The Galway & Roscommon Education and Training Board has been allocated €150,000 to help educationally disadvantaged communities.
The funding for the GRETB is part of a €5 million package to help people access and participate in community education issued to ETBs under the Reach Fund.
It can be used to assist learners with transport or education costs, funding on access to technology and devices, expanding community access to Wi‐Fi and broadband resources.
Minister Simon Harris said that this fund has had important successes over the past three years.
“Originally introduced in 2020 to support the most disadvantaged learners throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was critical in reconnecting with the most disadvantaged learners around the country.”
“It continues to support community education partners make sure that these learners are not left behind,” Simon Harris said.
“As we launch the Year of Skills, it is vital every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential.”
“The Reach Fund has achieved so much, and I am excited to see what important and valuable projects it supports this year.”
The Reach Fun is aimed at assisting cohorts such as people with disabilities, the long-term unemployed, members of the Traveller and Roma communities, migrants and refugees, women wishing to return to the labour market, and lone parents.
Also commenting on the announcement, the CEO of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority, Andrew Brownlee said that this unique funding targets those who are often the hardest with which to engage.
Since the introduction of the Reach Fund in 2020, it has supported more than 1,600 projects by ETBs around the country.
“Last year, we saw a welcome increase in learners from this priority cohort and it is beyond doubt that the projects and programmes funding under Reach have contributed to this increase.”
“It is testament to the great work done around Ireland by ETBs and community partners to tackle adult literacy issues and re-engage learners with education.”
