Photographic exhibition showcases best of GRETB Community Education
Marie Barlow, Glinsk Ladies’ Club, pictured at a photographic exhibition in Roscommon County Library, showcasing GRETB Community Education at its best. Pic. Gerard O’Loughlin
A Galway & Roscommon Education & Training Board (GRETB) community education photo exhibition has been launched at Roscommon County Library showcasing the variety of community education courses undertaken by different community groups in their local areas.
Representatives from some of the community groups who have availed of the support offered by GRETB attended the official opening of the photo exhibition in the library. The exhibition is also on display digitally in the local libraries in Boyle and Strokestown. Miriam Winston, of Ballinlough & Granlahan Active Retirement Group, said that the group members enjoyed combining new skills and making new friends from taking part in community education courses supported by GRETB in the hall in Granlahan and Michael Glavey’s Community Centre.
Community education is adult learning that takes place in local settings. GRETB works in partnership with community groups, voluntary groups, and networks of agencies such as Galway Rural Development and Roscommon Leader Partnership to plan, develop and deliver courses based on the needs identified by the community groups.
Sinéad Morgan, Director of Further Education & Training with GRETB, said: “Community education offers non-accredited, non-formal learning in local settings where people are comfortable learning. The focus is not on achieving a certificate at the end but learning a new skill, participating in community, and having a cup of tea and a chat, which is powerful for people, and communities.” Community education offers communities an opportunity to address local issues, effect change, encourages empowerment and active citizenship.
Councillor Kathleen Shanagher, a board member with GRETB, highlighted some of the different needs identified by groups which contributes to the variety of courses undertaken, including personal skills development, strategic planning, committee skills and dry needle felting, willow weaving, cookery, arts and crafts, yoga, horticulture. She paid particular attention to the photograph from the angling tour guiding course offered in partnership with the Lough Ree Angling Hub, GRETB & LWETB, the first of its kind in Ireland. Other groups supported include men’s sheds, women’s groups, community development groups, Active Retired groups, refugee and asylum seeker groups, disability groups, Traveller groups, homeless groups and LGBTI+ groups. Support is provided through grants and tuition funding to community groups.
With over 50 community groups in Roscommon receiving support from GRETB Community Education, the programme targets the most socially and economically disadvantaged groups and individuals and for many it may be their only pathway to return to education or their only means to engage with their own communities.
The Community Education Facilitator in County Roscommon, Dolores McSharry, thanked the library for hosting the exhibition and said that “it’s impossible to include everything that we do in one exhibition, because there is such an array of activities and groups, however, these photographs on display give a flavour of classes and illustrate the variety of groups and their communities that are positively impacted by Community Education on a daily basis”.
• If you would like to know more about Community Education in Co. Roscommon, please contact Dolores McSharry on 087 6266398 or email communityed@gretb.ie.
