PRESS RELEASE: Minister Harris announces €1 million for projects to address literacy and digital literacy needs

Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science Simon Harris, TD, has today announced the opening of a €1 million funding call for new projects to help address unmet literacy needs.

 

The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy aims to address unmet literacy, numeracy and digital literacy needs for people across Ireland.

 

€1 million is available for grants under the Collaboration & Innovation Fund and public, non-profit, community and voluntary organisations are all eligible to apply to a maximum of €50,000 each.

 

Speaking at the launch of today’s funding call, Minister Harris said,  “We all want to live in an Ireland where every adult has the necessary skills to fully engage in society and realise their full potential.

 

“This fund will help support organisations carry out vital work with people on financial, or health literacy, digital skills or how to read and write.

 

“I strongly encourage all of these critically important groups and organisations around the country to apply for the €50,000 grants available. I am looking forward to seeing what exciting, rewarding and important work comes out of it.”

 

Guidelines for applications can be found online at http://adultliteracyforlife.ie and the closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 14th April 2023.

 

Director of the ALL National Programme Office in SOLAS, Yvonne McKenna said, “With this funding call, we’re looking for truly collaborative and innovative projects and groups to support – we know that working together is how we best support those with oftentimes complex unmet literacy needs.

 

“One important condition of this new Fund is that there must be a minimum of 2 organisations per application – really showcasing genuine and meaningful collaboration on the ground and how we all work best together for the most powerful learner-focused outcomes.”