Northern Ireland

Mindfulness initiative launched for school principals

A new programme will look at improving the health and well-being of school principals
A new programme will look at improving the health and well-being of school principals A new programme will look at improving the health and well-being of school principals

A NEW programme will look at improving the health and well-being of school principals across Northern Ireland.

Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) has launched the initiative in a bid to "cultivate self-awareness and equip leaders with enhanced decision-making skills".

It said that the programme was being rolled out to address the "challenges faced by school leaders" with the Covid-19 pandemic causing "an amplifying effect, increasing responsibilities and pressures".

CCMS will be providing school leaders with an opportunity to participate in a 'Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction' (MBSR) programme, which is designed to cultivate self-awareness and equip leaders with enhanced decision-making skills, as part of their leadership development.

Gerry Campbell, chief executive of CCMS, said: "Time and again our school leaders have proven to be an exemplar of educational professionalism and service delivery throughout Northern Ireland.

"CCMS officers meet with our principals regularly, we recognise the weight of responsibility being carried by our school leaders who work tirelessly to raise standards and keep staff, children, and young people safe in school."

MBSR facilitator Roisin Harbinson said: "Many leading corporations embed mindfulness into leadership development programmes to enable key decision makers to improve wellbeing, resilience, metacognition, decision-making, creativity, and innovation," she said.

"As a previous principal, I can relate to the pressure and responsibilities held by each and every person that participates in the programme.

"The programme is aimed to support principals in the situation they are in right now and explore the benefits of slowing down, letting go and developing inner resilience and harmony.

"There is never a moment that isn’t an opportunity to begin again."