INTRODUCTION TO THE LEIS PROJECT
The Literacy & Equality in Irish Society (Leis) project was set up to explore the issues of adult literacy and equality in Irish society. Particular emphasis is to be placed on the post conflict situation in Northern Ireland and how the inclusion of equality issues in literacy training might lead to an understanding of the potential for literacy education to contribute to peace and reconciliation. The Equality Studies Centre, University College Dublin (UCD) and the Institute of Lifelong Learning, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) are partners in the project. Funding has been provided by Peace II. EGSA (Educational Guidance Service for Adults), NALA (National Adult Literacy Agency) and WIT (Waterford Institute of Technology) are also involved. The project will run for 15 months, from October 2004 to December 2005. Two development workers and an administrator have been appointed.
The three strands to the project - Literacy, Equality, and Peace and Reconciliation - reflect the interests of funders and partners. In the initial phase of LEIS, the development workers will work with learners and tutors to explore issues of equality that are related to the experience of conflict and identify how these experiences can inform the practice of literacy education. The issues of concern to tutors and learners that are identified will be used to inform the research and development of materials and methodologies that will be piloted with tutors in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.
In the final phase, a handbook of methodologies will be produced. This handbook is intended as a resource not just for those working in the literacy field. It is envisaged that the materials and methodologies will be of benefit to training organisations and community providers in various settings.
PEACE II
The Leis project has been grant funded by the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. This is a unique EU funded programme for all of Northern Ireland and the Border Regions of Ireland (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo). The main aim of this programme is the promotion of reconciliation and the provision of assistance towards building a more peaceful and stable society. Peace II is a joint North/South programme; proposals for which were set out in the Structural Funds Plan for Northern Ireland (2000- - 2006), and the National Development Plan for Ireland. Leis has been funded under Measure 5.4, which promotes joint approaches to social, education, training and human resource development.
THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS PROJECT, INSTITUTE OF LIFELONG LEARNING
Essential Skills at the Institute of Lifelong Learning, Queen’s University Belfast is the lead partner in the LEIS project and is responsible for training literacy tutors in Northern Ireland. Bonnie Soroke, the development worker based at Queen’s and Claire Henderson, the administrator, co-ordinate the Northern Ireland literacy research/development activities, as well as organise the pilot activities in Northern Ireland.
The Equality Studies Centre in University College Dublin (UCD) was set up in 1989 as an interfaculty research and teaching centre involving the faculties of Law, Arts, Philosophy and Sociology. Programmes are offered at Certificate, Higher Diploma and Masters and PhD level. Since 1994, the Equality Studies Centre, UCD has engaged in active outreach to community and local development organisations. A key element in this work has been the development, in association with a number of community organisations and special interest groups, of an Equality Studies Certificate Course. This has been designed to provide community activists with an introduction to equality concepts and issues, and an opportunity to deepen their analysis of how inequality impacts on their communities and the types of action needed to implement change. The courses are planned in co-operation with specific groups, to develop the skills and capabilities of people who are activitists in their own communities but who lack formal education and training in egalitarian theory and practice.
In this project Equality Studies Centre will provide expertise in Equality Studies as well as materials on Northern Ireland and advise on adaptation of materials. They co-ordinate the Republic of Ireland literacy research and development activities, linking with Vocational Educational Committees (VEC) and other providers of literacy education in the Southern border counties as well as with WIT, the national training provider. Toni Lame is the development workers based in the Equality Studies Centre, UCD.
NALA
The National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) is the umbrella agency for all those interested in adult literacy in the Republic of Ireland. It is a membership organisation with voluntary status. NALA focuses on national co-ordination, training and policy development in adult literacy work in Ireland. They are the Republic of Ireland project adviser/partner with a role in the consultation with stakeholders.
Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), in conjunction with NALA is the national training provider with responsibility for the training of adult literacy tutors in the Republic of Ireland. They support the co-ordination of the southern/border county literacy research activities and provide advice in relation to the pilot activities in the Border Counties.
The Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA) connects adults with learning and provides support services to those who are concerned with improving access to learning for adults. EGSA are the Northern Ireland project adviser/partner and will assist in the consultation with stakeholders as well as having a role in the dissemination and adaptation of research outcomes for further literacy work.
TUTORS and LEARNERS
Tutors and learners are involved in the project from the very beginning. In the initial phase the development workers organise focus and pilot groups consisting of participants who are adult literacy learners and tutors from various community organisations within the border counties. These focus groups help us explore the issues of equality/inequality in learners and tutors’ lives, particularly the connections between adult literacy and equality. The conflict situation in Northern Ireland has had an impact on people’s experience of both adult education and equality and the LEIS project will explore this issue with tutors and learners. The focus groups are also used to pilot our methodologies and get some feedback as to how effective tutors and learners consider them to be.
