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Learning Together (Longford)

Improving literacy and numeracy skills among the Roma community.

Music and dance class

“The music was so much fun – it helped everyone communicate together, music is big in our culture so this was very important to us.” - Learner

This project aimed to build literacy and numeracy skills among individuals in the Roma community through a series of workshops. These workshops took place in a family summer camp, which provided a fun, inclusive, and participative environment.

20 adults and 30 children attended workshops over four weeks in July and August 2024. The summer camp took place mainly in the Employment Development and Information (EDI) Centre and Longford Library. 

Workshop themes included: 

  • cookery,  

  • barista training,  

  • giving up smoking, 

  • arts and crafts,  

  • interactive storytelling,  

  • music and dance, and a 

  • library information session.

A “Back to School” session also helped children return to school in September, and encouraged ongoing engagement with learning.

Roma adults and children considerably improved their English language and numeracy skills. They also feel more confident using conversational English. 

Parents and grandparents developed greater awareness of the importance of regular school attendance and healthy eating. 

Learners attending a music and dance class.

“I really found the workshops helpful especially the education workshop – it was big help to me and my daughter and she loved the school pack.” - Parent

This project was a collaboration between Longford Community Resources and Employment Development and Information Centre (EDI) Longford.  

For more information about the project, please contact Anne-Maria Egan, Regional Literacy Coordinator in Longford and Westmeath ETB, at aegan@lwetb.ie  

The Adult Literacy for Life Collaboration and Innovation Fund

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund supports projects for adults with unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs and projects that support organisations to be literacy friendly. The closing date for 2024 applications has now passed but keep an eye out for information on our 2025 fund which will be launched in December.