On 28 March, 66 adult learners joined by their tutors, families and friends gathered at an awards ceremony organised by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) building at the University of Galway.

The event celebrated the learning achievements of adult learners from across Ireland who have improved their literacy, numeracy or digital literacy skills using the Learn with NALA eLearning website.

The Learn with NALA eLearning website learnwithnala.ie has over 40 free online courses for adults in subjects including reading, writing, maths, computers and communications.

Learners received NALA certificates and, in many cases, were awarded a national Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) certificate that they earned independently or with support from NALA’s Tutoring Service or a local education centre.

In 2024, 1,326 learners achieved 2,904 QQI awards on Learn with NALA.

• 659 of these learners were working independently with Learn with NALA
• 667 of these learners were based in 93 Learn with NALA registered centres across the country. These centres include Education and Training Board adult education centres, local community and not-for-profit organisations.

Additionally, 1,521 learners achieved 4,681 NALA certificates on Learn with NALA in 2024:

• 1,003 of these learners were working independently with Learn with NALA and,
• 518 of these learners were based in one of 80 Learn with NALA registered centres across the country.

The guest speaker at the ceremony was Padraig O’Hora, Mayo Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) footballer and Supervalu ambassador for the #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign. Autism advocate, Padraig, described his passion for promoting positive mental health and how GAA communities help to create a more diverse and inclusive society.

Speaking at the ceremony, Padraig had this inspirational message for attendees:

“Thank you all for the honour of being involved in this incredible day of celebration! It’s amazing to see so many learners, families, friends, and tutors coming together to recognise the dedication, perseverance, and passion that have brought us here today. Learning is a lifelong adventure, and every step forward opens new doors and opportunities. To each and every learner, your hard work and commitment are truly inspiring! You are proof that education knows no boundaries and that with the right support, anything is possible. A huge congratulations to you all, and to NALA for leading the way in breaking down barriers and making learning accessible to everyone. Today is your moment, enjoy it!”

Speaking at the event, Colleen Dube, NALA’s Chief Executive Officer said:

“I would like to congratulate all the learners and acknowledge the huge commitment and effort that goes into your achievement.  I would also like to thank all the tutors and staff for their continued work and dedication in supporting learners to achieve their goals. I hope this only the start of your learning journey.  Days like today are great reminders of how many learners and centres are using Learn with NALA and the transformative power of education.”

Inspiring learner Marion Turner from Roscommon spoke at the event and added:

“It’s never too late to learn. I never thought I’d go back to education at my age. Believe in yourself and give yourself time. Help from NALA opened my eyes and gave me my self-esteem back”.

Each year, NALA supports over 3,000 adults to improve their literacy skills over the phone and/or online. NALA is one of Ireland’s largest providers of programmes leading to QQI awards with over 50,000 QQI minor awards at level 2 and 3 earned by learners since 2008. NALA also manages a national Freephone service that refers callers to Education and Training Boards and community education providers around Ireland.

For information on free courses nationwide call Freephone NALA at 1 800 20 20 65 or go to www.nala.ie.  For information on Learn with NALA go to www.learnwithnala.ie.