCAD, (National College of Art & Design) Cathy McCartney [email protected] NUI Galway Caroline Duggan [email protected] Publicjobs.ie Nicola Ryan [email protected] Quality and Qualifications Ireland, Angela Lambkin [email protected] QQI / Europass Royal College of Surgeons Céleste Golden [email protected] in Ireland (RCSI) Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Ruth Comerford Morris [email protected] SOLAS Eimear Smith [email protected] Spotlight Skills Limited Emer O’Keeffe [email protected] Tourism Insight Mary Rose Stafford [email protected] Trinity College Dublin Deirbhle O’Reilly [email protected] University College Cork Danielle Byrne [email protected] UCD Jean McQuillan [email protected] University of Limerick Stephen Ryan [email protected] University of Ulster Holland, Jonathan [email protected] St Nicholas Montessori College Mackenzie Young [email protected]
67 WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you complete the following two step process prior to attending the IGC Virtual Conference on Saturday 17th April.
Complete Pre Conference Log-in Check by 1 Monday 12th April
Browse Conference Platform & Book 2 Exhibitor Chats from 8am Monday 12th April
Attend Conference from 8am Saturday 17th April or on demand to Sunday 16th May.
Full Details on page 52
70 LEARN MOREMOR LIVE M OREOR BE MORRE
TOP 5 IRISH UNIVERSITY
VISIT OUR CAO HUB www.itsligo.ie/cao
JOIN USU AT OUR NEXT OPENO DAY Saturday 24th April 2021
www.itsligo.ie | [email protected] FOSTERING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS & COMMUNITY IN CHALLENGING TIMES VIRTUAL • INTERACTIVE • LIVE • ON DEMAND
IGC NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021 17th April 2021
www.igc.ie