Meet Our Officers: Chloe Griffin

 Hey Everyone, My name is Chloe Griffin and I am the Campaigns and Communications Officer of the ISSU. I am a Transition Year student in Scoil Ruáin which is a small school in Tipperary. This year I decided to run for office because I felt that the ISSU has so much potential to create stronger communication links with you guys and to get all interested people involved. One of the most effective ways to do this is through social media and by carrying out successful campaigns on matters that affect students directly so we can all join together and become stronger 'Ní neart go cur le chéíle' so they say!. Aside from student voice I have many other interests, I love sport and play basketball and football, with that I also love music and have played the piano and guitar.  I am very passionate about mental health and feel there is lots of room for schools to contribute to this subject. With that, I have planned to host a mental health awareness day entitled EMPOWER in February of this year to teach student councils how to introduce coping mechanisms into schools and to retrieve feedback from you guys and hear your ideas. I hope to see you all there! Also at the beginning of my term I decided to revive the ISSU Newsletter, every month it is filled with information and behind the scenes action on all things ISSU. You can subscribe on the newsletter section under Student Councils on our website.That’s it from me. Keep your eyes peeled on our facebook, twitter, snapchat and Instagram for all the latest.

I MO THUAIRIM, Bígí Linn!

With the support of Conradh na Gaeilge, the ISSU will be running upcoming events in early February in Galway and later in Dublin to report on what Students think of Secondary Education through the Irish language in Gaelcholáistí and in Second-Level Schools in Gaeltacht Regions.The ISSU are delighted to be able to run this event through Irish as more than half of the NSE can speak Irish with proficiency! We hope that Students enjoy meeting others who choose to study through the medium of the national language, discuss common themes and issues and hopefully the ISSU will find out what's needed to improve education through Irish-language and to support these students as much as we can! Ag súil go mór leis! Bígí ann!Register here: https://form.jotform.com/70155317845962

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

ISSU Annual Assembly 2017

Represent your student council at the Irish Second-Level Students' Union Annual Assembly 2017!

The largest statutory meeting in the ISSU calendar will include national elections to our Student Executive Board, union policy, constitutional amendments, and annual reports.There'll also be a forum for debate and discussion around student councils in and student rights in Ireland, as well as student representation and political influence.

Register here: https://form.jotform.com/70442876018963

 

Officer Blog: OBESSU General Assembly 2016

Ellen O'Rourke, ISSU International Officer

(So, what’s OBESSU?)The Organising Bureau for European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is an organisation which connects and supports student voice on a European level. It was set up 40 years ago in Dublin and today has over 22 member organisations (MO’s). OBESSU works to advocate for student rights and bring student unions together from all over Europe.

The joy of electing new ‘Boardies’ was also tinged with a bit of sadness as we said goodbye to the old Boardies who have done so much for OBESSU over the past two years.Congratulations are in order for Bren dan from ISSU who will be continuing his work with OBESSU for one more year on the Monitoring Committee. Brendan, Nicholas and Maria will make up the new Monitoring Committee who will oversee and evaluate the work of the board this year. No pressure there so!On day 2 we were also introduced to a new project run in conjunction with Open Society Foundations.The name of the project is #RefugeesWelcome to school and it aims at the integration of migrant and refugee students in second level institutions across Europe. It all sounds very exciting and we hope to bring you more news on this soon!It was great to finally get our hands on a physical copy of OBESSU’s new manual for school students; this will no doubt be a valuable tool for us -and you lot- in the future. We brought home a few copies but there is also a pdf version online) and we can order more (if you’re interested hit us up- studentvoice@issu.ie)All in all, I was very impressed with OBESSU and the work they do to defend second-level students’ rights across Europe, I can’t wait to see what they get up to next

We're hiring: Student Engagement and Development Officer

The ISSU Student Engagement and Development Officer will manage the ISSU National Office and will have responsibility for the communications, student engagement, research and developmental strategies of the organisation.SALARY: €24,000 pro rata p.a.CONTRACT LENGTH:  Reporting to the Board of Directors and to be employed on a permanent contract, and subject to completion of a 6-month probation period - subject to continued funding for the role.WORKING HOURS: 35.00 hours (on a flexi-time basis).  Occasional out-of-office hours may be required.OVERVIEW:The successful candidate will manage the daily business of the Head Office of the ISSU and coordinate the execution of ISSU policy with responsibility for communications, student engagement, research and development. The successful candidate will be tasked with supporting the continued development of the organisation through increasing ISSU membership, working to build on existing regional structures and supporting the work of the ISSU National Student Executive.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Liaising with schools and student councils to develop and expand the membership of the ISSU
• Engagement with the ISSU’s membership base through nationwide school visits, student council training sessions and regional events
• Coordinating Student Council consultation sessions and other events
• Development of resources for student councils
• Education and student welfare policy research and report writing
• Updating and maintaining the ISSU’s social media outlets
• Assisting the ISSU National Student Executive in fulfilling their remit
• Promotion of the iConnect Card
• Supporting the development and growth of the ISSU
• Advocacy and representation including attending events on behalf of the ISSU, where necessary
• Maintain ISSU’s databases
• General administration and office management

PERSON DESCRIPTION:

• A minimum of one year’s experience with a youth or student organisation;
• Enthusiasm and commitment to ISSU’s objectives;
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent proven relevant experience;
• Some knowledge and experience of the Irish education system and the voluntary/non-profit/youth work sector;
• Project management experience;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Comprehensive grasp of modern media and communications;
• Motivated and driven;
• Demonstratable track record of building and developing relationships;
• Excellent drafting, proofing, and information delivery skills;
• Excellence in communicating in English in a variety of contexts;
• Excellent ICT proficiency;
• Ability and initiative to work independently and as a self-starter;
• Demonstrable ability to work well in a team;
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and thrive in a fast-paced environment;
• Attention to detail especially online and in other communications;
• Full clean driver’s licence preferable.

The position is based at ISSU’s national office in Dublin. Hours are based on a 35.00 hour week and 21 days of holidays p.a. This post involves travel within the State with time off in lieu of working evenings/at weekends.A high level of integrity, accountability, confidentiality, responsibility and flexible, constructive engagement is required in carrying out these duties.The ISSU Child Protection Policy and Garda Vetting Procedures for the safeguarding of young people apply.The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is an equal opportunities employer.APPLICATIONSApplications should be in the form of a letter of application and CV submitted online via http://careers.issu.ieDEADLINE : 5pm Monday 18^th July 2016