Education Equality Initiative (EEI) - Ireland

Source: National Women's Council of Ireland

The Education Equality Initiative is funded through the Irish Government’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2000-2006 under the NDP educational disadvantage measure, through the Further Education Section Department of Education & Science.
The EEI Programme spans two phases.

Phase I operated from 2000 to 2003;

EEI Phase 2 is expected to run from 2004-2006. Information on any aspect of EEI Phase I or II can be obtained from the Department of Education & Science, or by contacting: The Further Education Section, Dept. of Education & Science, Floor 1, Block 4, Irish Life Mall, Talbot St., Dublin 1. Tel: 01-889 6431 / 889 2076

NWCI Support Service Provision to EEI Phase 1 (2000–2003)

NWCI were appointed by The Department of Education & Science to provide the Support Service for EEI Phase I. The EEI Support Service built on the NWCI experience of support provision over 10 years to the 105 ESF funded NOW projects, as well as experience with education including: involvement in the Women’s Education Initiative (WEI); management and support of the ZONTA funded ZEST education programme; NWCI Education Panel and as a Social Partner in the Community & Voluntary Pillar.

The method used by the NWCI in delivering the support service to projects included

• A collaborative, developmental, responsive, needs-based approach, which utilised project management and continuous action planning and practice review
• Community Development and Community, Adult & Women’s Education methods and principles also informed the Support Service practice

Under EEI Phase 1 eighteen projects were selected, to pilot innovative methods of addressing educational disadvantage amongst adults.

Projects commenced work in December 2000.

Those funded comprised community education projects, which spanned a range of activities and geographical locations as well as a variety of approaches to tackling educational disadvantage.

Methodologies being piloted include formal and informal education through:

• Pre-development work including outreach and neighborhood work, community consultation and needs analysis
• Development work including development of courses and learning activities and/or obtaining accreditation
• Delivery of courses/and learning activities.

• Donegal Second Chance Education Project for Women developed a women's studies programme which is accessible and relevant to women living in the area, including development of an Irish language curriculum;
• Meavagh Resource Centre’s Project, ‘Men’s Education Initiative’ used outreach and neighborhood work to engage isolated rural men;
• Donegal Travellers Project provided leadership courses for women Travellers;
• Adults with dyslexia and/or literacy difficulties were the target group for the Open Door project at Ballymote Family Resource Center in Sligo.
• Educate! Create! Advocate! is a Galway based project, which addresses educational disadvantage amongst adults with learning disabilities, through use of drama and performance as the Blue Teapot theatre company.
• On Sherkin Island in West Cork the Sherkin Island Development Society (SIDS) worked in partnership with DIT to develop a prototype degree programme in Arts and Culture;
• COPE Foundation’s project ‘Preparation for Independent Living’ in Cork City piloted a course which aimed to equip people with mild learning disabilities with skills and experience required to live independently.
• In Waterford, the ‘Men's Education Project’ at Men’s Development Network worked with marginalised men and,
• in Wexford, Women Making Choices 2 at ACCESS 2000 developed an accredited education and training programme to provide a progression route for women.

• The Larkin Centre worked with local communities in inner city Dublin to develop and deliver relevant locally based education.
• There were men's education projects at Ballymun Men’s Centre,
• The Blanchardstown Men’s Outreach Project and
• in Bray where a consortium of local agencies came together with Bray Partnership to develop a project using Outreach and Peer Education to target local Traveller men (LEAP).
• The Merchant's Quay Project is developed relevant education and training courses for drug users.
• WERRC in UCD piloted a Lesbian Studies and Queer Culture Certificate in Women's Studies;
• Butterfly Project at Women's Aid provided an education course specifically designed with and for women who have experienced male violence.
• Rowlagh Second Chance Project, based at Rowlagh Women’s Center provided education courses for local women who would not normally access education. Finally,
• CHANGE, a project with a national focus based at WERRC, UCD brought together three projects:
  • POWER Partnership,
  • South West Kerry Women's Association and
  • WERRC, UCD.

The EEI Project Directory which was compiled in 2001 provides an outline of each project and is available to download. Please note that some EEI Project Directory contact details have changed since publication in 2001. Project contact details below are up-to-date as of July 2002. 

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