Meta provides €250k in support of digital skills training across county

Meta, owner of the Facebook company, has announced a total of €250,000 in grants to support digital skills across communities in Meath. The funding will enhance digital skills programmes across education, training, and not for profit organisations in the county, with a particular focus on diversity, equality, and inclusion, to support migrant communities, students, families and older people.

Minister for Justice and Meath East TD, Helen McEntee, was in attendance at the launch of the digital skills investment in Meath and received a tour of Meta’s Clonee Data Centre.

The grants will support Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), Cultúr Migrant Centre and Youth Work Ireland Meath to deliver programmes including online skills and cyber safety workshops for seniors in community education, devices and learning programmes to support mothers with young children in Mosney Village, skills refresh and English language programmes for migrants, and digital engagement programmes to increase young people's confidence in coding.

One particular project of note is a new Digital Hub project funded by Meta for the Dunboyne College of Further Education. This delivers a portable digital hub that can be used by students across the campus to provide support for students working with new technology, introducing them to blended learning and remote working across the range of disciplines offered by the college.

Minister McEntee said: "This funding from Meta is hugely welcome and will support so many worthwhile projects and initiatives across Meath. The partnership with Dunboyne College of Further Education on the Meta Digital Hub is an especially innovative way of ensuring students in the county are supported in working with new technology, as well in availing of blended learning and remote working.

“And the overall range of grants across many organisations - supporting diversity, equality and inclusion, migrant communities, families and older people - is a big boost to supporting digital skills in Meath."

Aoife Flynn, head of community development at Meta said: “At Meta, we’re committed to supporting communities and helping them overcome the digital divide and contribute to a sustainable future through digital skills. Covid-19 accelerated remote working and the need for digital skills, and we’re proud to partner with local organisations to ensure that these skills are brought to those who need them most."

Martin O’Brien, chief executive of Louth Meath Education and Training Board, added: “LMETB are delighted to be part of this wonderful collaboration with Meta, which represents a joint commitment to education, particularly around key digital skills."

Tinu Achioya, programme manager of Cultúr Migrant Centre in Navan said; "Cultúr Migrant Centre is pleased to receive funding from Meta for the ReFresh Skills Programme.

“This programme will help us to promote social inclusion through tailored interventions, that will also lead to the development of new skills, increased English language competencies and greater career opportunities for migrants in Meath"

Geraldine Hogarty, Regional Director of Youth Work Ireland (Meath) outlined how thanks to Meta Digital Skills fund they are able to provide young people and volunteers with coding skills training that will benefit them into the future and that their newly established 'Know The Code Club' will now continue to grow with exciting workshops planned for the summer break.