MEMBERS from over 25 community education groups across County Kildare took part in a fully booked taster workshop event in Newbridge Parish Centre recently as part of the AONTAS Adult Learners’ Festival 2025.
The thriving Centre was buzzing from early morning for the event which was organised by the Kildare Community Education service of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.
The focus for this year’s event was to allow group leaders to experience a range of the workshops and courses available through the Community Education Service and to meet with other groups.
Across the morning, learners attended workshops in Horticulture, Digital Skills, Craft and Well-being, and shared the stories of their group’s experiences with each other.
Tutors Colm O’Callaghan, Kathrina Hughes, Joanie Murphy and Mary Ruth Fallon ran short workshops which allowed the participants to experience what it would be like to participate in a Community Education programme.
They planted window boxes, learned tips on online safety, got an introduction to printmaking and experienced a healing sound bath.
Many ideas were shared including a presentation from Conor O’Leary, Community Education Facilitator with KWETB on Community Education funding and support for groups and The REACH fund.
The REACH Fund is funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and aims to provide funding to support educationally disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in Community Education.
The morning concluded with group leaders expressing a desire to meet again soon and support each other and there was a round of thanks to everyone for making the event possible including the fantastic staff and tutors of the Community Education service, KWETB and the staff of Newbridge Parish Centre.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Community Education can do so by looking at the website www.communityeducationkwetb.ie , contacting communityedkildare@kwetb.ie or calling the office on 045881863.
