1. NEW Online Training My FRIENDS Youth (aimed at Junior Cycle students) designed to prevent anxiety and build resilience in students. Access it directly through the FRIENDS Resilience website: www.friendsresilience.org.
2.  NEW Online Training Friends for Life (upper primary) and Fun Friends (lower primary) designed to prevent anxiety and build resilience in pupils . Access it directly through the FRIENDS Resilience website: www.friendsresilience.org.
3. The Welcome to our Schools’ video for primary and post primary schools, provides information and strategies to welcome and include children in your schools following their arrival in Ireland, looking at ways to promote a sense of safety, calm, efficacy, connectedness and hope: https://youtu.be/UR-tWbApvrQ
4. NEPS Critical Incidents ELearning Module gov.ie 
5. Further information on the e-learning course is available here: Wellbeing – Introducing a Trauma Informed Approach: The Stress Factor – Getting the Balance Right – NEPS. 
6. Neart are delivering a range of mental health and wellbeing training. Please see the Neart webpage https://jigsaw.ie/neart/  

BLAST : Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers 2024-2025

The Department of Education is pleased to announce BLAST Creativity & Arts in Education Residency 2025/2026 applications are now open. 

Please see the following link for BLAST Application Guidelines and further details: (Department of Education BLAST Guidelines)

BLAST Creativity & Arts in Education Residency 2025/2026 apply online here: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The closing date for receipt of applications is 10^th April 2025.

Please contact your local Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

           Eligibility: All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.

Schools participating in either Creative Clusters, Creative Schools or TAP+ can apply for BLAST.

Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST. 

BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland.

BLAST Application Form Link: https://forms.office.com/e/dtMnZXaunq

The Department of Education is pleased to announce the opening of a new round of Creative Clusters (Press Release).  The deadline for receipt of applications is 10^th May 2024.

Each Creative Cluster will receive grant funding of €3,000 per school over a two-year period to implement their project 2024–2026. 

• 3 schools would receive €9,000
• 5 schools would receive €15,000 

In addition to financial support above each cluster will also receive: 

• A Creative Cluster Facilitator 
• Teacher Substitution to attend Workshops and Meetings
• Room hire, travel & subsistence

Please see the following link for more details: Creative Clusters 2024 (www.gov.ie)

Applications are to be completed online using the following LINK, should you need assistance, please contact your Athlone Education Support Centre (list at Appendix 1 of Guidelines document on DE website) or use this link Appendix 1

Any queries, please contact Deborah in Athlone Education Support Centre This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or email National Arts in Education Administration This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.