SWIFT Wellbeing Conference 
Friday 3 February 2023 | Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre 
Booking now open! | #wellbeingconf2023 

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​Knowing how busy schools can be, we invite you to make some time in your diary to join us for our 2023 Wellbeing Conference on:
 
Friday 3 February 2023 | from 0830 to 1545 at Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre
Northwood Lane, Buckfast, Devon TQ11 0EG
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Scheduled at the halfway point in the academic year, our Wellbeing Conference is designed for SLT Leads, SENDCo and Wellbeing Leads/ Champions. As school leaders, the conference will support you to develop effective, evidence-based wellbeing strategies in your school so that you can structure support for the wellbeing of your staff, children and young people.
We are delighted this year to welcome Faye McGuiness and Nicola Harvey to our conference as keynote speakers:
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​  Keynote 1 | Wellbeing: a hopeful future for education staff
  Faye McGuiness (Director of Programmes, Education Support Partnership)
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​Keynote 2 | Practical Strategies to Support Students Experiencing Anxiety
​Nicola Harvey (Author, Wellbeing & Education Consultant of Harvey Heals)
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​As part of our conference you will be able to listen to insights from our expert speakers and choose from the following morning and afternoon workshops that share thoughtful and practical ideas.
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The morning sessions focus on staff wellbeing, with the afternoon and pre-lunch keynote addressing pupil and student wellbeing.

  • Leadership in Action: cultivating cultures to support better mental health
  • Staff Wellbeing: a practical approach
  • Mindfulness in Schools and Education
  • Mindfulness and Movement: a Taster Session for Teachers & Leaders 
  • Improving Staff Wellbeing with Movement and Physical Activity
  • Supporting Pupils’ Health and Wellbeing Through Targeted Interventions and Whole School Approaches using the Power of Physical Activity and Movement
  • Proactive Student Wellbeing in Education
  • A Holistic Approach to Pastoral Care for Student Wellbeing
 
We understand the need to take time away from school and the classroom and hope that you will benefit from spending the day with us at Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre, part of the active Benedictine monastery with lovely views of the River Dart. Supporting our healthy living way of being, you will enjoy freshly prepared, seasonal, local ingredients refreshments in the dining room overlooking the Abbey and gardens.

Tickets | SWIFT Members £95 / Non-Members £150 per person (including the conference + refreshments during the day).

Importance of Wellbeing


​We understand the importance of good mental wellbeing and that a co-ordinated and evidence-informed approach in schools and colleges can lead to improved emotional health and wellbeing in children and ​young people, and ultimately facilitate a readiness to learn. 
 
Equally as important is prioritising positive staff wellbeing, which is essential for encouraging a mentally healthy school, for retaining and motivating staff and for promoting pupil wellbeing and attainment. 
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SWIFT is committed to supporting the wellbeing of all children and staff in schools. ​

Our Wellbeing Partners  


We are pleased to work with the following local and national wellbeing partners in our commitment to provide meaningful and relevant continuing professional development opportunities to support staff and pupil’s health and wellbeing: 
Active Devon 
Active Devon is a community-focused, non-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring and supporting Devon to be active.  

Website | Active Devon 
Email | [email protected] 
Facebook | @activedevon 
Twitter |@activedevon  
Instagram | @active_devon ​
Case-UK 
Case-UK support a wide range of organisations from community-based groups, Local Authorities and private companies to provide tailored support programmes to help businesses, families and individuals achieve a fuller and happier lifestyle. 

Website | Case-UK 
Email | https://www.case-uk.co.uk (complete the Get in Touch form) 
Facebook | @caseuklimited 
Twitter |@CASE_UK_LIMITED, ,  ​

Charlie Waller Trust 
Charlie Waller Trust helps young people to understand their own mental health, and equips them to support themselves and those around them, empowering them to talk more openly about mental health. Their work takes place in partnership with those with responsibility for young people: families, schools, colleges, universities, and employers. 

Website | Charlie Waller Trust 
Email | https://charliewaller.org/contact-us 
Facebook | @charliewalleruk 
Twitter | @charliewalleruk 
Instagram | @charliewalleruk ​

Jen McDiarmid  
Jennifer McDiarmid is a Nutritional Therapist, NLP Coach and Wellbeing Mentor who provides personalised nutritional programmes for individuals, family and schools; as well as wellbeing talks, courses, podcasts, recipes and functional medicine testing.  

Website | Jen McDiarmid  
Email | c[email protected] 
Facebook | @jennifermcdiarmidnutrition 
Twitter | @jenmcdiarmid 
Instagram | @jennifer_mcdiarmid_nutrition  ​

Open Minds  
Open Minds supports emotional wellbeing by equipping young people, families and those who support them with a personalised set of tools to manage emotions, encourage positive thinking and develop a healthy mindset. 

Website | Open Minds  
Email | https://openmindsuk.org.uk/index.php/contact/ 
Facebook | @Open-Minds-UK-1212726358755130 
Twitter | @OpenMindsUK3 ​

Psychology Associates 
Psychology Associates is a leading multidisciplinary, and dynamic, and creative independent practice of like-minded expert clinicians who offer a range of extensive and bespoke education services, working directly with schools, colleges, Local Authorities and national charities.  

Website | Psychology Associates 
Email | [email protected] 
Facebook | @psychologyassociatesuk 
Twitter | @PsychologyA 
Sunrise Psychology
Sunrise Psychology is an innovative and independent educational psychology practice serving schools in Devon and offers consultation and assessment, training and staff development, therapeutic interventions and mindfulness sessions. 

Phone | 07342958900 
Email | [email protected] ​

Resources 


There are many apps, websites and digital programmes aimed at improving mental health at work available for schools. Below is a selection that you may find useful. 
Education staff wellbeing charter
The Department for Education’s “Education Staff Wellbeing Charter” is a declaration of support for, and set of commitments to, the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education. 
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The Charter is for education staff in England, including temporary and support staff.  
All State-funded Schools and Colleges are invited to sign up to the Charter, as a shared commitment to protect, promote and enhance the wellbeing of their staff. 
Promoting and Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools and Colleges 
Find out what help and resources are available to develop a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.