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While the right to education is guaranteed under the Irish constitution (Kennedy & Smyth, 2018) educational inequality is a continuing feature within the education system (Cahill, 2020).  On average, 8% of young people starting in first year of post-primary education fade out of the system and do not complete.  For many of these, alternative education (AE) is the only option.  AE has developed as a response to state-provided mainstream education across the world, with its innovative curriculum and flexible programmes of study corresponding with students’ interests and needs (Sliwka, 2008). AE offerings exist along a continuum targeting subgroups such as young people who do not fit easily into mainstream, out of school young people, early school leavers and children and young people and adult learners from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Evidence shows that learners join AE programmes for different reasons and as a result of a variety of barriers, including social, economic, behavioural, cultural, and emotional (Moffatt & Riddle, 2021). International evidence shows AE is loosely defined, as it encompasses different types of schooling and organisations, which can also differ in their philosophical views of youth. As stated by Tierney (2018), the meaning and understanding of alternative education needs to be sought within the context in which these organisations have developed, their attitudes towards young people, forms and structures, and their programme focus.

Recognising the persistence of educational inequality and disadvantage in Irish society, Rethink Ireland introduced three funds, the Education Fund, Youth Funds, and Child and Youth Funds, to address these persistent social issues and explore the range of options AE provision can provide. A total of 32 projects were chosen as Fund Awardees. One of Rethink Ireland’s primary goals underpinning the establishment of these three Funds was to support the creation of a raft of social impact data that could inform the development of smart public policy and inspire public leadership in addressing educational inequality.

To this end, 24 of the 32 projects participated in a five-year academic research and evaluation study, conducted by UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at University of Galway, Ireland. This mixed methods study incorporated a social return on investment framework to assess the social value of AE provision. In particular, the webinar will explore a) The policy context for AE provision in Ireland and the role of Rethink Ireland in supporting a socially innovative response; b) The practices and processes used by Awardees to support their participants progression. c) Mapping the social value created onto a well-being taxonomy including the lived experience of participants, using photovoice data; d) Implications for policy and practice, and a way forward.

Draft Programme

10:00am          Welcome and Introduction; Sarah Gillie,  University of the West of England;
                             Fadoua Govaerts, University of Bath; Stefania Romano University of Leeds;
                             Sharon Smith, University of Chester

10:05am           Perspectives from Ireland – Opening the Black Box of Alternative Education
                            Provision in Ireland; Tanja Kovacic, University of Galway; Cormac Forkan,
                            University of Galway; Annemarie Shalloo, University of Galway; Jo Malone,
                            Rethink Ireland; Tim Goodspeed, New  Economics Foundation Consulting

10:50am          Panel Discussion and questions

11:20am           Closing remarks; Sarah Gillie; Fadoua Govaerts; Stefania Romano;
                            Sharon Smith

11:45am           Close of event