Quilty Tourism

Community Education

Many agencies exist to help learners access educational opportunities. However, one of the biggest drawbacks they often face is the lack of suitable facilities in which to deliver courses. The development of the Leon Centre will provide much needed classroom space in which learning opportunities can be provided to local people. Aside from providing facilities, the core group would also like to see a focused approach being used to training and education provision locally.

It has therefore devised an education strategy that is enterprise oriented and that incorporates four steps: computer education, community development, further education and higher education.

• Step 1: Computer Education. If all members of the community are to participate in the information age society that Ireland has become, then they need to be computer literate. This doesn't simply mean learning how to send and receive e-mails, or how to browse the Internet. It also means being comfortable using computers to access and analyse information. In the same way that people in rural Ireland are highly dependent on cars for transport mobility, all sections of the community needs to be computer literate to make obtaining, processing and transmitting information easier.

• Step 2: Community Development. The objectives set out in this strategic plan require all sections of the local community to work together in common purpose. In particular, the community will have to acquire the skills necessary to successfully manage a major outdoor regatta event. This in turn will require the community to successfully promote the event and realise its tourism potential. Specialist training will prove necessary if the tourism, safety, and operational elements of the festival are to be successfully managed. This particular type of skills based training will facilitate community development and help all participating members of the community to learn to work with each other on a major project. Once these skills are in place, it will be easier for groups to work together to implement other major projects that arise in the future.

• Step 3: Further Education. Through the many discussions that were had during the consultative process that led to the determination of the Quilty Leon Project's mission and objectives, it was obvious that access to further education opportunities was a priority for many people. Hence, the availability of learning space in the Leon Centre should make access to further education a reality for people wishing to obtain FETAC certified training. It is envisaged that Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) funded courses or Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) programmes could utilise the Leon Centre for local training provision. The core group will liase directly with further education providers.

• Step 4: Higher Education. To facilitate adult learners who wish to develop skills that further enhance their employment opportunities, the core group will liase directly with third-level institutions with a view to delivering part-time courses in business, computing and social care at Levels 6 and 7 of the National Qualifications Framework. Again, the availability of the Leon Centre will help to realise this aspect of the education strategy.

The core group of the Quilty Leon Project sees itself as a facilitator of education in the locality rather than as a provider of education. Through the provision of learning space in Quilty village and by actively encouraging members of the community to participate in the training opportunities available to them, it is hoped that a more inclusive learning and training environment can be created for all.