Evaluating Integrated Responses to Educational Disadvantage (2000)

Killinarden Educational Network, Tallaght, Dublin (KEN)BackgroundKillinarden Education Network (KEN) is located in an area of West Tallaght in South County Dublin. Killinardenconsists primarily of local authority housing and was built in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Approximately 7,000people live in the area. Almost half of the population are aged less than 20 years. It is located within apartnership company catchment area under the Local Development Programme. The area has high rates ofunemployment, deprivation and low educational attainment.When notice of the Combat Poverty Programme was issued, local organisations, in particular the TallaghtYouth Service, Tallaght Partnership Company and the Killinarden Community School, decided to make a jointsubmission.AimsOriginally the programme was seen as an opportunity for each organisation to fulfil its own goals but with thesame general target group in mind. A lot of innovative work concerning young people and education wastaking place in the area and the lack of linkages between these needed to be more effectively tackled. TheDemonstration Programme was seen as providing this opportunity.StructureBecause of the youth service's prior direct involvement with young people in Killinarden, it was agreed that itshould become a lead organisational structure for the network, with a steering committee made up of it andother network members. The steering committee was subsequently expanded to include more parents andmeeting times were changed to suit parental participation.ActivityDuring its first phase, Killinarden Education Network's steering committee got a consultant to undertake astudy of the area and to compile an action plan on behalf of the network. The research involved discussionswith local people, organisations and groups to identify issues concerning educational disadvantage and tomake recommendations around objectives and actions. This action plan was presented to local people at apublic meeting in May. It emphasised the need to:* develop at a local level a common understanding of educational disadvantage;* identify, implement and support suitable local interventions; and,* formulate policy proposals based on these experiences.Overall, there was slow progress in developing the network until a co-ordinator was appointed in September1997. Thereafter, progress improved and key local educational players were included quite quickly.In the three months after it appointed a co-ordinator, the network arranged meetings with localschool/parents' groups, members of residents'/tenants' associations and with community groups, both toinform them about the network and to promote their involvement. Membership of the network expanded toinclude representatives from parents, primary and post-primary schools, youth training, youth service, thepartnership company and community, voluntary and religious leaders.Some committee training took place but overall the committee focused on 'learning by doing' and engagedin ongoing self-evaluation. Although self-evaluation was quite complex, it helped the steering group to workthrough issues and to understand the reality of what it takes to get things going. Understanding the potentialof KEN's co-ordinating role, as distinct from managing interventions, was a significant learning stage.( Evaluating Integrated ResponsesO