As part of the CoDesRes project we began to develop our Community Technology training with our Media Cohort and 3D printing community training with our first session in Feb. 2020, unfortunately, this was put on hold during COVID-19 restrictions. As our work evolved our commitment to inclusive STEAM education for all ages is at the forefront of our work. So we were thrilled to be awarded with Living Iveragh and SMARTlab Skelligs Clár funding from the Rural and Regional Development Fund in Dec 2021 to faciliate new education and training programmes.
Community Training - Building 3D printers, Feb 2020.
INCLUDE Learning Lab - promoting 21st century sustainable mindsets INCLUDE Learning Lab aims to bring together local organisations, community groups and a state-of-the-art international research lab with 30 years ICT inclusive education to deliver a series of innovation training intensives and regular innovation cafes for focused youth and community education and training in 21st Century skills (VR, AR and AI; Enterprise and Innovation, 3D Printing and Place-based STEAM education). By bringing together local expertise with field-specific experts this collaborative initiative implements emerging tools and technologies for contributions to specific actions named within the local social and economic development plan. The project builds on SMARTlab's 30-year programme and more recently our community and education research that identified key skills gaps within the community including trialling and iterating bespoke community and educational resources to build community capacity and resilience. INCLUDE also sits within a longer-term RRDF-funded project the re-purposing of Cahersiveen’s Iveragh Ballroom, as a centre of Excellence for Research and Development, within place-based STEAM education and placemaking, which is designed to do this in the following ways three ways: 1. Support an interim space and team to introduce youth to 21st-century skills and technologies and ways of working that include STEAM, circular Design Thinking, Values-based leadership and Youth-led Innovation through practical training in design sprint intensives and regular youth innovation cafes 2. Introduce via streaming blended learning speakers, projects and research in accessible age-appropriate ways that introduce them to contemporary ideas and opportunities using the local and international network (NAISC Skellig diaspora and SMARTlab Internation and UCD Earth Institute members. 3. Develop community up-skilling and training tailored to fit local context and opportunities for the Future of Work. The project will be working closely with the local Cahersiveen Community and Business Alliance, a representative body of 21 community groups and local businesses, focused on development within Business, the Built Environment, Social Enterprise and Natural and Cultural Heritage. The project will deliver
x6 week-long intensives to rural youth/community members using a proven method and set of learning resources – Problem to Pitch, a 5 day challenge to solve a real world local community problems.
Bi-monthly regular innovation cafes for youth/community to explore the hub’s technologies, work on their projects and learn from the project team, both live and online.
Community Engineering (3D printing) and ICT (Media Skills Audio-Visual and VR / AR technology), 21st Century Skills - Design Thinking, Enterprise and Innovation Skills, Collaborative Technological Practices
Blended learning resources and facilities for users to continue with their own projects