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“It was absolutely brilliant and I was delighted to be a part of it. They showed us from scratch how to mark the plate. They explained about the tools. They showed us how to hold the snips. It was very interesting.”- Learner
This project focused on preserving traditional tin smithing skills. It also worked to embed literacy and learning supports for the Traveller community.
Learners re-engaged with their cultural heritage and with education. They did so through hands-on workshops. Workshops took place in 2024. Practical tin smithing sessions also integrated literacy learning. Literacy learning was tailored to each person’s needs.
Participants learned to craft traditional items such as pots, cups, and decorative pieces. They developed their literacy and numeracy skills through measuring and documenting their learning. The project valued the oral traditions of the community and made everyday literacy relevant and meaningful.
Traveller identity was respected in this course. It also worked to break down barriers for members of the Travelling community to engagement with adult learning.
The course created pathways for further learning, community engagement, and personal growth. At the end, there was workshop in Tullamore library.
This pilot will be expanded in 2025, thanks to REACH funding. Students will soon have the chance to earn a QQI certification in tin smithing.
Meet Tinsmiths James Collins and Tom McDonnell here.
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This project was a collaboration between Laois Offaly ETB, the Offaly Traveller Movement, and the Tullamore library service.
For more information about the project, please contact Tamara Latham, Regional Literacy Coordinator in Offaly ETB, at tlatham@loetb.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.
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