AONTAS meets Minister Simon Harris TD

Key points:

• AONTAS welcomed the Minister’s firm focus on social inclusion, social cohesion and equality. Community education is central to realising these aims for the new Department.
• AONTAS spoke about the importance of adult learners as stakeholders in the development of the new Department and particularly the importance of hearing from those whose voice is least likely to be heard. The value of the National FET Learner Forum and learner stories was discussed.
• The need to drive forward the anti-racism agenda across tertiary education was discussed.
• AONTAS followed up with the Minister outlining the needs for community education in a detailed budget submission, available here.
• AONTAS will host an online event on community education for Minister Harris TD on Wednesday 5^th August.

AONTAS Budgetary Asks for Community Education

Ask 1   COVID-19 Community Education Support fund for 2020/2021 would address three key areas of concern for community education arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund would contain three parts and enable community education organisations to apply for appropriate funding from their local Education and Training Board based on the needs of their learners and organisation.

• Community Education Learner Assistance Fund
• Reboot Learning through Outreach, Engagement and Mentoring Fund
• COVID-19 Exceptional Circumstances Fund for Community Education

Ask 2   AONTAS and our members from across Ireland are asking for the creation of long-term policy and funding frameworks for community education provision that is built upon the all-of-government approach to policy development requested in 2019. To meet the needs of learners and our communities, big and small, around the island, a new sustainable, multi-annual funding model for independently managed community education is needed. AONTAS is calling for an investment of €9.75 million.

Ask 3   Establish a QQI – related costs fund to enable accredited provision for community education covering the cost of QQI reengagement and programme validation (€250,000 maximum depending on number).

AONTAS looks forward to meeting Minister Harris TD later this month to discuss our budgetary proposal, educational equality and the broad outcomes of community education for social inclusion; mental health & wellbeing; civic engagement & equality.

Get vocal and support Community Education – use #ExperienceCommunityEd on social media, share photos of the work of your organisation, and/or share learner stories that demonstrate the contributions made by community education.

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