This article is from page 63 of the 2008-08-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 63 JPG
CLARE Lifelong Learning Network has created a unique partnership ap- proach that could act as a model not only in the field of further education but wherever two or more groups work together towards a common exer
That was the reaction to the net- work’s award for public service ex- cellence from former Taoiseach Ber- tie Ahern. The Clare network was one of 20 winners from 183 projects put forwards for the awards process.
Clare VEC chief executive George
O’Callaghan described the award as a great honour and reflected great credit on the officials involved in developing the network. They are Aobhan Haverty, head of the Clare adult education service; Ann Knox, community education facilitator and Mike Ryan, Clare co-ordinator of the Back to Education Initiative.
The network, which is sponsored by the County Adult and Commu- nity Education Service, has over 100 members involved in education in the county.
They include the VEC, family re- source centres, community develop-
ment projects, the county council, the county development board, schools, Clare Youth Service Ltd., ADM- funded projects, FAS, ‘Teagasc, Brothers of Charity, Shannon Devel- opment and community groups.
Members are collaborating on improving the quality of adult and community education provision in the county, including joint planning, up-skilling providers and tutors, use of new technologies and provision of progression routes for learners in- cluding provision at third-level.
An essential tool for the network 1s information technology. So the web-
site www.clarelearningnetwork.org includes a notice board of upcoming events and a special learners’ forum for adult learners to communicate with each other.
At least nine elearning centres are now operating in rural communi- ties throughout the county, while a central database is used to register learners and track their progression.
Clare’s management information system gives immediate access to up to date information on the learning of 5,000 learners in the county. It is a powertul information management tool that gives managers and policy
makers access to the most immedi- ate information on which to base de- cisions and policies.
The system is replicated nationally and has been taken up by several vocational education committees around the country. It possesses the potential even to facilitate the De- partment of Education in national decision-making based on real time information.
The system also helps promote equality in the sense that programme co-ordinators can immediately see the gaps in provision or in progres- sion.