Our Role
While education and awareness-raising is implicit in much of the Heritage Council's work programme, including projects funded under our annual Grants Scheme and projects undertaken as part of County Heritage Plans, there are a number of key initiatives, such as the Heritage in Schools Scheme and National Heritage Week which particularly deliver on the Heritage Council’s educational aims and objectives.
Our Objectives
1. To encourage community and outreach heritage education, specifically through supporting and promoting:
- A range of programmes by and for community groups that encourage a creative hands on approach to learning.
- Outdoor interactive education for the primary school sector.
- Training and internships for a number of sectors such as museums and in-house internships during the summer months.
- Lectures, conferences, radio programmes and workshops through its grants programmes.
- The development of online educational resources and tools.
2. To build on its community education and continuing education for adults across all heritage sectors as defined under the Heritage Act 1997.
3. Liaise with stakeholders in the formal education sector to identify heritage education and resource gaps that currently exist.
Child Protection
The Heritage Council endeavours to observe all Government guidelines and legislation in relation to education and the safety and welfare of children. These guidelines include:
Guidelines
Legislation
- Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004
[External link to the Irish Statute Book website] - Teaching Council Act, 2001
[External link to the Houses of the Oireachtas website] - Education (Welfare) Act, 2000
[External link to the Irish Statute Book website] - Education Act, 1998
[External link to the Irish Statute Book website]
Our Policy
The Heritage Council's Education Policy is defined by the following guiding principle:
A commitment to support education initiatives within and between schools, local museums and other education facilities and/or which meet the interests and needs of the community through making heritage accessible and relevant, including initiatives undertaken during National Heritage Week.
Best Practice
National Heritage Week
The Heritage Council coordinates and promotes National Heritage Week. In 2011, over 600,000 people attended a record 1,500 events around the country during the week in August. It involved over 700 event organisers from community groups and volunteers, cultural institutions, and State Agencies. This is the largest example in Ireland of diverse stakeholders across State Agencies and civil society successfully working together to promote the value of Ireland’s heritage.
Heritage in Schools Scheme
The Heritage in Schools scheme is a joint initiative of the Heritage Council and the INTO. The scheme is unique in Ireland and provides a panel of over 165 diverse Heritage Specialists who work directly with children in primary schools throughout the country, at the request of the school. The visit by the Heritage Specialist is part-funded by the school and the remaining costs are funded by the Heritage Council. In 2011, the Heritage in Schools Scheme facilitated 1,595 school visits reaching 118,620 children nationally.