A symposium on Access to Higher Education was held this week in Cranmore, Sligo. Community members and education organisations came together for the first symposium of its kind with events hosted across Ray Mc Sharry Park, the Abbeyquarter Community Centre and Cranmore Community Co-operative. The event was organised in order to share good practice, promote learning and offer community organisations an opportunity to let Higher Education Institutes hear about and respond to issues of community engagement and access to higher education.
The event was opened with a welcome address from Joey Jinks, local resident and Community Learner, followed by an introduction to the partnership between ATU and Cranmore Regeneration Programme from Linda McGloin, Access Office, ATU and Sean Martin, Senior Architect, Sligo County Council.
The Guest Speaker was Gysbert Bergsma from Mentoring Europe who delivered an inspiring presentation on the importance of Mentoring formal and informal.
Speaking in the panel discussion on the ‘Experiences of Mentoring in Ireland West and North West’, local resident, student and community development volunteer Ruairi Breslin advised: “You need to start where people are at, listen to their needs and take it from there”.
Event host Dr. Celia Keenaghan added: “We all need mentors and we can all be mentors; Supporting people on their education path involves time, trust and respect.”
The panel also included; Lisa Wallace, Tina Butler, Nike Ogun, Josephine McGread, Seamus Morrissey and facilitated by Edel Kenny.
The interactive eventfacilitated a series of workshops in the afternoon on the thematic strands; Best Practice, Community Development Education, Interagency Working and Social Inclusion.
Linda McGloin, ATU talks about the partnership with Cranmore Regeneration Programme
Members of the West-NorthWest Higher Education Cluster, Programme of Access to Higher Education