Schools as Community Leaders

A vital aspect of improving wellbeing is engaging and those who play an important role in the lives of our children and young people...Not just parents, but all family members, carers, and members of the community with a vested interest in supporting our children.

Getting family members through the doors of the school could be the most significant event of the year for some children, and making connections with community groups in your area can help young people feel part of a larger whole. Providing a central 'hub' where everyone involved in supporting a child to thrive can get together and hear high quality, evidence based information about how to best support the mental health and wellbeing of children, enables schools to effectively position themselves at the centre of the child's community. 

“We have referred to the advice given when we’ve met with parents”

“A great evening, we’ve heard super things from the parents”

Whilst the topic of the talk will very much depend on the needs unique to your context, these have been some of our most popular topics over the last year:

ANXIETY

Widely reported in the media because of its impact upon mental health, this talk covers what anxiety actually is, and how we can best equip children and young people to deal with it.

LOSS

An inevitable part of life. Whether through bereavement, separation, divorce, moving house, or loss of a pet, we experience loss in many ways at many times. This talk gives some strategies for supporting children during these times.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Whether we love it or loathe it, it seems to be here to stay. But what exactly is the impact of social media on young people? This talk covers what the most recent research has to say on the matter, as well as offering ideas for parents and carers to help their children navigate this new world.

SLEEP & NUTRITION

Explaining the fundamental links between sleep, nutrition and mental health, this talk provides practical guidance by making the links between physical and mental health clear.

BODY IMAGE

Like never before, young people are aware of their bodies and how they ‘should’ look from an increasingly young age. An issue for all genders, this talk looks at ways parents can help to foster a healthy body image.

NEURODIVERSITY

Neuro atypical people suffer much higher instances of mental illness. Focusing on high functioning autism and ADHD, this talk explains this pattern and outlines some strategies for supporting the mental health of neuro atypical children and young people.

The Complete Package

We know how busy schools are, so we will take care of everything around the talk to ensure that it all runs smoothly for you! We will:

• Consult with you ahead of the talk to make sure that our content is tailored to the needs of your community.
• Provide you will an email and/or letter letting parents know about the talk and its content.
• Send a zoom link that you can share with your parents, so they can access the talk (if online), or so you can live stream it to your school hall.
• Provide a complimentary re-run of the talk on another date (if online).
• Send you a handout to share with parents.
• Send a link to an evaluation questionnaire for you to share with parents and share the results of the evaluation with you.
• Provide a complimentary follow up call if requested to discuss how the school can continue to support parents.

About Dragonfly:

Teacher-friends who worked together in a Derby school for many years, Claire and Rachael have a combined 35+ years of classroom experience. Between them, they have AST status, are Fellows of the Chartered College of Teaching, have chaired a school governing board, hold a Master's degree in Education: Leadership and Management, and are currently studying for a Master's degree in Character Education.

They are completely committed to education - and remain classroom based two days a week -  but they also passionately believe that wellbeing has a huge impact on academic achievement and progress, as well as a person's ability to flourish and reach their full potential. Being parents themselves, they were prompted to found ‘Dragonfly: Impact Education’ in 2018 after witnessing the struggles of some children and parents. They spent time developing skills to complement their experience, achieving a diploma in personal development coaching and qualifications in School Counselling and Creative Therapy, all to distinction level, and in 2019, they were finalists in the Coaching Academy International Awards for their contribution to coaching in education. They are qualified First Aid for Mental Health Instructors, qualified Level 3 Safeguarding Instructors, and are accredited CPD providers.

Their unique blend of on the ground experience and understanding of how to help people be their best makes Claire and Rachael perfectly placed to support parents, schools and young people. 

Our Values:

Courage: We have the courage to respectfully speak out for those who can’t. And we know that courage can unlock potential in young people and those who nurture them.

Integrity: We try to do the right thing by everybody we come into contact with, both in our professional and personal lives.

Compassion: We strive to understand people, to be kind, and to help others without judgement. We also recognise the strong link between self-compassion and mental wellbeing.

Equality: We unequivocally believe that people should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, education, socio-economic status, and mental or physical health.

Belief: We genuinely believe in the power of the right education to nurture healthy minds – so that young people can successfully navigate through 21^st century life.

Our Approach:

Our Vision: A thriving generation ready for modern life.

A Four-Winged Approach is used to help us achieve this vision.

Professional Wellbeing

Helping staff in educational settings to sustain their own mental health and that of their colleagues to benefit everyone in their care.

Safe Foundations

Helping vulnerable young people to thrive from a place of safety, through the people they turn to.

Character & Culture

Helping to develop a coaching culture in education, that promotes positive mental health, so that young people can thrive.

Well Young Minds

Helping to shape a new generation of healthy young minds by empowering the educational staff that support them.

Flexible and Convenient

Although our availability for delivering talks is limited, we always aim to be as flexible as possible. We are able to offer talks via Zoom, with the option of a complementary replaying of the talk recording on a second date for parents who weren't able to make the first talk...word of mouth means that parents who were 'on the fence' the first time are often keen to make the second one! If you'd like to purchase the recording of the talk to have on your website and accessible to parents anytime, this is also something we can discuss with you.

We've been privileged to deliver training in passionate, committed, caring schools nationwide. Read what they have to say about us by clicking the button below.