2020-12-18 BELGIUM

Empowering Marist students to lead with Marist values in West Central Europe

The Marist Leadership Programme is an initiative of the Mission Council, in the province of West Central Europe. It aims to empower Marist students to lead with Marist values, given by Marcellin Champagnat. The programme was launched in partnership with Kinharvie in 2016. It is led by two facilitators: Aisling Demaison (Marist Education) and Alastair Callaghan (Kinharvie).

Marist Student Leaders receive leadership training by both professional facilitators, are guided and supported in their schools by designated Marist Coordinators, and supported by a team of teachers and management that make up the Marist Core Team.

It is a two-year programme consisting of facilitation training in year one and a mentoring programme in year two. Marist Leaders carry out chosen initiatives based on Marist values over the two years.

The programme currently exists in six schools in the province: Moyle Park College, Marian College and Marist College Athlone (Ireland); St Johns RC HS Dundee, St Mungos Academy Glasgow and St Josephs College Dundee (Scotland).

At the end of their two years the Marist Leaders are invited to join a Marist Leader Alumni, where they can continue to be part of meet ups, continue their good work and attend regular events with their Marist family. We are very proud of all of the Marist Leaders who have been through the programme, and those who are future Marist Leaders.

Virtual trainings

Normally the year starts with a gathering of all schools in The Hermitage in France and visits to each school by the facilitators for leadership training, but this year that was not possible. In recent months, all trainings and inductions have been carried out virtually and with for those in school, with masks on. New Marist Leaders have had online inductions and year two Marist Leaders have presented their activities and pans for the year.

The Marist Leaders have been amazingly positive and upbeat about the whole situation. Not only that but they have also risen to the challenge and led many new creative initiatives that help develop Marist values in their community.

Some of those initiatives include;
  • Name tags with a photo of teachers, while they are wearing masks. Aim was to make it less intimidating for new students who have just arrived in the school.
  • Created a video tour of the school for new students who have no access to many areas due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  • A Marist Week in October for the school community to all focus on Marist Values.
  • A November remembrance table with paper butterflies. Each student in the school names someone they would like to remember and colours in the butterfly. They all make one giant butterfly and there is a prayer service for all the names.
  • Shoe-box appeal – all students donate towards a gift and write a personalized card for patients in the hospital.
  • Something to look forward to’ – Marist Leaders create a weekly tea meet up for senior students so they have something to look forward to each week.
  • Organized non-uniform days to raise money for local charities

These are only a short summary of the many initiatives they have carried out and many more are planned. Each term the Marist Leaders focus on one agreed Marist Value and then build their ideas around this.

The wonderful Marist Coordinators who work so hard to support the Marist Leaders and volunteer their time to do so are:

  • Moyle Park College: Leigh Ellis, Tracy Doyle, Bernie Doonan.
  • Marian College: Kym Doyle, Mitch Lindsay
  • Marist College Athlone: Orla McGrath, Carol Nolan
  • St Johns RC HS: Laura Robbins, Lynn Cockburn
  • St Mungos Academy: Paul Michael Graham, Caroline Keegan
  • St Josephs College: Kate McCaughney

Aisling Demaison – Marist Education West Central Europe

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