Register now for the CEN10 Conference at: aontas.force.com/aontasevent
View our Conference Brochure here.
About the Conference
2017 marks the 10 Year Anniversary of the AONTAS Community Education Network (CEN). AONTAS is
holding a conference to showcase the social, personal, cultural and economic benefits of community
education and provide a platform to raise its profile in order to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
Cognisant of the changing economic, social, and political context, the CEN10 conference will focus
on key issues and how community education practitioners can support each other’s work including
extending links to fellow practitioners in Northern Ireland.
Community education goes beyond skills attainment. It supports community cohesion, transformation
and civic engagement. These broader values of community education are vitally important at a time
of widening social inequality and political uncertainty in an increasingly populist post-Brexit Europe.
In setting the context for the opening of the conference we are delighted that Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD will provide the opening address where he will highlight the
importance of connection with our counterparts in Northern Ireland post Brexit. Dr Jim Crowther
from the University of Edinburgh will also deliver the keynote speech giving food for thought on the
role of community education in a changed world with a focus on the rise of populism across Europe.
In order to respond to the changing context, a strong, vibrant, responsive community education
sector requires sustainable funding and tools to address contemporary challenges. Important factors
in strengthening the sector include the ability to maximise opportunities, provide collective support,
build resilience and stay true to community education values. The workshops will provide the
space to explore these areas. Additionally the exhibition concourse will showcase the wide-ranging
social, cultural, economic and wellbeing benefits of community education to individuals and their
communities.
The CEN10: Sustaining Community Education Conference will:
Workshops
The conference will be highly participatory, with a range of workshops under the themes, Sustainability; Challenges and Opportunities; Resilience; Support in which you can learn and share your experience so that you leave with valuable information for your organisation. We will also have a workshop on Community Education Responding to Contemporary Challenges by Sarah Stack, Training for Women Network, Belfast.
CEN Concourse
We also have a space for CEN members to showcase their organisations' achievements. The Conference Community Education Concourse will be an exhibition and networking area where organisations can bring along awards, promotional material, learner achievements, publications and videos that will promote their great work.
We really look forward to welcoming you to this very special conference and we encourage you to use this opportunity to network, highlight your work, participate in the discussions and help us to collectively ensure the sustainability of community education for the future.