AONTAS Consults with Galway Members
24 Oct 2006 09:38 AM
AONTAS was meeting with its voluntary members in Galway because the organisation's current Strategic Plan is coming to an end. "Our current Strategic Plan ends this year," explained Niamh O'Reilly, Membership Development Officer with AONTAS. "By consulting with our members throughout the country - including the voluntary groups here in Galway - we hope that our new Strategic Plan will be as reflective as possible of the desires and concerns of the adult and community education sector in Ireland."
Loretta Needham, Coordinator of Tuam Community Development Resource Centre, said she felt it was important that as many groups as possible contributed to the consultation process for the new AONTAS Strategic Plan. "AONTAS will be in a stronger position to seek change in how community and adult education initiatives are delivered, as they will be aware that they speak with the support of their members," she said. "This consultative process may foster a sense of ownership within the membership of AONTAS for this new plan."
At the meeting, Ms. Needham highlighted a number of issues of importance to voluntary groups in Galway, including the importance of clear and definite educational progression routes for adults; engaging and consulting with all members of the community, including those from new communities; the promotion of active citizenship; and engaging women in the present economic environment. Similar issues were raised by Breda Lymer, Manager of West Training and Development Ltd, who stated that AONTAS must be at the forefront of lobbying and policy work in order to help adult and community education to grow and prosper.
"It is important that adult and community education groups work together for a better service," Ms. Lymer said. "AONTAS can provide these groups with a forum and a mode of influence."
AONTAS has over 570 members throughout Ireland, including VECs, third level institutions, community education organisations and voluntary groups. The organisation's new Strategic Plan will cover the period 2007-2010.
