STEM Family Learning in the Community

Dublin’s inner-city is one of Ireland’s most disadvantaged communities, impacted by educational inequality, inter-generational poverty, homelessness, addiction, crime, early school leaving, immigration, and the aftermath of Covid-19. Surrounding this community is Ireland’s IFSC and ‘silicon docks’, housing the European headquarters of many multinationals in technology and finance sectors. The Early Learning Initiative (ELI), at National College of Ireland (NCI, a higher education institute),is an innovative public purpose project, harnesses the power of the community to address systemic inequalities and enable at-risk children to become the employees, leaders and entrepreneurs at the future of Ireland’s tech success. Beginning with early intervention, ELI facilitates inclusive cross sectoral STEM learning for children from birth up to 16 years old. Family learning and parent engagement are key to ELI’s approach. Skilled staff, many from the local community, bring a joy of learning into the home, supporting parents as their child’s first and best teacher. Programmes include STEM Play & Learn, a six-week home visiting programme for 4-6-year-olds; weekly Junior Coding Clubs for 7-12-year-olds; a new Senior Coding Club for 13 – 16-year-olds, and STEM Events which welcome families into a higher education environment. By accessing lived experience, community action research has informed the development of the project and research papers. Parents have a profound impact on children’s learning, interests and educational and career outcomes. Participatory research on parents’ perceptions of STEM and digital technologies will create a better culture of engaged research; inform future innovative STEM initiatives and harness local power to generate change