Supporting student wellbeing

Wellbeing does not mean the absence of anxiety or stress, mental health difficulties or negative emotions in our life. It is about our ability to deal with the normal stresses we face in life and our ability to take care of our physical wellbeing. Developing and sustaining positive wellbeing is a lifelong process for us all.

Wellbeing in education is central to the Department of Education’s mission to enable children and young people to achieve their full potential and contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development. It has been recognised by the Department that schools play a key role in developing and enhancing young people’s wellbeing with schools and centres for education are now required to have a School Self-Evaluation Wellbeing Promotion Process embedded by 2023.

Barnardos Big Active, supported by ALDI, has been developed to help students learn to be resilient in dealing with anxiety and stress of their daily lives, to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing and to have a sense of belonging to their wider community – as well as teaching them the importance of giving back.