Carlow uni receives over €800k to provide courses for service users affected by addiction

Over €800,000 in funding has been awarded to South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow for the provision of higher education courses for service users at Tiglin and other addiction treatment centres. 

Programmes like Tiglin - which opened its doors in 2008 with its first residential rehabilitation centre for men in Wicklow followed by the women's centre at Brittas Bay - provide rehabilitation for people affected by drug, alcohol addiction and homelessness, and support them to create a life beyond addiction. 

The award of €833,333 in HEA funding will enable SETU and Tiglin to co-create a suite of micro-credentials and build courses specific to the needs of those on the Tiglin recovery programme, embedding those awards within the programme itself. 

It's hoped this will create conditions for connectedness with the community that are vital for long-term success. 

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President of SETU, Professor Veronica Campbell, spoke about the news.

She said the award would “scaffold the development of new initiatives to provide higher education and employment pathways for service users at Tiglin and other rehabilitation centres in the South East and complements a broader suite of initiatives in SETU around inclusive higher education for all”. 

According to the most recent national survey data from 2019 to 2020, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder in the general adult population was 14.8%. 

Head of Faculty of Lifelong Learning at SETU’s Carlow Campus, Dr Joseph Collins, commented, “At SETU we have always believed in reaching beyond our walls and connecting with communities in ways that are novel, challenging and impactful.

"By being proactive and working with Tiglin, we created the opportunity for learners to enter higher education for the first time and in delivering on site at Tiglin, we have opened up a world of possibilities and a brighter future of those participating in the Tiglin addiction recovery programme.”