Course outline

People working in inclusion need a place to connect and network and share best practice. Inclusion work can be difficult. This roundtable will be a space to voice concerns, seek advice and learn from others doing the work. Each roundtable will begin with a short presentation focus and be followed by questions and discussion. This term’s will focus on Faith in the community.

Training Topics Include:

• How to ensure pupils’ spiritual needs are met
• How to handle inter-faith conversations
• Making sure all faiths and none feel supported
• Discussing frequently arising situations and sharing best practice.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the session, participants will:

• To create a positive and supportive environment for EDI leaders to learn and share best practice
• Be able to identify areas of concern and training needs for IELA members
• To support members to access support by building relationships with others in the sector

Speaker: Emily Sexton Considine, Religious and Spiritual Coordinator in Villiers School, Limerick, Ireland

Emily Sexton Considine has over 20 years’ teaching experience teaching Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Religious Education courses. Additionally, she has taught trainee teachers in M.I.C. Thurles college and worked with the Department of Education in facilitating inservice training for RE teachers.

Since 2022, she has taken on the position of Religious and Spiritual Coordinator in Villiers School. This is an exciting and rewarding role where she works with students and staff to make Villiers School an even more caring community. She is responsible for engaging with students of all faiths and none. She organises key events for students, for staff and for the wider school community, examples include an annual a places of worship tour, the school’s Christmas Carol Service, the Form VI Graduation Ceremony, as well as facilitating reflections in each whole school assembly.

She is a member of the student support team and in conjunction with Villiers staff, she helps to look after the educational, emotional, religious, spiritual, psychological and moral welfare of each individual student. No two days are the same for her in Villiers School