John Murphy has retired. Thanks for the lovely memories

Purpose of Student Council

To create a good spirit of cooperation, understanding and mutual respect between the students, the school authorities and the public.

Why a student's Council

If young people start fine tuning their leadership skills in their formitive years then they are more likely to seek out leadership and achieve it a few years later. There is research to back this up but it is also my clear experience over a lifetime of training leaders. The opportunities for leadership learning at second level are Student Councils, School Prefects and Captains of teams.

Size of Student Council

A student Council chairperson with little experience of leadership will find it very difficult to cope with more than mid twenties in number

Student Council Training

This is is the site of John Murphy FRS Training. John has experience as a Chief Executive and Board member for over 30 years including Chief Executive of Gaisce The President's Award. He is now one of Ireland's foremost Leader Trainers. He provides training courses to the private sector, community groups. He is the number 1 trainer in Ireland for Student Councils in Secondary Schools. Contact: jmurphy@frstraining.com phone 0872547429. Training costs €250 for a 2.5 hour training session. Alternativly if the school needs two training sessions of 2 hours each eg Student Council and Prefects or Mentors then the cost is €350.

Testimonials

Quote from former President Mary McAleese in her book Building Bridges

“Please excuse a special mention of the President’s Award Chief Executive John Murphy. I thank him resoundingly for all he has accomplished from the days when the Award was just a good idea to the strong organisation he masterminded ----“

From Patricia Gordon, Principal, Stratford College, Dublin.

“I spoke to the students on Tuesday and they were very happy with the Leadership Training”

Hi John,

Thank you for facilitating us last week. The Prefects have spoken highly of the material you delivered and the practicalities of how it can be incorporated into their daily routine.

Adrian Dungan

St. Gerard’s Secondary School,

Bray

email your programme for the year

See also web site for Irish School Prefects https://sites.google.com/site/irishschoolprefects/

Student Council Training – This is what I cover

In a 2.5 hour training session

· Context of Student Councils eg how they mirror real life organisations. The opportunity to learn the skills of Leadership by making a Student Council work.

· Role and authority of Student Councils is clarified.

· Leadership and what it is all about ie

1. How to be a master of the task eg finding out the range of possible activities for the Council by talking to last year’s Council: talking to teachers: google Student Council: google other schools.

2. How to build good teamwork --- essential because of the mix of age groups involved in the Council.

3. How to motivate individuals.

4. How to delegate responsibility and learn to multi task at a given time.

5. How to find out what the skills and abilities of each member of the group is.

6. When to use different leadership styles is explored.

· How to chair or lead a session and what you do before, during and after a meeting.

· Some ideas from other schools are examined.

· The need for planning and thinking until it hurts is constantly emphasised.

· The role of chair/secretary/treasurer and pro is explained.

· How to communicate with students is explored.

· Setting clear targets. We develop a draft programme for the year. We learn how to prioritise them. We discuss the need to get the balance right between constructive initiatives coming from the Council versus a “whinge” list.

The four Student Council working groups in training

in The High School Clonmel. Teacher and mentor with

responsibility is Bernadette O Mahony.

Trainer is John Murphy FRS Training