Community Outreach Programmes
DCU Access aims to promote inclusion and diversity by collaborating with statutory, community, and voluntary organisations to support individuals from underrepresented groups who are considering studying at DCU.
DCU aspires to increase the number of underrepresented students in the University to ensure that our student body reflects the diversity of Irish society.
Group visiting the library
Interested in sharing your experience as a Mature Student in DCU & making a difference in other adults’ lives?
The Community Outreach team in DCU works with the local community around DCU to encourage more mature students to consider university as an option. We do this through various initiatives such as campus tours, workshops, talks, fairs, events in the community and DCU.
We are now forming a panel of Mature Students interested in giving an occasional talk to prospective students and we would love you to be in touch with us!
If you are interested, please sign up HERE.
Apart from the sense of satisfaction, you will gain from supporting your peers, this is a great opportunity for you to improve your communication, presentation, and public speaking skills.
For more information, contact laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie
Headstart is a 10 week programme for adults seeking to explore their educational opportunities. This programme is a partnership between Dublin City University and the Adult Education Service in Ballymun in an effort to improve access to education to:
- People from communities lacking a strong tradition of participation in third-level education.
- Adults who have been out of education for a long time, or who did not complete a Leaving Certificate.
- People whose skills no longer allow them to access the labour market.
The aim of the programme is to:
- Promote equal access to Further and Higher Education.
- Assist students in making informed choices throughout their educational journey.
- Support individuals returning to education.
- Help you identify your skills, strengths, and goals.
- Showcase available educational services and support.
Eligibility Criteria?
We are welcoming applications from individuals who:
- Are no longer in school and interested in re-entering education and/or upskilling
- Are over 18 years of age
- Reside in north Dublin
Application Process
Step 1: Info session
We will hold an information session in the Autumn 2025 for the next programme.
Step 2: Application Form SOON
Deadline to apply:tbc
Step 3: Informal interview
Applicants will be invited to attend an interview in the Autumn.
When, Where and How long?
The programme will run over 10 weeks. TBC
The location of workshops will be shared between the Ballymun Adult Education Service and DCU Glasnevin.
Mentoring training with DCU students
Change Makers is a mentoring programme co-funded by the DCU Access Service and College Connect that aims to create a transformative experience for all participants, both mentors and mentees, through participatory and experiential activities.
The programme brings together students from under-represented groups with 2nd-year students from our BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation. It is run in partnership with the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences in DCU, Youthreach and Trinity Comprehensive in Ballymun.
If you currently work with one of the groups identified inthe National Access Plan, you may be interested in running the programme in your organisation.
For more information, contact: Laurence Van der Haegen, Community Outreach Officer at laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie.
The DCU Access Service and the Traveller and Roma Education Officer collaborate closely in the Greater Dublin area, offering workshops on entry routes, pathways, and support services in DCU.
We offer a range of support both in schools and in the community:
- School talks, workshops in sports, art, creative writing, storytelling, campus tours, and day trips to DCU.
- Support to individual Traveller and Roma senior cycle students in their progression to further and third-level education.
- Workshops with parents/adults within the community include beady pockets, candle making, tapestry, and educational workshops.
For further information, please contact our Traveller & Roma Education Officer, harry.mallon@dcu.ie
College Connect at DCU primarily concentrates on engaging prospective students through regional workshops referred to as Pathways. These workshops are tailored to meet the specific needs of each group and provide information, resources, and personalised advice on accessing higher education. They cover Applications, Grants and funding, Requirements, and what prospective students can anticipate at a higher education institution, including post-entry resources and support.
To find out more, visit the College Connect website: https://collegeconnect.ie/
Our invitation
DCU Access invites community organisations to partner up with us to host an 'Our Neighbour, Our Friend' event in your community.
To date, this gathering took place in Ballymun Axis (Nov'24) and Finglas Youth Resource Centre (April'25) and is an opportunity to present DCU Access Community Outreach initiatives and explore future collaborations to improve access to education for the most under-represented groups in surrounding communities. Our next stop: Balbriggan in the Autumn'25.
For more information, contact Laurence.vanderhaegen@dcu.ie.
Students at a lecture
Teaching as a Career
If you are passionate about Education or interested in a career in teaching, why not join our talk to explore all teaching courses at DCU?
The talk will cover teaching courses from the DCU Institute of Education:
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Early childhood education
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Primary teaching
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Post-Primary teaching
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Further education and training
Also find out all the supports available to you if you are a HEAR/DARE eligible student. Current and past students will share their experiences studying in DCU.
Date: Semester 2 (tbc)
College Connect is a regional outreach programme in the MEND (Midlands, East, North Dublin) Cluster between DCU, Maynooth University, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Technological University on the Shannon.
College Connect aims to increase participation in Third-Level Education for groups identified by the HEA (Higher Education Authority) as traditionally having less participation in Higher Education. These groups are:
- Irish Travellers
- Members of the Roma Community
- Lone parents and students from One-parent families
- Young people who have been in care of the state
- People with disabilities
- Refugees & International Protection Applicants
- People from lower socio-economic groups
- First time Mature students
- Further education award holders
College Connect aims to analyse what the community needs are and to design creative interventions with our target groups and stakeholders. These include community organisations, local authorities and industry organisations.
Through these interventions, College Connect aims to raise the ambitions of potential students, increase motivation through mentoring programmes, and increase awareness and inform potential students of their pathways into third-level education.
College Connect carried out a number of Community Needs Analysis (CNA). This style of research is peer-led and gives ownership to the community at the centre of the research.
Community Needs analysis for Prisoners
In 2019 College Connect carried out an action research project with the Pathways Education Centre for Prisoners and Former Prisoners. The aim was to find out how to better support people with previous convictions to progress to college.
Community Needs Analysis with FET students
In 2022, College Connect carried out a CNA with FET students in collaboration with Dublin City University (DCU). The research used participative and creative approaches to encourage collaborative leadership and engagement throughout all stages of the research process. The research process engaged with 58 further education students in seven Further Education Colleges in the Dublin/DCU catchment area to find out how better to support their educational progression to higher education.
Community Needs Analysis with Refugees & People in the Asylum Process
This Community Needs Analysis (CNA) was carried out by College Connect in collaboration with the Irish Refugee Council. The research was carried out from October 2020 to March 2021. Participative, peer-to-peer, and creative methods were used to explore the views and insights of over 100 participants with lived experience of the protection process on the access issues and barriers that affect their participation or progression in further or higher education. The research generates key insights on the experiences of this community of people and puts forward a series of recommendations.