Invitation to Ten Schools to participate in an in-person Student Voice Event - 24th February 2023 - Midlands Park Hotel

ACCS is delighted to invite schools to participate in an in-person student voice event on February 24th in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. This is the first of these events since 2019 and the student voice team is very excited to have the opportunity to meet students and staff from our schools once again. Ger Halbert, Gerard O'Sullivan (NCCA) Domnall Fleming (UCC) and Áine O’Sullivan will be hosting this event which is the first of two events to be scheduled between now and the end of this academic year. 

The first event on the 24th of February aims to provide a safe and inclusive space where ten schools represented by two teachers and four students from each school (60 participants) will reflect on the Future of Education in Ireland. This is a timely and relevant piece of work given the commitment in the current Programme For Government as set out in the one-line statement below. 

“We will establish a Citizens Assembly on the Future of Education ensuring that the voices of young people and those being educated are central.”

We recognise that the young people participating in this event will bring different voices to the conversation but are not, at this point, representative voices. We have designed a full one-day workshop which will be available for all schools to use in their own communities following the day and that these conversations will inform the second event scheduled for late April/early May 2023. 

AIMS 

As a result of their participation in this preliminary event, young people and their teachers will

·   have strengthened their understanding and commitment to young people having a voice in their education

·   will understand the purpose of the National Assembly on the Future of Education including their role in next steps.

For the young people in particular: they will feel they have been heard, that their voices have been given due weight, have been taken seriously and they have had what they needed to participate with confidence.  

The agenda for this day is scheduled from 10.00am until 3.30pm and will be in the format of a series of linked workshops. Students and staff will require access to mobile phones/devices so that they can participate in mentimeter exercises. All other resources, materials including snacks and lunch will be provided on the day. 

Places will be offered to ten schools on a first come, first served basis. Please advise Debbie at driordan@accs.ie if you wish to book a place for your school on this event by Wednesday the 25th of January 2023.   

ACCS will be in contact with the ten schools in early February regarding names and details of the two teachers and four students from your school who will be attending. Our hope is that schools would consider a range of voices for this event, senior and junior school, newcomers, students with additional needs, seldom heard voices etc.

Please contact Áine at aosullivan@accs.ie if you have any queries regarding this email. 

Kindest regards, 

Áine O’Sullivan, Assistant General Secretary, ACCS