€430 million New Capital Investment Announced for the Further and Higher Education Sectors
On 14th February 2022, a new investment of €430 million in capital programmes for further and higher education sectors was announced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD and Minister of State for Skills Niall Collins TD.
AONTAS Launches the Adult Learner Journal 2021
On 8th December 2021, over 100 participants gathered online to celebrate the launch of the 35th issue of The Adult Learner Journal, the only peer-reviewed journal focused on adult, community and further education in Ireland.
Adult Education in Ulster – Reconnect, Reflect and Reimagine
On Tuesday, 30th November 2021, AONTAS hosted a meeting to bring together adult learning organisations from across the Ulster region. The goal of the meeting was to provide a space on how collectively we can improve the quality of learning experiences for all adult learners, and to build a supportive culture of lifelong learning.
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AONTAS CEN Meeting – 16th November 2021
On Tuesday, 16th November, AONTAS held its final Community Education Network (CEN) meeting of 2021. The CEN brings together independent community education practitioners from across Ireland to collaborate, share knowledge and engage on key areas relating to community education. This particular CEN meeting was unique in the sense that it gave AONTAS the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the outstanding commitment of five women, who have retired recently from community education, who were instrumental to the establishment of the CEN and, ‘unsung heroes of their local communities’ according to Dr Niamh O’Reilly, AONTAS CEO.
FET Learners as Leaders – Empowering Advocates in Further Education and Training – Nov 2021
The Further Education and Training (FET) Learners as Leaders programme is a new collaborative project delivered by AONTAS in conjunction with Education and Training Boards (ETBs). It is designed to empower learners to become learner voice advocates and participate in leadership roles within their ETB. This work is an expansion of the National FET Learner Forum, allowing learners to build on their initial experience of sharing their learner voice in FET.
Greater Inclusion of Underrepresented Groups in Apprenticeships Needed
AONTAS is particularly aware of the need for greater inclusion of groups who have traditionally been underrepresented in apprenticeships. We support our members with their efforts to achieve greater inclusion, such as improving the gender balance of apprenticeships and encouraging more people from minority backgrounds into apprenticeships.
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth’s Review of the Equality Acts.
AONTAS welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the consultation and review of the Equality Acts, mainly because AONTAS is concerned that current legislation fails to ensure that all adults can equally participate in all forms of education. Ireland has a number of laws that protect and promote everyone’s right to equality. However, we know that discrimination is routine and has a significant impact on adult learners.
AONTAS Annual General Meeting 2021
On Wednesday, 20th October, AONTAS held its 51st Annual General Meeting (AGM) online via Zoom. Over 90 members were present, including community education organisations, adult learners, Education and Training Board (ETB) representatives and nominees for the AONTAS Board.
Learners as Leaders Development Education Programme
During July 2021, 15 learners from 11 counties across Ireland participated in a ‘Learners as Leaders’ development education advocacy programme delivered by AONTAS, in partnership with Development Perspectives.