The shortlist is divided into five categories of adult learning initiatives that support people with:
The STAR Awards is judged by an independent panel of educators, policymakers, adult learners, and other adult learning experts.
Let’s take a closer look at the shortlisted initiatives for the category of Global Citizenship Education.
Global Citizenship Education looks at making people more aware of the world around us, and what it means to be a global citizen. We might see ourselves as citizens of our country, but not necessary of the whole world. But there are big global challenges facing us, and this work encourages people to think about how, in their local communities, we can do things that benefit everyone. This includes education on sustainability and climate change, social justice and existing inequalities between people and groups, challenging racism and the rise of far-right thinking and extremism, and misinformation. Global Citizenship Education encourages learners to challenge stereotypes; question what they read and hear; and engage in independent, critical thinking.
Action for Community Transformation (ACT) – Global Action Plan
Action for Community Transformation (ACT) uses a Global Citizenship Education approach to build an understanding of the root causes of the injustices of climate change, and motivate and support learners to take action for a more sustainable world. Thanks to support from Irish Aid, they offer free workshops and support to eligible groups in Ireland to increase awareness and understanding of climate change and climate justice. Educators and facilitators can use their Toolkit to work with their own groups on these topics. An independent evaluation, conducted in 2023, confirmed that ACT has successfully raised awareness about global issues and inspired participants to take meaningful action. One of the standout successes was the “Climate Heroes” challenge, which turned sustainability efforts into an engaging and enjoyable experience for many participants. A second competition of Climate Heros was held in 2024. The ACT programme has had a transformative impact on adult learners, including people with disabilities. The programme’s tailored workshops and practical resources, such as the Disability Inclusion guide, and its commitment to providing support for learners, ensure that participants not only gain knowledge but also develop the skills and confidence to lead local initiatives. It is this emphasis on encouraging people to take practical and informed action that sets ACT apart. It creates a ripple effect, enabling learners to engage others and make lasting impacts in their communities.
Learners from Gorey Women’s Age Friendly Alliance Quilting group -- supported by Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board -- created quilts to represent the Irish and Anglo-Irish women who have contributed to science and who have largely not been recognized. These are women we did not learn about in our schoolbooks. The group met weekly in the Gorey FET Centre, conducting research into these women and learning the art of quilting under the guidance of WWETB tutor Mary Walsh, and the ethos of community education. Sustainability is also a core focus for the group. The group worked in collaboration with scientist, engineer, and communicator Dr Niamh Shaw, who travelled to Antarctica in 2023 as part of “Homeward Bound” global leadership program for women. She brought the quilt with her on her travels to acknowledge both the forgotten women and the Gorey community group, while also highlighting issues around climate change. All the designs and research were recorded and created into a booklet, which was launched in Gorey Library in December 2024. This project created an opportunity to highlight the forgotten trail blazing women, and it acknowledged the learning that local community groups can achieve when given an opportunity, to move out of comfort zones through art.
The Active Citizenship Voter Education programme is based on sound principles of justice and equality. It is a valuable resource for adult education and community leaders who are committed to creating change in disadvantaged areas, where a relatively small number of people vote in elections. As a consequence, their views are not taken into consideration by many of the political parties. The Active Citizenship Voter Education programme is participative, accessible, and gives people the tools to engage with voting. It is non-party political: it shows people the importance of voting, how to vote but crucially not who to vote for. It helps participants clarify their issues of importance and to identify their values. It makes people think about who and how people hold power and brings the participants through the process of registering to vote. The course is about making the system of voting and democracy more inclusive and more equal for all our citizens. It has encouraged people to believe in their power to influence what is happening locally, nationally and globally. DALC delivers the course directly to local groups, and has also offers training to tutors across the country to deliver such a programme with their own groups. In less than a year, DALC has delivered 12 training programmes.
Dignity Partnership delivers non-formal civic education programmes that help people with inclusion and integration in Irish society, including international protection applicants, refugees, and vulnerable migrants. These communities experience additional challenges in society due to difficulties in navigating the Irish systems, lack of knowledge on how and where to access information, and the complexity of some policies. Dignity Partnership promotes a growth mindset to address limiting beliefs and to nurture people's individual skills and past experiences, using a community development approach. Its programmes are led through empathy, and help participants to think critically and build strong relationships. Over 40 people benefitted from the leadership and entreprenurship programme organised in collaboration with Maynooth University. Dignity Partnership supports Global Citizenship Education as it increases public awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing issues in Ireland and globally in relation to migration. In collaboration with the Movement of Asylum Seekers and other stakeholders, Dignity Partnership has organised information sessions reaching over 300 people, with information on how to respond to any negative experiences.70% of people who have engaged with Dignity Partnership have proceeded to mainstream education or employment, with an increased understanding of Irish systems. These programmes also support Irish communities and employers to gain more understanding of and empathy for new communities, which brings about broader social change and increased tolerance in our society.
The Adult Learners’ Festival, happening this year from 3rd to 7th March 2025, is a nationwide celebration of adult learning. This year’s theme is “Connecting Communities”. Adult and community education is the bridge that connects communities across the island of Ireland. Visit this page for more details about the Festival
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