Twenty years of community outreach benefiting thousands of Limerick families was celebrated this week as the University of Limerick AccessCampus marked 20 years since it was opened in November 2003 by Mr Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament.
In a unique partnership with Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) the core aim of the facility was to challenging educational disadvantage in areas of social and economic deprivation in Limerick city and its environs.
“The idea for AccessCampus originally came from LEDP who set out to re-establish the former Krups site in Roxboro into a meaningful, impactful and relevant presence in the local communities. What was created was a mini-campus which supports people in realising their potential through outreach educational opportunities. The AccessCampus caters for a diverse range of learners, ranging from primary school children to mature learners and to University students, said Donal O’Leary, UL’s AccessCampus coordinator.
“Since its establishment, the UL AccessCampus has seen over 1,500 young people join Study Club from 15 different local secondary schools, and has worked with countless local community and educational organisations to offer a range of informal and formal learning opportunities on site. The work in AccessCampus has been supported by almost 1,000 UL student volunteers and its community-based initiatives have provided valuable learning experiences for undergraduate students on Co-op placements. UL AccessCampus has also facilitated community-based Practicum and practice education placements for postgraduate students from disciplines such as Public Health, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, and for undergraduate students from Physiotherapy, continued Mr O’Leary.
The AccessCampus is open 12 hours a day from Monday to Friday, and also opens for two local church groups at weekends. The diversity of user groups and collaborations displays the breadth and strength of the interest in education across all generations and strata of our local communities.
Speaking from a celebratory event at the AccessCampus this week Niall O'Callaghan, CEO, LEDP said: "Over the past 20 years, AccessCampus has become more than just a link between education and the community. It has become a place where people can find hope and unlock their true potential. We’re keenly aware of the barriers to further education, so we look forward to continuing this unique partnership initiative with UL and furthering the educational opportunities for all students in our community. "
This week a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Professor Kerstin Mey, UL President and Niall O’Callaghan, CEO of the LEDP, to formalise the ongoing collaboration between the two organisations for the operation of the AccessCampus for the next five years.