AONTAS successfully advocated for a second tranche of the Mitigating Educational Disadvantage (MED) fund for community education (€8 million) which Minister Harris TD announced as part of a funding package to support the safe on-site return to tertiary education in September (21/7/2021). As demonstrated in the recent CEN Census 2020 - Community Education in a Time of COVID-19 research report (30th June 2021), community education has risen to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating resilience, innovation and persistence to meet the needs of learners and the local community. In 2020, witnessing the impact of COVID-19 in exacerbating educational disadvantage through our weekly membership webinars, Community Education Network (CEN) meetings and FET Learner Forum events, AONTAS lobbied for a COVID-19 Community Education Support fund for 2020/2021 (July 2020), as part of the Pre-Budget submission 2021 and as part of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) Statement of Strategy submission (2021 – 2023). During this time, AONTAS chaired the Mitigating Educational Disadvantage (including Community Education Issues) Working Group as part of the Department's tertiary education system COVID-19 response structure. AONTAS also advocated for this specific funding support for community education through engagement with DFHERIS and Minister Harris and was delighted that such a fund (MED) was announced as part of Budget 2021 (October, 2020).
Support and monitoring the impact of the MED Funding
AONTAS was committed to supporting community education groups to draw down funding during the narrow timeframe of the MED call, which was made on the evening of the 6th/ 9th November. We supported our members through email communication, social media, an online webinar on 11th November with 70 participants and the AONTAS Chairperson, and ongoing support from the AONTAS Head of Advocacy, who responded to 50 queries. The vast majority of AONTAS Members who attended the webinar found out about the fund through AONTAS communications.
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We also documented the positive impact of the MED funding and how future iterations could be improved through a summary analysis in December 2020 and published a report, “Making an Impact: A Reflective View of the Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund (MAEDF)”*, in March 2021 as part of the annual AONTAS Policy Day. Also, last May, I outlined the benefits and impact of the MED funding in an opinion piece in the Irish Times. Additionally, at the launch of the CEN Census report, we published a Policy Paper on 30th June, explicitly calling for a range of measures needed to support community education during COVID-19, including a specific recommendation for an improved MED funding.
The new MED Funding is welcome and is a ‘lifeline’ for community education groups who are struggling financially during the pandemic yet are oversubscribed for courses. Findings from the CEN Census report note that marginalised learners are the dominant cohort in community education, people are empowered to participate, the focus is often on social change, and it can contribute to access, basic skills and sustainable employment.
However, underfunding of community education coupled with increased need arising from COVID-19 pandemic are evident. Findings demonstrate the complexity, precarity and loss of funding for community education together with an increased demand for programmes and learner supports. While details of the new MED fund are yet to be announced, this vitally needed fund will go some way to support and enable blended learning, accredited and non-accredited provision and vitally outreach and engagement.
Together for Community Education
Due to collective efforts, community education is gaining greater recognition, and we thank our members, the AONTAS Community Education Network and all those involved in educational equality for highlighting the need, participating in our research and advocating for a fairer distribution of funding for community education. We also recognise and appreciate the support from Minister Harris TD, DFHERIS and SOLAS for their commitment to community education. Over the course of the pandemic, we have a deepened understanding of the scale of the challenges but also the importance and power of the collective.
In support,
Niamh O’Reilly
CEO, AONTAS
*
This report reflects the findings from 103 survey responses: 85 from community education groups and 18 from Education and Training Board staff. These responses represent 12 Education and Training Board areas. It is estimated that the MAEDF has benefited more than 10,000 learners across 483 community education groups throughout Ireland.
Research reports cited were authored by Dr Eve Cobain, Dr Leah Dowdall, Dr Niamh O’Reilly and Dr Akisato Suzuki.
Please note the "MED Fund" was previously named the "MAED Fund".