Supporting School Completion Programmes in Ireland
Upcoming Events:
Missed the free webinar? Catch up with the recording; click the button below to watch.
Learn more and register for the upcoming live virtual training on November 10th – 11th
Webinar for Ireland Educators:
“Quick Interventions for School Refusal & Chronic Absenteeism”
(This webinar aired live on October 13, 2026.) Missed the live webinar? No worries! You can watch the recording below at your convenience.
About the Webinar:
“Quick Interventions for School Refusal & Chronic Absenteeism”
(This webinar aired live on October 13th, 2026)
Practical tools for helping young people reconnect with school
When a young person has begun disengaging from school, simply telling them why attendance matters is rarely enough.
School refusal and chronic absenteeism can be connected to anxiety and stress, difficult relationships, low motivation, behaviour, challenges at home, negative experiences in school, or simply a young person’s belief that school no longer feels relevant to their future.
Access the free resources shared in the webinar above
Fill out this quick survey, and we will send you the free resources shared in the webinar
So what can you do in the time you actually have with them?
Join us for a free, practical one-hour webinar designed specifically for professionals working with young people at risk of disengaging from school. We’ll explore quick intervention strategies and tools you can use in one-to-one conversations to help you:
- build connection before trying to correct behaviour;
- reduce resistance and open up more productive conversations;
- explore what’s underneath disengagement and school refusal;
- help young people recognise how today’s choices connect with their future; and
- identify practical next steps towards re-engagement.
We’ll also introduce some of the newest resources in the WhyTry Toolkit, including tools designed to help you quickly match the challenges a young person is experiencing with relevant strategies and interventions.
Already familiar with WhyTry?
Come along for a refresher and see what’s new. We’ve added new resources designed specifically to make WhyTry easier to use for brief, targeted and one-to-one interventions.
New to WhyTry?
This is a great opportunity to experience the approach, take away some practical ideas you can use straight away, and see whether the full WhyTry Toolkit could be useful in your work.
More Than a Training — A Toolkit You Can Use All Year
Virtual Live WhyTry Training — 10 & 11 November
Tuesday, 10 November & Wednesday, 11 November 2026
2:00–5:00 PM Ireland Time each day
Two live virtual sessions | 6 hours total
WhyTry isn’t simply a training course that you attend and then leave behind.
When you choose WhyTry, you’re purchasing 12 months’ access to a practical intervention toolkit designed to help you engage young people, address the challenges behind disengagement and build skills that support greater success in school and life.
Your Toolkit gives you resources you can draw from throughout the year — whether you have ten minutes with one young person, are providing more sustained one-to-one support, or are working with a small group.
Start using the Toolkit as soon as you join
You don’t need to wait for a training date.
Once your WhyTry subscription is activated, you can begin exploring and using the resources straight away. Your 12-month access includes:
- The complete WhyTry digital Toolkit;
- Quick intervention tools for individual work with young people;
- The Skills & Challenges Guide to help you find appropriate resources quickly
- Opportunities to participate in live virtual WhyTry training and support.
- Self-paced training and “train as you go” support
- Student Game Plans and other ready-to-use resources;
- Activities and resources for individual, small-group and wider programme use
Price: €550
Includes 12-month access to the WhyTry Program Materials and Quick Interventions Toolkit, plus the following training options:
Virtual Live
(Multiple dates available – accessed from within the toolkit)
– or –
Train-as-you-go Virtual
(Self-paced)
Find the right tool for the challenge in front of you
Our new Skills & Challenges Guide makes it easier to begin with what you’re seeing in the young person rather than having to work through the programme in sequence.
Find tools and strategies to support challenges involving:
Attendance & Participation
School refusal, chronic absenteeism, disengagement and difficulty participating in school.
Engagement, Motivation & School Success
Helping young people find relevance, recognise choices and consequences, and develop a stronger reason to engage.
Emotions, Stress & Mental Health
Practical tools for emotional regulation, stress, coping and helping young people navigate difficult circumstances.
Behaviour & Conflicton
Strategies for reducing resistance, strengthening relationships and helping young people respond differently to challenging situations.
You can then connect those challenges with resources that develop self-management, relationships, academic and executive skills, and resilience.
Live WhyTry Training — 10 & 11 November
Tuesday, 10 November & Wednesday, 11 November 2026
2:00–5:00 PM Ireland Time each day
Two live virtual sessions | 6 hours total
Our November training gives you the opportunity to go deeper.
Across two interactive three-hour sessions, we’ll guide you through the WhyTry approach, demonstrate how to use the intervention tools, help you practise applying them to real situations, and answer questions about the young people and challenges you’re encountering in your own work.
Can’t make the November dates?
That’s OK! The November sessions are only one way to receive training — they aren’t the product you’re purchasing.
Your WhyTry subscription gives you 12 months’ access to the Program Materials and Quick Interventions Toolkit and all the training resources.
You can start using the materials immediately, learn through the self-paced resources, and take advantage of additional live virtual training opportunities during your subscription.
Choose WhyTry if the Toolkit is right for your work — not simply when a particular training date suits your diary.
Price: €550
Includes 12-month access to the WhyTry Program Materials and Quick Interventions Toolkit, plus the following training options:
Virtual Live
(Multiple dates available – accessed from within the toolkit)
– or –
Train-as-you-go Virtual
(Self-paced)
Unlocking Student Potential with WhyTry
The WhyTry Programme has been a trusted resource for schools globally, including in Ireland, where it has been used for over a decade in partnership with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). It has proven effective in engaging students and addressing behavioural challenges, particularly those at risk of early school refusal. Designed as a flexible toolkit, WhyTry helps educators build resilience, enhance emotional well-being of students, and develop critical life skills, making it an ideal solution for the unique needs of DEIS schools.
WhyTry and School Completion Programs
Practical Solutions for Engaging Students
The WhyTry Programme offers flexible options to help school completion motivate students at risk of early school refusal. Whether working with entire classrooms, small groups, or individual students, WhyTry provides engaging and practical strategies that resonate with young people.
- Universal Interventions: Deliver the full WhyTry curriculum to whole classrooms with interactive lessons that teach essential skills like emotional regulation, decision-making, intrinsic motivation, and valuing hard work.
- Small Group Work: Support smaller groups in settings such as breakfast or lunch clubs. WhyTry’s engaging analogies and activities help build connections and encourage participation in a more intimate environment.
- One-on-One Interventions: Provide personalised support for students facing significant challenges like school refusal. The WhyTry materials can be adapted to individual needs, offering strategies that can be applied both in school and at home.
A Comprehensive Approach to Resilience
The WhyTry Approach focuses on building relationships and creating relevance in learning. By emphasising these core principles, educators can address the root causes of disengagement and empower students to succeed. WhyTry equips staff with tools to foster hope, self-efficacy, and a resilient mindset in students.
The WhyTry is committed to supporting School Completion Programmes in Ireland by providing practical and adaptable solutions to engage students and address educational challenges. Don’t miss this chance to discover how WhyTry can transform outcomes for your students!
Ashley Wright
“When you can see the purpose of each WhyTry lesson and use the attention grabbers, music, and metaphors to reach the kids with targeted interventions, WhyTry can help you achieve your goals. We saw a significant decrease in the number of referrals.”
Katelynn Flynn
“I have to say, the hands-on activities were perfect in portraying the message, and we had so many great discussions as a result. In fact, we saw a measurable change with our group. Our students made much better decisions going forward.”
Beth Foster
I’m a teacher at heart, and having WhyTry in my toolkit gives me the flexibility to introduce main parts of the program in my guidance classes, and then I can pull in more content as the kids progress through different grades. It works seamlessly for me.”
The WhyTry curriculum uses visual metaphors to teach important life skills, like:
We empower students to overcome challenges and help them to see the relevance of school work.
Why Choose The WhyTry Program?
Proven Experience
With over 20 years of success, we understand the challenges teachers and counselors face. We have practical interventions and strategies that work.
Engaging Interventions
Our toolkit gets students excited about learning and improves behavior. Teachers and counselors who use WhyTry often say they rediscover the joy of education!
Enhanced Teamwork
Our approach provides a common language and framework for staff and administrators, enabling your entire team to collaborate and communicate better.