First Steps Women’s Centre (FSWC) has provided a unique service to women in Mid-Ulster for almost 22 years. Based in Dungannon, the Centre provides education and training, support and guidance, along with exceptional opportunities and friendship to women across Mid-Ulster. Up to 300 women per year access training across a wide range of vocational areas which is...
A report just out from our colleagues at the Learning & Work Institute into how adults with qualifications below level 2 make decisions about whether or not to take up learning. Many of the findings confirm barriers and motivations found generally in research around the uptake of learning by adults, but given recent shifts to...
The Independent Commission on the College of the Future today launched its final report which focuses on Northern Ireland. The report argues that colleges are the vehicles to regionally balance the economy, support businesses to adapt to a green and digital economy and provide better skills opportunities for those out of work. It adds that...
There is a new campaign launched just this week and coordinated by the International Council for Adult Education ( http://icae.global/en/), It is a global alliance of networks, associations and organisations for adult learning and education (ALE). It recognises the fundamental importance of ALE (Adult Learning & Education) for justice, well-being and change. While the UN’s...
Due to high demand, the nomination deadline has been extended until 12 noon on Friday the 2nd April It’s not too late to submit a nomination for the OCN NI Recognising Learning Endeavour Awards 2021. Read more at https://www.ocnni.org.uk/learner-awards-2021/ including a video of the Awards Launch.
We hope as many of you as possible are contributing to the consultation on the next PfG – closing date 22nd March. While you will of course have specific responses in line with your organisations, we would hope that you would include a message that adult learning should be recognised as a key enabler of...
The Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) in England and Scotland has just published its Annual Impact Report which includes survey results from its learners around issues of mental health and wellbeing. One of the findings is that WEA students visit their GP far less frequently than the national average and this leads to the suggestion that...
Today saw a brilliant meeting of NALAB (Network for Adult Learning Across Borders), a collaboration of the key advocacy bodies from across UK and Ireland – AONTAS, Learning and Work Institute, Scotland’s Learning Partnership and FALNI. Over 90 delegates heard contributions from all jurisdictions around the state of play for adult learning, hopes for moving...
This morning a mix of practitioners from across the adult learning sectors in NI met up with members of AONTAS to learn more about what it does and what it offers members. After greetings and introductions led by the AONTAS CEO, Niamh O’Reilly, participants heard some background information from Dearbháil Lawless, (Head of Advocacy). Mike...
Today AONTAS announced the winners in its annual STAR Awards and Belfast Recovery College was the winner in the Learner Voice category. The award is in recognition of their “Making Silent Voices Heard”, a unique Learning and Leadership Initiative that places the Learner Voice at the core of the college. Through advocacy and building learner...
