Writing by Ecem Akarca, EU Projects Coordinator.
In the dynamic landscape of European adult education, it’s so important to collaborate with other organisations that do similar work to us at AONTAS. Knowledge-sharing events are central to this. We’re always active in this and looking for new opportunities. Let's take a look at an example from last year.
The latest findings from our research into Further Education and Training show that what benefits people most is the care and respect shown to them by tutors. This is in contrast with common experiences of learning at school, which can be more authoritarian, or experiences of learning at university, which can be more hands-off.
2023 will soon be drawing to a close and we're getting ready to close up the AONTAS offices for the holidays and head home for some mince pies. A lot has happened this year! Let's take a look back at the highlights.
Our Research Officer Dr Laura Lovejoy reflects on AONTAS’ research over the years and how adult learners describe the positive impact of support and guidance from tutors.
Writing by Dr Kate Smyth, Strategic Comms Officer
The RegALE project has found that, despite improvements in recent years, there is still a need for greater parity of esteem between adult learning and higher education, and that a continued focus on regional and local structures is needed to combat this, while also working together at national and international levels.
We went to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis at the Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone to speak to representatives and party members about the importance of adult and community education.
We visited Threshold Training Network in Tallaght in Dublin. They combine wellness with education to help people back on the road to recovery and the world of work.
The latest meeting of the Community Education Network focused on funding for community educators. Funding is an issue that we hear about all the time. Lack of funding in the sector remains one of the core issues raised by members of the CEN.
We in AONTAS were delighted to host a meeting and study visit of the partners in our Erasmus+ Partner UP project in Dublin. The project supports adult learners to develop literacy, numeracy and digital skills and enable participation in lifelong learning.
This September, we're running a national campaign to encourage all community education groups and organisations across the island of Ireland to Put Yourself On the Map. Our new AONTAS Community Education Map will be a valuable resource showing the breadth of community education work happening across the island, and in the future it will be used as evidence of the impact of community ed in discussions with funders and policymakers. Join us this September and Put Yourself On The Map.
This September, we're running a national campaign to encourage all community education groups and organisations across the island of Ireland to Put Yourself On the Map. Our new AONTAS Community Education Map will be a valuable resource showing the breadth of community education work happening across the country, and in the future it will be used as evidence of the impact of community ed in discussions with funders and policymakers. Join us this September and Put Yourself On The Map.
Our Community Education Officer Lorraine O’Connor was on the road recently to visit Women’s Collective Ireland (WCI). WCI are committed to working with grassroots women to address their diverse needs through the communities they work with using a community development model locally and nationally.
Lorraine O’Connor, our Community Education Officer, was on the road recently to meet with the staff at the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed (INOU) Learning Hub.
Our Community Education Officer Lorraine O'Connor and our Adult Learning Officer Leo Gilmartin were on the road again today meeting the staff at the Central Remedial Clinic in Clontarf in Dublin.
Roscommon Women’s Network (RWN) is a local community project and charity dedicated to supporting women and families in County Roscommon. Recently, our Adult Learning Initiative Officer Leo Gilmartin and our Membership & Digital Engagement Officer Brian Desmond went along to their "Community Conversation" workshop.
In May, Lorraine O’Connor, our Community Education Officer, made a site visit to Henrietta Adult & Community Education Service (HACE) Henrietta Street in Dublin.
Lorraine, our Community Education Officer, was on the road recently to meeting with the team from the Women’s Community Projects in Mullingar, to learn more about the amazing work they do in the local community.
Earlier this summer, we made our pre-budget submission to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Experience and learning from the Erasmus+ TO SWITCH project multiplier event, Later Life Online: Narrowing the Digital Divide for Older Adults in Ireland and Across Europe.
GATHER was a free three-day online assistive technology event run by AHEAD in partnership with AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation, and the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). It took place from 22nd to 24th May, 2023.
People learn skills and expertise in their everyday life, communities and workplaces, and can be extremely knowledgeable in an area without having formal education and training in it. An example of this is someone in a caring role with children, older people, or people with disabilities.
At the AONTAS Adult Learners' Festival, we celebrate learning. This week-long festival happens every year in March, and we bring people together from all over Ireland. This year's Adult Learners’ Festival took place from 6th to 10th March 2023. Let's take a look at the highlights of the week.
AONTAS’ research shows that a lack of childcare is a recurrent issue for parents who have returned or hope to return to education. Here, AONTAS Research Officer Dr Laura Lovejoy reflects on the urgent need for childcare to support parents in Further Education and Training.
Sharing the stories about how and why someone decided to do a course or a class, and the impact it has had on their lives, can be very inspirational and encouraging to others. People who have returned to learning can become “leaders” in their local communities, and show others that going back to education can be lifechanging.
Since the rapid switch to online work and education, there has been an explosion of online learning opportunities. Every week, across all levels of the education sector, there are different online workshops and webinars. Towards this end of 2022, with this in mind, we asked our members in the community and adult education sector what type of webinars and which topics really motivate them to sign up and log on.
Amy Gibney, our Community Education Officer, is visiting Community Education Network (CEN) members across the country to share why community education is so important and how AONTAS can best support our members to continue their great work.