Today (23rd Feb) saw the launch of the NI Community Education Census, supported by AONTAS. Further information can be see at https://www.aontas.com/knowledge/news/first-northern-ireland-community-education-census-aims-to-support-learning-providers This census is endorsed not just by FALNI, but also NICVA and WRDA. If you are a community organisation in NI and deliver any adult learning, whether accredited or non-accredited, even if you...
Delighted to report that three organisations from NI have been shortlisted for this year’s STAR Awards organised by AONTAS. The local nominees are: Orchardville – nominated in the category Health and Wellbeing -Large Organisations The NOW Group (Verve programme) – nominated under the category Social Inclusion – Large Organisations Start360 (Switch unto Employment) – nominated...
In 2021 our colleagues at the Learning & Work Institute conducted interviews with some learners in Northern Ireland to capture their experiences of learning during the Covid lockdown period. This report can now be downloaded from this website’s Resources page. The report concludes with the following considerations for the future delivery of online learning: Marketing...
This week the Learning & Work Institute launched its latest annual survey into adult participation in the UK. When looking at the results we have to bear in mind still the impact of Covid19 and how it has changed working and learning contexts for so many. Some of the difference may also be due to...
Great reflection from Niamh O’Reilly, CEO of AONTAS, on learning post-pandemic and the importance of giving blended learning its due place, rather than just rushing back to old practices.
The next Impact Forum webinar will continue to stimulate thinking around the Skills Strategy recommendation on building a culture of lifelong learning in NI. We are securing a variety of speakers from different perspectives to help our visioning and exploration of what such a culture could be, how we could work together to achieve and...
The next webinar will be on June 8th – see our Events page for details and link to Eventbrite to book your place. We continue to focus on the future and seek to provide you with information, ideas and stimulus to help your thinking of where adult/lifelong learning in Northern Ireland goes in the future....
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...
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...
