Further opportunity to access

The Rural Centre for Shared Education has welcomed Education Minister Peter Weir’s announcement of an additional opportunity to access the £25million for the Delivering Social Change Shared Education Signature Project.

The Programme has been extended to June 2019 and is designed to further embed shared education practices in schools that have already engaged in shared education.

The Minister said “Shared Education is now well established across Northern Ireland with approximately 134 partnerships involving 314 schools who have successfully applied for funding and are now actively engaged in the Programme.  Opening another call for funding will help to further embed the good practice and learning which is already established to deliver improved outcomes for our children, young people and wider society.”

The Shared Education Signature Programme is funded by the Executive, the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Education and requires schools to progress their current level of collaboration.

Lauri McCusker, Director of the Fermanagh Trust which administers the Rural Centre for Shared Education added ““The Assembly’s formal adoption of shared education, making it intrinsic to education policy shows the effectiveness of the programme and now with the programme being extended it ensures the good work in Fermanagh will continue. This is an opportunity not to be missed for our schools. The criteria of the programme states that only those that have already engaged in sustained and well developed programmes of shared education activities should consider applying. That means that Fermanagh’s shared partnerships are exceptionally well placed to avail of this funding. ”

In conclusion the Minister said “I am aware of the difficult financial restraints facing schools and this funding for sharing could really help make a difference to many schools and their pupils.  I encourage all eligible schools to consider applying.”

For more information on the Delivering Social Change Shared Education Project visit www.sepni.org