FES collaboration

Representatives of the NCW last week held a meeting with the CEO of the Foundation for Educational Services (FES) to discuss areas of inter-agency collaboration. The FES project entitled 'Initiating and Managing Community-based Lifelong Learning Centres' was also discussed.

This project is partly financed under the Structural Funds for Malta 2004-2006/European Social Fund and aims to:

widen the access to basic skills by transforming existing community-based State schools into community-based lifelong and lifewide learning centres where members of the local community can both share their expertise with others as well as tap skills-based and knowledge-based learning opportunities, thus reducing barriers to entering or re-entering the labour market;

create and train a cadre of managers/co-ordinators for such centres;

establish a minimum of five community-based Lifelong Learning Centres to be managed by trained co-ordinators;

mobilise and train practitioners to provide a broad range of lifelong learning opportunities at community level; and

stimulate local councils, school councils and other community-based organisations to undertake collaborative efforts to create a range of lifelong learning opportunities.

Through this project, courses are being offered in Birkirkara, Hamrun, Senglea, Vittoriosa, Zabbar, Zebbug and Zejtun. Lifelong Learning Centre organisers are working closely with local councils and school councils to identify the learning needs of youths and adults in the community who wish to gain marketable skills.

Women from these localities who would like to form learning groups or access learning opportunities can contact the NCW on tel: 2124-8881/2124-6982 or e-mail ncwmalta@camline.net.mt.