Community Outreach Programmes
In addition to its outreach work in schools, DCU Access aims to promote inclusion and diversity by working collaboratively with statutory, community and voluntary organisations to support individuals from under-represented groups who would like to access and complete a course at university.
DCU aspires to increase the number of underrepresented students in the University to ensure that our student body reflects the diversity of Irish society.
Group visiting the library
Interested in sharing your experience as a Mature Student in DCU & making a difference in other adults’ lives?
The Community Outreach team in DCU works with the local community around DCU to encourage more mature students to consider university as an option. We do this through a range of initiatives such as campus tours, workshops, talks, fairs, events in the community and DCU.
We are now forming a panel of Mature Students interested in giving an occasional talk to prospective students and we would love you to be in touch with us!
If you are interested, please sign up HERE.
Apart from the sense of satisfaction you will gain from supporting your peers, this is a great opportunity for you to improve your communication, presentation and public speaking skills.
To mark our appreciation, you will receive lunch vouchers for our time supporting the Access service.
For more information, contact laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie
Headstart is a 10 week programme for adults seeking to explore their educational opportunities. This programme is a partnership between Dublin City University and the Adult Education Service in Ballymun in an effort to improve access to education to:
- People from communities lacking a strong tradition of participation in third-level education.
- Adults who have been out of education for a long time, or who did not complete a Leaving Certificate.
- People whose skills no longer allow them to access the labour market.
The aim of the programme is to:
- Promote ‘access for all’ for Further & Higher Education.
- Help you make informed choices in your education journey.
- Support you in returning to education.
- Help you identify your skills, strengths and goals.
- Showcase available education services and supports.
Who is it for?
We are welcoming applications from individuals who:
- Are no longer in school and interested in re-entering education and/or upskilling
- Are over 18 years of age
- Live in north Dublin
Application Process
Step 1: Info session
We will hold an information session on Friday 22nd November, 11-12pm in the Adult Education Service, Ballymun.
Step 2: Application Form HERE
Deadline to apply: Friday 29th Nov’24, 5pm.
Step 3: Informal interview
Applicants will be invited to attend an interview on Tues 10th Dec’24.
When, Where and How long?
The programme will start on Fri 17th Jan’25, 10 -1pm and will run over 10 weeks until 28th Mar’25.
The location of workshops will be shared between the Ballymun Adult Education Service and DCU Glasnevin.
Mentoring training with DCU mentors
Change Makers is a mentoring programme funded by College Connect which aims to create a transformative experience for all participants, mentors and mentees, through participatory and experiential activities.
The programme brings together students from under-represented groups with 2nd year students from our BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation. It is run in partnership with the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences in DCU, Youthreach and Trinity Comprehensive in Ballymun.
If you currently work with one of the groups identified by the National Access Plan, you may be interested in running the programme in your organisation.
For more information, contact: Laurence Van der Haegen, Widening Participation Outreach Officer at laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie.
DCU Access and The Traveller and Roma Education Officer work closely in North Dublin and the Greater Dublin area, providing workshops on entry routes, pathways, and supports.
We offer a range of supports both in schools and in the community:
- School talks, workshops in sports, art, creative writing, storytelling, campus tours, and day trips to DCU.
- Support to individual Traveller and Roma senior cycle students in their progression to further and third-level education.
- Workshops within the community with parents/adults, such as beady pockets, candle making, tapestry, and educational workshops.
For further information, please contact our Traveller & Roma Education Officer, harry.mallon@dcu.ie
College Connect in DCU mainly focuses on engaging potential students through regional workshops known as Pathways. These workshops are bespoke to the needs of each group and offer information, resources, and one-to-one advice on accessing third-level education. They focus on: Applying, Grants & Funding, Requirements and what the potential student can expect at a third-level institution, including post-entry resources & supports.
To find out more, visit the College Connect website: https://collegeconnect.ie/
To contact the DCU College Connect Outreach: Sean.Harvey@dcu.ie
Our invitation
DCU Access invites you to our 'Our Neighbour, Our Friend' event on Friday 8th November, 10am - 12:30 pm.
This gathering will be an opportunity to present DCU Access Community Outreach initiatives and explore future collaborations to improve access to education for the most under-represented groups in our community.
For more information, contact Laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie.
Students at a lecture
Teaching as a Career
If you are passionate about Education or interested in a career in teaching, why not join our talk to explore all teaching courses at DCU?
The talk will cover teaching courses from the DCU Institute of Education:
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Early childhood education
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Primary teaching
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Post-Primary teaching
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Further education and training
Also find out all the supports available to you if you are a HEAR/DARE eligible student. Current and past students will share their experiences studying in DCU.
Date: Semester 2 (tbc)
College Connect is a regional outreach programme in the MEND (Midlands, East, North Dublin) Cluster between DCU, Maynooth University, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Technological University on the Shannon.
College Connect aims to increase participation in Third-Level Education for groups identified by the HEA (Higher Education Authority) as traditionally having less participation in Higher Education. These groups are:
- Irish Travellers
- Members of the Roma Community
- Lone parents and students from One-parent families
- Young people who have been in care of the state
- People with disabilities
- Refugees & International Protection Applicants
- People from lower socio-economic groups
- First time Mature students
- Further education award holders
College Connect aims to analyse what the community needs are and to design creative interventions with our target groups and stakeholders. These include community organisations, local authorities and industry organisations.
Through these interventions, College Connect aims to raise the ambitions of potential students, increase motivation through mentoring programmes, and increase awareness and inform potential students of their pathways into third-level education.
College Connect carried out a number of Community Needs Analysis (CNA). This style of research is peer-led and gives ownership to the community at the centre of the research.
Community Needs analysis for Prisoners
In 2019 College Connect carried out an action research project with the Pathways Education Centre for Prisoners and Former Prisoners. The aim was to find out how to better support people with previous convictions to progress to college.
Community Needs Analysis with FET students
In 2022, College Connect carried out a CNA with FET students in collaboration with Dublin City University (DCU). The research used participative and creative approaches to encourage collaborative leadership and engagement throughout all stages of the research process. The research process engaged with 58 further education students in seven Further Education Colleges in the Dublin/DCU catchment area to find out how better to support their educational progression to higher education.
Community Needs Analysis with Refugees & People in the Asylum Process
This Community Needs Analysis (CNA) was carried out by College Connect in collaboration with the Irish Refugee Council. The research was carried out from October 2020 to March 2021. Participative, peer-to-peer, and creative methods were used to explore the views and insights of over 100 participants with lived experience of the protection process on the access issues and barriers that affect their participation or progression in further or higher education. The research generates key insights on the experiences of this community of people and puts forward a series of recommendations.