Sir, - We were delighted to see the reference to the establishment of a new adult education guidance and counselling service in last week's Irish Times. Here in Waterford Institute of Technology the pressing need for educational guidance was identified through our work with adult students wishing to return to education and through the training and development programme for literacy organisers and tutors run in partnership with the National Adult Literacy Agency.
In 1997 a pilot project to establish a regional educational guidance service for adults was approved and funded by the EU programme Integra. This researched the best practices in adult guidance internationally and developed a model which is working very successfully. The total number of clients availing of the service to date is 150 per cent higher than originally envisaged. The project is supported by a local consortium comprising both statutory and voluntary agencies.
The Regional Educational Guidance Service in Waterford will be delighted to share the knowledge gained through this project with those setting up other centres around the country. In fact, the senior guidance counsellor, Martina Harte, is presenting a paper at an international conference on lifelong learning in WIT on August 16th. The keynote speaker at the conference will be the eminent educationist Sir Christopher Ball. Details can be obtained from WIT Educational Development Centre at 051302271. - Yours, etc.,
Anne Jordan, Manager, Educational Development Centre, Waterford Institute of Technology.