Regional Councils

Imagine a series of events held all around the country that were entry free but filled with such valuable information. Imagine a day in your province where you could connect with students from all the counties around you and share stories and experiences. Imagine a day aimed at not only students on a schools’ student council but any student interested and passionate about student voice. Imagine a day that could open so many new opportunities for you and introduce you to endless possibilities. That day is your local Regional Council. That day is about ISSU.The ISSU’s annual Regional Councils are a series of events that are incredibly inspiring. Often in school it can be hard to express your thoughts about school life but more importantly it can be difficult to find people that actually care and want to make a change. Regional Councils are a gathering of second-level students in each region around Ireland that are interested in Student Voice and who want to be part of making changes. Attending your local Regional Council can be incredibly refreshing and can really show you how much students can get involved in the world around you and open up lots of possibilities for your future.Prior to the event students can nominate themselves to the National Council of Schools which is an operational structure of the ISSU and is composed of 8 of the most reliable, hardworking and passionate students from around Ireland, 2 from each region. The National Council of Schools (NCS) work alongside the National Student Executive (who take care of the daily running of the ISSU) by raising issues from each region and by meeting during the year.The events are held in Munster (Cork), Leinster (Dublin), Dublin, West (Galway) and Donegal so that students around the green isle can connect locally. This is especially important because local issues can be discussed, for instance issues affecting students in Galway may be very different to those in inner city Dublin and so by Galway school students discussing issues on a separate day it is much much more effective.In essence, your local Regional Council is an amazing, educational and inspirational day while also being so much fun and a chance for you to meet some of the best people. It’s a day that young people around Ireland who are interested in student voice should attend, it's sure to be an unforgettable and unmissable experience!If this sounds like your cup of tea you can register here to join in on your local regional council and make a difference in your province! http://Click Here To Register! https://form.jotform.com/63133597556969

National Council of Schools Nomination Form

 November 2016:National Council of Schools Nomination FormApply here: https://form.jotform.com/63164709329966The National Council of Schools consists of 2 representatives from each region. These representatives will be elected at each Regional Council. The National Council of Schools (NCS) are an operational structure of the ISSU and work alongside the National Student Executive (NSE) who are responsible for the daily runnings of the ISSU. The NCS will meet during the year and these mettings will be chaired by the ISSU student council support officer and assisted by the ISSU President and Deputy President. Responsibilities:

• Represent ISSU at external events
• Facilitate activities at ISSU events
• Promote, defend and campaign for the education, social and general rights of the ISSU membership in that region
• Organise and provide channels of communications between the NCS and the National Student Executive (NSE)
• Recruit new members for the ISSU

 Requirements:

• Interested in Student Voice
• Good communicational skills
• Good work ethic
• ability to take the initiative

Points to consider: 

Successful applicants will be required to commit to at least 1 meeting during the year which will be held in  the ISSU Dublin office. Applicants will be required to communicate with the NSE on quite a regular basis

Your school must be a member of the ISSU

Closing date:  Tuesday 28th November

Those running for NCS will be required to give a 2 minute speech on the day letting those in attendance know why they are the perfect candidate

My Work Experience With The ISSU: Mental Health Debate in the Dáil.

      On the evening of Tuesday the 15th of November myself and some mental health campaigners from The Irish Second-Level Students Union and other groups such as Mental Health Reform attended a debate in Leinster house .To get into leinster house we had to be invited and we were invited by mental helath reform to be some of the names on ther list of people who could enter and watch the debate from the public gallery. Once we got by the front gates we headed into leinster house where we were stopped at the security desk to be given our public gallery access badges. We were then brought in to the public gallery by one of the ushers this is where we would spend the next two hours looking down on the debate happening.The motion was brought forward by Fianna Fáil’s James Browne TD who is the party spokesperson for the mental health. The debate was about how the government had only given 15 million for 2017 for mental health developments in our health system in the last budget. But only a couple of months previous in July 2016 the estimate from the Department of Health indicated that the required resources needed to fully implement A Vision For Change are 177.3 million or 35.4 million per annum over five years. As you can see a significant increase in mental health spending is needed to succeed in this 5 year plan to implement a Vision For Change.Your probably thinking “What is A Vision for Change?”. A Vision for Change is a model of what the mental health service should be like in Ireland. Its a framework of positive mental health across the country and giving accessible, community- based, specialist services for people with mental health issues.The debate began at 8 o’clock with deputy Browne giving his statement about the motion. Fianna Fáil is calling on the Government to set out how exactly it intends on achieving full implementation of the country’s mental health strategy. “We have made it clear that mental health spending can’t be put on the back burner, so it’s time for Fine Gael and their Independent colleagues to spell out their plan for mental health services.”.It was then the turn of Minister of State for Mental Health and older people Fine Gael's Deputy Helen McEntee to have her say. She began to say how she and her party did not oppose this motion. She had to defend herself and her party and she did this by talking of how €900 million would be spent overall in the mental health sector this year she also encouraged her colleagues in the Dail to go visit the central mental hospital which her party had been helping. She had a very hard job trying to defend herself and to do this she had to try make known to her fellow TD’s the work her and her party had done for mental health in this country. After this it was time for TD’s present from parties such as Sinn Fein, Green party,Labour, Social democrats,Anti austerity and Independents to have their say on the motion. They all had the same sort of points along the lines of how mental health is a considerable factor in the number of deaths in our country and that an Accident and Emergency room is no place for someone with a mental illness to attend. Deputy Browne concluded the debate saying ”I am glad the Government will not oppose this motion. The motion seeks an urgent review of the budget allocation. It seeks a multi-annual plan to set out how A Vision for change will be set.”“We do not want to be back here again. The Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, has our support but she needs to ensure that the people needing the services are also getting support.” Said Deputy Browne.At the end of it I felt that this funding without a doubt is despertaley needed in our country so we can catch up with the reforms set out in A Vision For Change. I also think we have a government who are trying their best to make mental health one of their main priorities and are doing all in their power to get this issue sorted. We can not let this matter get debated again and again, peoples’ lives are at stake and lives have already been lost and without this desperately needed funding we can not help our country tackle mental illness.I personally thought the debate was needed so we could secure the needed funds for our mental health system in Ireland. But I do think the debate was stretched out by all the TD’s voicing the same opinions over and over agian just in different ways. I think this was a matter that could of been sorted quickly and easily becaise it is quite clear that this country is in desperate need of these funds to imrove our mental health system.By Seán Savage

Seachtain Seas Suas le BelongTo 14ú-18ú Samhain

 Seo deis iontach a bheith páirteach i seacthain Seas Suas 2016 le BelongTo!Táimíd ag lorg an scáth báistí is fearr ó scoileanna dara-leibhéal in Éireann.Déan "Grá Báistí" i do scoil agus seol pictúir chugainn ar studentvoice@issu.ie.Thuile eolas agus achmhainní ar an bhfeachtas le fáil ar: http://www.belongto.org/campaign.aspx

Stand Up Week 14th - 18th November

We are delighted to be supporting BeLonG To for its amazing Stand Up! Campaign. While many LGBT young people develop their sexual and gender identities within supportive families and communities, some experience homophobia, transphobia and exclusion on an ongoing basis.For more information on Stand Up! Week, including details of how your school can get involved, visit their website here.BeLonG To’s Stand Up! campaign calls on young people across Ireland to support their LGBT friends, and has been identified as one of the key actions schools can take under the Government’s National Action Plan on Bullying. This year’s Stand Up! Week takes place from 14-18th November.During Stand Up! Week teachers and youth workers will offer all young people who participate in their centre/school the opportunity to participate in fun and educational activities. These will increase awareness, build supportive links among young people and reduce the incidence of bullying and name-calling.According to Dr Carol-Anne O'Brien, BeLonG To's Director of Advocacy, “Stand Up! tackles bullying by bringing a positive message of friendship to all students. It also tells LGBT young people that they are not alone, and they do not have to suffer or witness homophobic or transphobic bullying in their schools.” Want to be involved?Why not make a rainbow in your school to celebrate Stand Up Week! Send a photo of your rainbow to studentvoice@issu.ie to be in with a chance of winning a free LGBT+ campaign talk for your school!   

Project Rainbow

What is the purpose?

This competition hopes achieve a series of goals:

1. Send a strong message, it's ok to be whatever sexuality you want and it's not ok to be suppressed.

2. Increase collaboration amongst lgbt+ students and students in support of lgbt+.

3. Help end homophobic bullying in post primary schools.

4. Allow students to express through art themselves in a colorful visual display.

What's the prize?

The ISSU will organise an LGBTQ+ speaker to come to your school and do a free talk.

What's the deadline?

Deadline for entrants is the 25th of November.

How is it judged?

The Welfare and Equality panel will be shown photos of the all applications and will then narrow them down to their favourite 10. Photos of the top 10 applications will then be posted on Facebook. There will then be an open vote between the 25th of November- 2nd of December. The winner will be the photo with the most likes at the end of the voting period.

How do I enter?

1.Set up a committee/ group in your school that will make the display.

2. Think of ideas and then construct your creation.

3. Take a picture of your display and email it to studentvoice@issu.ie along with a tittle for your project and the school you attend.

What requirements should the display follow?

1. Must contain at least 5 of the seven colours in a rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,violet).

2. Must be made in your school and by students.

3. Needs to be put in a prominent spot to make sure large numbers of students see it.

4. Should be as big and creative as possible.

5. It should be made in group, the bigger the group the better there are no limits on number of students that can take part.