November 2015 An Tánaiste to launch New Institute for Lifecourse and Society at NUI Galway

The Institute is dedicated to supporting applied research that informs policy development and practice to make a positive difference to people’s lives

The Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton T.D. will officially launch the Institute for Lifecourse and Society today (11 November 2015) at NUI Galway. The Institute is dedicated to supporting applied research that informs policy development and practice to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

The Institute for Lifecourse and Society represents an €9m investment comprising significant philanthropic contributions from The Atlantic Philanthropies and Galway University Foundation in a rare example of an interdisciplinary research hub designed to examine and reimagine important social issues, especially for vulnerable populations.

Speaking at the opening of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at NUI Galway, An Tánaiste Joan Burton T.D. said: “The goal of the Institute is to achieve international excellence in social policy and practice development through the pursuit of interdisciplinary research in the social sciences. This will be done by creatively integrating the rich and diverse intellectual resources from within the University and beyond. I believe the Institute will become both a pioneering research institute for the applied social sciences and a flagship of the University. I look forward to reading the Institute’s work in the coming years – and to that work helping to guide and shape national policy.”

The Institute, under the directorship of Professor Pat Dolan, provides a newly designated research institute for the applied social sciences at NUI Galway, the largest of its kind in Europe. It supports applied research that informs policy development and practice, and brings together existing work in relation to targeted populations – such as children and families, persons with disabilities and older persons – into one domain of research, teaching and policy.

Amongst its members are nationally and internationally recognised authorities from the fields of children and families, and disabled and older persons and the Institute has already a strong record in influencing domestic, regional and international policy and practice affecting these populations.
President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne said: “Today is a milestone in the development of the social sciences at NUI Galway. With the establishment of this Institute our university marks a concerted commitment to the application of knowledge in the social sciences in order to share knowledge and create positive social change.

The real benefit of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society is to future generations of citizens who will benefit from new approaches on how to improve lives of families, young people, older persons and those who live with disabilities. The knowledge generated by those working in this Institute will help to shape advocacy, policy and interventions to improve the lives of so many citizens – right across the lifecourse.”

President Browne added: “The support of our philanthropic partners has been absolutely vital to this project. I would like to thank The Atlantic Philanthropies and Galway University Foundation most sincerely for their vision and their investment in this research facility.”

Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the Institute, said: “Essentially the focus of the Institute is to bring together researchers and communities to develop new blueprints for social change, practice and policy. The ‘lifecourse’ side of things is a relatively new approach aimed at zooming out from the silos of academic disciplines and stages of life to look for solutions, patterns and strategies that provide for people and societies over the course of a life and over generations. Few such research institutes in this field aim for this kind of deep and far-reaching impact.”

To mark the official opening of the Institute, a keynote address will be given by Professor Robert J. Chaskin University of Chicago and Chair of the International Advisory Board at the Institute entitled “Social Policy and Community Action for Children, Youth, and Families”. In the course of the lecture Professor Chaskin will identify and evidence an innovative model for community led research which makes services and professionals more relevant in how and what they do with and for families that experience serious adversity.

The lecture will take place in the main auditorium in the ILAS building at 2.30pm, Wednesday 11th November, 2015. Attendance is free and open to the public but reservation is necessary so please email ILAS@nuigalway.ie

http://www.nuigalway.ie/ilas/ 

ENDS

An Tánaiste le hInstitiúid Nua Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí a sheoladh in OÉ Gaillimh

Tacaíonn an Institiúid le taighde feidhmeach a chuidíonn le polasaithe a fhorbairt agus a chleachtadh chun tionchar dearfach a imirt ar shaol na ndaoine

Seolfaidh an Tánaiste agus an tAire Coimirce Sóisialaí Joan Burton T.D. an Institiúid Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí inniu (11 Samhain 2015) in OÉ Gaillimh. Tacaíonn an Institiúid le taighde feidhmeach a chuidíonn le polasaithe a fhorbairt agus a chleachtadh chun tionchar dearfach a imirt ar shaol na ndaoine.

Is infheistíocht €9m a rinneadh san Institiúid Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí. Tháinig cuid mhaith den infheistíocht ó The Atlantic Philanthropies agus ó Fhondúireacht na hOllscoile a tháinig le chéile chun ceisteanna móra sóisialta a scrúdú, go mór mór i gcás dreamanna leochaileacha.

Ag labhairt ag oscailte na hInstitiúide Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí in OÉ Gaillimh, dúirt an Tánaiste Joan Burton T.D.: “Is é sprioc na hInstitiúide ardchaighdeán idirnáisiúnta a bhaint amach i bhforbairt polasaí agus cleachtas sóisialta trí thaighde idirdhisciplíneach a dhéanamh sna heolaíochtaí sóisialta. Déanfar é seo trí na hacmhainní saibhre agus éagsúla intleachtúla a chomhtháthú go cruthaitheach san Ollscoil agus taobh amuigh de. Creidim go mbeidh an Institiúid seo ina ceannródaí maidir le taighde sna heolaíochtaí sóisialta feidhmeacha agus ina ceann feadhna san Ollscoil. Táim ag súil go mór le saothar na hInstitiúide a léamh sna blianta seo romhainn – agus don obair a chuidíonn le polasaí náisiúnta a threorú agus a chruthú.”

Tá an Institiúid faoi stiúir an Ollaimh Pat Dolan agus is institiúid taighde nua í atá nua-ainmnithe do na heolaíochtaí sóisialta feidhmeacha in OÉ Gaillimh, an institiúid is mó den chineál seo san Eoraip. Tacaíonn sí le taighde feidhmeach a chuidíonn le polasaithe a fhorbairt agus a chleachtadh agus tugann sí an obair reatha maidir le dreamanna spriocdhírithe le chéile – cosúil le gasúir agus teaghlaigh, daoine faoi mhíchumas agus daoine níos sine – isteach i raon taighde, teagaisc agus polasaí amháin.

I measc na mball tá údaráis aitheanta náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta as réimsí na leanaí agus na dteaghlach, na ndaoine faoi mhíchumas agus na ndaoine níos sine agus tá dea-cháil ar an Institiúid cheana féin as tionchar a imirt ar pholasaí agus ar chleachtas áitiúil, réigiúnach agus idirnáisiúnta a bhaineann leis na dreamanna seo.

Dúirt Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr Jim Browne: “Is buaicphointe i bhforbairt na n-eolaíochtaí sóisialta in OÉ Gaillimh atá sa lá inniu.  Le bunú na hInstitiúide seo, léiríonn an Ollscoil an mian atá againn eolas a úsáid sna heolaíochtaí sóisialta chun eolas a roinnt agus athruithe dearfacha sóisialta a dhéanamh.

Is iad na glúine atá le teacht a bhainfidh an leas is mó as cur chuigí nua na hInstitiúide Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí maidir leis an saol a fheabhsú do theaghlaigh, do dhaoine óga, do dhaoine níos sine agus dóibh siúd atá faoi mhíchumas.  Cuideoidh an t-eolas a bhaileoidh siad siúd atá ag obair san Institiúid seo le tacaíocht, polasaí agus idirghabháil a fhorbairt a fheabhsóidh an saol do lear mór daoine – ar feadh chúrsa an tsaoil.”

Anuas ar an méid sin, dúirt an tUachtarán Browne: “Bhí tacaíocht na gcomhpháirtithe daonchairdis riachtanach don togra seo.  Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh le The Atlantic Philanthropies agus le Fondúireacht na hOllscoile as a bhfís agus a n-infheistíocht sa tsaoráid taighde seo.”

Dúirt an tOllamh Pat Dolan, Stiúrthóir na hInstitiúide: “Tá an bhéim ag an Institiúid ar thaighdeoirí agus pobail a thabhairt le chéile chun pleananna nua a fhorbairt d'athruithe, cleachtas agus polasaí sóisialta. Is cur chuige réasúnta nua an ‘cúrsa saoil’ atá ag iarraidh imeacht ó réimse na ndisciplíní acadúla agus céimeanna saoil le breathnú ar réitigh, patrúin agus straitéisí a bhaineann le daoine agus le cumainn i gcúrsa saoil agus in imeacht glúine. Is beag institiúid taighde sa réimse seo a éilíonn an cineál seo tionchair.”

Chun oscailt oifigiúil na hInstitiúide a cheiliúradh, tabharfaidh an tOllamh Robert J. Chaskin as Ollscoil Chicago agus Cathaoirleach ar an mBord Comhairleach Idirnáisiúnta san Institiúid léacht dar teideal “Social Policy and Community Action for Children, Youth, and Families”. Sa léacht seo, tabharfaidh an tOllamh Chaskin léargas ar mhúnla nuálach do thaighde pobal-bhunaithe a chiallaíonn go mbíonn seirbhísí agus lucht gairme níos ábhartha sa mhéid a dhéanann siad do theaghlaigh atá i ngátar. 

Beidh an léacht ar siúl sa phríomh-halla san fhoirgneamh ILAS ag 2.30pm, Dé Céadaoin, an 11 Samhain 2015. Tá sé saor in aisce freastal ar an léacht agus oscailte don phobal ach ní mór áit a chur in áirithe mar sin seol ríomhphost chuig ILAS@nuigalway.ie

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