Novel ways to focus on education helps break social disadvantage, writes BRIAN MOONEY

PAUL MOONEY steps down as president of the National College of Ireland (NCI) this week, after three years at the helm.

His work in attempting to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in Dublin’s north inner city should be acknowledged. In this area of the city, less than 10 per cent of young people proceed to third level, but Mooney’s innovative approach has the potential to turn things round.

Mooney, who left school at 14, realised that those with lower levels of education are often the most marginalised in our education system.

Many of these young people come from homes where there is no history of second- or third-level education. This lack of “insider” information makes it more difficult for these parents to guide and support their children.

Young people in these communities often have no network of friends who have been to college. There can be no one they can turn to for information or support. They also may not have the confidence to speak to teachers and other professionals about their concerns. And low levels of IT skills may make it difficult for them to access information online. How is the NCI hoping to change things? Their programmes include:

- The Early Learning initiative provides an opportunity for parents to network and support each other. Parents learn how to support their children’s education and development in the strands of wellbeing, identity and belonging, communication, and exploring and thinking.

- The Parent Child Home programme enables parents to observe and assess their children’s learning as well as teaching parents new skills and approaches, which they can then use when talking, reading and playing with their children.

- The Home Visitors programme where local people are seen as educational professionals and community leaders. This gives parents an opportunity to discuss issues informally and to get advice from someone they trust.

- At primary school level, there are also a series of activities which parents can get involved in with local schools. This includes “Zoom Ahead with Books”, where parents and children read a book and draw a picture together each night for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks there is an exhibition of the children’s and parents’ art work.

The NCI Challenges – scrabble, monopoly, and table quiz – allows parents to get involved in teaching their children these educational and fun-filled activities. The success of the St Lawrence O’Toole schools in the 2009 monopoly tournament was due to the efforts of parents and teachers working in partnership, both at home and in school.

The transition from primary to second level is a difficult time for many parents. The engagement with parents in the NCI programmes focuses on explaining the education system at second and third level and the national framework of qualifications along with things parents need to consider when choosing a school and/or a college. This develops parents’ educational capital and enables them to make choices appropriate to their children’s long-term educational needs.

At NCI local parents are encouraged to return-to-learn themselves. The college offers a range of accredited courses from parents in education, to active citizenship to IT and business.

I believe the work in addressing educational disadvantage, which Paul Mooney has pioneered, will act as a model for other disadvantaged communities.

Ultimately, it has the potential to transform these communities.

• Brian Mooney teaches at Oatlands College, Stillorgan, Dublin