The STAR Awards recognise the very best in adult learning in Ireland. This year we are celebrating and acknowledging the incredible adult learning initiatives going on across the country, in support of learners.
For the 18th AONTAS STAR Awards, we have five categories for adult learning initiatives that support people with:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Learner Voice
- Social Inclusion
- Global Citizenship Education
- Third-level Access and Engagement
The STAR Awards are judged by an independent panel of adult learners, tutors, and other adult learning experts.
We’re delighted to announce 25 shortlisted initiatives!
The Shortlisted Adult Learning Initiatives for 2024 are:
Adult Learning initiatives that support Global Citizenship Education
- Two Learning Cities, Communities and students working together to achieve common SDG goals in Cork
- WCI Ronanstown Drama Group in Dublin
- Threads: Global Citizenship Education Through Drama in Dublin
- Connecting Cultures – Sustaining Our World in Meath
Adult Learning initiatives that support Health and Wellbeing
- Community Food Club in Dublin
- Mas Project (Maternal Advocacy & Support) led by WRDA in Antrim
- Start360 Justice Services – SMART Recovery in Antrim
- St. John’s Junior & Senior Schools’ Intercultural School Cookbook in Kilkenny
- Social Therapeutic Horticulture Programme in Tipperary
- Wellbeing at LCC Community Trust in Antrim
Adult Learning initiatives that support Learner Voice
- Pathfinders Gorey ALC in Wexford
- FET Student Council in Tipperary
- Cork ETB Learners’ Voices in Cork
- My Voice – My Choice in Waterford
Adult Learning initiatives that support Social Inclusion
- Digital Skills for Adults in Leitrim
- EDNIP English Conversation Club in Limerick
- Sailing Into Wellness in Cork and Waterford
- Seeing Without Sight in Limerick
- Trav Story Stack in Donegal
Adult Learning initiatives that support Third-level Access & Engagement
- ComMUniversity in Kildare
- Community Wellness, Empowerment, Leadership and Lifeskills (CWELL) Diploma in Limerick
- KWETB Advanced Manufacturing Technician Traineeship in Kildare and Wicklow
- Tramore Road Campus CARE Team in Cork
- Making Connections South Tipperary LTI in Tipperary
On the day of the STAR Awards, we will also have Special Recognition awards for initiatives that support Peace-Building and Shared Island work, and for European Social Funded (ESF) initiatives.
For those not shortlisted, you should know that our panel of judges commented on the high quality of all nominations, with entries from a wide range of inspiring and innovative initiatives. It was a difficult decision to agree a shortlist.
The judging panel will meet each shortlisted group in person before deciding on the overall winners in each category. Best of luck to all!
More Information
The STAR Awards is proudly sponsored by the Open University in Ireland and the Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCN NI), Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the European Social Fund (ESF), Saolta, and Mental Health Ireland.
Sponsors will be offering special prizes to all 2024 STAR Award winners.
We will announce the winners at a special ceremony in Dublin on Friday 8th March – an exciting event to finish our 2024 Adult Learners’ Festival!
The Adult Learners’ Festival, happening this year from 4th to 8th March, is a nationwide celebration of adult learning. It offers organisations and groups the chance to promote the value and benefits of lifelong learning for communities, families and workplaces. It is a chance for groups to reinforce existing partnerships in the community, and to establish new ones. This year’s Festival theme is Everyday Learning Spaces, celebrating how people learn in lots of different places and spaces in communities across the island of Ireland.
Find out more details about the Festival.
We’ll be sharing more details soon about the STAR Awards ceremony on 8th March 2024 in Dublin, so watch this space!
Click here to take a look back at the STAR Awards 2023 and see last year’s winners.
For further details contact Rachael Ryan, AONTAS Head of Communications: rryan@aontas.com
