This Year 2023-24 Our Goal was to Achieve the Amber Flag and with a whole school approach and a positive attitude FVC were awarded the flag in May 2024.

To achieve our flag the school organised the events and activities below to promote awareness of the importance of Mental Health.

Whole School Mental Health Awareness Day

We ran a Whole School Mental Health Awareness Day on the Friday 29th September 2023. 

This was a fun filled day started with two members of the student wellbeing team Steven Gallagher & Jamie Mc Gonigle making an announcement over the intercom. They asked students & staff  to use this day to reflect on what they do to support their mental health ?

The PE Department worked very hard to organize a sports day for the whole school, this  ran from 9am to 1:15 in the Finn Valley Centre. Students engaged in different sports like soccer, gaelic & badminton, not to mention competitive tug o war & penalty shoot outs between staff & students. This activity highlighted the importance of staying active & how engaging in exercise is important for good mental health. 

At lunch time The Student Wellbeing Team had organized information stations, to showcase all the fantastic organizations and groups we have in the Finn Valley area to support Mental Health.

Thanks to Donegal Youth Services, the Family Enrichment centre & Planet youth for attending. 

After Lunch time the whole school took part in the Sponsored 5km walk, everyone was encouraged to take this time to walk and talk with their fellow classmates & teachers. This activity highlighted how important talking and communicating with others is good for your Mental Health.

At 3:45 Kylie Gallinagh senior member of the student wellbeing team unveiled an infographics sign that Mr Thomspon & the student Wellbeing Team have been working on, to take pride of place in the Reception area of Our school.  

On behalf of the Amber Flag Committee …..We hope you all had fun & most importantly enjoy this day. 

FVC Celbrates Internations Women’s Day

To Celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 Friday 8th March, the Wellbeing team in Finn Valley College created a powerful video. The United Nations has designated the year 2024’s theme as ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. It highlights the significance of diversity and empowerment across all sectors of society. Well done to everyone who participated in the making of this inspiring piece of work.

To access the video click on this link: https://fb.watch/qGwA1-DsKv/

The Power of Cards

Well done to the Student Wellbeing Team TY Student’s AJ Breen & Sophie Thomas who used their artist skills to create beautiful hand painted illustrations for the purpose of designing Finn Valley College Thinking of You and best Wishes card. 

The benefit of cards are that they are tangible and tactile.  They create not only an emotional connection between the sender and recipient but a physical one too, knowing the card has been touched by both parties.  They can be held and kept and cherished.  The words inside are a physical record and together with the imagery on a card, makes that message more memorable.  When information is presented both verbally and visually, we are more likely to remember it.

It isn’t just the recipient that benefits psychologically from receiving a card, but the sender too.  Research shows that being kind and generous leads to more positive mood and less anxiety.  The evidence certainly points to the fact that sending and receiving cards leads to greater happiness through keeping us emotionally connected.

Participation in Darkness into Light

Well done to all the students and staff who participated in this years Darkness into Light in Ballybofey and Stranorlar. It was a lovely