WEBINAR: Community Education
Objectives
Community education is adult learning which takes place in local community settings across Ireland. It is learner-centred and responds to the needs of the local community. Community education has a track record of effectively engaging with people who wish to return to education but may not have the confidence or opportunity to do so in a formal setting. It leads to many possibilities for learners and communities, including skills development, confidence building, greater community involvement and progression to further education or employment.
The Community Education Network (CEN) was established in 2007 by AONTAS. It is a network of over 100 independently managed community education providers who work collaboratively, sharing information and resources, engaging in professional development and working to ensure that community education is valued and resourced.
In this webinar, we will present:
- Community Education in Ireland and AONTAS National Community Education Network (CEN)
- The theory of community education and the Critical Theory
- Practical information on how community education supports marginalised learners and how it addresses the challenges faced by these learners.
- Learners’ perspective on community education
Speakers and facilitators
- Dr Niamh O’Reilly, CEO- AONTAS: Niamh will open the event and provide a speech on AONTAS’s work on community education sector in Ireland.
- Suzanne Kyle, Senior Community Education Officer- AONTAS: Suzanne will speak about community education in Ireland and the AONTAS National Community Education Network (CEN). The focus will be the strengths of the sector and some of the issues that community education providers face which they aim to address through the CEN.
- Dr Camilla Fitzsimons, Lecturer- Maynooth University Camilla will speak about the theory of community education with a particular focus on Critical Theory and how it can inform the work of community education practitioners.
- Mary Maher, Director, and Clara O’Connor, Adult Learner – Dublin Adult Learning Centre (DALC): Mary and Clara will talk about the practical aspects of community education. Mary will explain their setting and work at their centre, how they listen to the learner voice and provide courses and consultation, and the challenges they face. Clara will bring learner perspective to the event by telling her learning story, and what community education means to her.
Practical information
Registration: click here
Contact person: Ecem Akarca, AONTAS EU Projects Officer, eakarca@aontas.com
Agenda
