AONTAS Update...
31 August 2010 Issue Number 48 Welcome Welcome to the AONTAS Update! The AONTAS Update is a weekly resource designed to keep members informed about current lifelong learning issues as well as what’s happening in AONTAS! Please let us know what you think of the bulletin by taking a short survey here.
Weekly Survey The reintroduction of fees for higher education may be endorsed by a strategy group examining higher education. Do you agree with the September means the start of new courses and programmes as well as reintroduction of fees for higher thousands of adult learners returning to education for the first time. education? Click here to let us AONTAS would like to wish all adult learners the very best of luck in the know. coming year. The Update will be e-mailed to members every Tuesday afternoon. Members are very welcome to contribute and if you have anything for inclusion, please e-mail it to Eleonora Peruffo (eperuffo@aontas.com) by 5pm on Monday afternoon.
POLICY • •
Adult Education News Politics
PROMOTION • • •
Adult Learners’ Festival News Events Publications & Websites
Thank you to everyone who has already responded to the survey. We will bring you the results next week.
MEMBERSHIP •
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Membership News AONTAS Membership
INFORMATION • • •
POLICY
Information Referral Service Education & Training Opportunities Funding
ADULT EDUCATION NEWS
POLITICS
Points soar for 700 college courses There has been a big jump in points for courses that are anticipated as July 2010: AONTAS meets being the best route to securing employment in the future. Points have with Minister for Social risen for a massive 700 courses with the biggest increase being seen in science and computing. Points have also risen for medicine and nursing. Protection Eamon Ó Cuiv Berni Brady and Niamh (Irish Independent, 23/08/10) College grant system faces ‘meltdown’ over demand Student leaders have warned that the third-level grants system faces "meltdown" this year due to the sharp increase in the number of people applying for college. Around 60,000 students receive maintenance grants each year though this figure is expected to increase due to rising unemployment and wage cuts for many parents. Last year many students faced long delays while waiting for their grants. (Irish Independent, 23/08/10) Greens set to consider graduate tax The Green party will consider a graduate tax as a form of education funding at a future party seminar. It is estimated that a graduate tax could raise €180 million annually. The USI said it was vehemently opposed to any consideration of a graduate tax highlighting the Australian model which has been deemed a disaster and has left the government there with huge debts. (Irish Examiner, 23/08/10) Third level funding must rise by €500m a year- report The Hunt report, due to be presented to Cabinet soon, says current third level funding must increase from €1.3 billion to €1.8 billion per year by 2020. The report says that there has been “persistent underfunding by international standards” of higher education. The report also backs the idea of a student contribution in the form of a student loan or deferred payment and wants closer ties between universities and ITs. It also suggest removing fees for part-time learning and giving those students the same access to grants and other supports as full-time students. (Irish Times, 24/08/10)
Farren met with Minister O Cuiv and senior officials in the Department of Social Protection, to outline the challenges faced by adult learners following the withdrawal of entitlement to the Maintenance Grant for those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance. John McCabe, who had completed a PLC course and applied for a place on a course at NUI Maynooth explained the financial implications for him personally. AONTAS also engaged with the Minister regarding the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous) Bill 2010. To read AONTAS submission to the Minister, click here.
Plans to raise college registration fee by at least €1,000, says USI The USI has stated that the Government are planning to increase the student services charge by at least €1,000 for the academic year To keep up to date with 2011/2012. Gary Redmond, USI president, warned of the impact any AONTAS Policy News, increase would have on students, and insisted any increase would be please visit viewed as fees “by the backdoor” (Irish Times, 24/08/10)
www.aontas.com/policy
Brain drain: 100 graduates a week flee to find work Provisional figures from a HEA survey of last year’s graduates in March and April show that almost one-in-10 of last year’s honours (level 8) degree recipients is working overseas. The 9% figure is up from 5% a year ago, more than double the rate for 2007 graduates, and the same as those of
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1996 graduates. USI president Gary Redmond said the Government could stop the outflow of high-skilled talent by expanding work placement schemes that allow graduates to keep social welfare payments, while building up experience. (Irish Examiner, 25/08/10) 40,000 college places already snapped up The CAO received 32,847 acceptances to round one offers made last Monday, on top of about 7,000 acceptances in earlier rounds involving other groups, such as mature students. Online acceptances account for over 95pc of the total. (Irish Independent, 28/08/10)
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PROMOTION ADULT LEARNERS FESTIVAL NEWS Date for your Diary The Adult Learners’ Festival 2011 takes place from 21st to 25th February 2011. The Festival, now in its fifth year is a nationwide celebration of adult learning coordinated by AONTAS – The National Adult Learning Organisation. Planning is well underway for the 2011 Festival and further information will be circulated in the coming weeks. Adult Learners’ Festival 2010 Report This report contains an in depth look at the organisation of the Adult Learners’ Festival 2010 as well as key outcomes and recommendations for future Festivals. The report is intended to be a companion document to the Adult Learners’ Festival Explore Magazine which provides a snapshot of the celebrations during the 2010 Festival week. Click here to read the full report.
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Events Pat Rabbitte TD, will launch RADE’s Book “Portraits” a Retrospective Exhibition at the NCAD Gallery, Thomas Street on Sept 9th at 6pm “Portraits” is a collection of creative writing stories by the group, facilitated by award winning poet, Paula Meehan. The exhibition will present work of visual art, film and creative writing that reflects the journey & progress of both RADE and its artists over the past 5 years.RADE engages drug-users with the arts and therapeutic supports and provides a platform for their artistic expression. www.rade.ie Admission is Free, All Welcome. Exhibition will run until Oct 23rd. For Further details please contact Sine Lynch on 01 4548733 or
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES INOU publishes 17th edition of Working for Work - Order Copies Now Working for Work outlines an individual's entitlements to social welfare payments, secondary benefits including Rent/Mortgage Interest Supplements, Redundancy, Rights at Work and Social Welfare Appeals. It brings together a wide range of information for individual unemployed people, people who have lost their jobs, or are about to lose their jobs, and those in receipt of welfare payments. For more information contact the INOU using our online order form, by e-mail at workingforwork@inou.ie or by telephone on (01) 856 0088. ******
info@rade.ie ****** Bollywood Night, 10th September 2010 Bollywood night: Indian food, Indian movie and Indian dance. Tickets are €2.50, all proceeds to the Pakistani flood appeal. All welcome - wear a Sari if you can get your hands on one. Tickets available in the TWRC - the event will be held in the Tralee International Resource Centre. TIRC 13-14 St Patricks Bungalows, Boherbee, Tralee, Co Kerry. Website: http://www.twrc.ie/iwd.htm Email: tirc@twrc.ie Ph:066 7127918.
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MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP NEWS Blue Drum: Open Call for Travellers Retrospective Exhibition 1985-2010 Are you a Traveller's organisation or Family Resource Centre with a track record of arts and cultural work with Travellers? Blue Drum want to represent the vast body of art work developed through a community development and/or education process. Closing date is 3rd September 2010. Go to http://www.bluedrum.ie/news.htm for more information.
****** Men Alone in No Mans Land: Looking for Property Calling all business people in Dublin’s Inner City do you have a PROPERTY lying idol if so MAIN needs your help? Men Alone in No Man’s Land is a voluntary community based group established to support men in Dublin’s inner city. MAIN came into existence following a response by a number of men to what they saw as an absence of social, psychological, and solidarity networks for men living in Dublin. For further information, please contact Joe Murdoff on 018984027 or visit the website at www.main.ie
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CEN meeting-21 October 2010 The next CEN meeting will take place on Thursday 21st October in The Carmichael Centre, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7. Registration will take place at 9.45am and we will finish up with lunch at 1.15pm. The agenda for the day and further information will be available shortly. Please click on the link to register. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QCGYHBG ****** Members contact details We are currently planning to change from posting invoices and statements to sending them by email, enabling us to improve efficiency.
AONTAS MEMBERSHIP Any organisation, group or individual that is involved, or interested, in adult and community education may apply for membership. If you feel that you would benefit both in your practice and personally from AONTAS join our vibrant organisation today! ******
In order to ensure that we have your current contact details, please complete our online form. Click here or go to http://www.aontas.com/membership/ at your earliest convenience and fill in the form in our Existing Members section If you have any questions regarding this email, please contact Dympna Larkin at dlarkin@aontas.com or phone 01 4068220.
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INFORMATION EDUCATION & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ‘Leadership Programme for Progressive Change’ This is a professional development programme for those interested in leading towards a new civic vision that holds social and economic concerns in harmony, imagines change through a social justice lens and encourages rigorous ethical debate in public life. Course Directors are Ann Louise Gilligan & Katherine Zappone: http://www.progressivechange.ie/about/team/ Leaders who participate in this programme will be introduced to a unique integration of: •
Deep Thinking – Providing current analyses to help leaders engage with fresh ideas.
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Raising the Spirit Level – Mobilising the inner resources for learning, growing and healing; using the soul in social change.
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Exercising Imagination – Developing imagination as the basis of the will to act and the courage for creativity.
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Fluency in Critical Consciousness – Tackling presuppositions, critically examining the mind and the society in which we live.
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Advocating and Communicating Change.
This will provide leaders and aspiring leaders with an avenue to step out of the negativity that pervades Irish public life. The programme starts on October 14th, 2010, from 2-5pm, and will be held for five subsequent Thursday afternoons at the same time. The Venue is the beautiful public ‘Space for Change’ of the South Dublin Library, Tallaght (seminar room), easily reached through the Red Luas Line. Please find a flyer on the programme, with content outline, description of course benefits, cost and other details:
INFORMATION REFERRAL SERVICE It's that time of year again congratulations if you're one of over 7,000 mature students so far who has been successful in your application for third level this year. If you have any questions about finance or grants, visit www.studentfinance.ie. Looking for a particular course? Then visit www.qualifax.ie. Also, CD VEC is hosting a freephone guidance helpline until the 15th September. The number is 1800 20 40 80. Download our new one pagers on Funding, and Activation Measures. Visit our Frequenty Asked Questions section or check out sixteen helpful resources to get you on your learning journey!
Information Booklet If you are interested in
http://www.progressivechange.ie/images/media/LeadershipForProgres siveChange1.pdf ****** A free community sector training workshop. Dublin, 30 September & 1 October 2010 After this training, you will be better equipped to facilitate groups: • to use visual imagery in creative ways to explore local and global issues • to critically examine the use of visual imagery in the media e.g. looking at how certain groups are represented Who can apply? • Open to anyone working with groups in a community setting. • Priority will be given to those who can demonstrate an interest in linking local and global issues. • Please email racheldempsey@lycs.ie for more information and/or an application form. Website: www.lycs.ie Tel: 01 823 0860
returning to education why not contact our Information Referral Service on 01 4068220. Alternatively, download a copy of the Information Booklet by clicking here
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FUNDING Mid West Regional Drugs Task Force: Small Grants 2010 The Mid West Regional Drugs Task Force invites applications for once-off Small Grant funding from Community, Cultural, and Voluntary groups that are not eligible for funding from another source. Projects must be based in the Mid-West area (Clare, Limerick City & County and North Tipperary). Applications for grants (min. €500 & max. €2,000) should be directly relevant to the MWRDTF Strategic Plan and to the National Drugs Strategy. Closing date is 3 September 2010. Visit www.mwrdtf.ie for more information.
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Back to Contents AONTAS is the National Adult Learning Organisation. It is a non-governmental organisation that exists to ensure that every adult in Ireland has access to appropriate and affordable learning opportunities throughout their lives, thus enabling them to participate in the economic, social, civic and cultural development of Irish society. For further information visit www.aontas.com or www.adultlearnersfestival.com. Apologies for any cross posting. If you no longer wish to receive information from AONTAS, please e-mail mail@aontas.com. AONTAS – The National Adult Learning Organisation 83 – 87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6W Ph 01 4068220«Fax 014068227«E-mail mail@aontas.com Company Registration: 80958 Charity Registration: 6719