'Learning 4 Life' works with children in a three year cycle, from fourth, fifth and sixth classes to identify and address any barriers to higher education
A celebration of SETU, Sanofi, and Waterford schools completion collaboration was recently held at South East Technological University (WIT).
WIT is in the privileged position of working with dedicated partners in delivering its Institute Access programmes, who hope that their joint efforts will impact positively and permanently on the lives of children and their families.
'Learning 4 Life' works with children in a three year cycle, from fourth, fifth and sixth classes to identify and address any barriers that might prevent young people from completing their schooling and going on to higher education.
Role models
The programme involves SETU student volunteers /staff who help implement the programme and act as role models for the children. The children are not only supported with their homework, but also get to spend time on campus and participate in a range of activities, such as computing and web design, science, sports, arts and drama, music and health science, which are aimed at building their self-confidence and showing that education can be a fun experience.
At the ceremonies in SETU, pupils from Presentation Convent Primary School, St Saviour's Primary School and St Paul's Boys National School saw their achievements acknowledged. Their discipline and commitment to this progamme which they attend after school will no doubt stand to all the children throughout their education.
In his address, Colm Bonnar from the Access Office, Student Life and Learning at SETU said "Our experience indicates there's huge value to children getting a taste of the kind of learning that goes on in third level institutions like ours. The greater number of opportunities that we can expose our children to at an early stage in life; the better their chances will be of linking into learning opportunities at a later stage. Our programmes really help in breaking down any mystery around what happens in higher education institutions. The pupils who get involved develop a clear sense that this is somewhere they can belong."