Project
Adare is a tourist destination and the local heritage centre. The village is a popular wedding and conference venue. It has two 18-hole golf courses - the Adare Golf Club, which incorporates a driving range and which was the site of the 2007 and 2008 Irish Open, the Adare Manor Golf Club and a pitch and putt course. Adare also has an equestrian centre. Adare Tidy Towns wants to develop and information booklet Involving local people in welcoming and informing visitors about our village in a friendly and personal manner
We want to develop our existing Tourist Ambassador Project by increasing the number and profile of our Ambassadors and reviewing and improving our information offering to the tourist population who visit Adare. We would like to further explore what visitors to the village want to know and would like to do. We also would like to engage more young people ( e.g. through school transition year programme), as Ambassadors.
Adare Tourist Centre and members of Adare Tourist Ambassador programme, Local community groups, businesses and schools.
A key objective is to give community groups and organisations the opportunity to access resources in their local university. We support our community partners to effectively engage with faculty and students. Community members are provided with information and resources. Evaluation of their experiences of engaging with UL faculty and students and meeting project expectations is undertaking at specific timelines throughout the practicum. Community Evaluation of the project is designed into the project from start to finish. As part of their assessment, students present a briefing to their community partner setting out the outputs and outcomes of the project.
Learning
Activities will involve practical on-the-ground engagement with visitors to Adare. A review of current information provision will be undertaken. The overall focus of the project is on development of a better information package targeting the needs of tourists of all ages. Specific activities will include, developing a questionnaire to audit the needs of tourists, make changes to existing practices in collaboration with the tourist ambassador programme members where applicable and set out recommendations on changes to be included in a revised tourist ambassador programme.
This practical experience enables students to learn how to evaluate the needs of visitors of different age groups. They will learn about teamwork and professional skills required in a variety of different roles. This placement also offers a learning platform which will enable students to focus on self-development and self-assessment of personal and professional skills and graduate attributes. Students will also be supported to articulate their ideas to a range of audiences within different cultural frameworks and setting and be provided with opportunities to make substantial and positive contributions to society.
Practicum students undertaking this project will work with local members of voluntary ambassador programme, Adare tourist information centre and local businesses and schools in the area. You will work collaboratively with a community group and one of your peers. Academic supervision of the project work will be carried out by the responsible academic for your project.
Both formative and summative assessment methods will be used. Assessments will be designed to complement the interactive teaching and learning approaches. In particular, methods conducive to workplace assessment will be employed. These will include weekly reflection diaries, a group presentation, a reflective assignment and self-assessment activity.