Local people urged to upskill at the new Dove House Education Hub

This Autumn marks a new chapter for local learners, with Dove House unveiling their newly refurbished Education Hub, with state of the art interactive computer and whiteboard facilities, break-room and kitchen.

Those behind the project said Dove House specialises in reaching those who have had a negative experience of education which “remains with them until adulthood.”

Skills 2020 and the Dove House Community Education Project will run in conjunction from the facility, along with Youth First and the Women’s Advocacy project.

The Education Programme provides community-based education which also aims to promote social development with individuals and groups using formal and informal methods.

The main focus is to help participants and groups of all ages to improve their quality of life, with Dove House working in conjunction with the North West Regional College to upskill people, enabling them to achieve the compulsory qualifications to enter the world of work, such as essential skills, numeracy and literacy. The qualifications are equivalent to GCSE Grade C.

Skills 2020 is a new regional collaborative employability and training programme, targeting and recruiting those most removed from the labour market. Services include initial needs assessment and a regularly reviewed action plan, one-to-one mentoring, sector-specific training, work-based skills, job coaching, pre-employment workshops, volunteer placements, supported work placements and guaranteed interviews, and confidence building.

Business Studies tutor Deirdre Nash said: “The Hub’s new facilities will allow numerous teaching methods to be used which will break down many of the students’ barriers to learning.”

Manager of Dove House, Donnacha Mac Niallais, said: “We have a long-standing reputation of being a centre for excellence for training. We now hope the Hub will open the doors to even more learners accessing this training and reaching their potential”.

Courses start this month and include Maths Essential Skills, English Essential Skills, Beginner’s IT, Essential Skills ICT, Business Studies, Text Processing, Sage Accounts and a taster Irish course. To register call Paula or Emer on 71269327. Registrations ends next Friday, October 20.

To hire the Hub for classes, gallery presentations, meetings and children’s parties, call Anne on 71269327.