The Pathfinders initiative enables people with autism to progress to mainstream learning that matches their interests and abilities. The initiative helps grow learners’ communication skills, concentration, imagination, organisational skills and daily routine in an adult learning centre.
The Social Therapeutic Horticulture Programme provides a therapy through horticulture in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, in partnership with the HSE. Service users are in active addiction and are not working or engaging in any other training. It is facilitated by a training Social Therapeutic Horticulturist, a key worker, and a counsellor assigned by the Substance Misuse Service. Service users work in the greenhouses and each has an individual care plan.
Established in 2011, the ComMUniversity is a programme where people can attend higher education courses in the familiar surroundings of their local libraries. This programme allows them to access a course in the secure and familiar environment of the local library, with the goal of widening participation in higher education, especially for people from communities that are under-resourced or people who have not had the opportunity or encouragement to go to university before.
This initiative is aimed at migrants who are parents of children attending DEIS schools in Limerick city. DEIS schools help children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage. There are children from 64 countries across the five schools involved in this initiative. The aim of the initiative is to create a safe space for people to practise their language skills.
The Threads Project brought GCE to a community organisation, using the arts. It featured a drama group, formed in 2021, that was concerned with social justice issues. Their interests were inspired by the SDGs that had an impact on members’ lives. Given that the group were all living in the North-east inner city in Dublin, issues included poverty, crime, and social disintegration.
From the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, the Mas project (Maternal Advocacy and Support) provides maternal mental health support to women who are pregnant and/ or who have children up to the age of 3.
This course from KWETB provides the skills and knowledge for learners to confidently pursue employment in a process maintenance technician role in a manufacturing setting. It prepares learners to become more competitive in the employment market or to confidently progress on to further and higher education.
