This article is from page 35 of the 2007-12-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 35 JPG
ELEVEN learners in the East Clare Adult and Community Education Centre, Scariff, have been awarded Further Education and _ Training Awards Council of Ireland (FETAC) certificates, some after two years of study, others after one.
They undertook the Vocational Training Opportunities Programme (VTOS) which has been on offer at the centre for almost nine years and brought the number of successful students to 100 in that period.
The certificates represented vari- ous combinations of subjects stud- ied. VTOS in Scariff is a two-year full-time programme that accom- modates twenty students. It provides courses in ceramics, stained glass, painting, art, craft and design, com- puters, women’s studies and Spanish. Other ‘general’ studies programmes
offered include the National Univer- sity of Ireland Maynooth certificate in social and human studies and FE- TAC modules in enterprise, work ex- perience and communications.
The centre’s target group is unem- ployed people over 21 in receipt of a payment from social welfare or sisning for credits for at least six peeve etsy
The Scariff programme has devel- oped an excellent reputation for its very fine art, craft and design seg- ment and has had an excellent rate of progression for students moving on to study full-time degrees in the College of Art & Design in Limerick and other third-level institutions.
Resources within the centre con- nected with the arts and crafts in- clude the ceramics module for which a kiln and potter’s wheels are avail- able.
Deputy Timmy Dooley formally
presented the certificates and con- eratulated the recipients.
He was full of admiration for the work of VTOS co-ordinator Mike Hook and staff in the centre which he recalled was “the original voca- tional school and had happily being retained for further education for the local community”’.
Mike Hook paid tribute to tutors Lynn van Lintzgy, in information technology, Sarah Moore, in stained glass, Nona Saunders in ceramics, and Andrew Nuland, drawing and paint- ing, as well as Mary O’Shaughnessy in administration back-up. “Their expertise and dedication made it all possible,” he said.
Adult education, he went on, 1s “about changing lives and creating opportunities. It provides the social and cultural capital to achieve that change”.
Bernie Treacy, who was asked to
speak about her experience of the VTOS programme, said that four years ago her husband, Caimin, died and she felt at the end of life. But in time, she signed up for the pro- gramme and has not left it since. She is now a voluntary tutor on the nu- meracy and literacy course. “Every- one gets individual treatment here,” She said, “and the tutors are brilliant in a lovely atmosphere.”