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Gilda Scarfe

CEO and Founder of Positive Ed

Gilda Scarfe is the CEO and Founder of Positive Ed a leading and innovative educational consultancy using research to develop, implement and evaluate mental toughness, wellbeing and 21st century skills in schools through programmes design and pedagogical approaches. She has been responsible for the organisation and implementation of the Positive Psychology/Education strategy at several grammar schools in the UK, Singapore, UAE and Thailand and has supported the strategic direction and implementation of Illuminate Education a non-profit organisation promoting Positive Education initiatives.

 

Gilda’s research focuses on character education, emotional intelligence in education, leading change, positive education, strategic planning in education and wellbeing education. Passionate about improving wellbeing and mental toughness in education through innovative yet simple and clear interventions, Gilda is always keen to bridge the gap between academics and practitioners in making a practical and powerful impact to the world of education. Gilda is member of IPPA (International Positive Psychology Association), APA (American Psychology Association) and MEPA. A highly sought-after speaker Gilda has delivered several keynotes, workshops and symposia in MENA Region, Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom on a range of topics from positive psychology and educational leadership to curriculum innovation and pedagogical development.

>Presentation Topic: The importance of building Mental Toughness in Education

Now, more than ever the provision of treatment to young people with mental disorders poses a great economic burden for society. Recognizing these issues, a number of researchers have contended that it is better to promote the development of resilient functioning as early as possible in the course of development than to implement intervention strategies. Mental Toughness in the education sector has emerged as a highly significant factor in the development of young people. The key challenges they face and what they can do about them, particularly when approaching exams or test. 


I will introduce an educational programme concerned with identifying, measuring and developing personal ‘resilience’ in young people. From the outset of our research we used a loose definition of the term ‘resilience’ which made sense both to the teachers and students we were working with; we referred to ‘independence, mental toughness, emotional resilience and intellectual courage’ as the personal qualities which are the essential components of personal resilience.  The programme was delivered to groups of 12-15-year-old students in several secondary schools in the UK, whilst we closely monitored the introduction, delivery and outcomes in two case study schools.  

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