Project
Limerick’s Gateway to Education is a non-profit social enterprise organisation created in 2012 by a Limerick mum to address economic and social barriers to education. They work to relieve financial pressures on families at the start of each school term; to connect parents and families to resources that will ensure full participation in the school system and community; to provide educational support not otherwise available to students in at-risk families.
The shop on Wickham Street, Limerick, works to relieve the cost to parents when children return to school, by way of providing recycled school books and uniforms. Revenue provided from these and other second hand items allow us to keep our doors open. Proceeds from the shop also support the day to day running of the homework club. While we have specific people to market our project, not many people would know we are in existence. We currently have a website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, however, relevant content/messages are required to offer greater clarity in getting the message across of what we do and what we want the general public who visit our social media sites to know and do.
In addition to supporting 1500 families that came through the door this year, At Plassey village hall we provide one to tuition to children from 6 to 16 years of age. Approx. 40 children attend our homework club and we have a rollover of 60 volunteers (UL students) supporting our work.
Feedback in the form of testimonials and evaluations from service users, parents and local school teachers suggest we are providing a much needed support service with feedback highlighting improved child performance in the school setting.
Learning
Student activities will include: to design and implement a more effective social media initiative for Limerick’s Gateway to Education, ddocument what has been undertaken to date on the Gateway to Education programme and review the shop on Wickham Street particularly in terms of future fundraising initiatives the shop could adopt.
This practical experience enables students to learn how to evaluate the needs of a local voluntary organisation and develop a communication strategy through relevant mediums interviewing, people skills, resource production As such, you will engage in both independent as well as collaborative learning. You will learn from one another to reach creative solutions to practical problems. The module is designed to enable students to develop the capacity to apply curriculum-based knowledge in a real-world setting and self-assess and develop graduate attributes to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in collaboration with external community stake-holders. Submission of reflective journals will allow you to reflect on your learning and to identify any difficulties encountered in conducting your project. Presentations will allow you to practice and refine your communication skills.
Practicum students undertaking this project will work with leaders in the Gateway to Education project, project volunteers and service users
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. Students will be expected to produce a community briefing report and present their project outputs and outcomes to their community partner.