Examinations Helpline opens Monday 22nd August

As you are endeavouring to make sense of your Leaving Cert results, the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) welcomes the launch of The Examination Helpline 2016. The 1800 265 165 Freephone Helpline is sponsored by both the Irish Independent and Eir, and is supported by the Department of Education and Skills. It received thousands of calls last year, and helped many students to make informed decisions about the choices they faced, and their future career paths.

 

Hosted by the National Parents’ Council Post Primary (NPCpp), the Helpline offers advice, information and support to Leaving Cert students receiving their exam results. It will be operated and staffed by members of the IGC, who are fully qualified experts in their field. In addition, a representative of the grant-awarding body, SUSI, will also be on hand to answer queries.

 

CAO first offer day is both an exciting and nervous day for students and the Helpline is a great support which helps answer any questions students and their families may have. The Helpline will open at 8 a.m. on Monday 22nd August and will run to Wednesday 24th August. (see Freephone operating hours below). Professionally-trained guidance counsellors will help with queries relating to CAO first-round offers, they will take calls from students, parents, guardians and teachers who are seeking advice, information and reassurance on what choices are available to students. All queries on third level courses, such as the points system, rechecks, repeats, CAO procedures, apprenticeships and further training options will be dealt with in a professional and confidential manner.

 

In recent years, calls to the Helpline have increased, highlighting the need for the personal touch at the end of a phone line, at a much pressurised time for students and their parents. No matter how prepared students are, this can be a confusing and stressful time and talking to a guidance professional can really help. For some students, as reported last year, this may be the first contact they have with a guidance counsellor.

 

To complement the Freephone Exam Helpline 2016, www.independent.ie will be running an interactive CAO enquiry blog on Monday, 22nd August from 8 a.m. Members of the IGC will also be staffing this service, answering all queries and concerns around the results and/or further and higher education and career options. You can send questions directly to the blog itself, tweet queries via #IndoSubmit or send emails to contact@independent.ie. 

 

Freephone Helpline on 1800 265 165

 

 

FREEPHONE HELPLINE OPERATING HOURS 2016:

Monday, 22nd August: 08:00 – 19:00

Tuesday, 23rd August: 08:00 – 19:00

Wednesday, 24th August: 08:00 – 13:00