What adult learners can take from the rise of Cavan GAA
A free online seminar on how sport psychology can help learners and tutors is taking place this week (Wednesday March 3, 1-2pm).
Part of the AONTAS Adult Learners Festival, the session is with Dr Paul Gaffney, lead consultant in high-performance sport clinical psychology, and Finola Colgan, development officer, Mental Health Ireland.
Dr Gaffney will look at the positive mental strength aspects that we can learn from the rise of Cavan GAA inter-county footballers.
He will also discuss what adult learners can take from the unlikely Leicester City FC Premier League title win in 2016 and how key aspects can relate to our mental health during the current pandemic.
AONTAS member Mental Health Ireland has also included an insightful presentation by Finola Colgan, who will look at the ‘Supportive Steps to Enhance Learning’ and how to overcome barriers in challenging times though the use of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Below is an essay by Ms Colgan titled ‘Adult Education and Wellbeing’
“The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” – BB King
Adult Education and Wellbeing, by Finola Colgan development officer Mental Health Ireland
Adult Education is about adults educating and learning in their adult years. Before exploring the links between adult education, let us first consider a couple of questions i.e, what do we understand by adult and by education?
Taking adult first, what is it to be an adult? There are undoubtedly many ideas and notions in answering that, from act your age type of accusations to perceptions that associate the adult with images of maturity, reliability, and life experience and so on.
The second question is where does education fit into adult life? Simply put, for me it is a core aspect of the lifelong journey that is adulthood.
A third consideration is what have adult education and wellbeing in common: quite a lot!
There is an overlap between mental health and wellbeing. Taking an everyday viewpoint about what mental health is, what emerges is that it is has to do with the way we think and feel about ourselves and others, our confidence.
Having good mental health can help us be resilient in responding to unexpected daily challenges.
There is much written about wellbeing and many offerings of definitions and insights as with mental health – however, in my opinion how a person experiences wellbeing is personal.
It is not just about a state of health, it can also be about how your mind is, how your body and spirit are.
This notion sits well with the World Health Organization (WHO) definition contained in its constitution as ‘A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’.
It is a health triangle, where one side of it affects the other. So, if a person is feeling good in themselves, this can have a positive effect on their physical and social health.
Placing adult education opportunities in the centre of that triangle can demonstrate how gaining new skills and undertaking new learning can and will have a positive impact on all those key aspects of our overall health.
The WHO declares that ‘Wellbeing is present when a person realises their potential, is resilient in dealing with the normal stresses of their life, takes care of their physical wellbeing and has a sense of purpose, connection and belonging to a wider community. It is a fluid way of being and needs nurturing throughout life’.
Pursuing adult education opportunities can certainly support a person realising their potential and can and does support wellbeing when linked to the triangle of health.
Adult Education and Wellbeing Webinar
Adult learning lends itself to personal satisfaction and optimism about life.
Feelings of self-esteem, hope and purpose are enhanced through setting personal goals within adult education opportunities.
Creating personal goals and targets will lead to personal achievement, which may include upskilling for better employment opportunities or workplace promotion.
Although many are understandably left feeling uncertain and insecure about life right now, we can make changes by exploring adult educational opportunities.
As part of the AONTAS Adult Learners Festival, AONTAS will screen a thought-provoking and informative session this week.
To join this free session, go to https://fb.me/e/68cbWmZQP on Wednesday 3 March from 1pm to 2pm.
If you would like more information on this Facebook Live event and how to access it on the Aontas YouTube Channel contact Barry Dolan, AONTAS communications and membership officer at: bdolan@aontas.com.