David is a motivational speaker whose expertise lies in providing effective strategies to build resilience and manage stress. He teaches practical neurology, psychology and physiology to help individuals grow and overcome, as well as a diverse set of skills across a wide range of disciplines, showing groups and individuals how to use their brains and bodies to have a better life. He runs a wide range of workshops on topics such as leadership, creativity and presentation skills to professional, educational and community groups.
Drawing from a wide range of skills, he brings a fresh, humorous and multidimensional perspective to his talks, allowing him to connect with a diverse audience. His unique approach is evident in his published work ‘The Mindful Spark – Reclaim Your Past, Reset Your Future’, where he has combined a wide range of disciplines including neurology and mindfulness enabling readers to be more productive in their own lives. He also provides a wide range of practical tools and techniques, from psychology and science to guided mediation on his YouTube channel, ‘The Mindful Spark’. The channel aims to educate and empower viewers and help them to manage stress and overcome daily challenges.
David began his tertiary education path on a FÁS course 30 years ago and he is currently about to start a PhD. In 2022, he started working on a Community and Wellness project role in UCD, where he works with students and staff to support their wellbeing. After some trial and error, he created a framework that he "wraps” for each cohort to make the content applicable and engaging. He believes in making the content relevant to the learner and building it into the university structure.
Three short talks from learners and teachers in ETBs telling their FET stories:
This lightning session covered a number of topics. Amelia started with the provision of discrete and professional support of staff and student supports within FET. James discussed how as a tutor he works in diverse settings and with groups such as women's and men's sheds, traveller groups, adults with additional needs and more. The impact of trauma was also touched on by Deborah, and a reiteration that learning is not linear - education is a process of becoming, not just an accumulation of learning.
Simon Harris TD was the Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science & Justice. He previously served as Minister for Health from May 2016 to June 2020, and as Minister of State at the Departments of Finance and Taoiseach with Special Responsibility for the OPW, Public Procurement, and International Banking from 2014 to 2016.
Simon’s involvement in politics began after he established an autism support and lobby group in County Wicklow to seek to give a voice to people living with autism and their families and to articulate their concerns and needs. He works tirelessly as a disability advocate and through his work in the disability area he has first-hand meaningful understanding of issues affecting people with disabilities.
Following the formation of the 33rd Dáil in June 2020, Minister Harris was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Since his appointment, he has introduced many initiatives which have transformed the face of Further and Higher Education radically and created invaluable opportunities for learners through the whole of their learning pathway.
ETBI wish to offer the minister our support and best wishes as he moves into his new role as Taoiseach.
Paul Patton, Director of Further Education and Training - Limerick Clare Education and Training Board, Chair of ETBI/SOLAS Learner Support Programme Board.
Niamh Clancy, Further Education and Training Inclusion Development Officer Education and Training Boards Ireland. Niamh works as the Inclusion Development Officer with the Further Education and Training (FET) team in Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI). With over seven years’ experience working in the FET sector, Niamh is committed to achieving equality and access for all and has responsibility for supporting the implementation of cross-government social inclusion and equality-related policies and strategies. Niamh’s background in Social Care and Adult Education makes her particularly interested in the topics of equality, personal development, community engagement and advocacy and her practitioner experience provide her with invaluable knowledge associated with the FET sector.
Carrie Budds, Youth Mental Health Promotion Coordinator, Jigsaw. Carrie worked as a Youth Mental Health Promotion Coordinator with Jigsaw, dedicated to FET and Higher Education settings. She has worked in health and wellbeing for the last 8+ years and is qualified in health promotion, specialising in workplace settings.
Carrie has worked in a wide variety of industries, including corporate and private industry, the HSE and other public sector agencies and in tech. She has worked closely with senior leadership teams in the development of health & wellbeing policies, strategies and interventions. She has also managed her own business, helping to support employees’ mental health in the digital age by improving behaviours around digital technologies.
The Learner Mental Health and Wellbeing Accreditation was developed in conjunction with Jigsaw Ireland to showcase the range of approaches adopted in the promotion of learner mental health and wellbeing across the FET sector
In February 2023, ETBI launched the FET Learner Mental Health & Wellbeing (LMHW) framework. On October 10th, 2023 – which is World Mental Health Day – ETBI launched the LMHW accreditation which aimed to collect, showcase and celebrate some of the fantastic work happening in FET centres across the country around supporting learner mental health and wellbeing.
ETBI received 42 applications for the accreditation, ranging from women’s mental health awareness, prisoner wellbeing initiatives, LGBTI+ community projects, and interventions to destigmatise mental health. Thirty-six applicants were awarded the accreditation – of those that were not awarded, it was due to the initiative falling outside the “Level 1” criteria of early intervention, and were acknowledged as being positive initiatives, nonetheless.
