Download Minutes Ennis meeting Sept 07 - Clare Lifelong Learning Network

ENNIS AREA NETWORK MEETING.
27TH SEPT 2007.
CLARE YOUTH SERVICE
Present: Karl Quinn (CABES); Teresa Larkin (CYS); Seamus Bane (Clare VEC Youth
Officer); Aobhan Haverty (CEF); Breda O Driscoll (CLLN); Ann Knox (CLLN); Martina
Crowley Hayes(CLLN); Paul O Shea (Respond); Mike Ryan (BTEI); Suzanne Kyle
(Ennis CDP); Emer Matthews (Youthreach Progression).
1. Introduction.
As new chairperson Karl opened the meeting and invited everyone to introduce
themselves. The minutes of the previous meeting were adopted.
2. Updates.
Mike Ryan (BTEI) reported that work was well advanced on starting the range of BTEI
courses in various venues around the county. He reported on a change to the criteria
that now allows those who have not achieved Leaving Certificate to take up a BTEI
course, without charge, even if working. A significant increase in expressed interest for
individual courses has not fully transferred to learners attending initial classes, thus
causing administrative difficulties. Mike also reported on a new pre-leaving course that
is aimed at students that may wish to complete the Leaving Certificate. It gives them an
opportunity to assess the level of work and effort required and to decide if they wish to
seek the full cert. Three FETAC certified modules will be offered that will provide either
a solid base for further study or an end in itself depending on the student wishes. Mike
also commended Conor Flynn on his support and encouragement of students to take up
the course.
Martina Crowley Hayes (CLLN) reported that Equality Awareness training was still
available from CLLN. A programme had been delivered the previous week to stall of the
BTEI and CABES English Language tutors to very positive response. She will be
meeting with CYS staff to discuss the delivery of training all tutor staff. Training on the
Active Citizenship programme is also available. The study on the experience of setting
up a Learner Forum will be wit the printers next and is hoped to be available shortly.
Ann Knox(CLLN) provided an update from FETAC on Assessment. The main points
are:
 The new assessment policy and consequent changes will not now come into
effect until July 2008. Hence the first time it will impact on most current centres
will be November 2008 although we hope to have a new assessment period in
July 2008 to cater for many of our new providers.
 There will be a panel of external authenticators recruited by FETAC to carry out
the new function. Their names, contact details and subject matter expertise will
be posted on the web. Providers will be responsible for contacting these externs
to carry out authentication visits.
 Responsibility for paying authenticators will be with the provider. Discussions are
ongoing with the major provider bodies in this regard.
 Procedures for internal verification can be implemented by providers at any time
but will be expected to be in place by July 2008. This may include peer review
and or cross moderation or whatever procedures have been chosen by the
provider to ensure consistency of its assessment procedures and outcomes.

The FE support service have published guidelines on peer review on their
website www.sfe.ie. They have also put together a CD ROM on cross
moderation which they will make available to centres. Please note that cross
moderation is not a specific requirement but is one form of internal verification
appropriate to some large centres. The FETAC guidelines on assessment are
available at http://www.fetac.ie/assessment/default.htm
A FETAC training seminar will be held on October 12th in the Clare Education Centre,
Ennis. The first part of the day will be for Co-Ordinators with the second part, covering
Self-Evaluation of programmes and services, open to all including tutors. Ann requested
that as many as possible attend the seminar as CLLN has succeeded in getting Ennis
established as a venue for the delivery of training by the SFE. Ann also reported on the
lobbying action that has arisen as a result of the decision by the DES to permit only DES
funded centres and personnel to attend SFE-run training. This decision will have a
negative impact on many smaller organizations that are the first point of contact for the
most disadvantaged learners. In addition the decision diminishes the potential for
building positive relationships and partnership working between the statutory and
voluntary sectors. A copy of the lobbying letters can be seen as documents attached to
the FETAC day notice in Upcoming Events on the CLLN website.
Ann also reported on an issue that arises where those who, while they have a Leaving
Cert, are in low pay employment or work in the home are not eligible to access BTEI free
of charge. This is a significant barrier to many and some work has been done on
lobbying for changes in the system. Mike Ryan supported this and reported that the
issue has been raised with the DES.
Emer Matthews (Youthreach Progression) reported that 25 students had commenced
their course in September and were settling in to the work. The second year students
were continuing with their Level 5 Progression course. She noted that a high proportion
of the new students are from the Ennis area.
Aobhan Haverty (CEF) reported that tutor hours are available through the Community
Education programme for groups that wish to run short-term locally based courses.
Tutors must be registered in order for groups to avail of the opportunity of this
programme. Aobhan invited anyone who might know of a group that would be interested
or who had an idea of a course that might be run to contact her. She informed the
meeting that the Community Strand of the BTEI will be advertised shortly. Aobhan also
informed the group of the new Community Services Programme, funded by Pobal and
administered locally by RRD. This has three strands to the programme this year with
closing dates very soon. Further information can be had from RRD on the areas, which
are:
 Community services and enterprises supporting and/or employing travellers
 Community media, primarily Community Radio
 Staffing or supervision and maintenance of community halls or centres
Paul O Shea (Respond) reported that he had commenced working with residents of the
Bridge View estate in Ennis. He is providing support and guidance to the group around
estate management and community skills. He is working with Aobhan on the possibility
of delivering a citizenship programme with the group. Paul also reported that Respond
facilities at Stone Court and Orchard Grove may be available to groups at particular
times. Ann Knox will contact Paul to make information on this available through the
network.
Teresa Larkin (Clare Youth Service) reported on the start of a new academic year in
the Youth Service. The LCA course has an intake of 15 students this year. She also
noted a significant increase in students from Eastern Europe an well as younger Irish
students. The Youth Service will host a music/drama performance event in Glor on
October 10th to which all are invited. The event attempts to link the many aspects of
work and learning that the students are involved in. She emphasised the importance of
keeping the human dimension of learning to the fore as a counter to the increasing
emphasis on certification coming from many quarters.
Seamus Bane (VEC Youth Officer) reported that work continues on the roll-out of the
Youth Work Act and plan. While developments had been relatively slow to date it is
expected that activity will increase now that all VECs have their staff in place. He also
reported that the VEC Youth Club grants had been advertised this week and applications
will follow.
Karl Quinn (CABES English Language Programme) reported on the restart of the
English language classes across the county. East Europeans are the primary users of
the service. He also reported that the Adult Education Service will host a conference on
the 30th November on the theme of “Non Formal Education and the Benefits of
Learning”.
Suzanne Kyle (Ennis CDP) described the work of the Parent Support Programme for
Traveller Parents. This project, based in the CDP, aims to give parents the opportunity
to develop their skills in supporting their children’s education. In addition to supporting
children the programme creates an environment for parents in which they identify their
own needs and participate in developing responses. The programme, which works in
co-operation with the Clare Family Learning Project and Cloughleigh School, has played
a significant role in supporting Traveller children to remain in education at both primary
and secondary level. A transition programme for the parents of children moving on to
second level school proved very successful over the summer. In spite of the
acknowledged success of the programme by parents, children and schools, it faces a
very uncertain future. Funding is due to run-out in February and there is no promise of
continuation. Building one-to-one relationships has been shown to be crucial for this
type of work and the uncertainty makes for a very difficult working situation where
significant time and energy is devoted to sourcing funding to maintain the programme.
Acknowledging the work of the programme the meeting discussed ways in which support
might be extended. Aobhan will meet with Suzanne to consider the submission of an
application to the Community Services Programme. She also pointed out that a
percentage of the allocation that groups receive for the Community Strand of the BTEI
can be allocated to administration costs and this might be an avenue worth considering.
Aobhan will forward information to Suzanne. The DSFA might also be approached as a
source of support. The experience of the programme highlights the key role of the oneto-one contact and support in encouraging the most disadvantaged to remain within and
return to education and learning.
3. County Wide Plan
Ann Knox distributed a summary of those actions from the Ennis Area of the county-wide
plan that needed attention. This was followed by a discussion on those actions where
the following was decided:
 Actions 1.2 and 4.1 constitute the ongoing work of the network.
 Actions 2.4 and 5.1 will be addressed at the next meeting in light of the Adult
Education conference in November.
 Re item 2.2 the meeting decided to revisit this action at a later date.
4. Partnership Toolkit.
The completed report of the Partnership training was distributed by Aobhan.
Congratulations were extended on the completion of a very significant element of the
work of the CLLN project and thanks were expressed to all who contributed.
5. Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Ennis Area Network will be held on Wednesday 12th Dec 2007
at 11.30am. This will be followed by lunch (venue to be decided).
The agenda as agreed will be:
1. Updates
2. CLLN Report and Evaluation
3. AOB
The meeting then ended.