Educational Disadvantage Centre Roundtable: Minister Zappone

Educational Disadvantage Centre Roundtable: Minister Zappone

Educational Disadvantage Centre Roundtable on a 'One Stop Shop' Combining Community Based Multidisciplinary Teams with Community Lifelong Learning Centres 

On September 20th, 2017, the Educational Disadvantage hosted a Roundtable in Belvedere House, Institute of Education, St. Patrick’s Campus, DCU to discuss the theme of a 'One Stop Shop' Combining Community Based Multidisciplinary Teams with Community Lifelong Learning Centres. Two basic questions were explored:

1. Is there a need to develop models of community based ‘One stop shops' that combine community based multidisciplinary teams with community based lifelong learning centres ?

2. Can we develop an Irish national strategy for these and an EU led strategy ?

The group was welcomed by Dr. Anne Looney, Dean of Education, DCU Institute of Education. Dr. Paul Downes, Director, DCU Educational Disadvantage Centre, outlined the two basic questions and an initial rationale for the discussion.

Presentations were then given by Petra Goran, European Commission, on the European Policy Context for these issues, by Irene Psifidou, Cedefop on the Response of Cedefop to Community Outreach One Stop Shops and by Dr. Siobhan O'Reilly, Executive Director, Familibase, Ballyfermot, Key Advantages of Community Based Multidisciplinary Teams

The Roundtable was attended by Minister Katherine Zappone, as well as by Claudio Masotti, Vice President, European Parents’ Association, Noel Kelly, Director, National Educational Welfare Services, Liz Waters, President, Aontas, The National Adult Learning Organisation, Professor Erna Nairz-Wirth, Head of Educational Sciences Group, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Paul Rogers, CEO Northside Area Partnership, Fiona Kearney, Familibase Services and Programme Coordinator, Ballyfermot, Sarah Murphy, Evaluator, Grangegorman Area Based Childhood Programme, Pat Courtney, Principal, St. Vincents’ BNS, Dublin 1 and Jennifer Plunkett, Principal, St. Benedict’s and St. Mary’s, Kilbarrack.