At Rainbows Ireland, we deeply understand that leading Rainbows Groups can be a challenging and sometimes isolating experience. With 40 years of working alongside Coordinators and Facilitators, we recognise that many of you may find yourselves as the only Coordinator in your centre, which can make it difficult to share your challenges with others. Similarly, Facilitators are on the front lines, working with children who share their joys and struggles, and this comes with its own array of challenges and heartfelt experiences.

In light of this, we are excited to introduce quarterly Peer Support and Practice Review sessions on Zoom for 2025-2026. These sessions are designed to be interactive and led by you, our dedicated Facilitators and Coordinators. We warmly invite you to join us, not only to share your challenges but also to celebrate your successes. Your experiences, both the tough moments and the rewarding ones, are invaluable. We want to hear about what inspires you to continue, as well as the times you’ve thought about stepping away.

We aim to foster a safe and supportive environment where we can come together to talk openly about these issues, lean on each other, and offer the collective support needed to continue the important work of supporting children and their parents in our communities. The feedback we’ve received from children and parents highlights the profound impact of Rainbows’ peer group support. Children feel empowered to express their feelings, and they find comfort in knowing their emotions and family situations are normalised as they connect with others in a safe space.
As we move into this upcoming year, we invite you to be a part of the Peer Support and Practice Review sessions. Together, let’s continue to support one another as we roll out Rainbows across the nation.