Tommie Gorman Addresses Community Education Seminar

Image of person speaking at a microphone.
Image of person speaking at a microphone.
Tommie Gorman.

Former RTÉ Northern Editor Tommie Gorman was the keynote speaker at Donegal ETB’s recent annual Community Education Seminar hosted by its Further Education and Training (FET) Service.

The event made a welcome in-person return after taking place online over the last three years and was attended by over 100 community education providers and students from across the county.

This annual seminar offers those who are involved in the provision of Community Education, particularly those who use grant funding administered by Donegal ETB’s Community Education Support Programme under its FET Service, the opportunity to come together and discuss issues of relevance to them.

Two people at a table of quilts.
Iris Condron and Anne Campbell at the Community Education Support Programme Seminar.

The significant contribution of the ETB’s Community Education Support Programme within communities across the county in 2022 saw support provided to 511 courses involving 3,753 students. Most provision was non-accredited, short-term, and part-time, including arts and crafts, languages, furniture and fashion upcycling, beekeeping and gardening, but also allowed for participants to undertake accreditation in areas such as First Aid, Food Hygiene, Intercultural Studies, Local and Global Development, Payroll and Sign Language.

In supporting groups to deliver community education in their own area, the Programme enabled the provision of high-quality, low-cost courses delivered locally and meeting identified needs of the local community.

Keynote speaker former RTÉ Northern Editor Tommie Gorman, spoke about the seminar theme of Strength and

Four people standing together.
Majella Orr, Craoibhin Enterprise Centre Termon, Ali Farren, Malin Head Community Centre, Susan McAleer, Greencastle Community Centre and Anne Meehan Greencastle Community Centre at the Community Education Support Programme Seminar.

Sustainability, telling the invited audience that, “Strength isn’t always easy to muster, to step outside of one’s comfort zone; but in doing so, we find the means to nurture and sustain ourselves on what can sometimes be a difficult path. In Donegal, there is a tremendous history of community and an appreciation of the value of community.”

The seminar also included input from students and providers who have engaged with the Community Education Support Programme over the past year.

Johnny Shields from Colgan Hall, Carndonagh at the Community Education Support Programme Seminar.

In closing the seminar, Donegal ETB’s Director of FET, Ciaran O’Brien, highlighted a range of initiatives taking place within the FET Service, including the importance of the student voice in guiding provision. He said, that “Forty-three Community Education Providers received funding under the ETB’s Reach Fund in 2022 and we look forward to providing further funding of a similar nature this year.”

For further information on the Community Education Support programme contact the Community Education Office at 074 9725520 or visit https://www.donegaletb.ie/feature/programmes/community-education-2/.

At the Community Education Support Programme Seminar are seated Cllr Michael McBride, Chairperson Donegal ETB; Tommie Gorman, Guest Speaker and Ciaran O’Brien, Director of FET. Back from left are AEO Aidan McCloskey, Community Education Facilitators Orla Winters and Catherine Friel and Programme Administrator Dawn Sweeney.