{"id":1259,"date":"2026-03-03T06:00:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T05:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/?p=1259"},"modified":"2026-02-25T15:26:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:26:36","slug":"supporting-community-education-through-the-reach-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/supporting-community-education-through-the-reach-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting Community Education through the Reach Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ImageOne of the ways we support community education classes across County Donegal is through the annual Reach Fund. What does this Fund cover and how does it benefit local communities? In this month\u2019s blog, our Adult Education Officer, Aidan McCloskey, tells us more about it.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Donegal Education and Training Board is once again pleased to provide funding opportunities to community education providers this year through the Reach Fund.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The aim of Reach funding is to provide support to the most educationally disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in community education initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Introduced in 2020 to support the most disadvantaged learners throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reach funding continues to provide vital funds to assist Education and Training Boards and community education providers to widen and increase their capacity and ensure that they can support the participation of those who need it most.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2020, Donegal ETB has administered Reach funding of \u20ac1.4m to community education providers, with \u20ac215,000 available for the current year, 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, the Reach Evaluation Panel approved funding for 57 community education projects that fulfilled the categories of funding detailed in the Reach Fund Guidelines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are four categories under which community education projects can be submitted:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Widening and increasing participation of <\/span>target groups in learning that offers non-accredited pathway courses or accreditation at National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) levels 1 to 3<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Supporting learners to engage\/participate in community-based educational programmes, mentoring projects, vouched transport costs for learners, or urgent educational responses.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Projects that address topics such as climate justice education, education for sustainable development, or building climate literacy.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Education outreach and pre-development work to support the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here are a few examples of projects approved around the county under previous Reach Funds:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Image
    PJ Costello, Chairperson, Foyle Beekeepers Association.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Build your own Beehive<\/b><\/p>\n

    Those new to beekeeping were able to build their beehive from kits provided in this project, giving them the confidence and skills to be successful. Existing beekeepers shared their expertise and were able to purchase flat packs to increase their apiary size.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Thrive<\/b><\/p>\n

    A project with a holistic approach to health, wellbeing, and lifelong learning. Cookery classes brought the community together to learn new skills, foster healthy attitudes to food, reduce food waste, and much more. Learners were encouraged to pursue further classes in food, nutrition, and health in collaboration between Donegal ETB and the local Family Resource Centre.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Working with Wood<\/b><\/p>\n

    A project focused on introducing new learners to develop basic woodcraft skills. Reach provided funding for tools, equipment, and facilitated workshops where learners were introduced to new skills.\u00a0 Learners were informed of opportunities and encouraged to engage more with education and training opportunities in their local community.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Community Learning Hub<\/b><\/p>\n

    Reach Funding provided for the purchase of IT equipment and class materials for Community Learning initiatives, including IT and crafts. The hub offers facilities and support for lifelong learning, short courses, and opportunities to engage with Donegal ETB and others.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"ReachThis funding support has always been warmly received by local communities, as one noted in their feedback:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cFunding from Reach 2025 gave us the opportunity to provide something new in our local community. We were able to buy the tools and materials that we needed for the project. Donegal ETB staff were very supportive in helping us to make sure our project was suited to the Reach Fund and that we were able to complete our project within the year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    –<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you are interested in submitting an application to the Reach Fund 2026, check out the Community Education page of Donegal ETB\u2019s website<\/span><\/i> here<\/span><\/i><\/a>, where you can find the Guidelines in full and further information, including guidance on how to register and submit your application through the funding portal.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    —<\/p>\n

    Taca\u00edocht a thabhairt d’Oideachas Pobail tr\u00edd an gCiste Reach<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Ceann de na beala\u00ed a dtaca\u00edmid le ranganna oideachais pobail ar fud Chontae Dh\u00fan na nGall n\u00e1 tr\u00edd an gCiste Rochtain bliant\u00fail. Cad a chl\u00fada\u00edonn an Ciste seo agus c\u00e9n chaoi a dt\u00e9ann s\u00e9 chun tairbhe do phobail \u00e1iti\u00fala? I mblag na m\u00edosa seo, ins\u00edonn \u00e1r nOifigeach Oideachais Aosaigh, Aidan McCloskey, tuilleadh d\u00fainn faoi.<\/em><\/p>\n

    T\u00e1 l\u00fach\u00e1ir ar Bhord Oideachais agus Oili\u00fana Dh\u00fan na nGall deiseanna maoinithe a chur ar f\u00e1il do shol\u00e1thraithe oideachais pobail ar\u00eds tr\u00ed Chiste Rochtain 2026.<\/p>\n

    T\u00e1 s\u00e9 mar aidhm le maoini\u00fa Rochtain taca\u00edocht a chur ar f\u00e1il do na foghlaimeoir\u00ed is m\u00f3 at\u00e1 faoi mh\u00edbhunt\u00e1iste oideachas\u00fail chun teacht ar oideachas pobail agus p\u00e1irt a ghlacadh ann.<\/p>\n

    Tugadh maoini\u00fa Rochtain isteach in 2020 chun tac\u00fa leis na foghlaimeoir\u00ed is m\u00f3 at\u00e1 faoi mh\u00edbhunt\u00e1iste le linn na nd\u00fashl\u00e1n a bhain le paind\u00e9im COVID-19, agus leanann s\u00e9 le cist\u00ed r\u00edth\u00e1bhachtacha a shol\u00e1thar chun cuidi\u00fa le Boird Oideachais agus Oili\u00fana agus le sol\u00e1thraithe oideachais pobail lena gcumas a leathn\u00fa agus a mh\u00e9ad\u00fa agus lena chinnti\u00fa gur f\u00e9idir leo tac\u00fa le rannph\u00e1irt\u00edocht na ndaoine is m\u00f3 a bhfuil s\u00e9 de dh\u00edth orthu.<\/p>\n

    \u00d3 2020, t\u00e1 maoini\u00fa Rochtain de \u20ac1.4m \u00e1 riaradh ag Bord Oideachais agus Oili\u00fana Dh\u00fan na nGall do shol\u00e1thraithe oideachais pobail, le \u20ac215,000 ar f\u00e1il don bhliain reatha, 2026.<\/p>\n

    Anuraidh, cheadaigh Pain\u00e9al Meast\u00f3ireachta Rochtain maoini\u00fa do 57 tionscadal oideachais pobail a chomhl\u00edon na catag\u00f3ir\u00ed maoinithe at\u00e1 mionsonraithe i dTreoirl\u00ednte Chiste Roctain.<\/p>\n

    T\u00e1 ceithre chatag\u00f3ir ann faoinar f\u00e9idir tionscadail oideachais pobail a chur isteach:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Tionscadail at\u00e1 d\u00edrithe ar mh\u00e9ad\u00fa agus leathn\u00fa rannph\u00e1irt\u00edocht na spriocghr\u00fapa\u00ed san fhoghlaim lena gcuirtear creidi\u00fan\u00fa ar f\u00e1il ag leibh\u00e9al 1 go 3 CNC<\/a>, n\u00f3 ar chl\u00e1ir neamhchreidi\u00fanaithe lena sol\u00e1thra\u00edtear conair\u00ed soil\u00e9ire chuig sol\u00e1thar creidi\u00fanaithe ag leibh\u00e9il 1 go 3 CNC,<\/li>\n
    2. Tionscadail tr\u00edna dtac\u00f3far le foghlaimeoir\u00ed chun bheith rannph\u00e1irteach\/p\u00e1irt a ghlacadh i gcl\u00e1ir oideachais phobalbhunaithe, tionscadail mheant\u00f3ireachta, costais iompair d\u2019fhoghlaimeoir\u00ed, freagairt oideachais phr\u00e1inneach.<\/li>\n
    3. Tionscadail lena dtugtar aghaidh ar thopaic\u00ed amhail oideachas ceartais aer\u00e1ide, oideachas don fhorbairt inbhuanaithe agus tuiscint ar an aer\u00e1id a fhorbairt.<\/li>\n
    4. Tionscnaimh a bhaineann le hoideachas for-rochtana agus obair r\u00e9amhfhorbartha chun tac\u00fa leis na gr\u00fapa\u00ed is imeallaithe agus is m\u00f3 at\u00e1 faoi mh\u00edbhunt\u00e1iste.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Seo roinnt sampla\u00ed de thionscadail a ceada\u00edodh ar fud an chontae faoi Chist\u00ed Rochtain roimhe seo:<\/p>\n

      T\u00f3g do Choirceog F\u00e9in<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Bh\u00ed na daoine nua i saol na beachaireachta in ann a gcoirceog a th\u00f3g\u00e1il \u00f3 threalamh a cuireadh ar f\u00e1il sa tionscadal seo, rud a thug an mhuin\u00edn agus na scileanna d\u00f3ibh a bheith rath\u00fail. Roinn beachair\u00ed reatha a saineolas agus bh\u00ed siad in ann pac\u00e1ist\u00ed cothroma a cheannach chun m\u00e9id a mbeachlann a mh\u00e9ad\u00fa.<\/p>\n

      Thrive<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Tionscadal le cur chuige ioml\u00e1na\u00edoch i leith sl\u00e1inte, foll\u00e1ine agus foghlama ar feadh an tsaoil. Th\u00e1inig an pobal le ch\u00e9ile ranganna c\u00f3caireachta chun scileanna nua a fhoghlaim, dearctha\u00ed sl\u00e1inti\u00fala i leith bia a choth\u00fa, dramha\u00edl bia a laghd\u00fa, agus i bhfad n\u00edos m\u00f3. Spreagadh foghlaimeoir\u00ed chun ranganna breise a dh\u00e9anamh i mbia, i gcoth\u00fa agus i sl\u00e1inte i gcomhar idir Bord Oideachais agus Oili\u00fana Dh\u00fan na nGall agus an tIonad Acmhainn\u00ed Teaghlaigh \u00e1iti\u00fail.<\/p>\n

      Ag Obair le hAdhmad<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Dh\u00edrigh tionscadal seo ar fhoghlaimeoir\u00ed nua a thabhairt isteach chun scileanna bun\u00fasacha cearda\u00edochta adhmaid a fhorbairt. Chuir Rochtain maoini\u00fa ar f\u00e1il d\u2019uirlis\u00ed, do threalamh, agus d\u2019\u00e9ascaigh s\u00e9 ceardlanna inar tugadh isteach scileanna nua d\u2019fhoghlaimeoir\u00ed. Cuireadh na foghlaimeoir\u00ed ar an eolas faoi dheiseanna agus spreagadh iad chun p\u00e1irt n\u00edos m\u00f3 a ghlacadh i ndeiseanna oideachais agus oili\u00fana ina bpobal \u00e1iti\u00fail.<\/p>\n

      Mol Foghlama Pobail<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Sol\u00e1thra\u00edodh maoini\u00fa Rochtain chun trealamh agus \u00e1bhair ranga a cheannach do thionscnaimh Foghlama Pobail, lena n-\u00e1ir\u00edtear TF agus cearda\u00edocht. Cuireann an mol \u00e1iseanna agus taca\u00edocht ar f\u00e1il d\u2019fhoghlaim ar feadh an tsaoil, c\u00farsa\u00ed gearra, agus deiseanna chun dul i mbun oibre le Bord Oideachais agus Oili\u00fana Dh\u00fan na nGall agus le daoine eile.<\/p>\n

      T\u00e1 f\u00e1ilte chro\u00ed\u00fail curtha i gc\u00f3na\u00ed ag pobail \u00e1iti\u00fala roimh an taca\u00edocht mhaoinithe seo, mar a thug duine amh\u00e1in faoi deara ina n-aiseolas:<\/p>\n

      \u201cThug maoini\u00fa \u00f3 Rochtain 2025 deis d\u00fainn rud \u00e9igin nua a chur ar f\u00e1il in\u00e1r bpobal \u00e1iti\u00fail. Bh\u00edomar in ann na huirlis\u00ed agus na h\u00e1bhair a bh\u00ed de dh\u00edth orainn don tionscadal a cheannach. Bh\u00ed foireann ETB Dh\u00fan na nGall thar a bheith tac\u00fail ag cabhr\u00fa linn a chinnti\u00fa go raibh \u00e1r dtionscadal oiri\u00fanach don Chiste Rochtain agus go raibhomar in ann \u00e1r dtionscadal a chur i gcr\u00edch laistigh den bhliain.\u201d<\/p>\n

      \u2013<\/p>\n

      M\u00e1 t\u00e1 suim agat iarratas a chur isteach chuig Ciste Rochtain 2026, f\u00e9ach ar an leathanach Oideachas Pobail ar shu\u00edomh gr\u00e9as\u00e1in ETB Dh\u00fan na nGall <\/em>anseo<\/em><\/a>; ansin gheobhaidh t\u00fa na Treoirl\u00ednte ina n-ioml\u00e1ine agus tuilleadh eolais agus treoir maidir le conas cl\u00e1r\u00fa agus d\u2019iarratas a chur isteach tr\u00edd an tairseach mhaoinithe.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      One of the ways we support community education classes across County Donegal is through the annual Reach Fund. What does this Fund cover and how does it benefit local communities? In this month\u2019s blog, our Adult Education Officer, Aidan McCloskey, tells us more about it.\u00a0 Donegal Education and Training Board is once again pleased to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17,12],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1259"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1269,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259\/revisions\/1269"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/donegaletb.ie\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}