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Working with our Teachers School of Distinction Awards 2020/21 Network Schools: 26 awards given 3 transformation awards 8 innovation awards 15 community awards Leader Schools (Link Schools): 17 awards given 1 transformation awards 6 innovation awards 10 community awards The Schools of Distinction Award programme aims to recognise and showcase the efforts of schools nationwide to transform their school culture and to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning. It encourages participants to draw on their own school and community resources and the resources of Trinity Access to support educational innovation and change. Erasmus Our Erasmus projects foster community and connection for teachers across Europe. The Teaching for a Sustainable Tomorrow project’s meaningful virtual engagements improved learning experiences during the pandemic. The Access21 project continues to support collaboration between Italian, Spanish, and Irish teachers in focusing on implementing the Trinity Access core practices to improve student progression and educational outcomes. Our new three-year project, Collaborative and Reflective Environments in Schools (CaRE) is focused on developing communities of practice among teachers within their own schools and across organisations, including the online space.
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Spotlight on our Collaborators: Rethink Rethink Ireland is a venture philanthropy fund, providing cash grants and business supports to the most innovative charities and social enterprises in Ireland. They believe that a team effort is more effective than working alone, so joining forces with the Irish Government, companies, families, individuals, and foundations, who understand that lasting change demands new thinking, is how Rethink do business. Over the past five years they have: €72M fund created 32 funds delivered including Health, Tech for Good, and Education 290 social innovations backed 408,624 people reached 553 jobs created almost 1,000 people helped into employment Their Growth Fund supports social innovations that achieve widespread impact, significant scale and transformative change in Ireland. Trinity Access is the fourth organisation to receive investment from the Rethink Ireland Growth Fund, in our efforts to work with over 2,000 teachers across 80 schools to assist 40,000 students to progress to college and reach their full potential. The growth capital is broken down into cash grants and non- financial supports. The investment provides matched uplift funding from the Growth Fund to philanthropic gifts from individual donors and corporates that support Trinity Access. The Growth Fund is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development from the Dormant Accounts Fund. It invests in established social innovations that have completed a six-month Accelerator Programme and are ready to secure significant growth capital to achieve substantial scale and deepen their impact. The funding is being used to continue to provide an innovative university-led school outreach programme that empowers students and strengthens "college-going" cultures in DEIS schools.
