What is Meitheal?
The Meitheal Programme is a training programme for students at senior level in secondary schools.The students are trained to become mentors for incoming students at junior level. It is a programme based on pro-respect between students and enables students to take responsibility for the happiness of others and for the safety and well-being of all who share a school environment.
How do you become a Meitheal leader?
The programme is advertised among senior students who are invited to become Meitheal Leaders in their respective schools. All applicants are interviewed and a selection is then made. The students who are chosen to become Meitheal Leaders undergo a training programme in the summer prior to their return to school the following September. This training programme covers the areas of personal development, identity, self-esteem, communication skills, listening skills, assertiveness skills, group dynamics, group management and many other skills that are necessary for the students to develop if the programme is to be successful.
After their training the students return to their schools as Fifth years and each is given responsibility for a number of incoming first years. Then the task is to ensure the smooth transition of these young people into the school and to be able and available to assist them in any way necessary during their first few days in school. After this the Meitheal Leaders work with the junior students, developing a relationship of trust and mutual respect.
The hope for the remainder of their first year is that if the junior student should experience difficulties or anxieties of any kind that they can turn to their Meitheal Leaders and find in them understanding, respect, advice and assistance.
A number of teachers in school volunteer to act as overseers of the programme, they are Ms. R. Foley, Ms. M. Barry and Ms. T. Gibney They organise the day to day running of the programme and provide any in-school assistance or back-up that is needed.
Meitheal Leaders 2022-23
- Ben
- Tommy
- Cian
- Jack
- Mark
- David
- Eoin
- Kiefer
- Shane
- Brandon
- Ryan
- Cian
- Evan
- Cathal
- Kevin
- Alex
- Conor
- Liam
- Jerry
- Cormac