Join our Teacher Advisory Committee for 2024/25

Walk in My Shoes (WIMS) is accepting applications for a new Teacher Advisory Committee for the 2024/25 school year.

Are you a secondary school teacher passionate about mental health and wellbeing and eager to make a difference in schools across Ireland? If so, we are inviting you to become a member of our new Teacher Advisory Committee for the 2024/2025 school year.

What is our Teacher Advisory Committee?

We are setting up our new Teacher Advisory Committee so that we can hear directly from teachers on what’s important to them and how best we can work together to promote mental health and wellbeing in Irish schools. We believe it’s hugely important to get teachers’ valuable feedback and guidance so that we can make sure our activity and outcomes are as meaningful and effective as possible for teachers and students.

The committee is open to membership from teachers and school staff from secondary schools in Ireland.

By becoming a member of the committee, you will have the opportunity to:

• shape our educational initiatives
• contribute to the development of school resources
• ensure that our campaigns effectively address the wellbeing and mental health needs of students and teachers alike.

You will also be invited to provide feedback on the development of our new Transition Year Programme.

How does the committee work?

The Teacher Advisory Committee essentially works as an online forum.

When we are developing new resources or ideas for our campaigns and programmes, we will email you with information and/or links to drafts, welcoming your input and feedback on these.

We will also be in touch during the school year so that we can stay informed on your needs. We’ll ask you to let us know what you want or need to help with mental health promotion in your school: this could be anything from new resources, a collaboration on a new project or idea, or whatever supports you have identified in your role as a teacher.

We are very aware and mindful of how busy teachers are and how much is going in schools, so we will not ask anything that would need too much of a time commitment: the committee is really about getting your feedback and learning from your experience and expertise as a teacher.

How can you join the committee?

If you would like to get involved with our Teacher Advisory Committee, please register your interest by filling out this form by Thursday, 10 October 2024.

You can also email info@walkinmyshoes.ie if you have any queries about the committee before registering your interest.  

Sinead O’Kelly, Mental Health Promotion Manager with WIMS, shares the impact that joining the committee can make:

“Teachers play a pivotal role in the mental wellbeing of young people."

"By joining our Teacher Advisory Committee, you can help create a supportive and understanding environment in schools, where mental health is prioritised and stigma is challenged.”

“We greatly appreciate all your feedback and valuable insights, and we are looking forward to meeting more teachers in the 2024/25 academic year.”