Community education projects in Donegal to benefit from €5.8m fund

Four community education projects in Donegal have received funding under the €5.8m Mitigating against Educational Disadvantage Fund.
Dunfanaghy Community and Family Centre, Donegal Traveller Project, Clonmany Parish Resources Ltd and Cairde Le Ceile CLG are among those in receipt of funding.
The fund was launched in October 2020 by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD and will be administered by SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority and the 16 local Education and Training Boards.
The aim of the fund is to support community education for adult learners, who have the highest level of need, with a strong focus on building the digital infrastructure of community education providers to increase the capacity to deliver online learning.
Cróna Gallagher, Director of Further Education and Training (FET) in Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB), which provides, supports and co-ordinates community education in Donegal, said: “It is great to see so many diverse community education providers in Donegal being supported in funding to continue their vital work. Many of our community education partners are taking an innovative approach to ensure that no learner is left behind now that so much of our everyday lives are conducted online, whether learning, socialising, or working. We look forward to continuing to support the strong tradition of partnership and collaboration in community education throughout Donegal as we move through 2021 and hopefully to more positive times in the future.”