Ms Berni Brady:

Yes, there were. Funding and other supports must be based on recognition of the role of community education and the work done through it and an understanding of the various kinds of community education supported under the ETB system and also the work supported by the independently managed groups. It is no surprise that the research we did on community education two years ago was called Community Education: More than just a Course. The title was devised by a person who took part in community education and said it was not just about a course but about a whole development process for people.

There are two aspects to funding. AONTAS has put forward a funding model that it developed in collaboration with our community education networks for the independently managed groups. A diagram of the model is contained in the presentation submitted to the committee. We did this some years ago but it needs to be updated because it was done before we ever heard of SOLAS, for example. There are some key elements that are still core to the exercise. One is that the funding should cover the true cost of community education, which means a whole organisation approach rather than bits and pieces that can be put in here and there with the result that when funding finishes there is no support when somebody loses his job. Another key aspect should be multi-annual funding. It is impossible to plan ahead on any sort of long-term, year-to-year basis. The funding model would account for both vocational and non-vocational learning.

A key outcome of community education is a well-rounded person who is able to work and support their family. Getting there is a longer process, however. The funding mechanism should be such that it is managed by the local community organisation as it has the intelligence on the ground. I am not saying it should not be answerable to anyone because I am quite well aware that accountability is a key matter.

As regards how we will work with SOLAS, there is already some understanding of community education within SOLAS and the importance of ring-fencing funding for community education within the existing funding streams. As the strategy develops, however, SOLAS will have to engage with people, including community education groups that are independently managed, to develop a new funding model for community education. It is not something one can do overnight, but a process that would include outcomes. Community education groups have the capacity to become involved in service level agreements with education and training boards to deliver really good programmes.

Earlier, Mr. O'Toole mentioned the star awards on Monday. I will cite two programmes as an example. One was the winner in the Leinster region called "Making a difference everywhere". It is a programme led by the education and training board for Wexford and Waterford. It did the work with Ozanam House which is a hostel for homeless men. Instead of getting people to come into VEC or ETB programmes, they went out to work with people in Ozanam House to encourage men back. This took a year or two to establish but some of the people are now doing horticultural programmes at FETAC level 4. It must also take account of the transience of the population as well as their chaotic living, including alcohol and addiction problems.

The other element, which Deputy Joan Collins might be interested in, is the health care programme. The Dublin Adult Learning Centre near here, where I used to work many moons ago, has developed a FETAC level 5 qualification in health care support for carers in the inner city. This came about as a response to requests from former students in the adult literacy programme to upskill because they were working as carers in the community but did not have the requisite skills. Instead of having to go to an expensive programme, the Dublin Adult Learning Centre provided the programme, which is funded through the ETB and the Department of Social Protection which was able to develop it. If we are imaginative enough, there are different ways of developing programmes. That is what we need to do in SOLAS in future. At the moment, the agenda is being driven by the labour market, which is fine. We are aware of the issues involved but in the course of doing that we also need to be mindful of the social inclusion issue.

Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked how one can measure value for money. We must look at different ways of measuring outcomes for community education. They will be different from other vocational programmes. We can measure qualifications and whether people went into a job, but we will have to develop other processes for examining how people re-enter education and training, develop self-confidence, look after their families and become part of their communities.

During our research in 2011, the statisticians showed that the number of people involved in community education going back to volunteering in their communities was worth anything between €9 million and €29 million to the State. The contribution of the community education programme stands at €10 million.