Covid-19 has turned the education sector upside down. Headteachers have been working around the clock to manage the transition back to school, respond to changing guidelines, whilst ensuring their staff and students are safe and school communities reassured.
Our research indicates the headteachers are under particular stress at this time. In response we are piloting two types of wellbeing support targeted at headteachers, both funded by Welsh Government:
We are offering an online facilitator supported space for headteachers.
In six meetings you will share, decompress and leave feeling stronger. You will gain new tools to help you maintain your own mental health and wellbeing as you work so hard to support your teams.
We have delivered facilitated peer-to-peer support to thousands of heads across the UK for over 20 years. We have adapted this service and are now offering headteachers the opportunity to share experience and insight with each other online.
This service offers six sessions of 1:1 support by telephone, delivered by accredited counsellors.
The purpose of the service is to support individuals to reflect on the personal impact of their professional roles.
Sessions will begin in November and December dependent on participant preferences.
Eligibility
Places on this pilot are offered without charge to headteachers currently working in schools in Wales. If you are not eligible at this stage, please register your interest. Depending on the findings of this pilot, we may seek to extend the service to a wider group of participants later in the 2020-21. The programme team will seek to achieve a spread of participants from across Wales and from different types of schools. Registration will close as soon as programme places are fully allocated.
We are also offering free workplace wellbeing support through our Schools Advisory Service for Wales. We will provide your school with resources and advice on policies and practices that support staff wellbeing, based on best practice.
Get in touch with Anthony, our Wellbeing Advisor, to find out more on: anthony.priest@edsupport.org.uk.