Connecting with Community: A Visit to St. Andrew’s Resource Centre
Written by
Published on
August 18, 2026
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We were delighted to recently welcome St. Andrew’s Resource Centre , Pearse St, Dublin 2 as one of the newest members of the Community Education Network (CEN).
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting and connecting community education providers, our Community Education Officer visited the centre to chat with Carmel O’Connor, Manager of the Adult Education Service to learn more about the exciting work taking place and the plans being developed for the coming academic year. Carmel up to Easter of this year managed their Talk About Youth Project.
Located in the heart of Dublin, St. Andrew’s Resource Centre Adult Education Service continues to provide valuable learning opportunities that respond directly to the needs and interests of the local community. During the visit, Carmel shared an ambitious programme of activities planned for September to December 2026 including Nine adult learner ETB funded classes with Art, Creative Writing, Digital Media, Irish, Literacy and Sewing serving no less than 100 adult learners in the local community along with the following:
A Diverse Range of Learning Opportunities
Carmel will be delivering a wide range of new learning opportunities including:
- Drama workshops in collaboration with the Pearse Centre and the Bridging The Gap theatre company which will finish with a performance in The Pearse Centre theatre.
- A gardening workshop focused on winter bedding and bulb planting.
- A series of yoga classes and other sessions promoting health and wellbeing.
- New Artificial Intelligence (AI) workshops, helping learners understand how AI can be used in everyday life to save time, manage information, plan budgets, organise travel, and stay safe online.
- Planned Conversational Irish workshops with the Irish Education Unit in DCC , supporting language learning and cultural engagement.
- Additional culture and history events in collaboration with The Culture Company, DCC and Trinity college, including Historical Analysis Workshop: Examining the Historic Relationship Between the Local Community and the Famous Pearse Street Print Company, Clay workshops, Walk and Talks
- Climate Literacy workshops with ECO UNESCO, encouraging participants to explore environmental issues such as food waste, green spaces, and carbon footprints at a local level.
- Irish Dancing
Building Stronger Communities Through Learning
What stood out during the visit was St. Andrew’s commitment to making learning accessible, practical, and welcoming for people of all ages and backgrounds. Their programme reflects the core values of community education by creating opportunities for personal development, social inclusion, wellbeing, and lifelong learning.
The planned AI workshops are particularly innovative, demonstrating how community education continues to evolve and respond to the changing needs of learners in an increasingly digital world.
Looking Forward
We are excited to have St. Andrew’s Resource Centre as part of the CEN community and look forward to supporting their continued growth and success. The breadth of opportunities planned for the months ahead highlights the vital role community education centres play in strengthening communities and empowering learners.
To learn more about St. Andrew’s Adult Education Programme contact Carmel at carmel.oconnor@standrews.ie or 01 6771930 to learn more about the positive impact these programmes will have on learners and the wider community over the coming year.
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Connecting with Community: A Visit to St. Andrew’s Resource Centre
Written by
Published on
August 18, 2026
Share This
We were delighted to recently welcome St. Andrew’s Resource Centre , Pearse St, Dublin 2 as one of the newest members of the Community Education Network (CEN).
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting and connecting community education providers, our Community Education Officer visited the centre to chat with Carmel O’Connor, Manager of the Adult Education Service to learn more about the exciting work taking place and the plans being developed for the coming academic year. Carmel up to Easter of this year managed their Talk About Youth Project.
Located in the heart of Dublin, St. Andrew’s Resource Centre Adult Education Service continues to provide valuable learning opportunities that respond directly to the needs and interests of the local community. During the visit, Carmel shared an ambitious programme of activities planned for September to December 2026 including Nine adult learner ETB funded classes with Art, Creative Writing, Digital Media, Irish, Literacy and Sewing serving no less than 100 adult learners in the local community along with the following:
A Diverse Range of Learning Opportunities
Carmel will be delivering a wide range of new learning opportunities including:
- Drama workshops in collaboration with the Pearse Centre and the Bridging The Gap theatre company which will finish with a performance in The Pearse Centre theatre.
- A gardening workshop focused on winter bedding and bulb planting.
- A series of yoga classes and other sessions promoting health and wellbeing.
- New Artificial Intelligence (AI) workshops, helping learners understand how AI can be used in everyday life to save time, manage information, plan budgets, organise travel, and stay safe online.
- Planned Conversational Irish workshops with the Irish Education Unit in DCC , supporting language learning and cultural engagement.
- Additional culture and history events in collaboration with The Culture Company, DCC and Trinity college, including Historical Analysis Workshop: Examining the Historic Relationship Between the Local Community and the Famous Pearse Street Print Company, Clay workshops, Walk and Talks
- Climate Literacy workshops with ECO UNESCO, encouraging participants to explore environmental issues such as food waste, green spaces, and carbon footprints at a local level.
- Irish Dancing
Building Stronger Communities Through Learning
What stood out during the visit was St. Andrew’s commitment to making learning accessible, practical, and welcoming for people of all ages and backgrounds. Their programme reflects the core values of community education by creating opportunities for personal development, social inclusion, wellbeing, and lifelong learning.
The planned AI workshops are particularly innovative, demonstrating how community education continues to evolve and respond to the changing needs of learners in an increasingly digital world.
Looking Forward
We are excited to have St. Andrew’s Resource Centre as part of the CEN community and look forward to supporting their continued growth and success. The breadth of opportunities planned for the months ahead highlights the vital role community education centres play in strengthening communities and empowering learners.
To learn more about St. Andrew’s Adult Education Programme contact Carmel at carmel.oconnor@standrews.ie or 01 6771930 to learn more about the positive impact these programmes will have on learners and the wider community over the coming year.
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