14 March 2003
NEWB Appoints North Dublin WomanSix cities and 12 towns get new Educational Welfare Service

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), the new national agency with responsibility for encouraging and supporting regular school attendance, has appointed North Dublin woman Jill Leonard as Director of Corporate Services.

Jill, who is from The Naul and currently lives in Balbriggan, was Head of Administration with the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the body with responsibility for making awards in accordance with national standards. Her appointment is one of the first senior permanent appointments to be made by the new board.

The primary function of the NEWB is to ensure that each child in the State attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an appropriate education. The Board also has responsibilities in relation to children educated outside of recognised schools and young people who leave school early to take up employment. Towards this, Jill will be responsible for the development of the NEWB's human resources department as well as the board's training, communications and IT functions. The NEWB's service will be developed on a phased basis. In 2003, the NEWB will recruit a significant number of new staff, including Educational Welfare Officers and Regional Managers who will be located throughout the country with a particular emphasis on the areas of greatest need.

Jill also worked with Enterprise Ireland as Senior HR Specialist, and with PEI Technologies Enterprise Ireland, which provides technology support for industry in Ireland. She received an MSc in Management - Organisational Behaviour from University of Dublin, Trinity College in 1999.

In addition, this week, schools throughout North Dublin received an important letter setting out new arrangements to promote regular school attendance and tackle the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving.

The letter outlines the roles and immediate plans of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), including information on how schools can get in touch with the new Board. Immediate activities will include the appointment of Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) to areas of most need, the development of a Strategic Plan in consultation with Education Partners and the development of National Guidelines to assist schools meet their obligations under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.

For more information contact: Edel Hackett, Tel: 087-2935207/098-50218.