The Pathways

The steps are reached via:

• Step 1 – registering for Starter resources or requesting a live Mindfulness in Education Info webinar or recording or undertaking .breathe training with MiSP or organise an in person taster with an independent MiSP trained .b Foundations teacher
• Step 2 – .begin, .b Foundations or other recognised 8 week mindfulness course undertaken and/or find an external MiSP trained teacher to deliver the student curricula
• Step 3 – Teach dots or Paws b or .b training completed
• Step 4 – School Mindfulness Lead (SML) training or other recognised adult mindfulness teacher training completed so that mindfulness (.b Foundations or an equivalent 8 week course) can be offered to adults in that setting
• Step 5 – A Pathways Portfolio and Outreach Development Plan completed by the setting and assessed by MiSP (requiring renewal every two years)

Registering a setting’s initial interest, as part of the Pathways Step 1, comes at no cost.  However, as with accessing curriculum resources in the members’ Hub, Hub membership continues to be required from Step 2 onwards. Organisational Hub Membership is required to apply for Step 5.

The Pathways have been designed to show you a possible route to introduce mindfulness in your setting. However, we know from experience that things don’t always develop in a linear way and can take time. All efforts to support a better understanding of mindfulness and widen access to the practice are helpful and it may be that your setting reaches a step and pauses at that point, for practical reasons or because that is what is right for that setting.

You can begin your journey with the Pathways by taking one or more of the following options:

1. requesting Starter resources
2. booking onto a Teach .breathe training course
3. requesting a live Mindfulness in Education Information Webinar or recording
4. organise an in person taster with an independent MiSP trained .b Foundations teacher
5. to find out more about Step 1

How to apply to be part of the Pathways if you have already begun training to bring mindfulness to your setting?

If you are already on your training journey with MiSP, you will automatically be given access to resources in the Hub for the level of training you have completed with us. If you are already on Step 4, we will send you information for applying for Step 5.

If you are not a Hub member but have met the requirements for Step 2 onwards, please contact support@mindfulnessinschools.org

SUPPORT: MiSP Pathways provide a framework to support settings and other child/youth focused organisations to introduce mindfulness with maximum integrity and in a sustainable way.

WORKPLACE/STAFF FOCUS: The Pathways emphasise and support settings that wish to develop as mindful workplaces. Providing opportunities for staff to learn and practice mindfulness for their own wellbeing, as well as role model for the young people in their care, are important features of a sustainable approach.

EMPOWERING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE: While designated adults will hold and implement some aspects of this programme, there are many ways in which students can design and implement aspects of it themselves.

COMMUNITY: The Pathways support the development and implementation of mindfulness initiatives that are age- and context-appropriate for each organisation. As a setting progresses along the Pathways there is increasing emphasis on developing and extending awareness and training with other stakeholders in the community, including offering the opportunity to work holistically with parents and key others.

SUSTAINABILITY: The Pathways are designed to encourage sustainable models and communities of mindfulness both within a single setting and also via a Beacon School/Setting working with a cluster of schools/settings across a geographical area.

INTEGRITY: The emphasis underpinning the Pathways approach throughout is on the quality of training and materials and is envisioned to be part of an extended programme of mindfulness development over several years. The curricula were developed by teachers with children and young people for use in schools and other settings. MiSP is able to offer support and act as a source of guidance throughout your journey.

ACCESSIBILITY: The Pathways’ Steps are designed to be flexible to suit a setting’s context.  Application for Steps 1 to 4 can be completed entirely online or you can progress to each step and gain access to the resources for that step automatically, following completion of each level of training. The additional review stage of Step 5 will be undertaken via online submission of a Pathways Portfolio, Outreach Development Plan and video conferencing interview.

Our intention is to empower educational staff, students, and the broader community to become leaders in bringing wellbeing to the heart of educational life, using mindfulness as a part of this process.

Life brings with it inevitable ups and downs. Our aim is to offer educational communities high quality, accessible learning of mindfulness alongside social and emotional skills that will support them both now and across a lifetime. Our intention is for this to increase the possibilities for individual and community wellbeing; improving the potential for individuals and communities to not just ‘get by’ but actively flourish and thrive.

We recognise, particularly as trained teachers ourselves, that such an approach takes time to develop if it is to be both effective and sustainable.

The Pathways framework is designed to encourage and nurture the continual development of the following areas:

 An Understanding of mindfulness

A Practice of mindfulness

A Sharing of mindfulness

Whilst everyone involved in the school community can benefit and play a role, the Pathways framework focuses primarily on:

• Equipping the staff in the setting as role-models and skilled guides
• Listening to and working with children/young people in the setting as key agents of change
• Supporting the development of an organisation wide approach to mindfulness; tailored to meet the needs of each unique setting and integrated into the setting’s existing structures, practice, and ethos
• Building on the strengths of the community