NEW Online Training My FRIENDS Youth (aimed at Junior Cycle students) designed to prevent anxiety and build resilience in students. Access it directly through the FRIENDS Resilience website: www.friendsresilience.org.
NEW Online Training Friends for Life (upper primary) and Fun Friends (lower primary) designed to prevent anxiety and build resilience in pupils . Access it directly through the FRIENDS Resilience website: www.friendsresilience.org.
The Welcome to our Schools’ video for primary and post primary schools, provides information and strategies to welcome and include children in your schools following their arrival in Ireland, looking at ways to promote a sense of safety, calm, efficacy, connectedness and hope: https://youtu.be/UR-tWbApvrQ
The closing date for receipt of applications is 10th April 2025.
Please contact your local Education Support Centre for queries or support, or email National Arts in Education, Tralee Education Support Centre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Eligibility: All schools in receipt of capitation grants from the Department of Education or Education and Training Boards (ETBs) can apply for BLAST.
Schools participating in either Creative Clusters, Creative Schools or TAP+ can apply for BLAST.
Fee Paying Schools are not eligible to apply for BLAST Residencies. Schools that are not in the free-education scheme cannot apply for BLAST.
BLAST is an initiative of the Department of Education, under the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027. It is led by and in partnership with the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland.