We’re delighted to announce that this year’s Adult Learners’ Festival celebrates adult and community education that connects communities and helps people to live together and learn together.
Join us this March to highlight how adult and community education is the bridge that connects communities across the island of Ireland.
The Festival runs from Monday 3rd to Friday 7th March.
We are encouraging all our members and those working in adult and community education to run taster sessions, meet-and-greets, coffee mornings, or other events to bring learners and potential learners together during this week.
If you’re looking for ideas or information on organising an event, check out this video.
Our team will be out and about attending as many events as we can. And we want to highlight your work on our social media channels. So please tag us and use the hashtags #LearnTogetherLiveTogether #ALF25
The first 30 groups to register your event on our website will receive a €100 voucher to support your event.
The first 100 events can request a FREE resource pack to be posted out to you with printed posters, pens, bookmarks and flyers to help you celebrate.
Education is political. In challenging times, adult and community education has the power to change minds and change lives - for the better.
This year, the Adult Learners’ Festival explores how to keep people connected and to strengthen our communities.
We face challenges in our society at the moment, and some issues are framed to intentionally divide us.
But adult learning brings people together, it helps us to ask questions and examine the world around us.
Adult and community education is a path forward, for us all.
It is a bridge between the past, present, and future, a way to unite people and show the ties that bind.
Through adult and community education, we are Learning Together and Living Together, and there is a place for everyone.
We’re holding two big events in Dublin during the Festival week.
Our kick-off event of the Festival is a policy discussion focusing on education policy and advocacy.
Happening on Monday 3rd March at the Richmond Barracks in Inchicore, Dublin 8.
This event will bring together educators, adult learners, and policymakers to demonstrate to the new Government that community education is the policy solution they need in response today’s societal challenges.
We at AONTAS – together with many others in our sector – have long been calling for more support and recognition for community education by policymakers and politicians in Irish society. The new Programme for Government calls for “fair and equal access to quality further and higher education, regardless of socioeconomic status, ability, or geographical location.” The document pledges to create “a caring society” and address poverty and social exclusion. This caring, equal, safe society cannot exist without community education. They have said we will have “quality” education, with “fair and equal access”, regardless of “socioeconomic status, ability, or geographical location.” A direct way to achieve this goal is for the new Government to adequately recognise, support, and fund community education.
This event is open to all, but spaces are limited. Find out more and register here.
The annual AONTAS STAR Awards are the culmination of the week of celebrating adult learning.
Taking place on Friday 7th March in Croke Park, the STAR Awards celebrate and recognise the very best in adult, community, and further education across Ireland.
The awards raise awareness of the fantastic work by education providers that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Check out this year’s fantastic shortlist.
Find us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest updates.
Use the hashtags #LiveTogetherLearnTogether #ALF25
Got questions? Email ALF@aontas.com