Finn Valley College have officially welcomed their very own Elephant in the Room as part of our Schools Programme in partnership with Kyne Foundation & Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd.
Students took the lead in designing their sculpture — sparking conversations about inclusion, wellbeing, stigma, and the power of speaking up. They officially introduced “Hope” to our school community at our PrizeGiving ceremony. Designs by students Anna Matviienko, Mia Olahova Brennan and Oisin McAteer formed the basis of the artwork.
The ‘Elephant in the Room’ is a metaphor for an obvious problem or taboo that no one is willing to discuss, based on the idea that something as large and conspicuous as an elephant, when put in a confined space, could not possibly be overlooked unintentionally.
It is often used to refer to issues which are deliberately ignored; truths we all know, but collectively agree not to talk about.
Everyone has an ‘Elephant in the Room’, and this elephant sculpture is here in our school to help conversations early before they develop into larger issues impacting students’ wellbeing.
It’s also about encouraging kindness — we never know what someone else might be going through in their day or life.
We need to normalise discussions around stigma, bias and mental health and make it a daily priority for everyone here, just like physical health.
This elephant sculpture is about starting conversations and giving all of you better tools to navigate life’s challenges, particularly within this school environment, while fostering a culture of inclusion and care.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uWuSGEDwWGdqtpcOaOy2hKliCyDUqnok/view?usp=sharing
Huge congratulations to everyone who was involved.
“Hope” embodies creativity, courage, and connection.
