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22 Jul 2020News

City Connects

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‘All children deserve a chance to learn, but many face obstacles too steep for them to climb alone. City Connects builds a network of support for students, their families, and the schools that serve them, improving outcomes now — and for years to come’ – Boston College

The City Connects pilot programme is a collaboration between the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Department of Education and Skills, Boston College, Tusla Education Support Services, Mary Immaculate College and funded by the North East Inner City (NEIC) Initiative.

When a school/s partners with City Connects, a full-time City Connects Coordinator/s becomes embedded within the fabric of the school/s to provide a holistic approach to student support. The City Connects Coordinator collaborates with teachers in every classroom to review the strengths and needs of every student, each year. The Coordinator develops and maintains an individualized student support plan tailored for every student in their school/s in collaboration with school and community partners.

Systemic Student Support

At City Connects schools, the City Connects Coordinator/s becomes the hub of student support — a single point of contact in an otherwise crowded maze of service providers. The City Connects practice provides a system and set of processes that alleviate the burden on principals and teachers. City Connects creates an organized referral process for in school resources and services to community-based partners. City Connects Coordinators also works within school’s existing structures to engage parents and families as an integral partner in student support.

As the hub for student support, City Connects Coordinators provide on-going feedback and follow-up by collaborating with school and community partners to track services and evaluate results, making sure every student is getting what’s needed.

City Connects NEIC Pilot Programme

Funding has been received from the NEIC Initiative to run a pilot of the City Connects programme in the coming school year in ten primary schools in the North East Inner City and the key posts of City Connects Coordinator and Programme Manager to oversee the pilot are now being advertised with a deadline of 31st July 2020.

The City Connects Programme Manager – 1 full time post will oversee implementation of the pilot and provide strategic support and guidance to the City Connects Coordinators. This post is open to existing education sector staff, requires managerial experience and experience in a DEIS school would be preferable but not required. https://www.educationposts.ie/post/view/139135 (Programme Manager)

The City Connects Coordinator post – 3 full time assignments for existing staff in the education sector. The Coordinators will be implementing the City Connects pilot on the ground in the primary schools and integrating existing systems and resources. Experience of working as a Home School Community Liaison would be preferable but not required. https://www.educationposts.ie/post/view/139136 (NCC)