High Court Judge, Ms. Justice Siobhán Phelan launches DCU Educational Disadvantage Centre Report on Community Outreach Hubs

"The success of DCU's local community outreach hubs in promoting access to primary teaching in local working class areas is evident from the 47 students gaining entry to primary teaching in DCU Institute of Education since 2017. The hubs have generated strong interest and motivation to become a teacher in the Darndale, Coolock, Kilbarrack and Finglas areas. This challenges the stereotype prior to their establishment that working class students from Dublin did not want to become teachers, there clearly is a strong demand from such students to enter the teaching profession.

(On the report’s finding of high level of students wanting to teach in DEIS schools)  This offers a strategic basis for these hubs and future expanded hubs to be a notable element in a wider national strategy for DEIS schools, one focusing both on access to diversify the teaching profession and one on teacher supply and retention for DEIS schools that recognises that increasing student teachers from DEIS schools can help foster a cohort with demonstrable commitment to working in DEIS schools.

(On the report’s finding of high level of students first considering teaching between ages of 5-11) There is a need for a more explicit, systemic and structured focus on consideration of future careers by teachers in classroom discussions at primary school level in DEIS school contexts."

"This work [of the Hubs]  has proved pivotal in many young people across areas such as Darndale, Coolock and Kilbarrack progressing into college and completing a third level qualification; areas that for generations have shown the lowest levels of third level participation in the state. For many, many families, these young people are the first cohort of children to progress to third level.

The outreach education hubs have played a pivotal role in raising expectations that third level is something attainable for the young people from our areas...We in Northside Partnership...are mindful that a just and more equitable society will forever remain on the horizon, until such time as the voices of those who have experienced poverty, social exclusion and disadvantage are heard and reflected in the institutions of our state and in our policies and commitment to addressing poverty and inequality.  

We call upon the Higher Education Authority to continue to fund the development of community-based initiatives, such as the outreach education hubs, that play such a critical role in elevating the voices of young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds and in breaking the cycle of low education attainment."

“We have the experience. We knew what it’s like to be in those kids’ shoes. You know there are kids that are going to have problems at home [and] not to give out to them if they are tired. We don’t know what might have been going on in their house the night before. At the back of your mind, you’ll know there are many challenges these kids have but we can show them they can strive and we can support them.”