Counting down to the Adult Learners' Festival 2010
Still time to get involved!
This year we've made it as easy as possible for you to participate. The A- Z of activities on our website will help you decide on something simple and easy that you can organise within your group or community. Once you have decided on an activity, you can enter details about your event directly on our website. AONTAS will send you a copy of our 'Event in a Bag' which contains promotional and display materials. Details of your event will be included on the website in the lead up to the Festival, along with your contact details. AONTAS can also help you promote your event in your local media, or put you in contact with organisations or people that are involved in your area.
STAR Awards Shortlist
The independent STAR Awards Judging Panel met at the end of January. The Judging Panel has drawn up a shortlist of three projects in each category. A winning project and highly commended project in each category will be announced at the STAR Awards ceremony on the 22 February 2010 in Number 6, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Invitations and booking forms will be sent to all nominated projects this week.On behalf of the Judging Panel and everyone at AONTAS thank you for your participation in the STAR Awards 2010 and a special congratulations to all shortlisted projects.
To view press releases about shortlisted projects, click here.
The shortlisted projects are:
Dublin Local - Shortlist
- Degree Programme in Leadership & Community Development
- Get Cents
- RADE ( Recovery through Art, Drama and Education
Leinster Local - Shortlist
- Revamp Training Project
- South West Wexford CDP Education and Training Centre
- The 5 to 6 Womens' Art Project
Munster Local - Shortlist
- Downtown Centre
- Ennis CDP Parent Support Programme
- Scarriff Community Garden Project
Ulster Local - Shortlist
- ATLAS Women's Centre
- Women's TEC
- First Steps Women's Centre
Connaught Local and Regional - Shortlist
- Ballybane Gals
- Barrel Top Wagon Project
- The Luisne Art Project
Dublin - Regional
- Community Awareness of Drugs
- Open Learning Centre
- Soilse Career Guidance Service
Leinster - Regional
- Carlow Rural Information Services Project (CRISP)
- Co. Longford Adult Educational Guidance Service
- The Six Book Challenge
Munster - Regional
- National Learning Network, Focus Programme
- Return to Education Gardening Project
- The Grotto Learning project
Ulster - Regional
- Co Monaghan High Support Process (HSP)
- Leadership for Change
- Women's Health & Well Being Programme
Nationwide or all-island reach - Shortlist
- ARI Train the Trainers (IT Skills - IT Training Scheme for Active Retirement Ireland Members
- Open Training College - BA in Applied Social Studies (Disability)
- GIY Ireland
Once Off Projects - All Areas
- "Go For It" Promo film for men in Adult Ed
- "How to Learn English in Ireland?" Four Part Community Radio Documentary Series
- Women Together Community Education Calendar
Projects in Progress - All areas
- Blended Learning Project
- Getting Started
- Song For All
Workplace Learning Initiatives - All Areas
- Cater Pass (FETAC III Food & Nutrition Accreditation)
- National Certificate in Butchering Skills
- Union Learning Representatives Network
The Adult Learners' Festival: 22 - 26 February 2010
The Adult Learners' Festival 2010 will take place from 22 - 26 February 2010. The theme of this year's Festival is 'Better Together' - where we will showcase collaborative practice amongst stakeholders in the sector.
Last year over 250 events took place around the country. There are lots of ways to get involved and join in - organise an activity in your own organisation, join forces with others in your area, or schedule one of your existing events or activities during the Festival week. The sky is the limit!
During the Festival AONTAS will promote a different theme each day:
Monday 22nd - Celebrate Learning: Including the STAR Awards Ceremony for Adult Learning Projects.
Tuesday 23rd - Green Learning (to include events which encourage learning about anything from the environment, sustainable living, gardening or organic food)
Wednesday 24th - Learning Communities - where we will launch 'Beyond the Classroom' - a series of programmes about community education. We are also working with libraries and other community organisations to run events on this theme that day.
Thursday 25th - Learn at Work - will build on our existing links with IBEC, ICTU, SFA, Abbott Ireland and other organisations with a focus on learning at work. These organisations will promote workplace learning, and will organise events themselves as well as supporting their members and employees to participate.
Friday 26th - Lobby for Learning - where we will highlight the key policy challenges for the sector.
AONTAS will provide:
- Ideas for events or activities that you can organise
- Contacts for people in your area who are organising events or who have organised events in the past
- Resources - our 'Event in a Bag', promotional material which you can use for your event
- Support and Advice - we can help you promote your event, and our Information Day on January 20th will help you plan your promotional activities for the Festival.
- Copies of the AONTAS Information Booklet, containing the most up to date information about adult learning in Ireland.
"Better Together!"
The STAR Awards 2010 - February 22nd
AONTAS received 109 nominations for the Star Awards.Thank you to everyone who nominated a project! In the current climate its even more important that we continue
to showcase the value of the sector in responding to the needs of individuals, communities, society and the economy. The awards are judged by an independent panel of judges. The winners in each category will be announced at a special ceremony on Monday February 22nd. 2010 is the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, and projects which showcase the role of adult learning in responding to these issues will also be highlighted.
Festival Supporters
The AONTAS Adult Learners' Festival ran for the third time from February 2nd to February 6th 2009, with over 250 events taking place. Collaboration is a key theme for next year's Festival and AONTAS is working closely with a number of organisations on the development of next year's festival.
The Festival receives financial support from the following organisations :
- Department of Education and Science.
- FETAC, the National Awarding Body for Further Education and Training
- ICTU ,The Irish Congress of Trade Unions), through their Union Learning Network,
- TUI , The Teachers Union of Ireland
- ASTI , Second Level Teachers Union
- Bluebrick.ie This project represents 14 institutes of technology including DIT.
