Conference Overview
The conference was officially opened by the AONTAS President Marian Duffy and was contextualized by inputs from Berni Brady and Niamh O'Reilly. A panel discussion was held to demonstrate the value and role of community education comprised experts in community education practice.
Internationally renowned academic Prof John Field of the University of Stirling brought together the initial concepts raised in the opening session, setting the scene for the kind of community education sector we can aspire to and laying the foundations for the discussions.
Minister for Training and Skills, Ciaran Cannon TD, opened the second part to the conference providing an overview of the developments within the Further Education sector, namely the new structure of SOLAS. In light of development in Ireland the Secretary General of the Swedish National Council of Adult Education, Britten Mansson Wallin, provided a keynote address outlining the organisation of, and the similarities between, folkbuildning and community education.
To close the day Senator Katherine Zappone provided an uplifting keynote address which outlined the distinct role of community education in addressing local issues whilst meeting the national prioritised for education and skills. A copy of her presentation is available here:
http://senatorkatherinezappone.ie/index.php/entry/aontas-conference-on-community-education/public/
Panel Discussion: The Diversity of Community Education
Community education is not a homogenous sector, its diversity is its strength and to demonstrate that we have drawn on practitioners from across the sector to participate in a panel discussion.
Liz Waters: CEO of An Cosan
Crona Gallagher: Adult Education Officer, Donegal VEC
Vivienne Glanville: Coordinator, Ronanstown CDP
John Evoy: Coordinator, Men's Sheds
Conference Workshops
A. Capturing the outcomes of community education
Rooting the theme in her practice, Avril Bailey from An Cosan will describe her experience of exploring options around capturing outcomes: the challenges and benefits of this work. Aine Lyne, City of Limerick VEC, will describe a locally developed learner assessment tool for measuring the outcomes of community education. Jim McHarg will explore a Scottish method for 'capturing the outcomes of community education', which has proven a valuable tool for organisations looking to demonstrate the value of their work on the community. For further information please view here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/12093755/1
The workshop discussion will then focus on what kinds of tools to community education groups need for the Irish context and how can we develop them.
B. Continuous professional development for community education
Brid Connolly of NUI Maynooth and Mary Flannery (City Limerick VEC/CEFA) will focus on the continuous professional of community education practitioners. They will deconstruct the meaning of professional development, its aims, value and role for creating an effective community education sector.
The workshop discussion will then focus on how the AONTAS and Community Education Network can support its members to engage in effective continuous professional development.
C. Community education for social action
This workshop explores different case study examples of practice in order to unpick how the impact of an organisation's ethos relates to a social action model of community education. At national level, Waterford Women's Centre and international, Nicole Bidegain of the International Council of Adult Education (Uruguay) will provide examples of this approach to community education.
The discussion session will centre on how organisations can be supported in this model of community education drawing on the work of the QAF as a potential tool.
D. Effective funding for community education
This workshop is dedicated to the work of the Community Education Network, focusing solely on the issue of funding: the history of community education funding in Ireland, its impact on practice, and how it can be more effective for both practitioners and learners will be explored. Marie Mulvihill (D8CEC), Berni Brady (AONTAS) and Ann Brophy (CAFTA) will provide presentations to spark discussions on how we can collectively move forward on this issue.
E. Why choose community education? A learners' perspective
The final workshop is for learners and by learners, as part of the recently established Adult Learners Forum of Ireland it will create a space for learners to discuss why they chose community education. Inputs from community education learners will provide insightful perspectives on their experience which will act as a basis for the discussion session.
